Keith Urban is diving into the calm, serene waters of yacht rock with his next project. No need to double take. You read that right. The prolific guitarist and country music artist is evidently changing things up after his divorce from actress Nicole Kidman. He’s taking his talents to the underrated, under-appreciated genre of yacht rock. If you’ve never heard of the style of music before, it originated and became popular in the late 1970s and early 1980s… and dads everywhere absolutely love it. There wasn’t really a legitimate name for the sub-genre of rock until someone associated it with “the type of music you listen to while boating.” Considering one of the biggest hits of yacht rock is “Sailing” by Christopher Cross, that makes sense. And if you’ve never listened to yacht rock while on a boat… you should try it. Admittedly, there’s something spiritual about yacht rocking while the yacht (or in my case, a pontoon boat) is rocking in the water. Keith Urban has evidently felt that connection, and he’s ready to share with the world that he’s going all in on yacht rock with his next album. While speaking at the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, the 58-year-old artist shocked a lot of people – and made them think he was joking – when he broke the news that he’s putting out an album of yacht rock covers: “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.” Just to make sure people knew he wasn’t joking, Urban immediately transitioned into a yacht rock classic from 1977. Those in attendance were serenaded by Keith Urban with a piece of a new original, as well as two cover snippets of Stephen Bishop’s “On and On,” which peaked as high as 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 at its height, and Robbie Dupree’s top 10 hit, “Steal Away.” I’ve got to say… I wasn’t so sure about Keith Urban doing yacht rock, but after watching this video, I believe: @whiskeyriff @Keith Urban #whiskeyriff ♬ original sound – Whiskey Riff It’ll certainly be interesting to see Keith Urban tackle the smooth, winding, jazz-influenced genre. And hey, I’ll give the “Blue Ain’t Your Color” singer some credit. While all the other pop and hip-hop artists out there are dipping their toes in country music, he’s leaving the country music genre – albeit just for a small, side project – and choosing to test out the yacht rock waters. As I’ve already touched on before, the waters of yacht rock are always calm, soulful, and full of relaxation. That might be exactly what the doctor ordered for Keith Urban right about now. Urban gets divorced and then immediately shows an increased, public interest in yacht rock? That checks out. And good on him for going back to the well and choosing this iconic tune from Stephen Bishop to introduce his yacht rock era to the world. “On And On” by Stephen Bishop The post Keith Urban Announces His First Ever Cover Album… Of Yacht Rock Songs: “You Think I’m Kidding? I’m Not Kidding” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

I don’t know about you, but I’m digging this new Breakfield era so far. In case you missed it, after 15 years with the name, Boy Named Banjo announced the difficult decision back in September that they’d be changing the band name to Breakfield, ushering in a new era for the Nashville-based bluegrass-turned-Americana quartet. Originally formed by childhood friends and now signed to Rounder Records, they released the first single “Canyon Walls” under the new moniker back in October, and followed that up last month with another one in “Ever-Loving Mind.” Now, the band is keeping the momentum going with “Darker Out Tonight,” the third single off of their forthcoming self-titled album produced by Sadler Vaden (Jason Isbell, Morgan Wade, Drayton Farley). Written by founding band members Barton Davies and William Reames, along with some co-writing help from Vaden, “Darker Out Tonight” is a thoughtfully penned tune about finding the light amidst a difficult breakup, conveying a notion of hope that proves to be a core theme throughout this new record. Davies provided some helpful insight into the new track. “‘Darker Out Tonight’ was inspired by a close friend of outs. On the surface, it’s about a broken relationship coming to an end. Though at its core, it’s not just another breakup song. To me, it’s always been about finding the glimmer of light when it feels like darkness is settling in. In this case, it’s the feeling of finally being free, which is the same feeling that this entire record emanates as a whole. Musically, we let it build and stretched it out further than we ever have. It became one of the most poignant, emotional, and exciting songs we’ve ever written.” With that in mind, give “Darker Out Tonight” a listen here: In recent years, Mike and the Moonpies rebranded to Silverada, and Read Southall Band shortened their name to Southall. Both bands seemed to continue without a hitch in the giddy up, per se, and Breakfield should be no exception. The fact of the matter is that most bands grow unsatisfied with the name they chose when they first get started, and although a full rebrand is risky, it may be worth a shot. And Breakfield had the gumption to do it. If you like what you’ve heard from Breakfield so far, make sure to catch a show on their first tour with the new name if they’re coming to a city near you. I’ve had the privilege of catching these guys live, and they put on amazing show. I’ll be catching them in Charlotte myself and can’t wait to hear these new tunes live. Breakfield Tour Dates 4/18 – Schubas Tavern – Chicago, IL 4/23 – Neighborhood Theatre – Charlotte, NC 5/7 – Exit/In – Nashville, TN 5/9 – Smith’s Olde Bar – Atlanta, GA 5/15 – The Atlantis – Washington D.C. 5/16 – Gramercy Theatre – New York, NY 5/23 – The Broadberry – Richmond, VAThe post Breakfield Finds Hope In A Difficult Situation With Latest Single “Darker Out Tonight” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Today we got our first look at the 2026 class of inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. This morning, the Hall announced that Tim McGraw was this year’s inductee in the Modern Era category, while bluegrass legends The Stanley Brothers were (finally) chosen as the Veteran Era inductees, and songwriter Paul Overstreet was named this year’s choice for the Songwriter category, which rotates every three years with the Touring Musician and Non-Performer categories. The Hall of Fame inducts only three members every year, which means that there’s a long waiting list of deserving artists to eventually be granted country music’s highest honor. And in recent years, the Hall of Fame has seemingly tried to right some past wrongs by announcing some long-overdue inductions like Keith Whitley, June Carter Cash, and Hank Williams Jr., along with this year’s induction of the Stanley Brothers. The Modern Era category in particular, though, has quite a few glaring omissions. While Tim McGraw and last year’s selection of Kenny Chesney are obviously worthy of induction into the Hall of Fame, there are several artists who have been around quite a bit longer than both of them who are still waiting for the call from the Hall. The category is open to artists 20 years after they first achieved national prominence, which means that there’s a whole slew of ’90s country artists who are eligible and deserving of a spot in the Hall of Fame. And in the Veterans Era category, which is for artists 45 years after reaching national prominence, there are quite a few notable names who haven’t yet been selected. Part of the problem (I guess it’s not really a problem as much as it is an unfortunate side effect) is the fact that there’s only a single inductee from each category every year, when there are so many deserving artists every year who become eligible. You can’t put them all in at the same time, but that means that the waiting list grows longer – and the omissions become more glaring over time. With so many deserving artists still waiting on their time to come, here are 10 names who should be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame: 1. Dwight Yoakam Perhaps the most glaring omission from the Modern Era category, and somebody who I would argue should have been inducted before the last two artists who were chosen. Yoakam released his debut album in 1986 and reintroduced the honky tonk “Bakersfield Sound” to the genre by following in the footsteps of artists like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. His distinctive voice is instantly recognizable, and hits like “Guitars, Cadillacs” and “Honky Tonk Man” are modern day classics. It probably hurts his chances that Yoakam only has two #1 singles in his career (which is crazy to me), but with nearly 30 million albums sold and as a pioneer who paved the way for the return of neotraditional country music in the ’90s, it would be criminal to leave Dwight Yoakam out of the Hall of Fame. And make no mistake, I think he’ll eventually get in, but it should be while he’s still around to be honored in person. 2. Travis Tritt One of the most influential artists of the ’90s and a member of the groundbreaking “Class of ’89,” Travis Tritt revolutionized ’90s country with his gritty, southern rock sound. He’s won two Grammy awards, four CMA Awards, and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1992, while scoring 5 chart-topping singles and selling over 30 million albums. Travis may have turned some voters off in recent years with his outspoken nature, criticizing the state of country music and sharing his political opinions, but ultimately none of that should matter: He’s undeniably a country music legend and deserves to be in the Country Music Hall of Fame. 3. Alison Krauss When it comes to the popularity of bluegrass today, there’s maybe no artist to thank for that more than Alison Krauss. She released her banjo and fiddle-soaked debut album in 1987, at a time when country music was still largely comprised of the “Urban Cowboy” sound of the 1980s with artists like Conway Twitty, Kenny Rogers and Reba McEntire. While many artists from that time are considered traditional country legends today, back in the ’80s their sound pushed country music further towards pop than it had been, arguably, at any time since the “Nashville Sound” of the 1950s. Krauss, though, chose to go in a different direction, and built a legendary career out of her bluegrass roots. Along with artists like Ricky Skaggs and Marty Stuart, Krauss paved the way for a whole new sound to gain a foothold in mainstream country music, and fit in perfectly alongside the neotraditional revolution of the ’90s. She’s won an incredible 27 Grammy awards, was inducted into the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame, and has frequently been featured as a collaborator with some of mainstream country music’s biggest stars – including her newest feature alongside Luke Combs on his brand new album, proving her longevity in an industry where artists often have short shelf lives. 4. Clint Black Another member of the famous Class of ’89 who revolutionized country music in the ’90s, Clint Black scored an incredible 13 chart-topping singles and was one of the best-selling country artists of the decade. He had hits on the charts into the 2000s, and though he’s been absent from the charts for a while now, it’s impossible to overlook the impact that songs like “Killin’ Time,” “A Better Man,” and “Nothin’ But the Taillights” had on the sound of country music for an entire decade. 5. Martina McBride Martina McBridge is another legend of the ’90s, with hits like “Independence Day,” “A Broken Wing,” “My Baby Loves Me” and more leading the way for a group of iconic female artists. Among them, though, it was McBride’s powerful voice that stood out among the crowd, and earned her 14 Grammy nominations and 6 CMA Awards. She’s also been named CMA Female Vocalist of the Year four times, the second-most nominated artist in the category and third winningest. With a voice that helped define a decade, it’s hard to argue that Martina McBride doesn’t belong in the Country Music Hall of Fame. 6. Lorrie Morgan While her numbers may be lower than some other inductees, Lorrie Morgan has still sold over 8 million albums and scored 3 #1 singles since the release of her 1989 debut album Leave the Light On. She’s also served as an ambassador of sorts for her late husband Keith Whitley’s legacy, and has been named CMA Female Artist of the Year three times. Lorrie Morgan has firmly cemented herself as an iconic artist of the ’90s, and deserves her spot in the Hall of Fame at some point – even if there are likely several others in front of her in line. 7. Tracy Lawrence When it comes to radio success in the ’90s, there aren’t many artists ahead of Tracy Lawrence. With his traditional country sound and reverence for the history of the genre, Lawrence was a standard bearer for the neo-traditional country sound of the decade, and even in 2026 he’s still releasing music that’s true to that sound. Tracy has over 13 million albums sold, 18 #1 singles in his career, and several more signature songs that surprisingly never topped the charts. With hits like “Time Marches On,” “If The World Had A Front Porch” and “Alibis,” it’s hard to overstate the impact that Tracy Lawrence had on country music in the ’90s, and in 1996 he was one of the top 10 played artists on the radio in ANY genre. For some reason he’s often overlooked as a legend of the genre, but behind Garth Brooks there may not be another artist who defined the ’90s more than Tracy Lawrence. 8. Johnny PayCheck Moving to the Veterans Era category, while Johnny PayCheck may have only had a single #1 song in his career with “Take This Job and Shove It,” his influence on country music goes far beyond just his own success as an artist. He was a defining figure of the “outlaw country” movement of the 1970s, and also served as a session musician and background vocalist for legendary artists like George Jones. PayCheck is often credited with influencing the vocal style of George Jones and Merle Haggard, along with dropping 30 of his own studio albums that featured hits like “She’s All I Got,” “Old Violin” and “The Lovin’ Machine.” While he may not have the #1s of some other inductees, his outsized influence on the look and sound of country music should be more than enough to warrant induction into the Hall of Fame. 9. Earl Thomas Conley One of the most successful artists of the 1980s, ETC scored an incredible 18 #1 singles, with 16 consecutive solo singles between 1983 and 1989. He was third in chart-topping singles of the 1980s, behind only Alabama and Ronnie Milsap, while also setting a record as the first artist of any genre to have four #1 singles from one album. He was also a prolific songwriter, with hits being recorded by Conway Twitty, whose single “This Time I’ve Hurt Her More Than She Loves Me” became Conley’s first hit as a songwriter, and even Blake Shelton, who got the ETC-penned “All Over Me” into the top 20 in 2002. If there’s ever a resumé that’s worthy of the Hall of Fame, it’s Earl Thomas Conley. 10. David Allan Coe David Allan Coe has released 42 studio albums containing hits like “The Ride,” “Tennessee Whiskey,” “Longhaired Redneck,” and of course, “You Never Even Called Me By My Name.” Emerging in the 1970s alongside figures like Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, Coe helped define the outlaw movement in rejecting the polished sounds of Nashville in favor of raw, unfiltered storytelling. As a songwriter, it’s hard to deny the impact that his music has had on the genre, and though some of his more controversial music may give voters pause, it’s a glaring omission to leave him out of the Hall of Fame.The post The Wait Continues: 10 Artists Who Deserve To Be In The Country Music Hall Of Fame first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Vince Gill didn’t love the idea of playing at the Trump-Kennedy Center… but the country music legend went through with it for his friend. Late last year, the Kennedy Centers Honors event aired on CBS, and the King of Country Music – George Strait – was there to be recognized alongside other cultural icons like the rock band KISS, movie star Sylvester Stallone, Broadway actor Michael Crawford, and disco legend Gloria Gaynor. It was a real who’s who. The Donald Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. is the site for the annual Kennedy Center Honors event that inducts a new group of artists and entertainers each year. The living memorial to President John F. Kennedy (that recently tacked on Donald Trump’s name to the building as well) hosts the event that has honored many notable country acts over the years, including the likes of Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, George Jones and many others. This year, the country music representation at the awards ceremony was the one and only George Strait. You probably saw the viral moment that he and President Trump shared in the Oval Office ahead of the ceremony. That turned into its own sort of spectacle, but what many people were looking forward to was the actual honoring of the notable figures that took place at the Kennedy Center later on. Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn and Vince Gill all took the stage to honor the “All My Ex’s Live In Texas” singer. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone’s Nashville Now, Gill admitted that when he was asked to help honor Strait, he admits that he was hesitant to say yes because… well, Donald Trump. Podcast host Joseph Hudak asked Vince Gill if he had to think about saying “Yes” to performing at that event, and here’s what he had to say: “Of course I did. I don’t have very much respect for the kind of person you’re talking about it. I’m not a political guy. I’m not gonna run somebody down, and it’s not my way to do that. I met the man twice and was completely uninspired, you know? I just can’t fathom treating people that way on any level.” It’s interesting that he never chooses to actually say President Trump’s name… but there’s no confusion as to who he’s referring to when he called him “the man.” Gill made sure to back up those thoughts with clarification on how he thinks politically. The “Go Rest High On That Mountain” singer doesn’t like political labels, and said that though you can call him whatever you want to, he considers himself to be in the middle of the road: “I’m a conservative guy on a lot of issues. I’m a liberal guy on a lot of issues. I don’t think I sit one way. You can call me woke, you can call me a Bible thumper. You can call me all those things and I think a lot of them are true. But I don’t think you have to just sit in one lane and only be in that lane. I think every issue has pros and cons and right and wrongs and what’s maybe best for everybody.” But back to saying yes to the Trump-Kennedy Center event. Ultimately, Vince Gill decide to push his disdain for the President of the United States to the side and prioritized his relationship with George Strait – whom he’s known for over four decades. He knew that the moment was about George’s legacy, not anyone else’s, and went through with his attendance and performance at the event: “That was a hard, ‘Yes.’ But George has been my friend for 43 years. And I did it for George. But I’m also… I’m not gonna try to make a point. I’m not gonna try to encourage anybody else to think like I do. You don’t see me out that rattling my opinion, and the moment you do, you piss half the people off, right away. And it’s not because I’m afraid, it’s my make up as a person. It’s not part of my DNA to draw attention to myself… I want people to be kind to each other. That’s what I love seeing. On both sides of the world, both sides are equally as ugly to me, and deserve a good bit of the reason why it is the way it is. Kindness would cure it all.” He went more diplomatic towards the end there, but you can watch the full conversation below: The post Vince Gill Says He Doesn’t Have Respect For “Completely Uninspiring” Donald Trump, But Still Played The Kennedy Center Honors: “I Did It For George” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.