Country
Page: 146
Longtime Nashville music and radio industry executive and former Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Radio Seminar executive director Bill Mayne died on Tuesday (Nov. 28) at age 72 following a battle with a long-term illness.
Mayne’s career spanned nearly five decades. He began performing in a band before transitioning into radio, with his career including on-air and programming roles at various radio formats including top 40, rock and country. His radio career began in 1970 in an on-air role at KRLY in Houston; he would go on to serve in roles at KASE in Austin, KZLA/KLAC in Los Angeles and KSCS/WBAP in Dallas.
Mayne then spent 15 years at Warner Bros./Nashville, where he held a variety of roles, rising through the ranks from a regional role to senior vp/GM and vp of promotion. He was also a member of the Country Radio Broadcasters board, eventually becoming board vp before taking on the role of executive director at Country Radio Broadcaster in 2010 — a role he held until his retirement in 2019.
Current Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Radio Seminar (CRB/CRS) executive director RJ Curtis said in a statement, “The passing of Bill Mayne marks a profound loss for the entire country music community. Bill was a true giant in every sense of the word. His fifty years of passionate work positively impacted everyone he met, in nearly every segment of our business, through his time in radio, the music industry, artist management, entrepreneurialism, and, of course, his decade of leadership as Executive Director for CRB. Bill Mayne navigated the organization through a period of great adversity, ultimately reestablishing CRS as the premier industry event that it is today.”
In 2019, Mayne received CRB/CRS’ President’s Award in recognition of the significant contributions he made to the radio industry.
Mayne also founded Mayne Entertainment, an artist management company, and Mayne Street Consulting, a private entertainment consulting firm that offered insight and guidance to clients in the entertainment field.
“Bill had great passion for Country Music going back to his days in radio,” Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern said in a statement. “I first worked with him in 1996 on a TV special when he was with Warner Bros. Nashville. I was struck by his enthusiasm for the format and ability to get things done. Years later, we were both officers of the ACMs, where his great knowledge of board governance and organization was a huge asset to our leadership team. Most recently, we got to work together when he joined the CMA Board of Directors, where he served from 2016 to 2018. My deepest condolences to Sallie and his sons.”
Beyond his professional accolades, Mayne previously served as a board member of the Country Music Association and spent over 35 years on the Academy of Country Music board of directors, including roles as chairman and chairman of the board at the ACM’s charitable arm, Lifting Lives. He also co-founded the St. Jude Country Cares for Kids Program, an initiative that has raised over $700 million for St. Jude since its inception in 1989. Additionally, he held the role of national vp for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and was a member of the Nashville non-profit Leadership Music as well as the mayor’s Nashville Music Council.
“On behalf of our membership and Board of Directors of the Academy and ACM Lifting Lives, I am deeply saddened by the loss today of Bill Mayne, a true giant of the country music industry, an invaluable champion of the Academy of Country Music, and one of our longest serving board members,” said Academy of Country Music CEO Damon Whiteside in a statement.
“Bill dedicated more than 35 years of service to the ACM Board, including serving as the Chairman for both the Academy and ACM Lifting Lives,” Whiteside continued. “I am comforted that we were able to celebrate his phenomenal legacy this summer by presenting him with our ACM Service Award at the 16th ACM Honors. Bill had a huge heart, as evidenced by his incredible philanthropic work, including his service to ACM Lifting Lives. His impact, passion, and devotion to the Country Music industry and community will live on forever. On behalf of all of us at the ACM, we send our love and prayers to his family, friends, and all who have been lucky enough to work with and know him.”
Mayne is survived by his wife of 46 years, Sallie Mayne; sons Bryant Mayne and Christopher Mayne; his grandchild, Everleigh Mayne; and mother-in-law Helen Wood. Plans for a public service honoring Mayne’s life have yet to be announced.
For decades, Grand Ole Opry icon Roy Acuff wore the crown as country’s leading male, a title that was reinforced by the 1982 NBC special Roy Acuff -— 50 Years the King of Country Music.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
But that status was never 100% exclusive or guaranteed in perpetuity. In 1978, Newsweek proclaimed Willie Nelson the king of country music in a cover story, and TV Guide bestowed the same honor on Garth Brooks in 1994. In more recent years, that recognition has gone most often to George Strait.
Still, with some fluidity surrounding that nickname, singer-songwriter Ryan Larkins (“The Painter”) was stumped in September 2018 when his kids pressed him on the subject. He had been listening to a bundle of classic country songs — Strait, Nelson, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Randy Travis — and when his oldest son asked who the king was, Larkins didn’t have an immediate answer. But one would emerge.
“I was sitting at a red light on Charlotte Avenue,” he recalls, “and it just kind of hit me out of nowhere, like ‘I know exactly who the king of country music is.’ ”
The answer was so good that Larkins decided the idea needed to be written: “The king of country music is the song.” He introduced the hook to a couple of co-writers, J.R. McCoy and Will Duvall, during an appointment at Curb Music Publishing that month. They needed no convincing to chase it down.
“Cool thing with this song,” says McCoy, “the song truly is the king of country music — because the song can’t die. That king is never going to be slayed. It will always live on forever.”
[embedded content]
They started work by addressing the question — who is the king of country music? -— with an obvious exercise, considering what artists deserved those credentials. After batting around names, they threw George Jones and Merle Haggard into a shortlist that formed the first three lines of the chorus: “Some say Jones, some say Travis/ Some say Strait, some say Haggard/ Are sittin’ on the throne.”
“Will came up with the Travis line,” McCoy recalls. “Even though it’s not a perfect rhyme with Haggard, it goes together so well.”
One more was too obvious to skip. “Strait had to be in there somewhere,” says Duvall. “That’s his thing. He is the king of country music.”
The Acuff part of the debate did not go ignored, though he’s such a historical figure at this point in time that they felt it might confuse younger country fans. “I love classic country,” Larkins notes. “But we talked about it, and we thought, ‘OK, there are quite a few people who are not even going to know those names,’ which is a shame. But to drive that point home, I thought we needed to stick with recognizable names.”
The chorus ended, of course, by identifying “the song” as king. Then they dug into the first verse, focusing specifically on the places where that king might be heard, including the church, the radio and in cities “from Saginaw to Houston.” The first town was a nod to an artist they couldn’t fit in, the late Lefty Frizzell, whose last No. 1 single was the 1964 chart-topper “Saginaw, Michigan.” Houston likewise acknowledged Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Band’s final No. 1, “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer to You).”
Verse two showed itself fairly easily. It centered on the connection between the song and the audience, recognizing how “the 9-to-5’ers in the trenches” appreciated the sound of the steel guitar and fiddle, but truly responded to the “three simple chords and the truth” in a great country song.
“It wasn’t really pounding our heads against the wall,” says McCoy. “That second verse, I think that went quicker than the first verse and the chorus.”
The chord changes from the classic era they were celebrating typically would occur on the first and third beats of a measure. But they kept “King” current by making those changes on the after beat through most of the song. They didn’t discuss it. It just happened naturally, with Duvall leading on guitar.
“We are writers in this time, and I think there was just something that felt natural about that,” he says. “The way that Ryan writes, those pushes didn’t feel off. Those actually felt right and fresh.”
Soon after they wrote it, Larkins played songs for THiS Music president Rusty Gaston (now Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO), who was so moved by “King of Country Music” that he had Larkins stop and start over. When he finished, Gaston told him it needed a bridge. Larkins wasted no time; that night, he called Duvall, and it took them a mere 10 minutes to create the extra stanza. Since “King of Country Music” was about the song, they decided to list a few: “I Saw the Light,” “I Walk the Line,” “Amazing Grace,” “Always on My Mind” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.”
“King of Country Music” got Larkins a publishing deal, and it secured his first label contract when he met with Jay DeMarcus’ Red Street in 2022. It was the first song in his audition, and DeMarcus — impressed by Larkins’ songwriting prowess and by his rich vocal tone — was tempted to sign him during that meeting, though he restrained himself for a day. DeMarcus and guitarist Ilya Toshinskiy co-produced “King,” with Toshinskiy inventing a melodic signature riff for the intro. The two also added a rising three-chord progression that led to the hook.
While “King” was a celebration of the song, DeMarcus and Toshinskiy were particularly sensitive about framing Larkins himself.
“The one thing that was paramount to everything else in cutting music on Ryan was making sure that the voice was the centerpiece,” explains DeMarcus. “When you have a voice like that, that’s so effortless and so easy to listen to and easy to digest, the track has to complement the lyric and the delivery. It can’t get in the way.”
DeMarcus played bass, plugged into the console so he could sit next to the engineer, while Toshinskiy was stationed on the Starstruck studio floor with drummer Jerry Roe, keyboardist Michael Rojas, steel guitarist Paul Franklin and guitarists Rob McNelley and Guthrie Trapp. The guitars and keyboards, in particular, utilized an ever-changing range of tones, reflecting a variety of styles that have supported country’s greatest songs through the years. DeMarcus later overdubbed some new acoustic piano licks, particularly a fill near the end of verse two that borrowed from the style of classic A-team musicians Floyd Cramer and Hargus “Pig” Robbins.
“The guitar parts, in particular, were something that we really, really concentrated on having the right mixture of traditional, really great country licks with laying down some great rhythm parts as well,” DeMarcus says. “The tune is so exposed, you need to make sure that the parts work together.”
Larkins cut his final vocals at DeMarcus’ home studio, overseen by a cardboard cutout of Cousin Eddie, Randy Quaid’s offbeat character from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. DeMarcus “pushed me,” says Larkins, “but it wasn’t an uncomfortable thing. I felt right at home.” “Anything I sang to him, he went right out and executed it,” DeMarcus adds. “It’s like taking a Ferrari out for a spin, you know. It’s really fun to have a voice like that to play with and just see what works.”
“King of Country Music” definitely worked. Red Street released it to country radio via PlayMPE on Oct. 12 with a Nov. 27 add date. With the trend toward ’90s country, Larkins’ debut single arrives at an opportune moment.
“I love where country music’s going right now — it feels like everybody’s welcome,” says Larkins. “But I feel this shift like, ‘Hey, we’re going to get a little more country here.’ And I love that.”
If you tuned in to Monday night’s (Nov. 27) playoff round episode of The Voice there was a prominent member of Team Reba who was nowhere to be seen. Season 24 country singer Tom Nitti was missing, forcing Reba McEntire to move her group along with just three performers for the upcoming live shows.
On the episode, McEntire said, “I have wonderfully talented people, but Tom had to leave for personal reasons, so I only have five artists tonight.” Nitti explained his absence in a lengthy Instagram post on Tuesday morning (Nov. 28), in which he shared a carousel of pics of his children and girlfriend cued to Cody Johnson’s “Leather.”
“Well, I’ve been dreading this day ever since the blind audition so here goes nothin’. …First and foremost I’m blessed beyond belief and I can’t say enough how much I love and appreciate the constant support from my fans, my friends and my family,” wrote Nitti. “As much as it absolutely stings to say, I had to make probably one of the hardest yet easiest decisions ever and ultimately at the end of the day, my kids will always come first and if I had to make the same decision again I’d do it over and over.”
McEntire supported Nitti from the get-go, as the only judge to turn her chair when he performed Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I’m Yours)” at the blind auditions. He proved he’d earned his spot on the team with subsequent impressive performances of Johnson’s “Til You Can’t” during the battle round and again during the knockout round with the Temptations’ “(I Know) I’m Losing You.”
“This past summer was filled to the max with everything I love and could’ve only dreamed of and Thanks to @nbcthevoice I was able to live my wildest dreams and do what I’ve always hoped. I made friends that’ll last a life time, experiences that I can hold on to forever and even found REAL and TRUE love,” Nitti continued in his post, tagging girlfriend singer Ashley Bryant.
Nitti also shouted out the many people he said had his back “going through the tough times” he said he endured during his time in California on the show, including McEntire and his fellow team members.
“But nonetheless I hope everyone knows how happy and grateful i am for them. This isn’t the end of me and I’ll do what I do best for everyone to see which is keep my head down and move forward playing music and raising/creating new memories with a family I will continue to grow,” he added. “I never believed in the whole, things happen for a reason statement but in this case I think God has it all figured out. He knows I don’t break easily. For everyone asking, I’m alright and still standing. Thank you so much and as always, I’m super pumped to keep on keepin’ on with music, my kids Rayleigh and Brently my whole family to include my smokin’ girlfriend that keeps my head held high… Im more than ready to continue to live life now happier than ever before.”
The post ended with a series of hashtags, including: #familyfirst, #itsnotoveryet, #imstillstanding and #kentuckygotme.
With Nitti’s leave-taking, McEntire sent home Noah Spencer and Ms. Monet, with Ruby Leigh, Jordan Ranier and Jacquie Roar moving on to the live shows. The Voice airs on Monday night at 8 p.m. ET/PT and Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Check out Nitti’s post and one of his performances below.
[embedded content]
Don’t mess with Dolly. Both Whoopi Goldberg and Dolly Parton‘s sister are coming to her defense after the 77-year-old country star’s sizzling Dallas Cowboys cheerleader costume at last week’s Thanksgiving NFL halftime show took some heat from critics who thought that the revealing outfit wasn’t age-appropriate.
Goldberg especially had some strong words — two of which may or may not have been “bite” and “me” — for the “9 to 5” singer’s haters. On the Monday (Nov. 27) episode of The View, the EGOT winner passionately brought up Parton’s outfit, joking that her own social media stir regarding her gloveless Thanksgiving turkey preparations wasn’t “the only subject online that people were hating.”
She continued, “77-year-old superstar Dolly Parton stole the show on Thanksgiving at the Cowboys-Commanders game dressed as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, but some critics told her to act her age.” Then, looking into the camera, the Goldberg firmly said, “Bite me!”
“Everybody that participated in this,” added the Sister Act star, “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
Her comments seemed to earn a rare unanimous agreement from her View cohosts, with Sunny Hostin chiming in, “If I looked like that in one of them Cowboys things, I might have everything out. I don’t know if that’s a belly ring or what, but I want what she has.”
Also sticking up for the 10-time Grammy winner is Stella Parton, who tweeted Sunday (Nov. 26) to say, “I personally thought my big sister Dolly was cute as hell in her Dallas Cowboys cheerleading costume.” She added, “To those of you being so critical of a 77 year old kicking up her heels, I say f–k yourself. Shame on you not her.”
Parton rocked her polarizing look on Thursday (Nov. 23), singing some of her own hits along with a mashup of Queen‘s “We Are the Champions” and “We Will Rock You” for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show. The performance came shortly after the iconic songwriter released her first ever rock album, Rockstar, which features collaborations with Paul McCartney, Sting, Steven Tyler, Debbie Harry, Rob Halford, Elton John, goddaughter Miley Cyrus and many more.
See Whoopi Goldberg and Stella Parton defend the superstar’s outfit below:
[embedded content]
I personally thought my big sister Dolly was cute as hell in her Dallas Cowboys cheerleading costume at the half time show on Thanksgiving. To those of you being so critical of a 77 year old kicking up her heels, I say fuck yourself. Shame on you not her.— Stella Parton (@StellaParton) November 26, 2023
CTM Outlander, a partnership between Texas-based Outlander Capital and Dutch-based music entertainment company CTM, has signed singer-songwriter Sam Hunt in a go-forward publishing deal for his future works, in addition to acquiring Hunt’s publishing catalog.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Georgia native Hunt has earned nine No. 1 Country Airplay hits, including “Breaking Up Was Easy in the ’90s” and “Take Your Time.” Hunt’s single “Body Like A Back Road” recently obtained RIAA Diamond-certification (10x platinum), and currently sits at 11x Platinum-certification.
As a songwriter, he’s also contributed to hit songs recorded by Kenny Chesney (“Come Over”), Keith Urban (“Cop Car”), Billy Currington (“We Are Tonight”) and William Michael Morgan (“I Met a Girl”). Derek Crownover, Willie Jones, Megan Pekar and John Rolfe of Loeb and Loeb handled the transaction on behalf of Sam Hunt.
“Discussing the sale of some of my catalog took a while and I am glad that it did, as I got to know André and his CTM Outlander team better and better. They continued to meet with me and my team over the last several months to discuss what working together might look like. I appreciate their diligence and belief in what I am doing as an artist, and more importantly, as a songwriter. I believe we will have a productive partnership both internationally and here at home,” Hunt said in a statement.
André de Raaff, CEO of CTM Outlander, said in a statement: “Sam has been on our radar for a long time, and we were very eager to work with him. Since we landed in Nashville, we signed some of the most prolific songwriters like Shane McAnally, Natalie Hemby, Ross Copperman and Michael Tyler. By adding Sam to our roster, who is not only one of the most respected songwriters in town but also a global superstar and touring artist, we feel we can service the community even better. We are truly honored that Sam, after being in talks with us for a long time, decided to sign with our company. Sam is an example of an artist and songwriter that we can help move forward in the international market; his body of work doesn’t only dominate the U.S. radio waves and streaming world but also travels throughout the world.”
Mike McKool, director at CTM Outlander, added, “We’re thrilled to add a singer-songwriter with the stature of Sam Hunt to the CTM Outlander family. Not only is he the type of artist that we want to be in business with, but more importantly he’s the type of person that we want to invest in. Sam has clearly experienced an immense amount of success, and our goal at CTM Outlander is to provide Sam with the resources he needs to achieve all his future endeavors.”
Earlier this year, CTM Outlander acquired songwriter Shane McAnally‘s catalog (the deal included a global admin agreement for SMACKSongs and SMACKBlue). The company also acquired Dutch music label and publisher Strengholt Muisc Group, with a catalog containing more than 100 Dutch No. 1 hits including works composed by Boudewijn de Groot, Lennaert Nijgh, Ramses Shaffy, Pierre Kartner, and more.
Bunnie XO, who hosts her Dumb Blonde podcast and is married to singer-songwriter Jelly Roll, isn’t putting up with online rumors. On her Instagram Stories Monday (Nov. 27), Bunnie XO responded to a Radar Online article that suggested she was “jealous” of Jelly Roll’s friendship with his BBR Music Group labelmate and fellow CMA Award […]
What were some of the most notable trends on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart over the first three quarters of 2023?
Hit Songs Deconstructed, which provides compositional analytics for top 10 Hot 100 hits, has released its Q3 2023 State of the Hot 100 Top 10 report.
Here are three takeaways from Hit Songs Deconstructed’s latest in-depth research.
Country Remains Tied With Pop on Top
Over the first nine months of 2023, country and pop tied as the most common primary genres in the Hot 100’s top 10, each contributing to 21% of all top 10 hits. Country and pop shared the lead in Q1 2023, at 26% each, and at midyear, each with 23%.
“Country was the big gainer, surging from just 4% of songs in 2022 to 21% YTD 2023, its highest level in over a decade, largely thanks to Morgan Wallen,” Hit Songs Deconstructed’s report notes. Wallen’s haul has been led by “Last Night,” which first topped the Hot 100 in March and reigned for 16 weeks, the longest command for a non-collaboration in the chart’s history.
[embedded content]
As for pop, despite its shared domination with country, its 21% share of all Hot 100 top 10s in the first three quarters of 2023 continues a decline for the genre, from 35% in all of 2022; a leading 39% in 2021; 40% in 2020; and a winning 47% in 2019.
“Pop dropped to its lowest level of prominence in over a decade,” according to Hit Songs Deconstructed. (At the same time, as Hit Songs Deconstructed noted earlier this year, while country has ascended in the Hot 100’s top 10, driven by Wallen’s hits, among others, the genre boasts notable similarities to pop songs.)
Below country and pop, two other primary genres scored double-digit shares of Hot 100 top 10s from January through September: hip-hop at 19%, and R&B/soul at 15%.
Hip-hop’s presence, like pop’s, continued to fall among Hot 100 top 10s, with its 19% take, and its third-place rank among primary genres, over Q1-Q3 2023, down noticeably from a first-place 38% finish in 2022; 34% in 2021; a leading 41% in 2020; and 34% in 2019.
R&B/soul’s share so far in 2023, conversely, nearly doubled from 8% for all of 2022.
Smaller Songwriting Teams (Sort Of)
“While songwriting teams of five-plus writers are still most common, they’ve seen a significant drop so far in 2023,” Hit Songs Deconstructed’s report indicates. Such groups accounted for a leading 38% of all Hot 100 top 10s over the year’s first three quarters, though down from 60% for all of 2019.
Songwriter groups of three (22% of all Hot 100 top 10s) and four (19%) ranked second and third, respectively, over Q1-Q3 2023.
Courtesy of Hit Songs Deconstructed
Notably, while only 8% of Hot 100 top 10s in that span were penned by a single writer, one hit No. 1, for two weeks in August-September: Oliver Anthony Music’s self-written and -performed “Rich Men North of Richmond.” (In each of those frames, Luke Combs ranked at No. 2 with “Fast Car,” his update of Tracy Chapman’s likewise self-authored 1988 classic.)
Jersey in the Club
Among sub-genres/influences, Jersey club claimed an 8% share of Hot 100 top 10s in the first three-quarters of 2023 – following no presence between 2019 and 2022.
“Leading the way was Lil Uzi Vert’s ‘Just Wanna Rock,’ followed by Ice Spice and PinkPantheress’ ‘Boys a Liar, Pt.2,’” recaps Hit Songs Deconstructed. “Bad Bunny followed with ‘Where She Goes,’ and Ice Spice, Nicki Minaj and Aqua kept the trend going with ‘Barbie World.’”
Among other standout sub-genres/influences in the Hot 100’s top 10 in the latest research period were psychedelic/retro, via SZA’s No. 1 “Kill Bill”; Afrobeats, thanks to Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down,” which hit No. 3; and classical, as heard in JVKE’s No. 10-peaking “Golden Hour.”
Dolly Parton’s 30-song set Rockstar, released Nov. 17, blasts in atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums charts (dated Dec. 2). The legend adds her ninth No. 1 on the former and her first on the latter.
The rock-influenced LP earned 128,000 equivalent album units, with 118,000 in album sales, in the week ending Nov. 23, according to Luminate.
The album opens at No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200, marking Parton’s third top 10 and highest career rank. She previously visited the tier with Blue Smoke (No. 6 in 2014) and Trio, a collaborative set with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris (No. 16 in 1987).
Rockstar additionally debuts at the summit on the all-genre Top Album Sales chart, becoming Parton’s first No. 1. Its first-week sales were bolstered by its availability at outlets including Barnes & Noble, Cracker Barrel, Dollar General and Target.
The set more than doubles Parton’s previous biggest sales week for an album, notched when Slow Dancing With the Moon sold 50,500 copies in its second chart week (March 20, 1993).
The star-studded Rockstar is being promoted as Parton’s first rock album, its recording initiated following her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. She initially declined the honor but after entering being enshrined went all-in with the release of Rockstar.
The collection mixes original songs and covers and boasts a long list of prominent credited guests, including Pat Benatar, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Frampton, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Elton John, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Chris Stapleton, Ringo Starr, Sting and Steven Tyler.
Parton first reached Top Country Albums with the aptly named Hello, I’m Dolly in November 1967. She scored the first of her 49 top 10s with Just Between You and Me, with Porter Wagoner (No. 8, March 1968), and her first No. 1 with her 34th entry, 1977’s New Harvest…First Gathering, which led for a week that May.
Rockstar is Parton’s first Top Country Albums No. 1 since A Holly Dolly Christmas in 2020. “I am so proud and humbled to have my album reach No. 1 on the Billboard country and holiday charts,” she beamed to Billboard that week. “Boy, what a great early Christmas present for me!”
Meanwhile, Parton leads Top Rock & Alternative Albums in her first appearance on the chart. (Rockstar also rules Top Rock Albums, likewise marking her first visit to the survey.)
The new album’s “World On Fire” debuted and peaked at No. 26 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs in May.
Plus, Parton’s cover of Prince and the Revolution’s “Purple Rain” enters the Rock Digital Song Sales chart at No. 14 (1,000 sold). It’s the sixth song from Rockstar to make the ranking, with three having hit the top 10 prior to the album’s release. “World On Fire” led for a week in May and her versions of The Beatles’ “Let It Be” (featuring McCartney and Starr) and Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” (featuring Cyrus) hit Nos. 2 and 6 in September and November, respectively.
Country music icon Dolly Parton may be embracing a new sound with her latest album, but that doesn’t mean that she’s ready to completely update her life.
The superstar appeared on Monday’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show (Nov. 27), where the 77-year-old chatted with Barrymore about her refusal to send text messages and her preference for fax machines and phone calls when it comes to communication.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“I’m a low-tech girl in a high-tech world,” Parton quipped. “But I surround myself with all these people that are in that high-tech world, but I don’t want to talk to everybody that wants to talk to me. I don’t text because I don’t want to have to answer. If someone calls me, I’ll answer if I want to talk to them, or I’ll call them back when I can. Otherwise, I got too much to think about.”
The “Jolene” singer added that, while she could change her habits, she simply doesn’t want to. “I’m certainly not a stupid person; I could learn it if I wanted to, but I’d rather just have my fax machine, call in my creative stuff to my crew,” she said. “I’ve got the best crew in the world and I surround myself with great people … I just don’t have time to just sit with my face in a phone all day.”
Other artists, including Reba McEntire, have previously noted Parton’s preference for faxing over texting. During a 2022 interview with Apple Music’s Southern Accents Radio, McEntire said, “You don’t call Dolly, you fax her. You fax your people and your people talk to her people. That’s the only way I know to get ahold of her.”
While she may not have an affinity for faxing, Parton sure has been busy of late. Her star-studded rock album Rockstar debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart, earning the highest all-genre album chart rank of her career.
The project also landed at No. 1 on several Billboard charts, including Top Rock Albums, Top Rock and Alternative Albums, Top Country Albums, Top Album Sales, Top Current Album Sales and on the independent Albums chart.
Check out the clip from The Drew Barrymore Show below:
For many, thoughts of the late, Tupelo, Mississippi-born music icon Elvis Presley center around his emotional, husky vocals, genre-defying catalog of enduring recordings, signature hip gyrations, electrifying performance style, jet black hair and bedazzled jumpsuits.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
But for another Southern-born singer-songwriter, the Tennessee and Georgia-raised Kane Brown — who to date has earned 10 Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 hits, including “Heaven,” “What Ifs” and most recently, “Bury Me in Georgia” — Presley’s name and music conjure thoughts of personal connection with a beloved family member.
“My nana is a huge Elvis fan and always has been,” Brown tells Billboard via email. “Growing up, I remember her carrying around a bag with Elvis’ face on it, and my earliest memories of Elvis and his music were of listening to him with her, and how excited she is and still gets hearing his music. My nana is a superhero, and so having that connection with and memory with her and his music is something that means a lot to me.”
On Wednesday (Nov. 29), Brown will be one of several performers helping to celebrate the legacy of the late Presley — as part of the new holiday special, Christmas at Graceland, which airs on NBC beginning at 10 p.m. ET and will be simulcast on Peacock.
Christmas at Graceland marks the first live musical televised holiday special of its kind at the late Presley’s 13.8-acre Memphis, Tennessee estate, and will feature never-before-broadcast footage of Presley. In 1982, Graceland was opened to the public as a museum, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to honor the life of Presley, who died in 1977 at age 42.
In addition to Brown, other artists taking part in the Christmas at Graceland special are Alanis Morissette, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, newly named CMA entertainer of the year Lainey Wilson, Lana Del Rey, Post Malone and 2024 Grammys best new artist nominee The War and Treaty.
Brown’s performance on Christmas at Graceland connects with his recently released holiday song, a version of Presley’s “Blue Christmas,” which features vocals from both Brown and Presley. Brown previously released a solo version of “Blue Christmas” last year, reaching No. 14 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
[embedded content]
Written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson, the tale of unrequited love was recorded by Presley as part of his 1957 Elvis’ Christmas Album project. Brown’s ties to the song as a country singer are notable, given that prior to Presley’s version, “Blue Christmas” had been a No. 1 Hot Country Songs hit for country singer Ernest Tubb in 1950.
Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough will make special appearances on Christmas at Graceland, and she will also serve as an executive producer under her Felix Culpa banner with partner Gina Gammell. Christmas at Graceland is produced by Done + Dusted, Authentic Studios and Felix Culpa.
Brown recently talked with Billboard over email, discussing his recording “Blue Christmas” alongside Presley’s own vocals, his experience performing as part of Christmas at Graceland, and his own favorite family holiday experiences.
Are you an Elvis fan, and if so, what are your favorite Elvis songs?
Elvis is an internationally recognized icon and paved the way in so many different areas for artists, but I think to me what’s been really cool is — as I got older, learning a lot more about his background growing up, and just how much he had to push the meter in so may different ways, and how many times he was told “no” before he powered through to become the legend he is today. Now being an artist, having a better understanding just how amazing what he was able to accomplish was, and how he did it with his talent and by being so unique — that’s still so inspiring. It would be hard to pick just one song, but it is still something I am trying to wrap my head around that I have a duet with ELVIS. And to hear my daughters sing it at home now too — what an amazing feeling.
What was the recording session for “Blue Christmas” like, and what did you think when you heard the finished version?
Really different, in the sense that you obviously don’t have the other artist in the room while you are recording it — but the first time I heard the final track, it gave me chill bumps.
What are your impressions of Graceland?
Visiting Graceland and being able to see where he lived and what was important to him and what life he was able to build for his family, having come from nothing, is something I really connect with. I feel his spirit so much there.
What are your favorite holiday traditions you have started with wife Katelyn and your children?
The girls love to sing, and having them be old enough to sing holiday songs together has meant so much.
Are there certain things you all love to do around Nashville for the holidays?
We love being at home and getting a chance to recharge and really live in gratitude for a minute. Sometimes you blink, and it’s already a year later when you’re out on the road. Touring is amazing, and I am so grateful for what I get to do for a living and all the fans that have been with me since day one and along the way. But getting that time at home when you’re often on the road is an amazing feeling to take the time to have those little moments like having breakfast together and really do the small stuff as a family helps recharge you, and then you feel like you’re ready to get back out there and give it your all on tour. We have such an exciting year coming up next year, and getting that space to be together as family beforehand is something we don’t take for granted.