Didn’t overthink it. On all fronts, 2024’s Twisters was a smash hit. For the movie itself, it proved to be a worthy successor to the original 1996 film starring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, Twister. With some help from lead actor, Glen Powell, who was coming off some huge buzz thanks to his role in Top Gun: Maverick, the film was a success both critically and commercially, raking in an impressive $372 million at the box office. What stood out to many country fans about Twisters, however, was its absolutely stacked soundtrack. Though not every song made it into the film itself, it was absolutely loaded with talent from both the mainstream and alternative scene. In addition to featuring superstars like Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll and Thomas Rhett, the filmmakers called upon some of the best and brightest stars in alternative country, with Tyler Childers, Charley Crockett, The Red Clay Strays, Wyatt Flores, Dylan Gossett, Sam Barber, Flatland Cavalry and many more appearing throughout. While the Twisters soundtrack was a success on all fronts, there’s absolutely no denying that Combs’ “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” was the standout commercially. In a somewhat rare decision, given the song was made for a movie, the track was sent to country radio as one of Combs’ 2024 singles. Flying up the charts, it would reach #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and #3 on Hot Country Songs. Additionally, it would receive a lot of love on streaming, racking up a staggering 520 million streams on Spotify alone en route to receiving a 3x platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma,” which was written by Combs, Jonathan Singleton and Jessi Alexander, is undoubtedly an absolute heater from Combs and one of those songs that almost feel too good to simply be written for a movie soundtrack. As it turns out, the story behind how the song came to be is actually quite interesting. In a recent interview on the Zach Sang Show, the “Hurricane” singer revealed that the writing process was a bit strange. As Combs recalled, he got pitched the idea to write a song for Twisters on a Zoom call with the production team for the film. When asked what direction they wanted him to go with a track, they didn’t have much to offer him. “When we wrote the song for the ‘Twisters’ movie, I wrote that with Jonathan [Singleton] and Jessi Alexander. I got pitched the idea… I got on a Zoom meeting with all the big-time movie people. They’re all LA people; I’m in Nashville. I’m at my producer, Chip’s, house with Jonathan and myself, and we’re on this meeting. I’m like, ‘What do you got?’  And they’re like, ‘We don’t really have anything. We don’t have a trailer. Can’t really tell you much.’ It’s ‘Twisters’. I’m like, ‘Cool, I saw ‘Twister.’ I’m familiar with the kinda what the concept is probably going to be.”  Combs would go on to note that the Twisters team only gave him bullet points of ideas. However, it was their insistence on the film not being a love story that ultimately sparked the idea for the title. After writing down 15 or so titles and ideas for a song, “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” was ultimately the title that stuck for the North Carolina native. “So they were just kind of giving us these bullet points of this is what we do want. This is what we don’t want. One of their big buzz things was there’s no love story in the movie. The movie’s not a love story. There’s a little bit of undertones, but that’s not the focus of the movie. And they kept saying that.  They kept being like, ‘It’s in Oklahoma. People will know it’s in Oklahoma. It’s this big thing that it’s in Oklahoma.’ I came up with the title in the meeting. I had written like 15 titles down as they were talking, just things they were saying. I’m amalgamating, putting together those things they were saying — one of which was ‘Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma.'” After finishing the Zoom meeting, Combs was locked in on the concept of “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma.” Just hours later, Singleton would send over the now-iconic opening guitar riff, and they hit the ground running the next morning. “We closed the Zoom meeting. I sit with Jonathan, and I’m like, ‘Here’s this title, this title, this title.’ And we landed on our favorite one being ‘Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma. Jonathan goes home. Three hours later, he sends me over a voice note [of the intro]. And I’m like, ‘That’s so sick. I’ll be at your house in the morning; let’s write it.” And the rest was history. Singleton would then call Alexander, and the trio would pen the track in just two hours. “Jonathan called Jessi. We’re there at 10. [We] wrote the song in an hour, made the demo, sent it to the movie people within two hours. They’re like, ‘We love it. It’s the song.’ And I’m like, ‘Sick.'” It’s pretty safe to say that it takes an entirely different approach to write a song for commercial use, whether it’s for a film, TV show or whatever. With that being said, however, Combs and Co. absolutely knocked it out of the park for Twisters. Simultaneously feeling perfect both for the film and Combs’ discography, in addition to being a smash hit, it’s hard to think of a better result. “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” My Kinda Saturday Night Tour Dates April 4 Scott Stadium – Charlottesville, VA April 11 Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, IA April 18 Notre Dame Stadium – South Bend, IN April 25 Ohio Stadium – Columbus, OH May 2 Neyland Stadium – Knoxville, TN May 9 Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium – Norman, OK May 15 Lambeau Field – Green Bay, WI May 16 Lambeau Field – Green Bay, WI May 30 Parc Jean-Drapeau – Montreal, QC June 5 Rogers Stadium – Toronto, ON June 6 Rogers Stadium – Toronto, ON July 4 Ullevi – Gothenburg, Sweden July 7 Accor Arena – Paris, France July 11 Johan Cruijff ArenA – Amsterdam, Netherlands July 18 Slane Castle – Slane, Ireland July 19 Slane Castle – Slane, Ireland July 25 Scottish Gas Murrayfield – Edinburgh, UK July 31 Wembley Stadium – London, UK August 1 Wembley Stadium – London, UK The post Luke Combs Reveals He Began Writing His ‘Twisters’ Hit, “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma,” During The Initial Meeting For The Movie first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

A longtime fan-favorite that should always be included on the set list, in my humble opinion. Last night, Morgan Wallen played a very special, intimate show at The Pinnacle in Nashville, which helped celebrate the launch of his forthcoming new SiriusXM channel, Morgan Wallen Radio. He played through hits like “More Than My Hometown,” “20 Cigarettes,” “I’m The Problem” and more, and he also brought one of his first big hits back to the set list in “Chasin’ You,” and he told the crowd he’s missed having in the regular rotation while out on tour: “Man, this next one right here,  we haven’t sung this song in a couple years, and I missed it last year, I missed playing it. We gotta bring it back. It’s one of the first songs I ever wrote in  my life, it’s called ‘Chasin’ You.'” Morgan wrote it with Jamie Moore and Craig Wiseman, and it was released in July 2019 as the fourth single from his 2018 studio album, If I Know Me. The song ultimately became Wallen’s third consecutive number one hit on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. In December of 2020, it was declared the number one song of the year, making it Wallen’s second consecutive song to achieve such a distinction. I’ve always thought it was one of his best songs, and while his catalog has grown extensively since he put out “Chasin’ You,” but every time I hear this I can’t figure out why he stopped playing it live, and it sounds like he feels the same way so maybe it will make the cut for his forthcoming Still The Problem tour: @francescaa.maria99 @morganwallen #morganwallen #pinnacle #siriusxm #nashville #imtheproblem ♬ original sound – Francesca ◡̈ Also during the event last night, Morgan spoke with Cody Alan, who hosts Highway Mornings with Cody Alan, and he explained that he probably shouldn’t have used the word “hibernation” on a recent Instagram post, where he also seemingly teased new music with a photo of him the studio, because he’s been busy working and hanging out with his son: “Hibernation’s probably not the best word I could have used, I worked a lot. I’ve been hanging out with my son, making music and that’s about it.” And when asked about the prospect of new music, Morgan said he’s still in the “early stages” in terms of a new album, adding that his current Still The Problem record is nearing the end of its cycle and he will start showing “sneak peaks” of new music soon: “I’m still in the early stages with it. I don’t know exactly what I’m gonna do as far as this album, I think I’m on seven or eight singles right now. So it’s probably nearing the end for this album. I’m trying to figure that out. I’m at a place to where, I’ll start showing little sneak peeks soon.” View this post on Instagram He also brought out Ella Langley, one of his openers on the Still The Problem stadium tour, for a surprise performance of “Sand In My Boots”: View this post on Instagram “Chasin’ You” ‘Still The Problem’ Tour Dates April 10 || Minneapolis, Minn. || U.S. Bank Stadium w/ Thomas Rhett, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason April 11 || Minneapolis, Minn. || U.S. Bank Stadium w/ HARDY, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason April 18 || Tuscaloosa, Ala. || Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Vincent Mason, Zach John King May 1 || Las Vegas, Nev. || Allegiant Stadium w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason May 2 || Las Vegas, Nev. || Allegiant Stadium w/ Thomas Rhett, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason May 8 || Indianapolis, Ind. || Lucas Oil Stadium w/ Brooks & Dunn, Hudson Westbrook, Zach John King May 9 || Indianapolis, Ind. || Lucas Oil Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Flatland Cavalry, Zach John King May 15 || Gainesville, Fla. || Ben Hill Griffin Stadium w/ Thomas Rhett, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King May 16 || Gainesville, Fla. || Ben Hill Griffin Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King May 29 || Denver, Colo. || Empower Field at Mile High w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason May 30 || Denver, Colo. || Empower Field at Mile High w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason June 5 || Pittsburgh, Penn. || Acrisure Stadium w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King June 6 || Pittsburgh, Penn. || Acrisure Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King June 19 || Chicago, Ill. || Soldier Field w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King June 20 || Chicago, Ill. || Soldier Field w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King June 26 || Clemson, SC. || Clemson Memorial Stadium w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Jason Scott & The High Heat June 27 || Clemson, SC. || Clemson Memorial Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Jason Scott & The High Heat July 17 || Baltimore, Md. || M&T Bank Stadium w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Jason Scott & The High Heat July 18 || Baltimore, Md. || M&T Bank Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Jason Scott & The High Heat July 24 || Ann Arbor, Mich. || Michigan Stadium w/ Thomas Rhett, Hudson Westbrook, Blake Whiten July 25 || Ann Arbor, Mich. || Michigan Stadium w/ HARDY, Hudson Westbrook, Blake Whiten July 31 || Philadelphia, Penn. || Lincoln Financial Field w/ ​​Brooks & Dunn, Hudson Westbrook, Blake Whiten August 1 || Philadelphia, Penn. || Lincoln Financial Field w/ Ella Langley, Hudson Westbrook, Blake WhitenThe post Morgan Wallen Plays “Chasin’ You” During Intimate Show At The Pinnacle in Nashville first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Charley Crockett’s Age of The Ram -the final installment of his Sagebrush Trilogy – is finally here. It’s been a year-long process for every portion of the three-part project to be released. It was in March of 2025 that Crockett first released Lonesome Drifter. He then followed that up last August with the second chapter – Dollar a Day. And now, in April of 2026, the 42-year-old country artist wrapped the interconnected trilogy all up with Age of the Ram. Or as he put it: “Just a lonesome drifter making a dollar a day in the age of the ram.” View this post on Instagram From the jump, there’s an immediate sense and presence of cinematic storytelling. The album even starts out with a narrator stating, “And now for our feature presentation.” If that doesn’t get the audience ready for a sprawling story, I don’t know what will. Age of the Ram focuses in on the life and times of an outlaw named Billy McLane… a man on the run that Crockett can certainly relate to. For those Marty Robbins fans out there, you might recall that the name “Billy McLane” is used in Robbins’ song “Old Red.” Charley Crockett has previously said that song, among other things, helped act as inspiration for the fictional outlaw his third installment is based upon. Pedal steel and piano, as well as plenty of interludes, move Age of the Ram along. There are some big swings in musical momentum throughout, but I suppose that’s only fitting for an album depicting the life of an outlaw on the run. Each song acts as it’s own chapter, which makes sense considering the trilogy itself was inspired by The Borders Trilogy. In a recent video posted by Crockett, he explained why he set out to release this three-part story, and also shared the existing project that inspired the Sagebrush Trilogy: “I had been wanting to make a country concept album for a long time. The first time I tried my hand at it was ‘Man from Waco,’ and I didn’t quite all the way around. I went to Island Records and one of the guys there came up with the idea. He said, ‘You ought to release three records in a series like the Cormac McCarthy Border Trilogy.” For the uninitiated, Cormac McCarthy’s Border Trilogy was actually a series of novels that told the story of young cowboys out on the American frontier. The three books were titled All The Pretty Horses, The Crossing, and Cities of the Plain. Like Crockett’s Sagebrush Trilogy, the trio of novels all connect more so in theming than shared characters. Though there aren’t as many standout songs in this project, Crockett’s stellar writing is still on full display. In “My Last Drink of Wine,” an existential line of Charley’s sticks out: “All of us here, we were made to die, while watching the world go by.” And all in all, Age of the Ram has a certain magnetism to it that best comes through when you listen to it front to back. If you like musical storytelling, this new project leans on the old practice of laying out an entire, musical chronical. If you like listening to Charley Crockett’s more upbeat songs, this album might not be for you. I’d personally rather revisit Lonesome Drifter or Dollar A Day, but that being said, Age of the Ram is still a fine album. You have to commend Crockett for going after an expansive project like the Sagebrush Trilogy in the first place. And when you are trying to bring three different projects to a close, it can be challenging to stick the landing. But as the old saying goes, sometimes it’s more about the journey than it is the destination… and Charley Crockett’s Age of the Ram definitely provides an enjoyable, cinematic journey. “My Last Drink Of Wine” “Billy McLane” “Cover My Trail Tonight” The post Charley Crockett’s New Album ‘Age Of The Ram’ Is Cinematic, But Fails To Live Up To The Previous Two Installments Of His “Sagebrush Trilogy” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Fans can get a little carried away at meet and greets, and sometimes that enthusiasm leads to some pretty permanent decisions. Continue reading…

Cody Johnson sending out a faith-filled message to his fans heading into Easter weekend. The 38-year-old artist hailing from Texas has never shied away from his relationship with God. He’s had all kinds of success, and yet he remains grounded and connected to the things that matter the most to him: his family and his faith. Sure, his albums are going to deliver hard-hitting country songs… but they almost always include a Gospel track too. And on this Good Friday, with Easter right around the corner, Johnson is once again putting the Lord front and center. He shared a video on social media giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at he and his band preparing to go out on stage to perform his 2021 song “By Your Grace.” Fans know how special of a song it is, and this footage shows just how serious CoJo takes the song when it’s in the setlist. He can be heard saying this as he addresses his band backstage: “What if tonight, before ‘By Your Grace,’ somebody gives their life to Jesus? This thing is bigger than any one of us.” That right there is Cody Johnson recognizing the power of his platform, and knowing that his purpose in life – above everything else – is to lead others to Christ. It’s really interesting to hear him describe the song as “bigger than any one of us.” That’s truly how he feels about the track, and he knows that the song has the power to bring people to God. Well, I suppose the Holy Spirit has the power, but the song could be the vehicle. Thus, it’s the perfect backdrop for this message wishing everyone a Happy Easter weekend: “By Your grace, I’ve been set free. All because of Him. Happy Easter weekend!” By Your grace, I’ve been set free. All because of Him. Happy Easter weekend! : JT Colston Media pic.twitter.com/zJKkXUQuPd — Cody Johnson (@codyjohnson) April 3, 2026 That right there is one of the many reasons why so many people love Cody Johnson. And the message and video had a whole lot of people calling for CoJo to put out a full-fledged Gospel record. As I stated earlier, he’s always sprinkled in a faith-based song here and there in his albums, but he’s never dedicated an album in its entirety to gospel. That could be coming at some point though… and if CoJo was ever looking for a blueprint on crafting a record full of songs lifting up the Lord, he’s got “By Your Grace” to work off of. Here are some of the lyrics of the now beloved song: “I’ve got a long way to goOh, but Lord, I knowThere’s not a step I’m gonna takeWhen You’re not with meYou’re always with me And by Your grace (by Your grace)I have hope (I have blessed hope, yeah)You’ve already paid every debt I owe (every debt I owe)Please take my chains and make me seeThat by Your grace, I’ve been set free (been set free)By Your grace, I’ve been set free.” Such a powerful message. Hope everyone out there has a good Good Friday (redundant, I know) and a Happy Easter. Cody Johnson certainly did his part in getting everyone ready to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “By Your Grace” by Cody Johnson The post “This Thing Is Bigger Than Any One Of Us”: Cody Johnson On The Power & Purpose Of His Song “By Your Grace” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.