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First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos & albums that dropped this week.
Shania Twain, “Giddy Up!”
Shania knows her way around an energetic, danceable song, including her latest “Giddy Up!,” from her upcoming album Queen of Me, out Feb. 3. Eschewing a high-gloss pop finish, she instead relies on pulsating acoustic guitar to offer an assertive rhythm that matches the arena-sized confidence in her lyrics, which (similar to some of her mega-hits such as “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”) advocate for living your best life right now–or as Twain puts it, “Time to shine like I know you should.”
Elle King, “Tulsa”
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From the first rollicking guitar notes, King brings her signature intrepid swagger, delighting in exposing a cheating lover. The song’s hook centers on her ex hightailing it back to “Tulsa,” though she makes it clear that “if you spell it back-to-front,” she’s not exactly referencing a city in Oklahoma. The “Ex’s and Oh’s” singer has also scored two Billboard Country Airplay No. 1s, with Dierks Bentley (“Different For Girls”) and Miranda Lambert (“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”). But as she gears up to release her first country album, Come Get Your Wife, on Jan. 27, songs like “Tulsa” telegraph her intentions to bring her rock-infused, bawdy-yet-vulnerable sound with her.
Chase Rice, “I Hate Cowboys”
Rice’s latest release finds him detailing the easygoing, nonchalant coolness of smooth-talking, two-stepping cowboys–and their relative ease at stealing hearts. But instead of piling on to country music’s longstanding adulation for guys in boots, jeans and cowboy hats, this track centers on the scarred hearts that get left in the dust when a smooth-talking cowboy comes along and entices someone’s lover away. The track is from his upcoming album, I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go to Hell, out Feb. 10.
Old Dominion, “Memory Lane”
The group delves into nostalgia on their new release, which finds the protagonist musing that though his romantic entanglement is officially over, he would be satisfied to stay centered on memories of the couple’s high-mark moments. The song, written by the group’s Matt Ramsey, Brad Tursi and Trevor Rosen, alongside Jessie Jo Dillon, continues the lineage of mellow, pop-inflected songs, such as “Written in the Sand” and “One Man Band,” the band has become known for.
Tyler Hubbard, “Me for Me”
Hubbard’s solo career keeps building with songs like “Dancin’ in the Country,” “5 Foot 9” and his new release, “Me For Me.” Here, he puts forth an earnest song of gratefulness that he’s found a lover who appreciates him just the way he is, accepts his shortcomings and celebrates his strengths. Hubbard penned the track with Thomas Rhett and Russell Dickerson. The same trio previously released the stunning ballad “Death Row.”
Muscadine Bloodline, “Teenage Dixie”
Blistering harmonica, driving percussion and searing guitars elevate this jam band ode to short-lived teenage romance between ambitious girls and a small-town boys. “She was on a mission on her ticket out/ And I was stuck living in the state champ days,” they sing, in this well-crafted track that vibrates with energy as they relive their glory days. The song is the title track to a new album set for Feb. 24.
Jackson Dean, “Fearless (The Echo)”
Dean is one of a handful of newcomer male country acts breaking through at country radio in a big way, with Dean reaching No. 3 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with his song “Don’t Come Lookin’.” His latest, “Fearless,” he makes the most of his mighty, full-bodied voice and rock-infused style, with lyrics that espouse both bravado and vulnerability, as he repeatedly notes his eagerness to “jump off the ledges, burn all the bridges, walk on the edges,” in complete control–but when it comes to the one he loves, he knows he’s not the one holding the keys. A powerful followup track that has the potential to eclipse the success of his debut release.
What’s old is officially new again. Case in point: After going through a box of old things, Carrie Underwood‘s sons have discovered the art of Tae Bo — a martial arts style of fitness that became popular during the 1990s — and they can’t seem to get enough, especially the country singer’s son Jake.
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Underwood took to Instagram on Friday (Jan. 6) to share a candid video of Jake watching a Tae Bo class and performing the moves in perfect unison with the television, sometimes with a little help from his toddler hands to help lift up his legs. “Jake starting off the day right!” the country singer wrote over the video.
The “Denim & Rhinestones” singer gave some additional context in the video’s caption: “The boys found one of my old Tae Bo DVDs in a box of things and Jake thought he’d have himself a little morning workout! I may soon have myself a gym buddy!” she wrote, adding a crying laughing emoji as well as several arm muscle emojis.
Fellow country music star Jimmie Allen chimed in, commenting “He’s getting after it.” Allen added that Jake’s newfound Tae Bo skills are “more exercising than I’ve done in the last 3 years.” Zach Swon of the Swon Brothers also found the video amusing, writing, “Haven’t heard the words Tae Bo in a minute ….. or DVD,” along with a nerdy emoji.
Watch Underwood’s son Jake take on Tae Bo in the video below.
Jelly Roll (aka Jason DeFord) achieves his first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart (dated Jan. 14) with his first entry, “Son of a Sinner.”
In the tracking week ending Jan. 5, the song, released on Bailee & Buddy/BMG/Stoney Creek, increased by 18% to 26.4 million audience impressions, according to Luminate.
“There is no greater reward for a singer and songwriter in Nashville, Tenn., than to have the No. 1 song on country radio,” Jelly Roll, 38, says. “Now imagine that happening to a guy that grew up in this town … a guy that at every turn for the first 25 years of his life made the wrong decision. Imagine everyone telling that guy he had no chance at country radio. If you can imagine that, then you can understand why I’m so filled with gratitude as tears stream down my face while I type this … I currently have the No. 1 song on country radio. Thank you to Jon Loba [president BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville], BMG and every single person that helped make this dream come true.”
Jelly Roll, who grew up in the Nashville suburb of Antioch, co-authored “Sinner” with Ernest K. Smith and David Ray Stevens. It’s from his 2021 album Ballads of the Broken.
While “Sinner” is Jelly Roll’s launch Country Airplay appearance, he’s had success in other genres. Last May, “Dead Man Walking” led Mainstream Rock Airplay for a week. His highest charting set on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, No Filter, with Lil Wyte, reached No. 33 in 2013.
As “Sinner” reaches the Country Airplay pinnacle, it dethrones Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof,” which rang up a record 10 nonconsecutive frames at No. 1. “Proof” declines 1-2 on the Jan. 14 dated list (25.6 million, up 12%).
Also, before “Sinner,” the last rookie entry to lead Country Airplay was Bailey Zimmerman’s “Fall in Love” (Dec. 7).
Austin City Limits will celebrate singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow with the special installment Austin City Limits 8th Annual Hall of Fame Honors Sheryl Crow, airing on Saturday (Jan. 7).
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The special features Jason Isbell performing a special rendition of “Run, Baby, Run,” the opening song from Crow’s 1993 debut album Tuesday Night Music Club. Isbell and Crow previously collaborated on Yola’s single “Hold On” in 2020, with Crow contributing piano and Isbell playing guitar.
Among the others feting the nine-time Grammy winner are a host of Americana and country luminaries, including Brandi Carlile, Brittney Spencer and Jess Wolfe (from Lucius). Carlile will perform “If It Makes You Happy” (from Crow’s 1996 eponymous project), while Spencer will offer a rendition of “My Favorite Mistake” (from 1998’s The Globe Sessions). Crow will also perform, joining Wolfe for “Strong Enough” and Carlile for “Everyday is a Winding Road,” before an all-star finale performance of “I Shall Believe.”
The hour-long broadcast will open with highlights from Crow’s 1997 debut performance on Austin City Limits. Carlile will induct Crow into the ACL Hall of Fame with a speech highlighting Crow’s career, artistry and humanity.
Another special companion Hall of Fame hour will honor fellow Austin City Limits Hall of Fame inductee Joe Ely and will close out ACL season 48 on Feb. 25. Austin City Limits, recorded live at ACL’s home studio in Austin, Texas, is the longest-running music television show in history.
The episode will begin at 8 p.m. ET on CBS, and will be available to stream online beginning Jan. 8 at 10 a.m. ET at pbs.org/austincitylimits.
Watch an exclusive performance clip from Isbell honoring Crow in the video above.
New year, new Diplo — or a new version of a past version of Diplo…or something.
On Friday (Jan. 6), the producer further teased his already announced collaboration with Kodak Black and Koe Wetzel, “Wasted.” An extension of Diplo’s country project, Thomas Wesley (his given name), the teaser features an urgently strummed guitar over images from the forthcoming music video.
The clip shows Diplo driving a speedboat at breakneck speeds with Black riding shotgun and Wetzel in the back. “Met up with some friends in Florida,” the producer captioned the video, a shout out to his home state.
Other decidedly Floridian imagery in the clip includes bottles of beer, jorts, watersports, bonfires and Diplo in a lawn chair strumming an acoustic guitar stamped with image of the American flag. Diplo previously shared behind the scenes footage from the boat that included another preview of “Wasted” at the tail end of 2022.
The track marks Diplo’s first collaboration with Black and the Texas-born outlaw country artist Wetzel. “Wasted” also marks a return to country for Diplo, who released his debut album in the genre, Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley, Chapter 1: Snake Oil, in 2020.
The lead single from the album, the Morgan Wallen-assisted collaboration “Heartless,” spent 39 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 29. The album, which also included collaborations with Leon Bridges, Noah Cyrus, Cam, Zac Brown, Julia Michaels and more, spent 25 weeks on the Billboard 200, and peaked at No. 50.
Watch the clip from “Wasted” below.
Dolly Parton honored her friend, the late actor-comedian Leslie Jordan, by making a surprise appearance on the television series Call Me Kat — on which Jordan co-starred — on Thursday (Jan. 5).
The country icon spoke to Jordan during her pre-taped message, which introduced a collection of the actor’s most memorable moments on the Fox comedy that stars Mayim Bialik as Kat.
According to TV Line, Parton began her message by singing a portion of “Where the Soul Never Dies,” which the show tweeted a brief clip of.
“I know usually at a memorial people talk about somebody. Well, I’m going to talk to you, because there is that place on the other side and I’m certainly going to see you there, little brother,” she then said. “You left a lot of people here with a lot of precious, precious memories. Everybody loved you, but I doubt many of them loved you more than I did. I just want you to know that we all love you.”
“We all miss you, and I bet you’re having a big laugh over all of us being sad and sorrowful, and I know that would be the last thing you would want us to be.”
“You made us happy while you were here and we’re happy that you’re at peace,” she added. “I just want you to know that I will always love you. Goodbye, my sweet Leslie. See you over there.” Parton ended by singing a bit of her hit “I Will Always Love You.”
In 2021, the actor-singer released the album Company’s Comin’, which featured a collaboration with Parton on “Where the Soul Never Dies.”
Jordan died Oct. 24, 2022, at age 67, following a car accident in Hollywood, Calif. He was known for his work on shows including Call Me Kat, Will & Grace, The Cool Kids, and The Book of Queer.
See Call Me Kat‘s brief Twitter clip of the tribute:
Iconic rock group Eagles — Don Henley, Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit, along with Vince Gill — are extending their Hotel California 2023 Tour, with the addition of six new shows.
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The tour features the band playing their signature 1976 Hotel California album — which includes classics like the title track as well as “Life in the Fast Lane” and “New Kid in Town” — in its entirety, plus a selection of other Eagles greatest hits.
The new shows find the band making stops in Knoxville, Tenn.; Jacksonville and Tampa, Fla.; Columbia, S.C.; Greensboro, N.C.; and Newark, N.J. A limited number of VIP packages will go on sale Jan. 12, while tickets go on sale Jan. 13.
The tour launches Feb. 19 in Portland, Ore., and runs through April 7 in Newark. The group also has a concert prior to the tour launch, with a show Feb. 17 in Lincoln, Calif.
Country Music Hall of Fame member Gill began playing with the Eagles in 2017, joining the group alongside Deacon Frey, son of late Eagles guitarist Glenn Frey, who died in 2016. Gill’s first performances with the band were a pair of bicoastal festival dates, Classic West and Classic East, in 2017. Deacon Frey left the touring outfit last year.
Hotel California has been certified 26 times multiplatinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, and garnered the band two of their six Grammy Awards, for record of the year (“Hotel California”) and best arrangement for voices (“New Kid in Town”). The band, which formed in 1971, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2016.
The group has also seen success in and has had clear influence on the country music genre, with “Lyin’ Eyes” (sung and co-written by Frey) becoming a top 10 hit on Billboard‘s Hot Country Singles chart in 1975. They also earned four Country Music Association awards nominations for vocal group of the year (1976, 1977, 2008 and 2009), while the 1993 tribute album Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles (featuring Gill performing on “I Can’t Tell You Why”) won album of the year at the CMA Awards in 1994. The group also won a Grammy in 2008 for best country performance by a duo or group with vocals, for “How Long.”
Tim McGraw spent the holidays having some fun with his family, and Faith Hill took to Instagram on Wednesday (Jan. 4) to spread the joy.
In the short clip, the “Don’t Take the Girl” singer is seen busting a move in the backseat of the car to Olivia Rodrigo‘s “Good 4 U” single, off her debut album Sour. “What is happening?” one of the country superstar’s daughters is heard saying with a laugh off camera.
“This is a rare, very rare look into a side of my husband that only his girls and I get to see,” Hill captioned the sweet, goofy clip of her husband. “I think it is the best way to enter into 2023. Yes, it is not the first day of the new year but I believe the first week still counts. Regardless….. It’s worth it [dancing emojis].”
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She concluded by noting, “Dance everyday, maybe steal some of Tim’s moves. It brings joy, laughter, and the insatiable need for all of us to be present.”
The powerhouse country couple have been married since 1996, two years after initially meeting in 1994. They are also parents to three daughters: Gracie, 25, Maggie, 24, and Audrey, 21.
Watch the hilarious clip below.
A superstar A-team of iconic singers have teamed up for the upcoming single “Gonna Be You.” The Diane Warren-written song featuring Dolly Parton, Go-Gos singer Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan and Blondie’s Debbie Harry will be released on Jan 20 in advance of the upcoming Paramount Pictures road trip comedy 80 For Brady.
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“When I wrote ‘Gonna Be You’ for 80 FOR BRADY, I wanted to write a song that celebrated these women’s deep friendship,” said Warren in a statement. “Since 80 was in the title I got a crazy idea, why not get some of the most iconic singers from the 80s, who are still amazing and always will be, to all sing it?!!!! Everyone I approached said yes and was just as excited as me!! I’m honored to have Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan and Debbie Harry on this song!! ‘Gonna Be You’ is that song you want to sing along to with all your good friends!!!”
The anthem will accompany the film starring an equally star-studded cast of Oscar winners and nominees led by Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field that was inspired by the true story of four best friends who take a trip to the 2017 Super Bowl to see their hero QB Tom Brady play in the big game; the movie will hit screens on Feb. 3. Check out the movie trailer here.
The track is just one of the all-star collabs country icon Parton has on tap for this year. Dionne Warwick revealed earlier this week that she and Parton recently recorded a gospel song called “Peace Like a River” written by Dolly that Warwick promised will be “very special.”
Shania Twain is line dancing into 2023 with a new classic pop country banger, “Giddy Up!” The effervescent celebration of tipping cups and enjoying the time we have dropped on Thursday morning (Jan. 5) as the latest single from the country icon’s upcoming sixth full length album, Queen of Me (Feb. 3).
The track was accompanied by a Marmofilms-directed video in which a bunch of dancers bring the song’s life-affirming lyrics to the dancefloor, which, as it turns out, can be anywhere from a car repair shop to a grocery store aisle, country bar or your local diner.
“The saying ‘Let’s Go Girls!’ is such a wonderfully uplifting sentiment now, but it’s just something I said during the recording in the studio and I guess that’s the same for ‘Giddy Up!’,” Twain said in a statement accompanying the latest single from her upcoming Republic Nashville debut. “These lines come to me when I’m thinking about how to put a little ‘pep in my step.’ I want people to feel good when they hear the new album. I want to set a celebratory tone and ‘Giddy Up!’ is a way to call to the audience and say ‘let’s get ready for some fun!’”
The exclamation point-loving singer runs down the importance of savoring the moment in the first verse, joyfully singing, “I left my heart at a waterin’ hole/ Somewhere in small-town Ohio/ Headed out west to Arizona/ ‘Cause the East Coast weather’s too cold, cold, cold/ Easy come, easy go/ I got a fast car with the nineties on/ Not a soul on the road but the road is home,” before busting into the party hearty chorus.
“Smiles for miles/ All up on my face/ Wear it, share it/ ‘Cause we ain’t got time to waste/ Up in your giddy up/ Giddy, giddy up/ Up in your giddy up/ Drunk in the city/ Got litty in the cup/ Up in your giddy up/ When it gets tough, gotta get a little love/ Put some up in your giddy, giddy up,” she sings over the song’s bouncy rhythm.
The 12-track Queen of Me will feature the album’s first single, “Waking Up Dreaming,” as well as the title track and what is described as the “passionate finale” produced by and featuring Twenty One Pilots singer Tyler Joseph, “The Hardest Stone.” The tour in support of the album is slated to kick off on April 28 at Spokane Arena in Spokane, WA and feature support from Kelsea Ballerini, Lindsay Ell, Hailey Whitters, Breland, Robyn Ottolini, Priscilla Block, and Mickey Guyton, Lily Rose, Talk, and Tenille Townes on select dates.
Watch the “Giddy Up!” video and check out the full Queen of Me track listing below.
Queen of Me track list:
“Giddy Up!”
“Brand New”
“Waking Up Dreaming”
“BEST Friend”
“Pretty Liar”
“Inhale/Exhale AIR”
“Last Day of Summer”
“Queen of Me”
“Got it Good”
“Number One”
“Not Just a Girl”
“The Hardest Stone”
