News

In midtown Manhattan one fall night, a mélange of bros descended upon Herald Square to see Creed. They walked around clutching Budweiser beers and hot dogs in their fists — some of them even lit their Marlboro reds in unison during “Higher.” The crowd was peppered with 3 Doors Down shirts (they were the opening act), Dallas Cowboys jerseys with “Stapp” on the back, and the types of dirty-joke tees you buy on the Jersey Shore boardwalk (one read “Do MILFs Not Drugs”).

This was all happening not in 2002 — but last November,...

I don’t have strong opinions on Ellen DeGeneres — she was a fine comic, a subpar daytime host, probably a bully and one of the only Hollywood people to actually lose a job because of cancel culture. Really, she was great as Dory in Finding Nemo.

But as inconsequential as Ellen’s current whereabouts are to my life, the theory of how she got here is incredibly important. You see, it all starts with 9/11. Yes, that 9/11. The one in 2001, the one which permanently changed the trajectory of American public life, the definition of freedom, warmongering, human rights, airport security, and according to one beloved theory, Ellen DeGeneres’ career.

The Domino Effect theory on this issue — Ellen’s career, not 9/11, we don’t have time for that, we don’t have the maps for that — spans multiple decades, families and major motion picture blockbuster franchises. Circulating in the annals of the internet for years,...

The songs of Toby Keith are getting an update, just in time for the Fourth of July. On Tuesday, Apple Music announced a new collection of six Keith songs, reimagined by some of today’s rising country stars. Apple Music Nashville Sessions: Toby Keith Covered features Megan Moroney, Ella Langley, Riley Green, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, and Tucker Wetmore putting their own spin on songs like “Who’s Your Daddy?” and “As Good As I Once Was.” The EP is streaming now.

Langley interprets the 1993 heartbreak ballad “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” and,...

American Idolseason 23 runner-up John Foster has announced a major career milestone that's been a dream for him since he started playing music. During the American Idol season 23 finale, Jamal Roberts won, while John placed second, and Breanna Nix placed third. John, an 18-year-old college student from Addis, Louisiana, was a frontrunner in the competition for the whole season due to his old-school country music style and his charming personality. He's now released his single, "Tell That Angel I Love Her," which he wrote for his late friend, Maggie Dunn, and sang on the show.

American Idolseason 23 runner-up John Foster has announced a major career milestone that's been a dream for him.

In an Instagram post, John announced that he'll be making his Grand Ole Opry debut on June 7, 2025. John wrote, "Tonight I had the pleasure of singing with Grand Ole Opry member Craig Morgan, and I’m incredibly honored to...

Travis Tritt is still as popular now as he was in the late 1990s but his career path took a turn as country music evolved with new artists. In a recent interview, the singer spoke out about why he was labeled as an outlaw in the music industry and why he’s not in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Plus, some fans thought the singer was unrecognizable at a recent concert.

Travis Tritt Addresses Country Music Hall Of Fame Snub

Travis Tritt is one of many well-deserving artists who aren’t in the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Nashville tourist spot recently unveiled a Dolly Parton exhibit about her life and career. While Travis Tritt isn’t on Dolly Parton’s legendary level (who is?) he’s still one of the most successful country artists.

The singer recently sat down with the Drifting Cowboys podcast. He opened up...

Clint Eastwood has been working in Hollywood for several decades as an actor and a filmmaker. It is astounding for fans to see him working even at the age of 94. He released what is considered to be his final film last year with Juror #2, but if he announces a new one, there would be none who would be surprised.

One of Eastwood’s most celebrated movies is The Mule. The actor directed and starred in the film as a war veteran in his ‘80s, who becomes a dr*g mule for a cartel. Eastwood was 88 when he made the film and reportedly met noted Country singer Toby Keith while he was working on it. A statement he made reportedly inspired Keith to write a song.

Clint Eastwood’s words on living gloriously, even in his 90s, inspired Toby Keith to make a song Clint Eastwood in The Mule | Credits: Warner Bros....

American Idolseason 23 has come to an end, and one of the Top 3 finalists--Jamal Roberts, John Foster, or Breanna Nix--was crowned the champion. American Idol season 23 welcomed season 4 winner Carrie Underwood as a new judge on the panel alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Together, they discovered Jamal, a 27-year-old physical education teacher from Meridian, Mississippi; John, an 18-year-old college student from Addis, Louisiana; and Breanna, a 25-year-old stay-at-home mom from Denton, Texas, and now one of them is the next American Idol.

Jamal Roberts won American Idol season 23, while John Foster was the runner-up, and Breanna Nix placed third.

Jamal won American Idol season 23, while John was the runner-up, and Breanna placed third. During the first round of the finale, the Top 3 finalists competed with two songs each, including Jamal's "First Time" by Teeks and "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" by The Temptations, John's "Courtesy of the Red,...

Earlier tonight, May 18, 2025, ABC aired the Live finale episode for American Idol's current season 23, and we finally found out who won this thing. All the celebrity judges: Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan were on hand. The top three contestants: Will John Foster, Breanna Nix and Jamal Roberts gave their final performances of this season to try and win this whole thing. To kick off the final performances for the top three, John Foster sang, "Courtesy of The Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" by Toby Keith. Afterwards, Carrie said, "You're pulling out all the stops." Lionel said, "You nailed it, nailed it, nailed it." Luke said, "Your whole disposition has changed. The confidence and your voice has gotten better."...

Spoiler Alert: This post contains details of the ‘American Idol’ Season 23 finale.

Only three American Idol hopefuls made it to the finale night, and one was crowned the winner on ABC.

The three singers who made it to the Top 3 were John Foster, Breanna Nix, and Jamal Roberts.

On the final night, the finalists performed one last time in front of the judges and the American public. John performed Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” and John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” Jamal performed Teeks’ “First Time” and the Temptations’ “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me).” Breanna performed Katy Nichole’s “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” and Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.”

The American Idol Season 23 finale also had special guest performers like Salt-n-Pepa, Good Charlotte, Kirk Franklin, Goo Goo Dolls, Brandon Lake, Jennifer Holliday, Jelly Roll, Myles Smith, Pj Morton,...

Tonight on American Idol, the top three give their final performances in a star-studded night filled with music legends and top stars. After the nationwide vote, host Ryan Seacrest reveals this year’s American Idol winner. Will John Foster, Breanna Nix, or Jamal Roberts take the crown? Follow our live blog to see each performance and up-to-the-minute results below.

The three-hour finale of American Idol airs live coast-to-coast beginning at 8 p.m. Et/5 p.m. Pt on ABC. Judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan will cheer on the contestants as "Artist in Residence" Jelly Roll mentors the finalists ahead of their last performance.

Each of the top 14 contestants return to make an appearance on tonight's finale along with superstar guests Brandon Lake, Goo Goo Dolls, Good Charlotte, Jennifer Holliday, Jessica Simpson, Kirk Franklin, Myles Smith, Patti Labelle, and Salt-n-Pepa.

See New singles released from Top 7 American Idol finalists

8 p.

The 151st running of the Kentucky Derby had at least two direct connections to music: Render Judgment was co-owned by late country singer Toby Keith and Sandman was named by a pair of Metallica superfans, who welcomed “Enter Sandman” howler James Hetfield to Churchill Downs to meet the Thoroughbred on Friday.

So who won? Not the music horses. Sandman, who entered with 5-1 odds ahead of the Derby start, came in seventh, while Render Judgment (who entered with 19-1 odds) finished 17th. Sovereignty, at 9-1, ruled and won the 2025 Kentucky Derby,...

A horse co-owned by Toby Keith will race at the 151st Kentucky Derby this weekend, posthumously fulfilling a longtime dream of the late country legend.

The horse, Render Judgment, will start out of Gate 15 when the race takes place this Saturday, May 3, at Churchill Downs in Louisville. Render Judgment originally wasn’t supposed to appear in the Derby this year after landing at Number 21 on the Kentucky Derby eligibility list. But an injury to another horse during a workout bumped Render Judgment into the Top 20, securing his spot in the starting gate.

Kenny Chesney, June Carter Cash, and producer-musician Tony Brown are the newest members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Nashville institution announced the 2025 inductees during a press conference Tuesday morning in the Hall’s rotunda, where the plaques honoring the new class will be installed later this year.

Chesney is this year’s Modern Era Artist inductee. Known for infusing country music with carefree, beachy vibes, Chesney has become a live touring powerhouse, headlining football stadiums for more than two decades. Since launching his career in 1993, the East...

Updated, with comments from press secretary: Donald Trump on Monday will make his first visit to the Kennedy Center since he ousted leadership and ensured that he would be chairman of the D.C. arts institution.

While the center has been beset by cancellations of major shows by artists protesting the Trump takeover, the president told reporters that “we have to straighten it out. It is not a good situation. Like everything else in this country.”

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the president “hopes to restore arts and culture that embrace American tradition, not disparage it, as we have unfortunately seen over the past several years.” She said that Trump would do a tour of the center and would “perhaps be discussing some future plays and musicals and theatrical programs that the center will be hosting under his new leadership.”

The New York Times reported that Trump will address...

Willie Nelson’s annual 4th of July Picnic is coming to the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin, Texas, this year with a lineup that includes Bob Dylan, the Avett Brothers, the Mavericks, Asleep at the Wheel, and Tami Neilson, in addition to Nelson and his Family Band. Ticket go on sale March 7.

“I’m 92 years old and I’ll be there so you have no excuse,” Nelson said in a statement. “I look forward to bringing back my annual 4th of July Picnic to the city I love and sharing...

We lost some entertainment giants in 2024.

Among the big-screen legends who died during the past 12 months were Donald Sutherland, James Earl Jones, Maggie Smith, Carl Weathers, Shelley Duvall, Dabney Coleman, Teri Garr, Louis Gossett Jr., Anouk Aimée, Marisa Paredes and Gena Rowlands.

Related: Saying Goodbye: A Video Tribute To The Hollywood And Media Figures We’ve Lost In 2024

The TV world mourns the likes of Bob Newhart, John Amos, Phil Donahue, Linda Lavin, David Soul, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Martin Mull, Shannen Doherty, Michael Cole, Richard Lewis, Richard Simmons, James B. Sikking, Peter Marshall and Joe Flaherty.

Filmmakers and producers who left us include Norman Jewison, Roger Corman, Al Ruddy, Jon Landau, Lynda Obst, Jim Abrahams, Charles Shyer, Irv Wilson and Paolo Taviani.

The industry also paid tribute to such top executives as Charles Dolan, Paula Weinstein, Jamie Kellner, Richard Parsons, Gerald Levin and Paul Fox.

Broadway’s lights were a...

Adnan Sami Calls Out The Grammys For Excluding Zakir Hussain In The Memorium (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Veteran singer Adnan Sami lashed out at the Grammys for excluding Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain from their memorium. The award ceremony, which honors the creme-de-la-creme of the global music fraternity, paid tribute to the singers and musicians who passed away in the year gone by. However, there was no mention of Hussain, who passed away in December last year. Sami called out the same strongly on his social media handle.

Taking to his Instagram stories, Adnan Sami shared a black and white throwback picture of Zakir Hussain playing the Tabla. He mentioned how Zakir was the recipient of the Grammys four times which makes his exclusion even more disappointing. The ‘Lift Kara De’ singer captioned the same, stating, “Dear Grammys, In your ‘Memoriam’, You inexcusably missed mentioning the passing away of the Greatest Tabla...

Chris Martin sits at the piano for a pared down performance during the 2025 Grammy Awards on Sunday (February 2) at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The 47-year-old Coldplay frontman sang the band’s 2024 song “All My Love” during the award ceremony’s In Memoriam tribute, where he was joined by Grace Bowers.

The In Memoriam started out with a tribute to Liam Payne, who tragically died back in October.

Keep reading to watch…

Other stars who were honored during the segment included Kris Kristofferson, Cissy Houston, Fatman Scoop, Tito Jackson, Rich Homie Quan, Toby Keith and more.

If you missed it, watch Janelle Monae perform during a tribute to Quincy Jones, and watch Cynthia Erivo also perform during the Quincy tribute.

Fyi: Grace is wearing Dolce&Gabbana.

Chris Martin pays tribute to Liam Payne and other artists at this year's #GRAMMYs with "All My Love" pic.twitter.com/vJhHOYgjdW

— Coldplay...

Coldplay’s Chris Martin sang a tender version of his band’s recent ballad “All My Love” for the Grammys’ In Memoriam segment, honoring musicians who died this year, including One Direction’s Liam Payne, the Allman Brothers’ Dicky Betts, Marianne Faithfull, Garth Hudson, Toby Keith, and Rich Homie Quan. He was joined by a small string section as well as young guitar virtuoso Grace Bowers, who added two emotive solos to the song.

@niall.fan7

Liam Paynes tribute at the Grammy tonight with Chris Martin singing with everyone else...

All across the country, plenty of observers are judging Carrie Underwood at the moment.

As they do so, a common question is now being asked:

Will Carrie Underwood return next season to judge contestants on American Idol?

Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie, Carrie Underwood, and Ryan Seacrest pose for a photo during “American Idol” Season 8 Judges Photo Call on October 2, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

The artist was chosen this week to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, January 20… but instead of receiving messages of congratulations from folks around the nation, Underwood has instead received a great deal of backlash.

We don’t need to delve into why, do we?

Donald Trump has been elected President on two separate occasions, yet he’s likely the most polarizing person on the planet — with many believing he’s a racist, a rapist, a fascist or some combination of all these things.

Given their instrumentation and mountain-music harmonies, the Avett Brothers have always been naturals when it comes to country covers. When they last appeared on Austin City Limits in 2014, they zipped through a version of George Jones’ “The Race Is On.”

For their next spot on the show, airing Saturday, Jan. 18th, the Avetts devote most of their set to songs from last year’s The Avett Brothers. But the band also offers up another country homage, this one both cheeky and a little touching.

Some fans may not think that...

American Idol winner, singer, and now judge, Carrie Underwood, will be performing at fellow reality TV star President-Elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, and her fans are highly unimpressed.

Trump was inaugurated for the first time on January 20, 2017, and famously struggled to book talent as he prepared to take the White House for the first time.

Just one week before his 2017 inauguration, The Guardian reported that country singer Toby Keith – who has since passed away – had been successfully booked.

To that point in time, Trump's first-term transition team had only managed to book "a teenage singer ... who launched a successful career after appearing on the reality TV competition America’s Got Talent":

"Donald Trump seemed to have been struggling to lure any major names to his inauguration – which he insisted [in January 2017] would be 'elegant' and 'very special' – until [January 13, 2017], when he announced an appearance by the leading country artist Toby Keith.

Carrie Underwood is slated to perform at Donald Trump’s forthcoming presidential inauguration.

“I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event,” Underwood said in a statement. “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”

According to a program being circulated online for the Jan. 20 event, Underwood will sing “America the Beautiful” with the Armed...

Donald Trump already has a star set to perform at his upcoming inauguration. Country music star and American Idol alum Carrie Underwood will sing for the swearing-in ceremony. A few of the other musical performances planned for the event have also been revealed.

Carrie Underwood Was Previously Named In A Leaked Program

Trump previously served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Winning the 2024 election, he is set to be inaugurated as the 47th president on January 20, 2025.

For Trump’s first inauguration, “Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration” concert was held on January 19, 2017. Musical performances included Toby Keith, 3 Doors Down, and Lee Greenwood.

Carrie Underwood – YouTube

According to TMZ, a representative for the presidential inauguration committee confirmed that Underwood would sing “a patriotic tune” before the president-elect is sworn in.

As the publication noted, the singer’s name was previously listed in a leaked program listing the show order.

Country sensation Jelly Roll has performed many covers of Toby Keith’s songs since the legend sadly passed away in February 2024. One of those hits that keeps getting attention from Jelly Roll is “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” which he performed on New Year’s Eve again. He spoke recently about how Toby gets all the credit for convincing him to go from rap music to being a country performer. What exactly did he share? Keep reading to find out more.

Jelly Roll Credits Toby Keith For Music Transition

In a literal sense, Toby Keith changed Jelly Roll’s life. After his incredible performance in Nashville on New Year’s Eve, it was once again brought up how much Toby is admired even after his death. He tragically passed away from cancer in early 2024. People shared more about how much Jelly Roll looks up to Toby Keith.

During the five-song...

As we say goodbye to 2024, Jelly Roll is sending Toby Keith one last farewell for the year. Jelly, who performed during Nashville’s Big Bash New Year’s Eve special, paid tribute to the late country musician during his headlining performance. To honor Keith, who died in February, the singer performed his classic debut single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.”

Jelly Roll opened his New Year’s Eve set in Nashville’s Bicentennial Park with “I Am Not Okay” and also sang his uplifting “Need a Favor” with help from a trio of background vocalists.

Movie, TV and music fans are remembering notable figures who have died since the start of 2024. “Beverly Hills 90210” star Shannen Doherty, “Bob Newhart Show” star Bob Newhart, “An Officer and a Gentleman” Oscar winner Louis Gossett Jr., “Alice” star Linda Lavin, “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Richard Lewis, “Starsky and Hutch” star David Soul and “Honeymooners” star Joyce Randolph, who played Trixie, are among celebrities from the world of television who have died.

In film, cinephiles are remembering actor Donald Sutherland, actor James Earl Jones, “Romeo and Juliet” star Olivia Hussey, producer Roger Corman, “Chinatown” screenwriter Robert Towne, “Moonstruck” director Norman Jewison, “Harry Potter” star Maggie Smith and “The Shining” star Shelley Duvall.

Music stars we lost this year include Quincy Jones, Liam Payne, Kris Kristofferson, Toby Keith, Steve Lawrence and Phil Lesh.

America loves a parade. America also loves to learn from Oprah, to rock with Ryan Seacrest on New Year’s Eve and to belt out the hits with Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden.

The list of the year’s top 25 most-watched entertainment specials is topped by NBC’s Turkey Day telecast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which hauled in 23.4 million viewers in Nielsen’s Live-plus-7 measure covering live viewing plus seven days of delayed viewing. Two Oprah Winfrey-hosted specials made the list, one for ABC (coming in at No. 19) and one for CBS (No. 24).

The Rose Parade, the annual New Year’s Day trek of floral floats through Pasadena, nabbed two slots on the list (No. 14 and No. 17). NBC’s national coverage grabbed 5.4 million viewers while ABC’s coverage of the parade leading in to the college football game at the Rose Bowl garnered 5.1 million.

A...

When Toby Keith passed away in 2024, country music lost the voice of a generation. As the one-year anniversary of his passing approaches, there’s good news for his fans. New music from the iconic singer might be coming soon. Keep reading for all the details.

Country Music Mourns Legend

The country music industry lost one of the greatest performers of all time when Toby Keith passed away in February 2024 at the age of 62 after a hard battle with stomach cancer. He went public with the cancer diagnosis in June 2022. He had been battling the illness for about six months at that point.

Toby Keith was very optimistic about his recovery. He performed his hit song “Don’t Let the Old Man In” at the People’s Choice Country Awards in September 2023. He was given the first-ever Country Icon Award at the ceremony. Miranda Lambert took home the Icon award at the 2024 awards.

S.W.A.T. fans have been through the wringer during the show’s eight seasons. Is it canceled? Or is it renewed? Do we know? Does CBS?

S.W.A.T is back for now, but some things are different. The new 20-Squad isn’t your grandparents’ version of S.W.A.T. How do viewers like the new look and the younger squad?

It works, but is it as good as it once was?

(Bill Inoshita/CBS)

I promise this isn’t a Toby Keith song. It’s a breakdown of how the S.W.A.T Season 8 is stacking up on what we’re certain (almost) will be the show’s last run.

Classic television shows like S.W.A.T., Hawai’i Five-o, Magnum, P.I., and Quantum Leap intrigue viewers across generational gaps.

The idea of a tough, highly-tuned police division keeping order in one of the country’s toughest cities has appealed to audiences for decades, starting in 1975. However, the...

Jamey Johnson took his last drink in 2011. He opened up recently about what led him to give up booze, though he admitted he’s not entire sober. Plus the country singer reveals how Toby Keith inspired his new album. Keep reading for all the details.

Jamey Johnson Gets Candid About Why He Gave Up Booze

Jamey Johnson has a new single out called “Sober” with the repeating phrase “It’s so hard staying sober in this town.” But for the country crooner, staying away from alcohol is easy for him. He told Billboard magazine that he hasn’t had a drop of booze in almost fifteen years. “I had my last drink in September 2011.”

Jamey Johnson/Credit: YouTube

“I don’t play games with the alcohol. That’s what led me down a dark path of self-destruction back then and I barely survived.”

He couldn’t be happier living an alcohol-free life.

Throughout 2024, we will continue to update this In Memoriam photo gallery with notable celebrity deaths from film, television, theater and music. Major entertainment figures to be honored in the 2024 gallery are TV legends Bob Newhart and Phil Donahue, Oscar/Tony/Emmy winner Dame Maggie Smith, Emmy/Tony/Grammy winner James Earl Jones, music legend and Grammy/Tony/Emmy winner Quincy Jones, Oscar winner Louis Gossett, Jr., Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Gena Rowlands, Oscar nominee Teri Garr, director/producer Norman Jewison, broadway legend Chita Rivera, country music superstars Kris Kristofferson and Toby Keith and actors Dabney Coleman, Donald Sutherland and Carl Weathers.

Featured in the 2023 gallery were Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Tina Turner, Harry Belafonte, Jeff Beck, Robbie Robertson and David Crosby, Oscar and Tony winner Alan Arkin, Oscar/Emmy/Tony winner Glenda Jackson, Oscar and Grammy winner Burt Bacharach, Oscar winner William Friedkin, Grammy legend Tony Bennett,...

Post Malone is currently on his F-1 Trillion Tour. The tour kicked off last month with a few shows at various amphitheaters across the country. He invited some special guests for his first stadium show in Nashville, Tennessee over the weekend. The rapper-turned-country-star also paid tribute to the late, great Toby Keith. Keep reading for all the details.

Special Guests Join Post Malone For 1st Stadium Tour

Country music fans have embraced Post Malone. He had fans begging for a country album last year when he performed with Morgan Wallen and Hardy. The trio belted out some of Joe Diffe’s biggest hits. Fans finally got what they asked for when Post Malone released F-1 Trillion in August.

Credit: YouTube

He collaborated with some of the biggest names in country music on the expansive 27-track album. Tim McGraw, Lainey Wilson, and Luke Combs are just a few of the collaborators.

Entertainment greats Missy Elliott, Queen Latifah, Steven Spielberg, and the late Selena Quintanilla will be honored by the White House this year. On Monday, Joe Biden’s administration announced the cohort of stars set to receive the 2022 and 2023 National Medals of Arts and Humanities.

Elliott, Latifah, and Spielberg are among the honorees for the National Medal of Arts, along with musicians Idina Menzel, Leonardo “Flaco” Jiménez, and Herb Ohta, Jr.; actress Eva Longoria; and filmmakers Ken Burns and Spike Lee.

Quintanilla joins a group of three late honorees to be given the award posthumously,...

There sure has been a lot of discourse this year about who can play country music. But at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s annual Medallion Ceremony on Sunday, officially inducting this year’s class, the answer was “anyone who showed up.”

That included two members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Keith Richards and Elvis Costello; Nashville’s latest pop arrival, Post Malone; bluegrass pioneer Del McCoury; Americana poet Lucinda Williams; and genre pillars Vince Gill and Emmylou Harris.

All of them, along with Eric Church, Blake Shelton,...

True to form, John Anderson was in the studio writing and recording a batch of new songs when he first heard rumblings about the latest class being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. When the Florida native, who possesses one of the genre’s most idiosyncratic drawls, eventually learned that he was one of the inductees, he says he absorbed the honor with a mix of satisfaction and melancholy.

“One of the main gratifications is I got to live to see it,” Anderson, 69, says. “Several of my friends were inducted posthumously.

Reba McEntire, the undisputed Queen of Country, officially joined “The Voice” as a coach during its 24th installment, and she won her first championship in Season 25 for Asher HaVon. She is a three-time Grammy winner who previously had a history on the singing show, as she served as the mega mentor for every coach in Seasons 8 and 23, and helped out Blake Shelton during Season 1. Now that the Season 26 blind auditions have begun, can Reba prevail for the second time on NBC’s reality TV show?

Tour our gallery above (or click here for direct access) for a closer look at Team Reba McEntire on “The Voice” Season 26, including photos, bios and artist rankings. Also see our features for Team Gwen Stefani, Team Michael Buble and Team Snoop Dogg.

Tanner Frick (4-chair Turn)

Age: 26

Hometown: Brandon, Ms

Resident: Manchester, Tn

Tanner keeps the city of Manchester running smoothly by overseeing the sewer lines and pumps.

Miranda Lambert was an opener for iconic country singer Toby Keith early in her career. In a new interview, she revealed that it wasn’t always easy touring with the legend. Keep reading to find out why.

Toby Keith’s Death Rocked Country Music

In June 2022, country singer Toby Keith made the startling admission that he’d been diagnosed with cancer. He had been quietly battling the disease since the fall of 2021. The “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” singer made a triumphant appearance at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards to accept the Country Icon Award. He performed an emotional rendition of “Don’t Let the Old Man In.”

No one knew that would be his last public performance. He passed away in February 2024 after a hard-fought battle with stomach cancer. The singer was only 62.

Toby Keith A Young Miranda Lambert Toured With Him

Miranda Lambert has been a mainstream country star for two decades.

While nothing holds a candle to the Olympics at the moment for NBC, one of the broadcaster’s other prides and joys of the summer was a two-hour concert special for late country singer Toby Keith. Featuring performances by Trace Adkins, Priscilla Block, Luke Bryan, Jelly Roll, Darius Rucker, Carrie Underwood, Clay Walker, and Lainey Wilson, plus Keith’s daughter, Krystal Keith, among others, “Toby Keith: American Icon” drew 4.7 million viewers when it debuted across NBC on Aug. 28 and next day on streamer Peacock.

Filmed in Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the two-hour special was the most-watched show across broadcast that night and grew 10% from its “America’s Got Talent” lead-in — a show that’s typically hard to top in viewers for NBC. And the win was in large part thanks to ITV America’s Thinkfactory Media, the production company behind “Gene Simmons Family Jewels,” “Hatfields & McCoys” and the “Mama June” reality series,...

College football brings people together from around the nation. There are countless traditions that plenty of schools have. At the University of Oregon, fans sing along to “Shout” from the movie Animal House in between the third and fourth quarters. Wisconsin Badger fans party to the hit “Jump Around” in the middle of the game. However, one university is doing something to honor a late country music artist who is still beloved. Toby Keith sadly passed away from cancer earlier in 2024. He was a huge fan of the Oklahoma Sooners football team. The program decided to honor Keith in a fitting way this year with a new tradition that likely won’t be going anywhere in the future.

What The Oklahoma Sooners Do To Honor Toby Keith

The Oklahoma Sooners kicked the 2024 year off against the Temple Owls, who they easily beat. However, one moment stuck out for plenty of fans more than others.

Ken Page, the Broadway veteran who provided the voice of the ghastly villain Oogie Boogie in the Tim Burton-produced The Nightmare Before Christmas, has died. He was 70.

Page died peacefully Monday at his home in St. Louis, his manager, Todd M. Eskin, announced.

In his Broadway debut, Page stepped in as a replacement to play the Lion in the original 1975-79 production of The Wiz, and he won a Drama Desk Award and drew standing ovations when he sang “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”

The baritone also originated the role of Old Deuteronomy in 1982 in the original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats; starred in the original 1978-82 Broadway production of Fats Waller’s Ain’t Misbehavin’, winner of the Tony Award for best musical; and played Nicely-Nicely Johnson in the 1976-77, all-Black revival of Guys and Dolls, a turn that earned him a Theatre World Award.

Country singer and rapper Jelly Roll debuted on Saturday Night Live with performances of “Liar” and “Winning Streak,” both from his forthcoming 10th studio album, Beautifully Broken, which is set for release Oct. 11.

The Tennessee native is coming off nominations for the CMA Awards’ Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year.

His most recent album, Whitsitt Chapel, was also nominated for best album at the CMAs.

The winner of last year’s CMA for New Artist, Jelly Roll has had high-profile performances in recent months, like at the Emmys and Wrestlemania.

Jelly Roll’s very busy weekend in New York City kicked off Friday night with a concert at Madison Square Garden, where the singer was joined onstage by surprise guest Post Malone.

The two artists performed three tracks together: A rendition of the country classic “Friends in Low Places,” a version of Malone’s “I Had Some Help” with Jelly Roll filling in for Morgan Wallen, and the live debut of “Losers,” their collaboration from Malone’s F-1 Trillion.

Malone wasn’t the only special guest at Jelly Roll’s...

The People’s Choice Country Awards are coming in hot with Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and Kane Brown set to perform. The 2024 event, which will be hosted by Shania Twain, will air live on Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. Et and will be available to watch on NBC and Peacock. It will be filmed from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn.

Additionally, the red carpet for the event, “Live From E!: People’s Choice Country Awards,” will begin on 6 p.m. Et on Sept. 26.

Lambert, Urban and Brown will join Kelsea Ballerini, Lady A, Parker McCollum and The War And Treaty as performers for the upcoming event. Presenters this year include country stars Carly Pearce, Dan + Shay and Little Big Town as well as comedian Nate Bargatze. Additional performers and presenters will be announced at a later time.

As well as performing, Lambert will be honored with the Country Icon Award.

Netflix has found the formula for audience attention amid the waning days of summer and back-to-school season, and it involves one part Halle Berry, one part Mark Wahlberg, and a lot of action.

The two Hollywood A-listers have given Netflix a major streaming hit, as their action comedy “The Union” is the most-watched program for the third consecutive week on the Samba TV Weekly Wrap Report.

“Industry” comes in behind “The Union” this week, as the buzzy HBO and Max series climbs the chart from No. 6 last week.

Netflix holds the next four spots on this week’s chart. “Worst Ex Ever,” the streamer’s latest true-crime docuseries, “dissects the dark side of love” and comes in third this week. No. 4 is “The Accident,” a Mexican drama series.

“The Deliverance,” at No. 5 , is a horror film with even more star power in it than “The Union.” Led by Oscar winner Mo’Nique,...

Six months after Toby Keith’s untimely death, Luke Combs is remembering the late country legend with pride. On Thursday, an official video debuted of Combs and Keith in the studio recording a cover of the late Joe Diffie’s “Ships That Don’t Come In,” which dropped earlier this year.

“To be on a song with Toby was a no-brainer when it got presented to me,” Combs said in a press release. “That was something I had always hoped to do but never knew if it would happen or not.

Country legend Toby Keith passed away earlier this year. Even though he is gone, his memory lives on and the stories keep pouring out. His daughter Krystal shared a story of her own recently. Toby is known for his patriotism and he never hesitated to step into harm’s way in order to perform for all the troops overseas on Uso tours. Now, his daughter shared how she wanted to go with him and he absolutely refused. Keep reading to find out more.

Toby Keith Would Not Let Daughter On Uso Tour

Toby Keith loved the military and did not think twice about risking his own safety to go to the Middle East to perform for troops. His daughter Krystal also performs and wants badly to go with him.

However, she shared that letting her go with him is one line he refused to cross. Whiskey Riff shared what Krystal...

The University of Oklahoma will continue to honor country legend Toby Keith after his death earlier this year. He was an Ou fan his whole life and even sent his children there to attend college even though he never went himself. Superfan is an understatement when it comes to his love for Ou. Now, Ou football has announced they will have a sing-along to honor Toby during each home game in Norman. Keep reading to find out more.

Ou Football To Honor Toby Keith

Oklahoma Football will honor the late legend Toby Keith at every home game in Norman. The university announced that a sing-along will take place between the 3rd and 4th quarters of games. They have not released which songs will be sung but there are tons to choose from.

Chances are “Red Solo Cup” will make an appearance in honor of Toby. When he passed away the...

It takes decades of hits and likability to become the People’s Choice, and Miranda Lambert’s hard work will be rewarded at the People’s Choice Country Awards where she will accept “The Country Icon” award. The ceremony, which Shania Twain is hosting, takes place at Nashville’s Opry House and air on NBC and Peacock at 8 p.m. Et on Sept. 26.

Although the People didn’t get to choose Lambert specifically (voting for the other categories is still open through Friday), hits like “The House That Built Me,...

“Toby Keith: American Icon” is set to air on NBC at 9:00 Pm on Wednesday, August 28, 2024. This special event promises to be a heartfelt celebration of one of country music’s most beloved figures. Fans can expect a night filled with music, memories, and tributes as various country artists gather in Nashville to honor Toby Keith and his remarkable contributions to the genre.

The show will feature performances from a lineup of talented musicians who have been influenced by Toby’s work. Each artist will share their own renditions of his classic hits, bringing their unique styles to the stage. This tribute will not only highlight Toby’s songs but also showcase the impact he has had on the country music landscape over the years.

Viewers can look forward to a mix of nostalgia and excitement as they watch this special tribute unfold. With heartfelt stories and emotional performances,...