I think I would take the retirement route, honestly… Shania Twain is a 90s icon, a country legend, and she got started performing in bars in her native Canada at a very young age, in an effort to help support her family. She’s spoken at-length about some of the trauma she experienced as a result of the poverty and abuse she went through as a child, but she certainly turned herself into a success and has done everything she could’ve ever imagined in terms of her career. But it almost all came to a total stop with her music career when she contracted Lyme disease from a tick bite while horseback riding in 2003, and as a result, she eventually lost the ability to project or sing properly, which she dealt with for years before doctors pinpointed the root cause and she underwent open-throat surgery in 2018 to repair nerve damage in her larynx. Without getting too much into detail if you’re squeamish like me, The procedures involved placing permanent Gore-Tex stabilizing implants to help her vocal cords close symmetrically so she could sing again And one other music legend knows all too well what it’s like to lose your singing ability, and he had the same throat issue Shania did, though not because of Lyme disease. In fact, he leaned on her a lot in terms of getting information for how he should go about dealing with all of it, after the first met my chance on an international flight to Europe years back. They had an immediate connection because of their well-known work ethic, and the rest, as they say, is history: “The first time I met Jon Bon Jovi, we were on an international flight going to Europe somewhere, and we just bumped into each other in the aisle, and he said, ‘Shania, it’s really cool to meet you. You know, I’ve heard that you have the reputation of being the hardest working artist in the industry. I have the same reputation, nice to meet you.’ So I think he felt already early on that we already had something in common. And then he was going through laryngeal nerve problems, I had already been through that due to Lyme’s disease. And he just called me up and said, ‘Share everything you know about how you got back singing live after nerve atrophy in the voice'” She told him everything she had gone through to get her voice back, though it was never the same as before, and easily the most jarring information has to be that not only is it an open-throat surgery… but you have to be awake for it. You have to REALLY want to sing again to go through that… it sounds like some sort of mid-evil torture to me, but I digress… Shania says she had to learn how to sing with a different, much raspier voice with a new range, but it was worth it because had she not done the surgery, she would have never been able to really sing again: “And I shared my surgeon’s information with him, and I shared my experience with him, and I encouraged him to weigh up all the scenarios. I told him it worked for me, and I was honest, I was transparent, I think he really appreciated that and was able to take it all on board. My voice was never been the same, I’m way more gravelly, I have this rasp, I have more character, I do sing in different placements, but I can sing. And I told him the surgery was scary, it’s an open throat surgery, and you have to be awake for the surgery. I said, I just have to be honest with you, because if you’re going into this you’re gonna hear it from surgeon anyway, but you might as well hear it from somebody who has been through it. I’m not sure if any other singers have been through this surgery other than the two of us. Is the voice ever going to recover properly? You don’t know, you’re jumping into it. You have to be brave, and you have to make a choice. I either never sing again, I’ll never be able to cope with any hour and a half, two hours of singing live, or I get the operation and I just take the chance. What do I have to lose? And I decided to go for it. Like I said, it’s different, I embrace it, I’m grateful I can sing, I can hold a note, and I can do it loud and I can be loud and proud.” She was unable to speak for three weeks following the operation, that had to have been the second hardest part, but it paid off because she still tours and even just released a new album, Little Miss Twain. I saw her in concert several years ago, and while I’ve heard people complain about her voice, I thought she sounded incredible live and I absolutely loved it, for whatever that’s worth. @people #ShaniaTwain is recalling bumping into #JonBonJovi ♬ original sound – People Magazine They never recorded an official song together or anything, but Shania did sing his song “Bed of Roses” at the 2024 the MusiCares Person of the Year Gala in February, where they all celebrated his successful vocal cord medialization surgery which he underwent in 2022: The post “You Have To Be Awake” — Shania Twain Reveals Horrifying Fact About Her 2018 Open-Throat Surgery first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Country music tours aren't plentiful in fall 2026, but they may be powerful. Continue reading…

She's waitin' all day for Sunday night...again! Continue reading…

One thing about Morgan Wallen… he knows how to make a headline, whether it’s always intentional or not… We all know about his many public snafus, of which there are many, and this tour was absolutely no different… in fact, I think it might be the the most headline-grabbing one he’s done yet in terms of news coming out of each weekend. Of course, Morgan is pretty polarizing so sometimes the media can’t help but find something to write about him. It officially wrapped up this past Saturday in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at Lincoln Financial Field with the final of 23 total stadium shows this summer in 12 cities, and there’s no doubt it’s been wildly successful. A report from Hits Daily Double projects that a back-of-the-envelope estimate indicates that the Still The Problem Tour could gross a staggering $500 million, which would make it the first in country music history to gross over half a billion dollars should it reach that threshold. In turn, it would also allow the “Don’t We” singer to claim the title as the owner of the highest-grossing country tour ever, passing Beyoncé’s record of $407.6 million with 2025’s Cowboy Carter Tour (if we’re actually gonna call that a country music tour). Additionally, the $500 million mark would allow Wallen to enter the Top 20 highest-grossing tours of all time with Still The Problem, joining the likes of Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Elton John, Ed Sheeran, Bruce Springsteen, Metallica and more. I have to imagine he will likely surpass that number and find a new spot in the record books (which he does quite often), and throughout the months-long trek, Morgan was joined by openers Brooks & Dunn, Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Flatland Cavalry, Hudson Westbrook and many more. Of course, he did his signature walkout every night too, and he had tons of recognizable figures do it with him, in addition to doing some solo, in Nick Saban, Tim Tebow, Ray Lewis, Quinn and Jack Hughes and more. Morgan can make a headline for doing just about anything, honestly, he’s just at that level of celebrity and success now (though he tends to be a very private person off stage), and there were many different stories from his I’m The Problem tour that made national, and international, news, and in case you somehow missed any of the big ones, I put together a list of some of the most eye-popping incidents of the tour, because there just seemed to be an excessive amount of them this year, which you can check out below. The Denver Piano Smash During a May performance at Empower Field at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado, after a bit of a technical issues when Morgan got to the part where he plays the piano for “Sand In My Boots,” things went a bit awry. Apparently, he couldn’t hear it in his in-ear monitors, which means he couldn’t hear what he was playing at all. It seemed like the fans, at least according to comments I saw on some of the videos, could hear it, but obviously, it’s hard to play the instrument well if you can’t hear it… and Morgan had enough. I’m sure his sound people tried their best to fix it, but this is live music, so Morgan decided to sing “Sand In My Boots” a cappella, and while the fans didn’t mind at all, I’m sure it’s frustrating as the artist putting on such a massive show, that people paid a hell of a lot of money for, for something like that to go wrong. This part of the show has become a fan-favorite because it’s one the more stripped-back, intimate moments, but the Denver crowd ended up getting something even more unique, so there’s that. But Morgan seemed to take out some frustration on said piano during night one in Denver, as videos of him flipping it over went viral: @evalyntt I wish I was the piano #morganwallen #wallen ♬ original sound – Eva Toshkova He joked about it several times, both on social media and during the concert, and a lot of the reaction definitely got blown out of proportion. But still, when people think back on this tour, I think this story will be one of the ones that really gets remembered. Pittsburgh Phone Launch Before there was the Pittsburgh Night two cancellation… there was a flying phone at Acrisure Stadium. The incident occurred after a fan handed a cell phone to a security guard to give to Wallen for a selfie, and it didn’t exactly turn out like they had hoped, because Wallen grabbed the phone and forcefully flung it across the stage. Honestly, I could go on and on about phone etiquette at concerts, and I’m not exactly sure why a security guard was holding someone’s phone for them, but Morgan Wallen wasn’t having it when he saw the phone being held up close to the stage by someone who was supposed to be keeping security. He never made any sort of statement about any of it, though the husband of the fan the phone belonged to has spoken out since and said there wasn’t a ton of damage (a very nice security guard found it laying under the stage somewhere else on the floor level and returned it), but this moment definitely got people talking and is one of the biggest stories to come out of this tour for sure: @rachelmargaret_ He tossed that thang. #morganwallen #pittsburgh ♬ A Summer Place – Hollywood Strings Orchestra Pittsburgh Night Two Cancellation On June 6th, roughly four hours before showtime, Morgan abruptly canceled his second consecutive Pittsburgh concert due to severe weather, which was the show immediately following the one where he threw the phone. Many called the decision a premature cancelation after Wallen and his team called off the concert very early in the day because of forecasted bad weather. Tons of unfounded rumors started swirling that Wallen had canceled the concert for other reasons (like being hungover) and just used the inclement weather as an excuse, but the country singer would put out a video clearing the air and responding to his fans that were outraged. The drama kept going after the towns mayor has since revealed that none of the supposed “local officials,” nor any stadium officials, Morgan’s team consulted with knew anything about his decision to cancel until everyone else did, and he said no one spoke with any of them before that decision was made. Who really knows… but there were five people hospitalized in a nearby town from the same storms that were forecasted to pass through the area of Morgan’s show, so in this case, it seemed like a “better safe than sorry” situation because you absolutely do NOT want bad weather, and wind, mixing with all of the heavy, and hanging, equipment his team sets up to make the sound great for a massive stadium show. The Baltimore Stadium Incident A July tour stop at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium sparked an active criminal investigation after a man allegedly urinated on a family in the stands right in front of an eight-year-old girl, causing a massive uproar on social media. It’s as crazy as it sounds, TMZ reported first that man allegedly peed all over a family the night 2 show, which is now under investigation by local police. Troy Grevelding told TMZ  that he was there for night 2 with his wife, brother and 8-year-old niece, and at some point doing the show, he just start urinating on them. Troy and his family, as well as another group nearby, felt it streaming down their legs. Troy told the outlet that he and his wife could feel it, and when he turned around, he saw that they were being peed on. Stadium security escorted the man out, but when a Maryland State Police trooper responded as well, he told them that cops couldn’t arrest the man because he hadn’t witnessed the incident himself. The incident is still under investigation, and there have been no further comments from the Baltimore Ravens or any stadium officials, but I’m sure this won’t be the end of it and hopefully the alleged suspect will be brought to justice because there is just no place for that at a concert or absolutely anywhere else. It was definitely one of the wildest headlines from this tour, that’s for sure… Ann Arbor Ticket Scam Prior to his July performances at Michigan Stadium, a local group called “Hailgate” allegedly scammed numerous fans out of thousands of dollars by selling high-priced tickets for the Big House shows that were never actually delivered. A man named John Klein who lives in Plymouth, Michigan, is being accused of scamming hundreds fans out of thousands of dollars during the country superstar’s two-night stop at the “Big House.” Klein is the creator of something called “HailGate,” which is a tailgate group that boasts over 10,000 members and has conducted tailgating and other events outside Michigan Stadium for years. Naturally, people online see that many members and the length “Hailgate” has gone on and choose to trust that Klein can deliver on what he’s selling. This time around, he was promising Morgan Wallen tickets, autographed memorabilia, meet-and-greets and tailgating packages. More than 600 people jumped on the offering Klein presented through “HailGate.” Now, most of those individuals are trying to get their money back after Klein didn’t deliver on his promises, and they have all banded together on a Facebook group called “HailGate Victims.” In fact, Klein is currently under investigation more multiple counts of fraud, and the country superstar’s legal team is working to stop the leader of “HailGate” from being allowed to use Wallen’s name and image ever again. Ticketmaster even came out and said that Wallen doesn’t ever participate in meet-and-greets, which should have raised a red flag for those that were buying that package from Klein. The University of Michigan has also stated that they have no relationship with Klein, and they’ve also sent cease-and-desist letters to him. Just remember, folks, Morgan doesn’t do meet-and-greets, and if he ever does, it’s going to be through a vetted, very trustworthy company, so think twice before you shell out hundreds of dollars for something like this when it comes to any artist, really. Morgan Throws Shade at Las Vegas It’s kind of wild to think of anyone turning this down… but they did. And Morgan let his feelings about it be known. Las Vegas was one of the first stops on the tour, and Morgan had wanted to bring out someone special to do his walkout to get the stadium fired up at the start of his show, as he always does. But they all bailed, and during the show, Morgan addressed the crowd and said: “I gotta say too, y’all got some flaky-a** people in this town. I had like five different people lined up to do the walkout & they all bailed on me last minute… so I’m doing what I can, I promise man.” @kirstymcg4 Morgan Wallen calls his Vegas pals flakey hahah #morganwallen #morganwallenconcert ♬ original sound – Kirsty McG Honestly, whoever it was deserved that… From other, slightly less viral moments like Morgan staring a fan down after they threw a phone on stage and hit him, to rolling his ankle, performing with Ella and many other instances in between, there was definitely a lot to remember from this summer run. Donating Over $1 Million But despite all of the headline-grabbing moments, some of which were completely blown out of proportion, Morgan also did a lot of good for many schools and programs on this tour. As he always does with his shows, Morgan donated a portion of every ticket sold to his Morgan Wallen Foundation (MWF), which supports youth music and athletic programs and gives communities access to essentials in times of crisis. Those donations enabled MWF to donate over $1 million worth of instruments to 26 schools in need across U.S. touring cities. The end of this tour also signals the end of a musical chapter for Wallen, who has recently been teasing a new era of music and even just released the first single, “Been By Now,” from a forthcoming, unofficial announced album. I have to imagine Morgan will do another stadium tour next summer (probably in support of new music), and if it’s anything like his massively successful (that feels like an understatement) 2026 I’m The Problem tour, we’ll certainly have a lot to talk about when that time comes. “Been By Now” The post From Flying Phones To Flipping Pianos: The Wildest Moments From Morgan Wallen’s Epic 2026 ‘Still The Problem Tour’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Round two coming soon? After a huge 2025, which included scoring his first #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with “High Road” and capturing iHeart Radio’s #1 country song of 2025 with the track, it was clear that 2026 was primed to be a huge year for Koe Wetzel. He’d start the year by teasing a new album with the simple caption, “Ready for this new chapter to start.” The “February 28, 2016” singer would then follow that up with a brand new song to close January, the reflective “Time Goes On.” Adding more fuel to the fire after confirming a new album was coming in the summer, Wetzel would then plot a massive, 45-city headlining tour, featuring the likes of Shane Smith & The Saints, Ole 60, Wyatt Flores, Corey Kent, Wade Bowen and more. With a tour that extensive, the final step was to finally announce the album. Luckily for dedicated fans of the Texas rocker, he finally released his sixth studio album, The Night Champion, on June 12th. Teaming up once again with Gabe Simon, who produced 9 Lives, The Night Champion ultimately felt like a natural progression for Wetzel, who has undoubtedly changed a lot over the past few years after getting married to Bailey Fisher and becoming a father. View this post on Instagram Just two weeks after the record was released, the “Drunk Driving” singer expanded The Night Champion with five brand new tracks, including standouts such as “Ronnie Ray” and “Rolling & Smoking” and an additional two tracks with two unknown features, which have yet to be announced. With that being said, however, Koe has been dropping some major easter eggs that point to none other than Ella Langley being one of the highly-anticipated features. Last week, the Texas native began teasing a brand new track. It all started when a billboard popped up in Nashville, along with a number that, when called, would automatically play the song. Over the weekend, he’d confirm the song is titled “Jaded,” uploading a promo video with the simple caption, “Stay tuned.” View this post on Instagram If you take a look at the #7 track on the aforementioned deluxe edition of The Night Champion, it appears that both “Jaded” and “Ella Langley”can very well fit in the blurred segments. Of course, that alone isn’t enough evidence to truly confirm the “Choosin’ Texas” singer’s presence on the track. With that being said, however, Wetzel took to his Instagram story earlier today to drop the biggest easter egg regarding Langley to date. In a brief video with “Jaded” playing in the background, a red phone can be seen being picked up with Shiner Bock beer in the background — two key pieces that directly tie back to Langley. As for the red phone, that one should be fairly simple, given the fact that it was used heavily in both the promotion and music video for her #1 hit, “Be Her.” View this post on Instagram As for Shiner Bock, the timing couldn’t be more convenient. Last week, Wetzel took to his Instagram story to thank Langley for sending him a care package from the popular Texas beer company. And in case that wasn’t enough, Shiner Bock would officially confirm that the “Loving Life Again” singer would be releasing her very own line of beer, Dandelion Honey Kolsch. Of course, the two teamed up back in 2023 on the now certified-gold track, “That’s Why We Fight,” and all signs point to the fact that they will be running it back incredibly soon on “Jaded.” And with both artists being much more popular right now than they were at the time, a second collaboration has #1 hit written all over it for the two stars. “That’s Why We Fight” Koe Wetzel Tour Dates Aug. 6 | Bonner Springs, Kan. | Azura Amphitheater Aug. 7 | Evansville, Ind. | Ford Center Aug. 8 | Nashville, Tenn. | Bridgestone Arena Aug. 12 | New York, N.Y. | Pier 17 Aug. 13 | Reading, Pa. | Santander Arena Aug. 14 | Gilford, N.H. | BankNH Pavilion Aug. 19 | Boston, Mass. | Leader Bank Pavilion Aug. 20 | Washington, D.C. | The Anthem Aug. 21 | Pittsburgh, Pa. | Petersen Events Center Aug. 26 | Buffalo, N.Y. | Outer Harbor Live at Terminal B Aug. 27 | Cleveland, Ohio | Wolstein Center Aug. 28 | Rochester Hills, Mich. | Meadow Brook Amphitheatre* Sept. 3 | Austin, Texas | Moody Center Sept. 4 | Baton Rouge, La. | Raising Cane’s River Center Sept. 5 | Bossier City, La. | Brookshire Grocery Arena Sept. 10 | Knoxville, Tenn. | Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center Sept. 11 | Greensboro, N.C. | First Horizon Coliseum Sept. 12 | Wilmington, N.C. | Live Oak Bank Pavilion Sept. 17 | Alpharetta, Ga. | Ameris Bank Amphitheatre Sept. 18 | Columbia, S.C. | Colonial Life Arena Sept. 19 | Richmond, Va. | Virginia Credit Union LIVE! Sept. 24 | Pikeville, Ky. | Appalachian Wireless Arena Sept. 25 | Huntsville, Ala. | The Orion Amphitheater Sept. 26 | Brandon, Miss. | Brandon Amphitheater Sept. 30 | Rogers, Ark. | The Walmart AMP Oct. 1 | North Little Rock, Ark. | Simmons Bank Arena Oct. 2 | Tulsa, Okla. | BOK Center Oct. 3 | Wichita, Kan. | INTRUST Bank Arena Oct. 8 | Chicago, Ill. | Salt Shed Fairgrounds Oct. 9 | Fishers, Ind. | Fishers Event Center Oct. 10 | Milwaukee, Wis. | Fiserv Forum Oct. 28 | Morrison, Colo. | Red Rocks Amphitheatre Oct. 30 | Lubbock, Texas | Cook’s GarageThe post Is Koe Wetzel Teasing Another Collab With Ella Langley? All Signs Point To Yes first appeared on Whiskey Riff.