Another unreleased track from the Red Clay Strays. The band from Mobile, Alabama – consisting of Drew Nix (electric guitar, vocals, harmonica), Zach Rishel (electric guitar), Andrew Bishop (bass), John Hall (drums), Sevans Henderson (keys), and frontman Brandon Coleman – know a thing or two about letting a song live unofficially. Sure, studio recordings are great, but teasing new songs through live performances is a wonderful way to keep fans engaged… and wishing for it to eventually be officially recorded. At the end of last year, they finally shared their popular “Till Things Get Right” through their Live At The Ryman release. And by the looks of this latest post from the Red Clay Strays, they’ve got another unreleased song that they feel good about. It’s called “I Don’t Wanna Know,” and it seemingly tells the story of someone who knows of a love affair that’s going on. From the video the band shared, it’s a fast paced song that showcases the vocal ability of Brandon Coleman: “You know I don’t wanna break up a man and his wife If there’s one thing I hate, it’s a man who’s a liar I don’t wanna know what I know ’cause I know it ain’t good.” Yep, I’m gonna need that one ASAP. I guess if I have to, I can wait until their next album drops in June. When speaking with Variety about their upcoming project, Brandon Coleman confirmed that a) it’s coming in June of this year and b) Joe Rogan accidentally told the world about it before they got the chance to: “We do have the next album coming out in June of next year. Joe Rogan announced that on his podcast. We weren’t going to announce it at first. Joe Rogan just read it off, and I guess that’s it.” So could “I Don’t Wanna Know” find its way on the upcoming album? Considering the band just shared a video of the unreleased song, it’s very much possible. We already know that “People Hatin'” and “If I Didn’t Know You” will likely find a home on the new project coming this summer, and “I Don’t Wanna Know” could very well fit in along with those. And hey, while we are talking about unreleased songs by the Red Clay Strays, they’ve actually got a handful of other tracks that only exist as live performances and recordings that fans would love to see included on a studio album. For me, I’m partial to the unreleased “Revival” that the band played a good amount on their 2025 Get Right Tour. Other Unreleased Songs By The Red Clay Strays “Walking Away” “Revival” @whiskeyriff Need this one ASAP. @The Red Clay Strays // whiskeyriff.com #whiskeyriff #redrocks #redclaystrays ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff “Do Today” View this post on Instagram The post Red Clay Strays Share Snippet Of Unreleased Song “I Don’t Wanna Know” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

It’s been quite a journey for Carrie Underwood. She has actually become a bit of a controversial judge on this season of American Idol, the show she won in 2005, because she is direct in her feedback and is willing to say some things the other judges won’t. It’s actually pretty constructive, but compared to Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, it definitely can come across as more “strict,” but I think in the long run, she’s doing contestants a big service by telling them what they need to hear in order to get better and stay in the competition. Of course, Carrie had the world’s harshest judge, of all-time, during her season when Simon Cowell was still on the show, alongside Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, and while Cowell did predict Carrie would win very early in the competition, he still dished out tough feedback, as he always did for all contestants. These fans wouldn’t be able to watch if Carrie was even 5% as harsh as he was… But the show has obviously changed a lot over the years since Carrie won over 20 years ago, and now it’s a lot fluffier and the judges are much, much less harsh, and she has clapped back at Idol fans on X over all of the booing, saying she “doesn’t care” because she’s just doing her job when it comes to giving feedback that isn’t completely sunshine and rainbows: Boo me. I don’t care. @AmericanIdol — Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) March 3, 2026 If there’s anyone they should be listening to, it’s her. Carrie won the show and has had arguably the best career out of anyone who ever stepped foot on an Idol stage, and alongside Kelly Clarkson, I’d say they’re the absolute bar in terms of what a contestant could ever hope to get out of winning the show. And during an interview with Billboard, Carrie was asked if she could go back in time and do anything differently about her season, she says she wished she would’ve taken more pictures and documented more of her life during this time in terms of keeping certain outfits and things of that nature, too: “I’m very angry with myself because when I was on the show, I wasn’t taking any pictures. I’m thinking, ‘Why? Why didn’t you do that? Why didn’t you save these things?’ We had a girl come in that had a pair of jeans that I wore on the show, and she told me, ‘My grandpa bought these at a charity auction and I wore them on the show,’ and I asked, ‘Can I buy them back from you?’ Why did I let them go? Why didn’t I keep more things and just document things a little better?” To be fair, this was way before Instagram and people feeling the need to share everything they did at all hours of they day, but I totally get her point in that this was a very special and exciting time in her life, so I’m sure in hindsight she wishes she would’ve kept everything just to have those memories in a physical form to look back on it. Now we’ve swung way too much in the other direction in my humble opinion, but I digress… In terms of what she’s loving about this season in particular, though, Carrie feels like all of the contestants are super unique and carving out their own lane early on in their musical careers: “There is a huge diversity of uniqueness — like, we have interesting voices. It’s not, ‘You remind me of this person’ or ‘You sound like this person,’ like, ‘I want to pigeonhole you in this lane.’ There are some people that really stand out — and a lot of inexperience, but in a really great way, raw and just starting out.” This week, Idol is heading to Hawaii for their first-ever “Ohana Round,” which sounds like a dream in and of itself… Hey, if you’re gonna got booed, you might as well get paid millions of dollars to do it in Hawaii… View this post on Instagram The post Carrie Underwood Reveals What She Would Go Back & Change About Her Winning Season Of ‘American Idol’ In 2005 first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Wow, Morgan Evans — we see you! Continue reading…

It’s a brutal truth about the music industry. Two weeks ago, Megan Moroney released her highly-anticipated third studio album Cloud 9, which is off to a hot start as it debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, which is her first #1 debut on that chart, earlier this week. From songs like her two duets “I Only Miss You” with Ed Sheeran, “Bells & Whistles” with Kacey Musgraves, and honky tonk heaters like “Medicine,” there are some great songs on the tracklist, and one in particular called “Liars & Tigers & Bears” is an incredibly introspective look at her feelings on fame and being a young woman in the very cutthroat beast that is the music industry. Megan wrote it with Luke Laird and Jessie Jo Dillon, and it opens with Megan pointing out just how contradictory and hypocritical the industry is… you should speak your mind, but don’t be too loud about it so you don’t upset people who might disagree, make yourself pretty but don’t be “too much,” be sweet and soft, but be tough while also not being a total b***… it’s endless, and every word it truth I think pretty much anyone can relate to when it comes to measuring up to standards that society places on all of us: “Speak your mind, but not too loud Be sure of yourself, but never too proud Paint yourself pretty, but don’t do too much Be soft and not bitchy, but you better be tough Smile real big, be happy to lose Don’t have a bad day, there’s cameras on you Champagne problems, I know, I know Just a wide-eyed girl learning the ropes Ooh, look alive You better watch your back for knives There’s snakes in the grass and thieves in the night Liars, and tigers, and bears, oh my Ooh, don’t cry They’re gonna take your place in line So, work ’til it kills you, but don’t actually die Liars, and tigers, and bears, oh my” The concept and the lyrics of this song reminds me so much of Kacey Musgraves’ song “Follow Your Arrow,” and Megan has said many times, including in the interview below, how much her writing is inspired by Kacey’s, so I don’t think that’s a coincidence. In the next verse, she talks about how the country industry wants everyone to look like they’re all friends, even the ones that they’re “pitted against,” and that’s one of my favorite lines, in addition to how she points out that selling your soul “will help you break records”: “Stay in your lane, but evolve and get better If you sell your soul, we’ll help you break records Love everybody, aren’t you all friends? Even the ones that we’ve pit you against” It’s no secret that people who “make it” at the level Megan’s at have typically done a lot things they’re probably not proud of to get there, once again that’s the nature of the beast, though in an interview on the Country Heat Weekly podcast, Megan explained that she actually explained that she’s been so “crazy from the start” that she told people, if they tried to make her do something she didn’t want to do, she would “have my vocal cords removed and I will place them on your desk.” She pointed out that she doesn’t need this life bad enough to sacrifice her own desires and morals to get it or keep it, saying that she always thought she would just marry a football played and be housewife, and in many ways, that still appeals to her. So if the music stops being fun, she’s out, and I think that’s absolutely the correct attitude to have with this type of career, though it’s certainly rare: “You know, I actually have been crazy from the start when it comes to being in this industry. I’ve told people that if you make me do something I don’t want to do, I will have my vocal cords removed and I will place them on your desk. Because I always thought I would just grow up and marry a football plater or something, and I’m like, ‘I can still do that. So don’t try me.’ But I just know that it happens. It hasn’t personally happened with me, because I’ve always been like, ‘Don’t. Don’t.’ And it’s just like, I do music because I love doing music, and I want it to stay that way. It’s fun for me, and the second that the fun goes away, I don’t know if I could subject myself to what I subject myself to as far as just how hard it it so always be away from home, just the bad sides. I don’t want to focus on those, because there’s not that many, but I do it because I love it and it’s fun.” Her backup plan is to go live by a pool or beach with a husband and a dog, and honestly, it sounds like she’s got it all figured out… “And the second that it’s not fun, and I don’t love it, I don’t know… I’ll just go marry someone and live by the pool with a little dog. I’ll go fishing, I’ll have a beach house, I’ll be a housewife.” And let’s not pretend she couldn’t pull that off in half a second… In a quote from a press release before the album came out, Megan said of “Liars & Tigers & Bears” that she’s clearly had a “wonderful” experience in the industry with her career, but she knows she needs to keep her guard up because there are certainly snakes in the grass, so to speak: “For the most part the music industry’s been wonderful to me, but I’ve also learned that sometimes I need to keep my guard up. It’s funny because I played this song for my best friend who’s a teacher and she told me how much she related to it — which was great to hear, but also sad that so many people have to deal with all these unfair expectations.” Like she points out, the heart of this song is about unfair standards and expectations almost anyone faces no matter what career you’re in or what your daily life is like, and that the relatability and lyrical complexity are what make this one an easy standout. Check it out if you haven’t yet, because it really does spotlight the best of who Megan is as an artist: “Liars & Tigers & Bears” Cloud 9 Tour Dates: 29 | Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center 30 | Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse 2 | Chicago, IL – United Center 5 | Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena 6 | Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum 8 | Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena 12 | Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center 13 | St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center 16 | Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena 18 | Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest 19 | Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena 20 | Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena 7 | Boston, MA – TD Garden 9 | Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center 10 | Newark, NJ – Prudential Center 11 | Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena 14 | Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center 16 | Orlando, FL – Kia Center 17 | Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena 18 | Sunrise, FL – Amerant Bank Arena 24 | Monticello, IA – Great Jones County Fair 25 | Minneapolis, MN – Target Center 26 | Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena 28 | Denver, CO – Ball Arena 1 | Portland, OR – Moda Center 2 | Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena 5 | Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center 7 | Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena 11 | Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena 14 | Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center 15 | Tulsa, OK – BOK Center 16 | Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center 18 | Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena 21 | Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena 13 | Oslo, NO – Sentrum Scene 15 | Stockholm, SE – Annexet 18 | Cologne, DE – Carlswerk Victoria 19 | Tilburg, NL – 013 Poppodium 21 | Paris, FR – Le Trianon 23 | London, UK – Eventim Apollo 26 | Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo 27 | Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy 1 | Belfast, UK – SSE ArenaThe post “I’ll Have My Vocal Cords Removed & Place Them On Your Desk”: Megan Moroney Will Never Sacrifice Her Values To Have Success In Country Music first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Cody Jinks is a lot of things. One part metalhead, one part Texas troubadour, the “Loud and Heavy” singer has both the depth and versatility few artists can ever dream of. Touching on themes of fatherhood, sobriety and his outlaw nature, Jinks has established himself as one of the premier artists in the country-rock scene. Though he may not have reached the heights, popularity-wise, as his contemporaries like Tyler Childers, Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell, there’s no denying that the Jinks is one of the forefathers of today’s independent/alternative country renaissance we’ve experienced the last decade Back in July, he released his 11th studio album, In My Blood, and it was yet another stellar outing filled with his patented blend of country and rock. Though there were plenty of standout tracks, namely the sobriety ballad, “Better Than the Bottle,” the introspective, “Found,” and the title track. While 2026 is already shaping up to be quite the interesting year for Jinks, given that he’s flexing his versatility and hitting the road with none other than the metal band, Five Finger Death Punch, for over 40 dates this summer and fall, the “David” singer also might be adding to his already full plate and subsequently dropping his fourth album in three years at some point his year. Taking to Instagram today, Jinks would share a video from his kitchen. In the video, he’d let fans know that he has officially started recording his next album. In turn, he’d reveal that he’ll be in the studio for the next two weeks working on the project. “We start recording today… We’re gonna be stirring the gravy for the next two weeks, y’all. Whipping up some good, new sh*t for you.” In the caption, he’d also point to more updates coming soon, simply putting: “Stay tuned“ View this post on Instagram As of now, there’s obviously not much information surrounding the album. With that being said, however, it’s safe to say that we’ll be in for yet another stellar blend of country and rock, with the potential for even more rock and metal influences given his upcoming tour with Five Finger Death Punch. Either way, it’s sure to be another killer project from the 45-year-old singer/songwriter. Before you go, fire up his certified-platinum single, “Must Be the Whiskey.” Cody Jinks Tour Dates March 20 – Abilene, TX – Outlaws & Legends Music Fest April 10 – Scottsdale, AZ – Arizona Bike Week April 25 – Port Charlotte, FL – Southern Grand Slam Music Festival May 15 – Albuquerque, NM – Boots In The Park July 17 – Whitefish, MT – Under the Big Sky Festival August 22 – Lincoln, NE – Memorial Stadium Five Finger Death Punch with Cody Jinks 2026 Tour Dates July 20: Freedom Mortgage Pavilion – Camden, NJ July 22: Maine Savings Pavilion At Rock Row – Bangor, ME July 23: Broadview Stage at Saratoga Performing Arts Center – Saratoga Springs, NY July 25: Hersheypark Stadium – Hershey, PA July 26: Empower FCU Amphitheater at Lakeview – Syracuse, NY July 28: BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, NH July 30: Xfinity Center – Mansfield, MA August 1: Centre Bell – Montreal, QC August 2: Budweiser Stage – Toronto, ON August 4: Northwell at Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY August 5:  PNC Bank Arts Center – Holmdel, NJ August 7: The Pavilion at Star Lake – Burgettstown, PA August 8: Ruoff Music Center – Noblesville, IN August 10: Riverbend Music Center – Cincinnati, OH August 11: Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH August 13: American Family Insurance Amphitheater – Milwaukee, WI August 15: Acrisure Amphitheater – Grand Rapids, MI August 16: Pine Knob Music Theatre – Clarkston, MI August 18: Mystic Lake Amphitheater – Shakopee, MN August 19: Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre – Tinley Park, IL August 21:  Hollywood Casino Amphitheater – St. Louis, MO September 8: Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO September 11: White River Amphitheatre – Auburn, WA September 12: Cascades Amphitheater – Ridgefield, WA September 14: Toyota Amphitheatre – Wheatland, CA September 16: Shoreline Amphitheatre – Mountain View, CA September 18: Long Beach Amphitheater – Long Beach, CA September 19: Michelob ULTRA Arena – Las Vegas, NV September 22: Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre – Salt Lake City, UT September 27: The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion – Houston, TX September 28: Germania Insurance Amphitheater – Austin, TX September 30: Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, TX October 2: Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion – Rogers, AR October 3: Morton Amphitheater – Kansas City, MO October 5: Mississippi Coast Coliseum – Biloxi, MS October 7: The Orion Amphitheater – Huntsville, AL October 8: FirstBank Amphitheater – Franklin, TN October 10: MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre – Tampa, FL October 11: iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre – West Palm Beach, FL October 13: Ameris Bank Amphitheatre – Alpharetta, GA October 14: Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek – Raleigh, NC October 16: Truliant Amphitheater – Charlotte, NC October 17: Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater – Virginia Beach, VA October 19: Bon Secours Wellness Arena – Greenville, SC October 21: Nationwide Arena – Columbus, OH  The post “Whipping Up Some Good, New Sh*t”: Cody Jinks Announces He’s Recording His Next Record first appeared on Whiskey Riff.