Dead & Company is back on the road, bringing their kaleidoscope of jams, tie-dye freak-outs, and whatever the hell is still floating in Jerry’s cosmic wake. But something about their upcoming San Francisco shows on August 1st and 2nd hits a little different this time around. Sure, the lineup is killer: Billy Strings opens night one, and Sturgill Simpson (yes, the reclusive mountain man himself) is stepping in for night two. But behind all the psychedelia, flower crowns, and questionable gummies, a new kind of energy is creeping in… Sobriety I know, I know. Sobriety? At a Dead show? That’s like saying no beer at a tailgate! In a scene full of acid tabs, magic mushrooms, Mary Jane and tallboys, staying sober might be the wildest trip of all. But let’s look at our openers who won’t be chuggin before they step on stage. Billy Strings: A Hangover So Bad, It Became a Turning Point Let’s start with Billy. On Theo Von’s podcast This Past Weekend, he didn’t sugarcoat it. His last drink was on June 16, 2016. After a wild show and a mountain of merch sales, he celebrated at the bar like any rockstar would. Drinks on him. The next morning? Absolutely brutal. “I remember throwing up every 10 minutes… it made a five-hour drive take seven. We missed soundcheck, had to set up in front of the audience. It was embarrassing… I was like, ‘I’m never doing this again.’ And I haven’t.” That’s not just a hangover…that’s a van ride to enlightenment. Billy says he was never a “hardcore addict,” but once he started drinking, he just couldn’t stop. So he stopped for good. Since then, he’s been pickin’ faster, cleaner, and with a focus that’s hard to match. These days, Billy stays California Sober, meaning he’ll still indulge in cannabis from time to time, but it’s a hard pass on the hard stuff… not unlike the great Willie Nelson. Watch Billy talk Sobriety with Theo Von: Sturgill Simpson: From Booze to the Railroad to Real Clarity Now shift gears to Sturgill. In an interview with Jeremy Dylan, the outlaw country king talked about his own complicated relationship with drinking. It wasn’t shakes and withdrawal. It was self-medication. “It was never waking up with shaky hands going, ‘I need a drink.’ It was more self-medicating depression… Then I went to work on the railroad and I didn’t have any need to do that anymore. I found a lot of clarity.” Leave it to Sturgill to literally hop on the tracks to clean up his life. “With sobriety and knowing I’ve got a family to take care of, it’s brought what I can only describe as an intense focus.” He’s not flashy about it. He doesn’t need to be. Like everything he does… it’s authentic, quiet, and absolutely bad***. The Wharf Rats: Keeping It Clean in a Cloud of Smoke And now, the real glue of this sober undercurrent: The Wharf Rats. At first glance, they may look like just another group of Deadheads. But these folks are clean, sober, and on a mission. Named after the Dead’s haunting song Wharf Rat, they’re a crew of recovering Deadheads who hold space for anyone trying to enjoy the music without spiraling. If you’ve ever been to a Dead show (or anything jammy), you know the scene: joints, vapes, tabs, gummies, and God knows what else floating around like parade confetti. For people in recovery, that can be isolating, even dangerous. That’s where the Wharf Rats come in. They set up info tables, mark their spots with yellow balloons, and host AA-style meetings during set breaks. They’re not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous, but they follow the same core idea: fellowship without judgment. Grateful Don, a longtime Wharf Rat who now travels with the band, put it best: “Before the Wharf Rats, a lot of people fell through the cracks. You’d be alone, surrounded by people partying, and for an addict or alcoholic, we just can’t use with impunity.” Watch Grateful Don share his story: One Show At A Time So let’s take it in: Billy Strings. Sturgill Simpson. The Wharf Rats. Three different stories, one shared mission: to show that the music doesn’t need to be soaked in booze to blow your mind. Sobriety isn’t exactly the first thing you expect to find at a Dead & Co. show, or in the country/bluegrass world, either. But maybe it should be. Because sometimes the clearest minds make the wildest music. And sometimes the most rebellious thing you can do is stay sober. So when the Dead roll into San Francisco this August, don’t be surprised if the most transcendent sets come from the guys who left the bottle behind. Because sometimes, the clearest trip is the sober one.The post Clean Pickin’: Sturgill Simpson, Billy Strings & The Unexpected Sobriety Movement At A Dead & Co. Show first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Whiskey Myers doing what they can to help their fellow Texans. Much like the Carolinas were hit hard with flash flooding in September of last year, South-central Texas was ravaged by flash flooding over the 4th of July weekend. Over 11o people have already been confirmed deceased, and Camp Mystic – a Christian girls camp located in Texas Hill Country – reported Monday that it is currently grieving the unfathomable loss of 27 campers and counselors. And the tragedy continues to unfold. While dozens of people are still unaccounted for, and we won’t know the official toll and extent of the damage for weeks (if not months), what we do know is that the South-central Texas area currently needs all the help it can get to recover and pick up the pieces. That’s where Whiskey Myers – a southern rock and country band from Palestine, Texas – comes in. We all know that music is healing, and in times of distress, the people who make the music are the ones who often step up. That was evident when Eric Church and Luke Combs put together the Concert for Carolina benefit, which raised over $24 million for disaster relief. And now with the devastating flooding in Texas, bands like Whiskey Myers are stepping to help how they can. Whiskey Myers posted this message to their social media accounts, giving their condolences and letting fans know that any profit from merchandise sales on their site from July 4th all the way to the end of this week would be donated to flood relief efforts in Texas: “Our hearts are with our neighbors across Texas dealing with the devastating aftermath of this week’s floods. We’ve been heartbroken by the stories of the lives lost – and deeply inspired by the moments of heroism and humanity in the face of disaster. We’ll be donating the net of Whiskey Myers online merchandise sales to support relief efforts on the ground, starting from the moment the storms hit and continuing through the end of the week.” The band then shared that they are working on another way to giveback by partnering with Soundwave Creative, which specializes in making collectible based media. It’s not entirely clear what that partnership will look like, but Whiskey Myers says they’ll have more to share on that in the coming days: “In addition to this, we are working with our partners at Soundwaves Creative who feel just as strongly about this heartbreaking tragedy as we do. Whiskey Myers and Soundwaves Creative will be creating a really special opportunity to help as well. More on that next week.” And finally, the group that brought to life songs like “Broken Window Serenade” and “The Wolf” stated strongly that Texas means everything to them, and they are more than happy to step in and help in any way that they can: “Texas is home. We stand with the communities picking up the pieces, and we’re committed to doing what we can to help.” Texas is home. We stand with the communities picking up the pieces, and we’re committed to doing what we can to help. pic.twitter.com/c2s5D5wpPC — Whiskey Myers (@whiskeymyers) July 8, 2025 Classy move by Whiskey Myers. And like what Whiskey Myers is doing with their online merchandise store, Charles Wesley Godwin is donating any sales from his store to Texas flood relief efforts. So if you’ve had your eye on some Whiskey Myers or Charles Wesley Godwin merch for a while, now would be the perfect time to place that order.The post All Profits From Whiskey Myers’ Merch Store Will Be Donated To Texas Flood Relief… Through The End Of The Week first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Life is all about balance… I feel like as we grow up, and the realities of getting older become a factor, like joints hurting, hangovers hitting a little harder, and not being able to drink like you used to, you have to find ways to make adjustments. Whether it’s cutting back on the calories with what you’re drinking, hitting the gym during the week to make sure your slower metabolism doesn’t catch up to you, or meal prepping so you aren’t treating your body like a trash can, life is all about finding balance. And there is a way to still indulge in your vices without overdoing it. For musicians, especially touring musicians, they have to go out of their way to find this balance. Being on the road for most of the year and partying after the shows does not lead to the most healthy of lifestyles. However, over the last year, we have seen a lot of younger artists learn how to balance the excitement of being a country star with making sure they are working out and eating healthy(ish) while on the road. Gavin Adcock has shared that he enjoys cold plunges while touring to keep his body feeling good after running around the stage all night, and they help his hangovers. He’s not the only one who has jumped on the trend of cold plunges; Dierks Bentley has also shared that he enjoys doing them while on the road, and has done so for years… well before it was trendy. In a recent Instagram video, Bentley highlights his makeshift cold plunge made out of a trashcan, and recruited his tour opener, Zach Top, to do it with him. If Zach Top‘s forthcoming record’s title, Ain’t In It for My Health, is any indicator of his current lifestyle, I’d go out on a limb to say that a cold plunge is not something that is often in his daily routine. Nevertheless, Bentley convinced him to join a cold plunge competition, where they would see how long they could withstand the freezing temperatures. Bentley starts off the video showing that the plunge is 29 degrees, and questions how Zach Top will hold up. “I need a fresh beer and a cigarette.” Top says before he strips down to get into the cold plunge – so things are off to a good start. But before he’s ready to brave the freezing conditions, Zach Top takes off his shirt and hilariously forgets that he had drawn on abs from what can be presumed was the night before. Once the two are in the cold plunge, more ice is added (which sounds like my worst nightmare), and Zach Top appears to be straight chilling with a cigarette in his hand. It’s kind of a vibe, honestly. Dierks Bentley then starts sharing that Zach Top has lasted longer than many other artists he has toured with, including the “Worst Way” singer, Riley Green. “Get ****, Riley Green. Just kidding, buddy. Love you.”  Zach Top hilariously responds after learning that fact. Bentley continues to name off other artists he has surpassed: “Parker McCollum. Travis Denning was in it for about two seconds. Jordan Davis, you’ve already smoked Jordan Davis.” After a good bit, the two get out of the cold plunge at the same time, so there is no clear winner of who lasted longer in this “challenge.” I need more health content from Zach Top because this is the kind of lifestyle I’m currently living. Life’s all about balance, am I right? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dierks Bentley (@dierksbentley) 2025 BROKEN BRANCHES TOUR DATES: 7/10 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater 7/11 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live 7/12 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center 7/18 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center 7/19 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center 7/31 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre 8/1 – Nampa, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater 8/7 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion 8/8 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek 8/9 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion 8/14 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater 8/15 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center 8/16 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts 8/21 – Savannah, GA – Enmarket Arena 8/22 – Birmingham, AL – Coca Cola Amphitheatre 8/23 – Biloxi, MS – Mississippi Coast Coliseum 8/28 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden 8/29 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake 8/30 – Clarkston, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre This post contains links from our Affiliate Partners program. If you use these links to make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.The post Zach Top Demonstrates The Perfect Way To Do A Cold Plunge While On Tour With Dierks Bentley first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Here we go again… Just when things had (maybe?) settled down in the messy breakup between Zach Bryan and Barstool Sports personality Brianna Chickenfry (whose real name is Brianna LaPaglia), it seems they’re flaring up again thanks to a since-deleted comment that Zach left on social media. It all started after Zach dropped three new songs last week, including “Streets Of London,” “River Washed Hair,” and “A Song For You.” And of course fans immediately began speculating about the meaning behind all of the songs, and who he was talking about. In “River Washed Hair,” Zach sings about a girl named Anna that had some believing that it was about Brianna Chickenfry. (Anna, Brianna, get it?) “Remember when we’d sit around an ol’ fire And you’d get your guitar out to sing We’d sing CCR, “Jersey Giant,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger” Or anything by Bruce Springsteen Back when ol’ Anna would throw her ol’ hands up With her face framed by the fire … And I think I might pack a bag in the night Find me some small town out west Start over, find closure and just say “I’m sorry” To that sweet girl who tore off that dress” Well someone posted a TikTok with the line about the “sweet girl,” captioning it “did someone check on Bri,” implying that the song was about Brianna. @taydepadua I’m so conflicted #zachbryan ♬ River Washed Hair – Zach Bryan But Zach commented on the video and quickly shot that narrative down: “lmfao I said ‘sweet’ this is not about whatever she has going on hahahahahaah” Well as you can imagine, that comment (which Zach has since deleted) didn’t sit well with Brianna, who fired back on a video talking about Zach’s comment: “Lmao obviously he doesn’t think I’m sweet I turned down 12 million dollars to share my abuse while rose and Deb signed nda’s. Also fyi his songs aren’t about anyone he writes them drunk at 6am.” But that’s not also: She left another comment promising to release new recordings from their relationship this week on her BFF’s podcast, including the reported “fire pit” incident. “Also his comment just made me feel very excited to share some videos and stories of him this week on bffs. [C]an’t wait to release the fire pit recording.” @amandachristine_1 #zachbryan #briannachickenfry #greenscreen #fyp ♬ original sound – A M A N D A In case you actually have a life and don’t follow the drama, the fire pit recording she’s talking about is reportedly from Brianna’s birthday a couple years ago. I’ll let her explain it, from her tell-all on her BFFs podcast: “We all like, sit around the fire and it’s pretty chill… It’s all of my family and my friends. And we’re sitting around the fire and he starts doing what he does, like throwing jabs, and I’m like, ‘What the f—?’ Like from across the fire, throwing jabs at my friends and calling people idiots. I’m like, it’s 11:30… I’m like, I gotta go to bed before my birthday. Hopefully he will follow me to bed… He doesn’t follow me. I go upstairs, I go to sleep. I wake up probably an hour and a half later to screaming… So I go downstairs into the basement of this house and it’s all my girlfriends crying… And I look outside and I have my aunt trying to control Zach. And there’s a recording of all of this that can never be out. Basically Zach just – we’re all hanging around the fire, and I guess he stood up at the fire and just starts screaming at my friends, ‘You’re not going to be anything, you’re a f—ing loser.’ Just the most horrible sh-t. Out of nowhere… When Zach’s in this zone there’s no containing it.” Well, it sounds like Brianna may have changed her mind about releasing this recording – whatever it shows. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.The post After Zach Bryan Takes A Shot At Ex-Girlfriend Brianna Chickenfry, She Now Says She’ll Be Releasing New Recordings From Their Relationship This Week first appeared on Whiskey Riff.