They definitely came a very long way together. As first reported by TMZ, and confirmed by court records in Williamson County, Tennessee, Jelly Roll has filed for divorce from his wife Bunnie Xo after a decade of marriage. The petition for divorce was filed by Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, against his wife, whose real name is Alisa DeFord, back on May 18. It’s being reported that it was a “mutual decision” and a “private family matter.” Whiskey Riff obtained a copy of the divorce complaint that was filed by the “Save Me” singer, which reveals that the couple separated on May 9, a week and a half before the request for a divorce was filed. He cites “irreconcilable differences” as the grounds for the divorce, which in Tennessee is a no-fault grounds for divorce that means that the parties agree on the terms of the separation. The couple were married back in 2016 before renewing their vows in 2023, and have been incredibly transparent about their relationship, including their struggles along the way. As Bunnie has discussed in the past, the two separated not long after getting married when she discovered that Jelly Roll was having an affair with an ex of his: “We got married in 2016. The affair was started with an ex in 2017, and then I think I found out about it early on in 2018.” A source spoke with People, who says they’ve “always had a complicated dynamic,” which started when they first met in Las Vegas when Bunnie was a high-end escort, and Jelly was living in a van back in 2015. They had a platonic friendship before they took their relationship to the next level in 2016. More recently, Jelly roll has gone through some intense physical changes, dropping nearly 300 pounds over the last couple of years, and the source confirms that he has “changed a lot.” They also confirmed that there was a moment “where everything fell apart,” as they were on different pages about their future together, and of course, there was “a lot more going on privately”: “He’s very focused on his future, his health and being around for a long time. There wasn’t a moment where everything fell apart. They still love each other but were no longer on the same page about certain things, including what they wanted their future to look like. People saw the public side of things, but there was a lot more going on privately.” You obviously never know what’s going on in people’s personal lives, and even though they always presented publicly as a united front with a very strong relationship, clearly, things were far from perfect and they’re now going their separate ways. During Jelly’s Grammy Award acceptance speech in February, Jelly thanked Bunnie for changing his wife, saying he would have ended up “dead or in jail” without her: “I want to thank my beautiful wife. I would have never changed my life without you. I would have ended up dead or in jail. I would have killed myself if it wasn’t for you and Jesus. I thank you for that.” Bunnie in particular has been very open about their relationship, mostly on her Dumb Blonde podcast, where she has spoken at-length about the ups and downs of their relationship and they have certainly been through a lot together. Neither one of them have spoken publicly about the split yet, though Jelly has changed his Instagram bio to reflect the change in their relationship. The bio used to say “Music Man,” followed by a lock and key emoji with link to Bunnie Xo’s account, though now the country singer’s bio now just reads “Music Man” by itself. JThe post “No Longer On The Same Page About Certain Things” — Jelly Roll & Bunnie Xo Have Reportedly Been Struggling For A While first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

A bold strategy…but it paid off. When an artist is just getting their start, a call to open up for a legend like Toby Keith has to be one of the best feelings in the world. The opportunity to not only get to perform in front of that artist’s crowd but also get to learn from one of the best in the business is hard to put a price on…but Corey Kent knew exactly what his price was. Like Toby, Corey Kent is an Oklahoma native, and early in his career he was presented with the opportunity to open for the Big Dog Daddy thanks to their shared roots. As Corey explained during a recent chat with Whiskey Riff: “I want to say I was about…19 years old. And one of the guys that was working for Toby’s management had heard some of my stuff and knew I was from Oklahoma, kind of put my music in front of Toby. Toby liked my music, and so they said, ‘Hey, we want you to come open these shows. We got 500 bucks, and you can play for 500 bucks each of these nights.'” Now, you’d think that would be an immediate and resounding “yes” from any up-and-coming artist. But Corey revealed the ballsy move he made when the offer came through: “I was like, ‘I would love to do it. I need you to tell Toby I need 1,000 bucks.’ And the guy…was like, “Are you kidding me?” And I was like, ‘No, I think I’m worth 1,000 bucks.'” I mean, gotta respect the confidence. But it’s easy to see how a move like that could backfire and result in an artist losing what could be a career-making opportunity. Luckily for Corey though, as it turns out, Toby respected the courage it took to counter his offer: “He calls me back and he says, ‘Man, you got some balls.’ And he goes, ‘Toby loved that you counteroffered him.’ And he’s like, ‘He said yes and put him on not just three shows, put him on six shows.’ So I got to meet Toby on the road, and we just kind of had this – I don’t know, just like a lighthearted laugh about how we even ended up on the same stage.” Corey admits that he was “dumb” and “naive” at the time, but that he wanted to be respected in the industry and felt that he should counter the original offer. And he says that the result was getting to open for Toby Keith at one of his first real gigs as an artist: “He was at the height of his career. I mean, it was a really cool time to be opening up for Toby Keith. “Red Solo Cup” had just blown up. Obviously he’s got all the hits from the past, and it was a cool moment for me just because, you know, he’s a legend there in Oklahoma. … But it was kind of one of my first real shows, was opening up for Toby.” Gotta respect it. And honestly, it would benefit all artists if everybody was able to take the same approach and didn’t settle for less than what they feel they’re worth – though obviously I understand why they do it. Things worked out well for Corey, who’s since had success at country radio with songs like “Wild As Her,” “This Heart,” and his recent single “Rocky Mountain Low” with Koe Wetzel. He’ll also be releasing his next album, Heartland Rock and Roll, on September 25 – an album that took two years to make, but which Corey says will truly showcase his sound: “This record that I just put the finishing touches on feels like the arrival of my sound. I fully anticipate that when people think of Corey Kent, they will think of this record.”The post Corey Kent Made A Ballsy Move When He Was Asked To Open For Toby Keith – But It Paid Off first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Well worth the wait. At this point, there’s absolutely no denying that Charles Wesley Godwin is a certified star in today’s alt. country scene. With three incredible studio records under his belt, continual placement on high-profile festivals throughout the year and high praise from his peers, fans and critics alike, the West Virginia native has cemented himself as a staple throughout multiple subgenres/scenes in the genre. Recently, he’s gearing up for the release of his fourth studio album, Christian Name, which releases on Friday, July 24th. He’d get things started back in May with the release of “Better That Way,” featuring none other than Luke Combs. The track, which is nothing short of a hit in the making, ended up being serviced to radio and scored the most adds across the country for the week of May 19th. View this post on Instagram Back to Christian Name, discussing the album, Godwin would admit that the writing process was one of the most difficult yet fulfilling experiences he’s ever gone through. Additionally, he’d give some insight into why he chose the title, Christian Name, explaining that he’s always viewed creating music as his way of glorifying God. “Writing and recording this album over the last two and a half years has been one of the most difficult, yet at the same time, most fulfilling experiences of my life. Music and songwriting have always been my escape. This time, they became a path to healing and a means of glorifying God. I truly cannot wait to share this album with the world, and I hope it helps someone out there the same way it helped me.” This was demonstrated best with the release of “Hey There Son,” featuring the red-hot Wyatt Flores, last week, which was also co-written by the legendary Lori McKenna. The track opens up with Godwin speaking to his son, expressing how he can’t wait to watch him grow up and teach him in the first verse. “Hey there son I can’t wait to get to know ya I can’t wait to get to show ya All the things in this world you’ve got coming your way Let’s let your mama rest now, it’ll be okay The chorus comes around. While it may be simple on its surface, it’s undoubtedly effective and pays off in dividends when Godwin revisits it to close the song. “You came into the world with a mighty cry That moment I first held you, I’d never been more alive Heart open wide, I’m on your side” After another moving verse that sees a time-jump with his son, now moving out of the house with his daughter-in-law and having a child of their own in the bridge. Taking over, Flores delivers the final blow on this tear-jerker of a song when he sings from the son’s perspective. “Hey there dad You were there when I was born with a mighty cry From that moment you held me on the first day of my life My heart’s open wide, now I’m on your side Get some rest now. You’re the best now. Goodbye dad” The track is nothing short of a tear-jerker, and it’s made even more special when you realize it took over five years to complete. In a recent interview with Troy Cartwright on his Ten Year Town podcast, Godwin would reveal that he had written the first verse and chorus all the way back in December of 2019. However, after hearing McKenna’s brilliant, introspective “When You’re My Age,” he was set on completing it with the legend herself — even if that seemed incredibly far-fetched at the time. “I wrote the first verse and the chorus of that one back in December of 2019 — couple weeks after my first son was born. I think it was “When You’re My Age” by Lori McKenna, but, man, that had [got me] — what an incredible song.  I wrote the first verse and chorus. I could have kept trucking and gotten that thing done, and I stopped. And I was like, ‘This would be a perfect song to write with Lori McKenna someday.’ In 2019, there was no reason to believe that I’d ever have the opportunity to be in the same room to write a song with Lori McKenna.” That day would finally come, however, in 2024. As Godwin explained, they met halfway in Connecticut and finished the song, which left the two with tears in their eyes — something CWG noted when teasing the song back in February. “But I held onto it for five years until that opportunity actually finally came. Man, I was ready for it. We met halfway in Connecticut in July of 2024, and we wrote that.” Finally, Godwin would admit that he doesn’t think he actually told her that he held onto the song for that long to finally finish it with her, joking and saying he didn’t want to freak her out. “I don’t know if I told her that. I might’ve pretended like, ‘Oh, you know. I was thinking about some things.’ I don’t know if I told her that, ’cause I didn’t want to freak her out. I had her in mind for that for a long time, and it turned out really well.” I think saying it “turned out really well” is a bit of an understatement from CWG. Though there have been some absolutely stunning songs released so far this year, “Hey There Son” very well might be the Song of the Year thus far. Check it out for yourself below. “Hey There Son” (feat. Wyatt Flores) Charles Wesley Godwin 2026 Tour Dates Jul 2 – Calgary, AB – Cowboys Music Festival Jul 10 – Saint Paul, MN – Minnesota Country Club Festival Jul 14 – Sioux Falls, SD – The District Jul 17 – Emigrant, MT – The Old Saloon Jul 18 – Kalispell, MT – Majestic Valley Arena Jul 19 – Whitefish, MT – Under the Big Sky Festival Jul 22 – Jackson, WY – Teton County Fair Aug 4 – San Francisco, CA- Regency Aug 6 – Sacramento, CA – Channel 24 Aug 7 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern Aug 8 – San Diego, CA – SOMA Aug 13 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Aug 14 – Phoenix, AZ – Van Buren Aug 21 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Aug 22 – Toronto, ON – History Aug 27 – Oklahoma City, OK – Criterion Aug 28 – Lubbock, TX – Cook’s Garage* Aug 29 – New Braunfels, TX – Whitewater Amphitheater* Sept 11 – Baltimore, MD – Pier Six Sept 12 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner Sept 17 – Landmark Theatre – Syracuse, NY Sept 18 – Philadelphia, PA – Fillmore Sept 23 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center# Sept 26 – Nashville, TN – The Pinnacle* Sept 29 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17* Sept 30 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena# Oct 1 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater* Oct 9 – North Charleston, SC – Riverfront Revival Oct 15 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre Oct 17 – Garden City, ID – Revolution Concert House Oct 18 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom Oct 21 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory Oct 22 – Seattle, WA – SoDo Oct 24 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theater Nov 5 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre Nov 6 – Charleston, WV – Charleston Coliseum Nov 7 – Cincinnati, OH – MegaCorp Pavilion Nov 12 – Chicago, IL – Salt Shed Nov 13 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Nov 14 – St. Louis, MO – Factory * co-headline with Dylan Gossett # supporting Kacey MusgravesThe post Charles Wesley Godwin Reveals ‘Hey There Son’ Took 5 Years To Complete: “Would Be A Perfect Song To Write With Lori McKenna” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Zac Brown went all out for UFC Freedom 250, and fans are just now realizing that his suit was oozing with patriotism. The frontman of the Zac Brown Band had the honors of singing the national anthem ahead of the first ever sporting event hosted at the White House. The UFC partnered with the White House to host a fight night on the lawn this past weekend, and as you might imagine, there was some controversy attached to it. Lots of people online (that lean a little more to the left politically) thought the event degraded the White House, and those same individuals also called out the UFC ring girl outfits, since they believed they were “desecrating the flag.” And a good number of social media users out there called out Zac Brown for attaching himself to the event and singing “The Star Spangled Banner.” During a recent interview on The Pat McAfee Show, the “Chicken Fried” singer took aim at those who were criticizing him for performing the anthem with the Marine Band prior to the UFC event. Brown insisted that he was going to be there to support the troops, and showcase his love for America… and that his presence there was not taking a stand one way or the other politically: “Man, I’m there for the troops. I’m there to honor America. This is patriotism, not politics for me. F*** all the division. I don’t believe in that. I love this country. I love all the people that have sacrificed so that I can live my American dream and that everyone that lives here gets a chance to do that… It doesn’t have a place in politics for me. There’s gonna be like 8,000 active servicemen that are going to be there. I’m a massive UFC fan. I’ve watched every single UFC probably multiple times. It’s my favorite sport, and I’m honored that Dana is giving me the opportunity to do this.” When the time came for Zac Brown to actually sing the national anthem, he crushed it… and he was dressed to impress (more on that in a bit). The UFC shared the footage of Brown performing with the Marine Band, and perfectly timed out flyover by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and Navy Blue Angels was something to see: https://t.co/UrISOMAhuM pic.twitter.com/7cM1lzz1Fn — UFC (@ufc) June 15, 2026 Can’t help but salute that, eh? Just yesterday, Zac Brown took to Instagram to reveal a couple of details about his UFC Freedom 250 outfit that people had missed. On the cuffs of his shirt, the country singer had “USA 250” embroidered on in red lettering. That’s undoubtedly patriotic, but it doesn’t even hold a candle to the lining of his jacket. Brown revealed that, inside his classy suit, was an image that’s about as American as it gets. The lining of his suit showed Zac Brown riding a bald eagle and holding the Red, White and Blue while fireworks went off all around him. It’s quite the touch to the dress clothing, and perfectly matched the moment that Zac Brown got to be a part of celebrating America’s 250th birthday: “Check this out… America. I might be riding an eagle inside my jacket. It’s in the details baby.” View this post on Instagram USA! USA! USA!The post “Riding An Eagle”: Zac Brown Reveals Patriotic Graphic Hidden Inside His Custom UFC Freedom 250 Suit first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

It seems that time really does heal all… at least for Shania Twain. The country music legend is an icon even beyond the genre, and she’s done it all and has had an incredible career, and she’s not slowing down anytime soon… Shania of course perfected the pop country sound of the 90s with hits like “You’re Still The One,” “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” “From This Moment On,” “Any Man of Mine” and many, many more. She saw unprecedented crossover success, a defining attribute of her career, and she ultimately became the first artist to ever release three consecutive Diamond-certified albums. Twain is gearing up to release a new album called Little Miss Twain on July 24th, and ahead of the new project coming out, she spoke with The Times for a lengthy feature, where she spoke a lot about growing up very poor in Canada and everything she’s accomplished as an artist. And she also opened up about her marriage to producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange, whom she wed in April of 1993. He heard her first album and knew he wanted to work with her (he’d previously worked with the likes of AC/DC and Def Leppard), and they continued to work together even after they got married. Eventually, in the late 90’s the couple moved to Switzerland (where Twain still primarily lives), and she explained that living on the shores of Lake Geneva was “somewhere I could forget who I was,” adding that they were happy to be alone for long periods of time and not see anyone else: “We were both very happy to be alone for weeks and weeks on end and not see anybody else. We just thought that was perfectly normal.’ They share one child together, their son, Eja D’Angelo Lange (he was born in 2001), and I think most fans know the story of how the marriage ended… Shania had hired a personal assistant in Switzerland named Marie-Anne Thiébaud, who become one of her closest friends. But apparently, she got a little too close with the family, and Thiébaud and Lange had an affair, and he and Twain divorced in 2008. Of course, she was heartbroken, and she explained that there was a point where it got so bad, she wanted to die. But as time as gone on, and everyone has moved on, Shania says she has let go all of the ill will towards her ex, and she says it’s a weight of “hate and anger” she wouldn’t “wish on anyone”: “Oh definitely. I’ve always been pretty good at letting go of things and moving on, but some things are a little harder to move on from than others. I would never dare say to anybody, ‘Get over it.’ But the burden that we carry, the weight of hate and anger is so great and I don’t wish it on anyone. It’s a terrible burden to carry around.” And the story does have a happy ending, as fans also know that Shania ended up marrying Marie-Anne’s ex-husband, Swiss businessman Frédéric Thiébaud, who she confided in as they were both heartbroken following the news of the affair coming out. They got married in in 2011, and they now live between Switzerland and the Bahamas (and she has other homes in Las Vegas and Canada) with her husband. Shania says that even as she’s struggled to accept the aging process and who she is after going through menopause, Frédéric thinks she’s “the hottest woman on the planet,” and the best at everything she does, and that has given her an incredible confidence to embrace everything about who she is as a woman: “Honestly, through the eyes of Fred, I am the hottest woman on the planet. To Fred, I’m the best cook, best mom, best wife and I feel the same about him. I don’t want to be without that, I don’t want to be without that person. With Fred, I can just be with Fred.” It’s really a wild story, and as far as I know, Mutt and Marie-Anne are still together, as well. It was a wild and very convoluted way they all ended up together, but it sounds like everyone is happy now and Shania is also gearing up to put out a new album Little Miss Twain on July 24th: View this post on Instagram The post “Hate And Anger Is A Terrible Burden To Carry Around” — Shania Twain Says She Has Completely Forgiven “Mutt” Lange For How Their Marriage Ended first appeared on Whiskey Riff.