Another round down, another record number of votes. We’re through the Sweet Sixteen in our 2026 Whiskey Riff Madness tournament, and in each round so far we’ve set a record for most votes in a single round in the history of Whiskey Riff Madness. But despite nearly 20,000 ballots being case in the last round, we still had three matchups that were settled by less than 1,000 votes – and one that was settled by less than 200. In case you’re just getting caught up, this year we took 64 artists from every corner of country music, from mainstream to Texas country to red dirt to Appalachia and everything in between, and we’re letting you vote for your favorite. We based the seeding on monthly Spotify listeners, which resulted in some fan favorites being seeded towards the bottom of the bracket. As a result, it’s truly been anybody’s game throughout the tournament. We saw #16-seed Colby Acuff topple powerhouse #1-seed Chris Stapleton thanks to an absolutely masterful meme campaign, and in the Round of 32 two #1-seeds fell, with scrappy up-and-comer out of Texas, Hudson Westbrook, taking down Morgan Wallen while stadium headliner Zach Bryan fell to rising superstar Zach Top. So that brought us to the Sweet Sixteen, with Luke Combs as the only #1-seed left standing and some tough matchups between fan-favorite artists. There were only a couple of blowouts in this past round. Despite taking down the overall #1-seed in the bracket, #8-seed Hudson Westbrook was no match for #12-seed Cody Jinks, who raked in 75% of the vote. And Turnpike Troubadours continue to dominate their matchups, even against powerhouse Colter Wall, with Turnpike taking home 65% of the vote. We also saw our final #1-seed fall, as Sturgill Simpson sailed to victory over Luke Combs with 61% of the vote, which was the same margin of victory for #6-seed Whiskey Myers over powerhouse #2-seed Ella Langley. The second-highest vote getter of the round though, was none other than Mr. March himself, Colby Acuff, who showed no mercy in his meme war against the Red Clay Strays and managed to once again keep the Cinderella run alive with nearly 68% of the vote. If you didn’t believe in miracles before, it’s time to start. Country Music Madness just got a whole lot more interesting. Get your shirts NOW @ColbyAcuff @whiskeyriffshop https://t.co/Nlb3AfyZAC pic.twitter.com/rijXFZ60rM — Whiskey Riff (@WhiskeyRiff) March 25, 2026 Then there were the nail biters, with several matchups going back and forth the entire round. #3-seed Cody Johnson has been strong the entire tournament, and jumped out to an early lead over #7-seed Treaty Oak Revival. But the votes rained down like beer during “Boomtown” and by the time the voting ended, Treaty Oak came out on top with just 51% of the vote. Another matchup that was neck and neck the entire round was #15-seed Shane Smith & the Saints taking on #3-seed Tyler Childers. When I checked in yesterday afternoon it looked like Childers had it locked up, but a massive push by Shane Smith & the Saints last night sent them over the finish line, taking down Tyler Childers by less than 1,000 votes. The closest matchup came as #13-seed Charles Wesley Godwin remained within striking distance of #8-seed Zach Top the entire round. But at the end of the day it wasn’t quite enough, with Zach Top coming out ahead (I couldn’t make myself say “on top”) by just around 200 votes TOTAL – out of nearly 20,000 cast. And with that, the field is set for what’s sure to be a hardfought Elite Eight. Here’s the bracket so far: And here’s a closer look at each region. South East Midwest West Brutal matchups. Colby Acuff has looked unbeatable so far, but Whiskey Myers fans always show up big in our tournaments. And I’m sure there’s quite a bit of overlap in Sturgill Simpson fans and Turnpike Troubadours fans, so who will they pick? I guess we’ll find out. So with that said, voting is open NOW to send your favorite artists to the Final Four. You can vote at the link HERE or using the form below. We’re getting down to the wire so this will be a quick round: Voting in the Elite Eight ends TOMORROW, Tuesday, March 31 at 11:59 pm central time, and you can vote as many times as you’d like. So rally the fanbases for your favorite artists, because as we saw in the last round, every single vote counts. Loading…The post WHISKEY RIFF MADNESS 2026: Vote NOW To Send Your Favorite Artists To The Final Four first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Never skip a Turnpike x CWG collab. There’s no doubt that the alternative country scene is not only the most popular that it’s ever been but also arguably the most talented as well. While it seems as if the likes of Zach Bryan, Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson have risen to the top in popularity, countless other acts have proven time and time again that they deserve to be put into these conversations as well. Of course, you can look to the likes of Whiskey Myers, Flatland Cavalry, Colter Wall, Shane Smith & the Saints and more. For my money, however, two of the most consistent and ultimately underrated artists working today are both Charles Wesley Godwin and the Turnpike Troubadours. Though Turnpike has finally started to get the attention they’ve deserved over the past 15 years, highlighted by a massive boost in popularity last year thanks to the success of their sixth studio album, The Price of Admission, as well as some high-profile concerts with the likes of Bryan and fellow Red Dirt legends, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Godwin still hasn’t quite gotten the attention that he quite clearly deserves broadly speaking. In many ways, Godwin is one of those “if you know, you know” artists in the genre today. Though he might not have the sheer numbers that artists like Bryan or Childers have been putting up recently, he’s just as (if not more) talented, complete with one of the most unique voices in country music and a songwriting ability rivaled by few right now. It’s clear that Turnpike themselves have recognized this fact over the years, taking him on multiple tours over the past few years. In the past, we’ve seen CWG team up with the Red Dirt legends for performances of their beloved cover of “Long Hot Summer Day” on multiple occasions. Over the weekend, during the pair’s stop in Boise, Idaho, we were treated to a brand new collaboration, this time on Turnpike’s underrated deep cut, “Long Drive Home.” In case you’re not familiar with the track, it appeared on their 2015 self-titled album, which also contains the likes of fan-favorites, “The Bird Hunters,” “The Mercury” and “Ringing in the Year.” While I wouldn’t consider “Long Drive Home” an absolutely essential piece of Turnpike’s discography, there’s no doubt that it’s slept on compared to their bigger hits, Stripping the song back here in Idaho, frontman, Evan Felker, and Godwin let their vocals shine, once again proving why we need an official collaboration between the two giants. If you’re a fan of both artists, this is nothing short of a must-watch. Watch here: @hal9540 When @Turnpike Troubadours brought out @Charles Wesley Godwin #charleswesleygodwin #turnpiketroubadors #concert #countrymusic #western ♬ original sound – Hal Turnpike Troubadours Tour Dates June 12 – Chicago, Illinois – Huntington Bank Pavilion with Muscadine Bloodline & Katie Pruitt June 13 – Sterling Heights, Michigan – Michigan Lottery Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & Katie Pruitt July 2 – Woodinville, Washington – Chateau Ste. Michelle with Muscadine Bloodline & Dexter & the Moonrocks July 3 – Spokane, Washington – BECU Live with Muscadine Bloodline & Dexter & the Moonrocks July 17 – Charlotte, North Carolina – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & Dexter & the Moonrocks July 23 – Grand Rapids, Michigan – The Wharf Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & The Creekers July 24 – Nashville, Tennessee – Ascend Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & The Creekers July 31 – Indianapolis, Indiana – Everwise Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & Dexter & the Moonrocks August 1 – Kansas City, Missouri – Starlight Theater with Muscadine Bloodline & Dexter & the Moonrocks August 14 – Lewiston, New York – Artpark Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & The Creekers August 15 – Bethel, New York – Woods Center for the Arts with Muscadine Bloodline & The Creekers October 2 – Charleston, South Carolina – Firefly Distillery with Muscadine Bloodline & The Creekers October 3 – Richmond, Virginia – Allianz Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & The Creekers October 9 – Atlanta, Georgia – Synovus Bank Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & The Creekers October 10 – Raleigh, North Carolina – The Red Hat Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & The Creekers October 24 – St. Augustine, Florida – The St. Augustine Amphitheater with Muscadine Bloodline & Drayton Farley October 25 – Clearwater, Florida – The BayCare Sound with Muscadine Bloodline & Drayton FarleyThe post Charles Wesley Godwin Joins The Turnpike Troubadours For Phenomenal Performance Of “Long Drive Home” In Boise first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Graham, a legend of the Austin music scene, died on Friday (March 27) at the age of 67. Continue reading…

McEntire says her 71st birthday was her best birthday celebration yet. Continue reading…

Ella Langley is branching out of country music for her dream collaboration, and if anyone could make it happen right now, it’s the Alabama native. The “Choosin’ Texas” singer is nearing the release of her highly anticipated sophomore record, Dandelion, and she’s without a doubt one of the biggest names in music right now. Not just country music: her hit song, co-written with Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor, and Luke Dick, is taking over all the charts. The tune has become nothing short of a cultural phenomenon at this point, going #1 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks now and allowing Langley to become just the seventh female artist IN HISTORY to go #1 on the Hot 100 with a country song. View this post on Instagram The crossover hit has undoubtedly taken Ella Langley to the next level as an artist, and the music she’s put out since “Choosin’ Texas” has lived up to the pressure after having such a massive hit. Langley is also hoping that the crossover success of “Choosin’ Texas” might open up some doors for her to collaborate with artists outside of country music. Recently, Langley attended the iHeartRadio Music Awards and disclosed on the red carpet who her dream collaboration is. And her answer might surprise you. Of course, Langley has already collaborated with stellar country music artists such as HARDY, Riley Green, Luke Bryan, Big XthaPlug, and more. And while she admitted that fellow female powerhouse Lainey Wilson was on her list of dream collaborations, the first two names she listed were not in the same genre as hers. Langley shared with the Hollywood Reporter that she’s manifesting collaborations with:  “John Mayer would be cool. I think Bruno Mars would be really cool. And if I’m thinking country, me and Lainey Wilson haven’t done a song together yet. I think we should… Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton, love y’all.” I mean, just when I thought that list couldn’t keep getting better… it does. But I might be a little biased on that last name she dropped because I am a certified fan-girl of Chris and Morgane Stapleton. The success of Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” without a doubt puts her in a unique position to work with artists outside of country music, and I think that all the folks she mentioned on this list could be very real possibilities when it comes to future collaborations. I honestly can picture a killer heartbreak song from her and John Mayer as I sit here and type this. I think that’s something we could all use in our lives, am I right? I hope we see one, if not all, of these collaborations come true for Ella Langley. With the road that she’s on, the sky is the limit, and I feel like if she sets her mind to it, she will make all these happen. Check out the entire interview while you’re here: And, just for fun, fire up Langley’s latest single “Loving Live Again” before you go: The post Ella Langley Shares Her Dream Collabs, & They Might Surprise You first appeared on Whiskey Riff.