I NEED it as soon as possible. On his stories, Ernest shared the studio cut of a song he recorded with Lukas Nelson called “A Penny Short,” which they previously debuted at the Grand Ole Opry over the summer. It’s beautiful classic country ballad that sounds like it could’ve been played on the Opry stage 40 years ago but still sounds fresh and current now with these two talented artists onstage. These two have worked together before, as Lukas was featured on a song called “Why Dallas” which was on Ernest’s 2024 Nashville, Tennessee album, and it was superb, and I can already tell by the sound of this one that we can expect the same thing on their second duet. If you head to Ernest’s Instagram stories, you can hear the studio cut, which sounds incredibly similar to this live version which I already love. You can watch part of the live performance here: View this post on Instagram Ernest been teasing quite a bit of new music, recently sharing one he wrote with Clint Black that is also in the vain of a classic country heartbreaker: View this post on Instagram And it sounds like we might not have to wait too much longer to hear all of them, as just a couple weeks ago, he said during a recent conversation with Bobby Bones that he has already finished his next album (for those counting, that will be three projects in a 12-month stretch). Noting that he just has to shoot the cover art for the album, Ernest said that the record will be coming “sometime like spring break,” which all but confirms it’s coming at some point in March or early April at the latest: “I’ve recorded and finished my next album, and I’m going to shoot the album art soon. And I’m going to put it out sometime like spring break. It’s going to be the perfect time for boat season.” As for what to expect from the album, which is still untitled, Ernest would reveal it will have some beachy/island vibes mixed with some of his patented southern flair. He’d go as far as to call it Alabama meeting Jimmy Buffett, which is certainly intriguing: “There’s a little island inspiration in this next album for sure. And just like a little southern, too. It’s like Alabama and Jimmy Buffett had a baby.”  Music to my ears, truly… and it seems likely that all of the ones he has been sharing have made the final cut, because I can’t wait to hear all of the songs on this new record. Ernest already has tons of tour dates on the book for his 2026 Live From The South tour, and you can see the full list of dates below. Live From The South 2026 Dates: 1/21 – Denver, Colo. – Mission Ballroom* 1/23 – Salt Lake City, Utah – The Complex* 1/24 – Reno, Nev. – Grand Sierra Resort & Casino* 1/29 – Solana Beach, Calif. – Belly Up* 1/30 – Anaheim, Calif. – House of Blues* 1/31 – Sacramento, Calif. – Ace of Spades* 2/7 – Indio, Calif. – Fantasy Springs Casino 2/19 – Athens, Ga. – Georgia Theatre > 2/26 – Jacksonville, Fla. – FIVE > 2/27 – Charleston, S.C. – Charleston Music Hall > 2/28 – Norfolk, Va. – NorVa > 3/5 – Indianapolis, Ind. – The Egyptian > 3/6 – Rosemont, Ill. – Joe’s Live > 3/7 – Columbus, Ohio – The Bluestone > 3/11 – Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Intersection # 3/13 – Detroit, Mich. – Filmore # 3/14 – McKees Rocks, Pa. – Roxian Theatre # 3/19 – Durant, Okla. – Choctaw Casino 3/26 – Boston, Mass. – House of Blues* 3/27 – New York, N.Y.– Irving Plaza* 3/28 – Bensalem, Pa. – Parx Casino* 4/2 – Houston, Texas – White Oak Music Hall* 4/3 – New Braunfels, Texas – Gruene Hall* 4/4 – Ft. Worth, Texas – Billy Bob’s* 4/16 – St. Louis, Mo. – Hawthorn # 4/18 – Minneapolis, Minn. – First Avenue # * Support By Chandler Walters > Support By Cody Lohden # Support By Rhys RutherfordThe post Ernest Teases Studio Version Of Classic Country Ballad With Lukas Nelson, “A Penny Short” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Your first official look at Zach Bryan and his new wife, Samantha Bryan. Yesterday, news broke that he had married his girlfriend Samantha after rumors have been going for a little while now about their marital status. Until yesterday, though, all we knew for sure was that Leonard and Bryan were dating, and had been since just after the his very public and messy breakup with Barstool Sports personality Brianna Chickenfry. The big talking point has always been how much Samantha Leonard looks like Brianna Chickenfry, and I’m still not over how much they look alike, but I digress… Bryan and Leonard’s relationship went public around August of 2025, and Zach actually fueled those marriage rumors himself when he posted a video of he, Leonard and some friends paragliding in Europe. Fans quickly spotted a gold band on the singer’s ring finger, and interestingly enough, Bryan deleted the video shortly after it was posted. He then replaced the video with another, only this time, a bald eagle emoji was covering up his left hand. That was the first clue that Bryan and Leonard were headed for marriage. The next clue was a picture of Samantha that was, once again, posted by Zach Bryan (he wasn’t doing a very good job of keeping it all a secret). The Instagram story photo had many followers thinking that she might have gotten an engagement or marriage-worthy upgrade. And TMZ officially reported last night that Zach and Samantha were married in San Sebastian, Spain, and it must have happened in the last two days or so, considering this photo that Zach posted about a day ago that presumably captured a moment with him and his groomsmen. The lyrics to the Black Eyed Peas’ “I’ve Got A Feeling” served as the caption for the photo: View this post on Instagram A video that was posted later showed Bryan and Leonard running out of the building they were married in, with Bryan carrying his now wife for a bit before setting her down so that they could both hop into a convertible and speed away with a “Just Married” banner hanging off the back. Check it out: Zach Bryan is a married man! The country singer wed his girlfriend Samantha Leonard in San Sebastian, Spain. pic.twitter.com/rWEujVbTfg — TMZ (@TMZ) December 31, 2025 And late last night, Zach shared the first official photo of him and Samantha as husband and wife, with a beautiful black and white photo of them along with the caption: “Tougher than the rest.” Samantha looked gorgeous, and from the few photos and videos I’ve seen, it looked like a dreamy event in Spain… what a way to end 2025: View this post on Instagram Bryan also recently announced that he had been on a sobriety journey and was working on himself and going to therapy following a year of very negative publicity, and it’s hard not to think that Samantha had a lot to do with that decision. From the outside looking in, they seem to be a very happy couple, so congrats to the newlyweds and here’s to a great 2026.The post Zach Bryan Shares First Official Wedding Photo With His New Bride, Samantha: “Tougher Than The Rest” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

It doesn’t get much better than a crossover collaboration like this. A legendary southern rock and jam band from Athens, GA, Widespread Panic just capped off a legendary three-night run leading up to New Year’s Eve at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre. A special venue in the band’s lore, the Fox Theatre first hosted Widespread Panic for a New Year’s Eve run in 1996. And while they have headlined the venue dozens of times over the past few decades, this year marks their 8th time ringing in the New Year at the Fox. A holiday run at a classic venue in their home state, fans had no doubt these would shape up to be particularly amazing shows. But what transpired over the past three days was far more special than anyone could have imagined. Now, for anyone who is not familiar, Billy Strings is a HUGE Widespread Panic fan, and in addition to being outspoken about his appreciation for the band, he has been known to cover their song “All Time Low” at his own shows occasionally. While his acoustic-driven bluegrass differs from their electric southern rock, both Billy Strings and Widespread Panic are heavy hitters in the jam band scene, and there is a considerable amount of overlap in their fan bases. Sit-ins – a popular tradition for jam bands where a guest artist joins a band for a few songs during a show – are often the source of fan speculation when tours align in certain cities or there is any semblance of external context that may lead one to believe a collaboration could be taking place. Those rumors began swirling over the weekend of a potential sit-in after fans spotted Billy Strings in the Atlanta airport a couple of days before these special Panic shows were scheduled to take place. The thought definitely is not too far-fetched considering the mutual appreciation for each other’s music between Strings and Panic, and it wouldn’t be the first time the two powerhouses teamed up either. Back in 2019, Strings joined Widespread Panic for a few songs at The Ryman Auditorium, and he did so again in 2021 at the Mempho Music Fest in Memphis. More recently, when their tours overlapped in Chicago back in June, jam band fans were sent into a frenzy when Strings joined Panic for their entire second set and encore at the Chicago Theatre. Well, on the first night of Widespread Panic’s New Year’s Eve run, the aforementioned rumors proved to be true as Billy Strings joined the band for a handful of songs to end the band’s second set and stuck around for the encore. Diving in with a plugged-in and fully electric setup, Strings melted faces alongside Panic’s iconic guitarist Jimmy Herring as they traded licks for well over an hour in Atlanta. But the special crossover collaboration certainly didn’t stop there. Given the holiday, the venue, the incredible setlists, and Widespread Panic’s mind-blowing instrumentation and improvisation, these shows would have been special no matter what. But throwing Billy Strings into the mix unexpectedly just added fuel to the fire. I wish I could have been in attendance myself, but luckily plenty of fans grasped the magnitude of the performances and were able to capture some videos. On night 1, Strings joined the band halfway through the second set as they shredded through the instrumental “Party At Your Mama’s House.” After that, they covered the classic blues song “Stop Breakin’ Down Blues,” which was popularized by The Rolling Stones on 1972’s Exile On Main Street. The highlight of the show followed thereafter, though, as Strings participated in a jam sandwich of Panic’s fan-favorites “Fishwater” and “Surprise Valley” before closing out the set with “Blackout Blues.” Here are a few clips from the second set that fans shared on Instagram: View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram   That wasn’t it, though. Billy Strings came back out with Widespread Panic for the encore, where they tipped their hat to the bluegrass world with a cover of The Dillards’ “There Is A Time” before closing things with Buffalo Springfield’s “Mr. Soul.” Here’s some of “There Is A Time:” View this post on Instagram On night two, Strings came out closer to the end of the second set and stuck around for the encore again, joining Widespread Panic for a few of their biggest hits. Making his debut for the evening on “Mercy,” Strings and Panic went right into fan-favorite “Bust it Big” before closing the set with an electrifying “Chilly Water” that must have left the Fox soaked in water and beer. View this post on Instagram For the encore, Strings took the lead on vocals for “Pickin’ Up the Pieces,” and then the whole crew brought night two home with an all-time “Climb To Safety.” View this post on Instagram After this start, I was wondering how they could possibly top the first two nights on New Year’s Eve. But trust me, they did. Billy’s involvement on night 3 included a cameo in the first set to provide both guitar and vocals on “Fishing.” After the clock struck midnight, though, Widespread Panic and Billy Strings ushered in 2026 with an all-time third set that included two Black Sabbath covers and an electrifying encore that capped off the night with my personal favorite song of Panic’s in “All Time Low.” Check out the setlist below. View this post on Instagram There haven’t been too many videos hitting social media yet from last night, but here’s the cover of Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid.” View this post on Instagram Note to self: Don’t miss Widespread Panic New Year’s Eve next year. Let’s start 2026 off on a positive note, folks. Here’s Widespread Panic’s “Ain’t Life Grand.” The post Billy Strings Sits In With Widespread Panic Three Nights In A Row To Ring In The New Year At Atlanta’s Fox Theatre first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

One of the first songs that should be played this fine New Year’s Day. Happy New Year! I hope your night was filled with laughs, lots of fun, and, hopefully, a hangover that’s not leaving you questioning last night’s choices today. While I am sure there were many folks the previous night who fired up specific songs so they were belting out their favorite lyrics when the clock struck midnight, thinking about what music you choose to listen to today also sets the tone for what this new year will bring you. And there is no better song to set the tone for what’s to come in 2026 than firing up Charlie Robison’s iconic “New Year’s Day.” Although the Texas singing and songwriting legend passed away in 2023, his legacy lives on through phenomenal tracks like “New Year’s Day,” “Loving Country,” “My Hometown,” and more. “New Year’s Day,” released in 2004 from his record Good Times, became one of his biggest hits. The song is the perfect way to kick off the new year as Robison sings about a man who woke up with a bit of extra change in his pocket and decided to go to Camino Espinoza, in the border town of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and let’s say, the lyrics are… colorful. A song that is written primarily about the Boy’s Town neighborhood of Nuevo Laredo, it’s essentially an ode to the “red light district” of the area where prostitution is legal, brothers are plentiful, and whatever other kinds of freaky sh*t you’re into when the lights go out, you can find it there. We got references to the infamous Mexican “donkey shows,” references to tranny bars and dancing girls, we’re talking about the kind of debauchery that you have to leave the country for. I mean, is there a better way to go into 2026? “Went down Camino Espinoza Gonna get me a divorce I’m gonna split with all my money See that girl who loves a horse It’s New Year’s Day here on the border And it’s always been this way I never do the things, I oughta I think I’ll stay, it’s New Year’s Day” Of course, I’m not sure how safe the area is these days, especially after dark, but nevertheless, we wish you all a happy and healthy start to the new year… Cheers to 2026, whatever strange adventures are on the horizon, and the late great Charlie Robison. Turn it all the way up: The post There’s No Better Way To Kick Off 2026 Than With Charlie Robison’s “New Year’s Day” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Hangovers will be common on Jan. 1, but thankfully, some of country music’s biggest stars have some proven cures! Continue reading…