Becoming a dad changed Koe Wetzel’s life. The country music star recently stopped by the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast to talk about becoming a father, how Koe Wetzel Day came to be (and how he’ll one day explain it to his daughter), his upcoming album being written before he became a father, and his newfound interest in the yacht rock genre. The Texas native also discussed how he connects with God and how he’s growing deeper with his faith, how excited his grandma would be for him to make a Gospel album, his friends not recognizing him anymore because he’s a truly changed man, and how he and Parker McCollum have been back in the studio together. There’s a whole lot going on in Koe Wetzel’s life, and the “High Road” singer couldn’t be happier. Much has happened in the past year for Wetzel, but nothing more important than the birth of his daughter. He told us that welcoming his daughter into the world has been a blessing, but it has caused his pace of life to speed up: “Life has been so busy and so fast here lately. It’s just going by so quick. Sometimes I’ve just got to stop and enjoy it at the same time. Life’s really good right now.” Anyone that knows Koe is aware of the party-persona that precedes him. He’s still having fun, don’t worry about that. It’s just that having his little girl has provided a perspective shift, and one that he and the people around him have welcomed: “I’m a dad now. That has been a big change for me. It’s been one of the biggest blessings in my life that has happened. I can’t imagine what life was like before my baby girl got here. It’s changed me for the better. All my friends and family would probably say the same thing. Life’s good right now. I’m in a really good place. Having Woods has been a blessing for me and everyone around us. Between being a dad and all the new music we got done in the last year that we’re about to release and have released, we’ve been really busy.” He and his now fiancé, Bailey Fisher, went with the name Woods for their little girl. Koe said it was a unique name that fits her, and “Woods Wetzel” certainly has a nice ring to it. And he can’t get over just how fast she’s growing up on him (I’m sure all parents can relate to that). It’s been a whirlwind for Koe and his future wife, but at the end of the day, Wetzel feels like he’s a better version of himself because of Woods: “You blink and she’s already saying ‘Dada’ and ‘Mama.’ It’s crazy, but it’s so good… I didn’t know if I wanted children for the longest time. It’s kind of been all about the ‘Koe Show’ for so long. Me and the music, and trying to get to this point career wise.  Now, having her, I have so much more to live for. It’s kind of helped every aspect of my life. My mental health, my overall health, and just being a better person. Being a better son, brother, friend, everything.” (Insert clip here) Wetzel even went on to say that the good vibes and positive changes have even spilled into his music as well… and we’ll hear that soon enough (keep an eye out for a new album from the Texas country star). To hear more from Koe Wetzel, check out the interview on YouTube or make sure to download the podcast on Apple Podcasts by searching “Whiskey Riff Raff” or by clicking here. We’re also available on Spotify and wherever else you can listen to podcasts. Cheers, y’all. Audio Video The post Koe Wetzel Says Becoming A Dad Has Changed His Life For The Better: “Been A Blessing For Me” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Keith Urban officially announced his yacht rock album, 'Flow State,' and he answered a big question: Why yacht rock, and why now? Continue reading…

Hitting the road. This morning, Kacey Musgraves announced her Middle Of Nowhere tour, which will kick off in Chicago this August in support of her album of the same name that’s dropping this Friday, May 1st. It was produced by Musgraves produced alongside longtime collaborators Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk. She put out two songs from the 13-song tracklist in the lead-up to the release, including the lead single “Dry Spell,” as well as the title track “Middle of Nowhere,” and Kacey will have four features from some fellow artists as well, an absolutely stacked lineup that features Willie Nelson, Billy Strings, Gregory Alan Isakov and Mrs. Miranda Lambert herself. Kacey hasn’t been on a proper tour since 2024, and on this run, she’s taking along some great country acts, something she hasn’t done in a pretty long while, and Midland, Carter Faith, Flatland Cavalry, Charles Wesley Godwin, Gabriella Rose, William Beckmann, Estevie and The Brudi Brothers will rotate as openers on different dates so it’s a stacked lineup from top to bottom. She’s one of those rare artists who sounds exactly the same live as she does on her records, and her vocals are just so pure and stunning that if you haven’t had the chance to see her live yet, you should certainly put her on your list. She’s always one of my favorites. Tickets go on sale next Friday, May 8th: View this post on Instagram Kacey wrote this album during what she calls “the longest single period” of her life, which is more than apparent on the lead single “Dry Spell,” and in a press release about the record, this collection of songs will find Kacey melding many aspects of country, bluegrass, and more: “Musgraves leaning intentionally into open space and traditional western elements. Pedal steel, accordion, and Texas dancehall rhythms provide a nostalgic framework that she flips on its head in signature fashion. It is a sonic love letter to the musical borders of Country, echoing influence from adjacent genres such as bluegrass, pop, and even bits of Norteño and Zydeco.” The two pre-released singles were really good, but I have a feeling she’s saving the best of it for the bulk of the tracklist we haven’t heard yet, and I’m counting down the hours until release day. You can view the full list of dates for the Middle of Nowhere tour below. Middle of Nowhere Tour Dates: May 3, 2026 Gruene Hall – New Braunfels, TX May 4, 2026 Gruene Hall – New Braunfels, TX May 5, 2026 Gruene Hall – New Braunfels, TX Aug 21, 2026 United Center – Chicago, IL Aug 24, 2026 Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON Aug 28, 2026 TD Garden – Boston, MA Aug 31, 2026 Madison Square Garden – New York, NY Sep 1, 2026 Madison Square Garden – New York, NY Sep 4, 2026 Xfinity Mobile Arena – Philadelphia, PA Sep 5, 2026 CFG Bank Arena – Baltimore, MD Sep 8, 2026 PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA Sep 9, 2026 Schottenstein Center – Columbus, OH Sep 11, 2026 Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, WI Sep 12, 2026 Enterprise Center – St. Louis, MO Sep 22, 2026 Target Center – Minneapolis, MN Sep 23, 2026 T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, MO Sep 25, 2026 Bourbon & Beyond – Louisville, KY Sep 27, 2026 Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN Sep 28, 2026 Bridgestone Arena – Nashville, TN Sep 30, 2026 State Farm Arena -Atlanta, GA Oct 2, 2026 Spectrum Center – Charlotte, NC Oct 5, 2026 Toyota Center – Houston, TX Oct 7, 2026 Moody Center – Austin, TX Oct 10, 2026 American Airlines Center – Dallas, TX Oct 13, 2026 Ball Arena – Denver, CO Oct 15, 2026 Delta Center – Salt Lake City, UT Oct 17, 2026 Mortgage Matchup Center – Phoenix, AZ Oct 18, 2026 Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA Oct 19, 2026 Crypto.com Arena – Los Angeles, CA Oct 23, 2026 Oakland Arena – Oakland, CA Oct 26, 2026 Climate Pledge – Arena Seattle, WA Oct 27, 2026 Climate Pledge – Arena Seattle, WA “Dry Spell” “Middle of Nowhere” The post Kacey Musgraves Announces ‘Middle Of Nowhere’ Tour Featuring Carter Faith, Flatland Cavalry, Charles Wesley Godwin & More first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Keith Urban is officially in his yacht rock era. Out of all the storylines emerging from the first quarter of the year in country music, Keith Urban’s proposed journey into yacht rock was undoubtedly one of the most fascinating. In case you aren’t aware of the subgenre, it’s a bit self-explanatory. Though there isn’t a direct artist or band that can be pinpointed as the creator of yacht rock, for all intents and purposes, its a style of rock that’s associated with “the type of music you listen to while boating.” Think of tracks like “Sailing” by Christopher Cross, “Brandy (You’re A Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass, “I Keep Forgettin'” by Michael McDonald and bands like Steely Dan, Little River Band and the Doobie Brothers, and you’ll have a pretty good grasp on the subgenre that got popularized in the 70s and 80s. Back to Urban, the world class country guitarist first teased his transition into the genre at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville last month by confirming his next album will be a yacht rock cover album, making it known to the crowd that he wasn’t, in fact, joking. “It’s the first time I’ve done an album of covers. There is one original on the record. It’s a thematic record… yacht rock songs. You think I’m kidding? I’m not kidding.” In the weeks following, the “You’ll Think of Me” singer would keep the teasers coming for the album. Taking to Instagram, he’d post multiple snippets of the one original song on the album as well as a performance alongside the band, Yacht Rock Revue, during their show in Atlanta. View this post on Instagram After promising a big announcement for Wednesday, April 29th, Urban would officially announce his brand new album, Flow State, is coming out Friday, June 12th. Additionally, he’d drop two songs: his original titled “We Go Back” featuring yacht rock legend, Michael McDonald, and a cover of Seals & Crofts’ “Summer Breeze.”   As for the tracklist, the 58-year-old singer/songwriter is set to deliver a plethora of classics in the genre, ranging from Player’s “Baby Come Back” and Grover Washington and Bill Withers’ “Just the Two Of Us” to Robbie Dupree’s “Steal Away” and Stephen Bishop’s “On and On.” Even more excitingly, Urban is calling on fellow guitar legend, John Mayer, for a cover of Bread’s “Guitar Man” as well as Little Big Town for a cover of Walter Egan’s “Magnet and Steel.” Discussing the album, the “Stupid Boy” singer would focus on the universal nature of the yacht rock genre. Noting how yacht rock, at its core, is a unifier which helps bring people together, Urban would note that he hopes Flow State brings a level of comfort to the listener. “The origins of this kind of music was, in certain ways, a reaction and an antidote to the stresses of the times. Its sole mission (and soul mission) is unchanged…to bring us together and remind us that life is happening NOW- the eternal now- and we have far more in common than not. I hope wherever you hear this album you can feel the exhale, comfort and optimism these songs were originally written by and for.” I think its pretty safe to say Urban’s track record has been a little questionable (to say the least) over the past decade or so. With that being said, however, I have some optimism for the record as a whole. There’s no denying he’s one of the most talented musicians and guitarists in country music, and Flow State should compliment his strengths extremely well. Flow State Tracklist “Steal Away” “Baby Come Back” “Magnet and Steel” (feat. Little Big Town) “Just the Two of Us” “On and On” “We Go Back” (feat. Michael McDonald) “Help Is On Its Way” “How Much I Feel” “Summer Breeze” “I Just Wanna Stop” “Guitar Man” (feat. John Mayer) Before you go, fire up today’s two new releases. “We Go Back” (feat. Michael McDonald) “Summer Breeze” The post Keith Urban Officially Announces Yacht Rock Album, “Flow State” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Willie Nelson has had the most amazing life, both onstage and off. Continue reading…