If anyone knows how hard it can be, it’s Carrie Underwood. The country star has always been outspoken about her Christian faith, and in 2021, she took home the Grammy award for Best Roots Gospel Album for her My Savior album, which is still one of my favorite projects she’s ever done. We all know about how Hollywood can be when it comes to only accepting people of the Christian faith in particular, and I’m sure Carrie had moments where she was encouraged to go against her faith for one reason or another, especially when she was first getting started, but she’s seemed to have stood strong in that and continued to make it a huge part of her career. And during a recent interview with the Christian Post, Carrie explained that young artists don’t have to “sell [their] soul to make it in the entertainment industry,” contrary to popular belief, adding that it’s important for them to “remember where [their] gifts come from,” because it’s “not from you”: “You don’t have to … sell your soul to make it in the entertainment industry. You are going to have to stand strong in your faith and remember who got you here, because it wasn’t you. Remember where your gifts come from, because it’s not from you. Everybody kind of has to make their own way, but it is possible.” It really can be as simple as that, and Carrie is a great example of someone who has done it and never wavered. This interview came because of the recent American Idol themed episode titled “Songs of Faith,” where the Top 14 contestants performed gospel, contemporary Christian, and inspirational music. Carrie also took the stage that night with some contestants for a stunning rendition of “How Great Thou Art,” and she talked about how happy she was that ABC was so bold in choosing this theme: “I mean, what’s not to love [about this night]. I respect ABC and ‘American Idol’ so much for being bold in this theme, because it’s not easy. I feel like in the world of entertainment in general … it’s not easy. But I also love that it was a gentle way. It’s songs of faith, and it was kind of what that means to you as hopeful. So it’s not like we were making everybody sing about Jesus. It’s kind of like you could take that and sing something inspirational that means something to you.” She went onto explain how overwhelmed she was from all of it: “I love that we were able to … just be joyful and, you know, kind of have some moments of just worship in front of the world. I love that we had a little kid praying for us, Pastor Luke, it was just no fear. There were a lot of moments. I feel like I’m still downloading all that we just experienced.” I saw some highlights of the episode and it looked like a really good one, but of course, Mrs. Carrie taking the stage was the highlight… check it out: The post Carrie Underwood Encourages Young Artists To Stand Strong In Their Faith: “Remember Who Got You Here, Because It Wasn’t You” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Not just a song, but an homage to one of his biggest inspirations. Merle Haggard is, without a doubt, one of the defining voices in the genre of country music who needs no introduction. But with April 6 marking what would have been Merle Haggard’s 89th birthday, and also the 10-year anniversary of his death, a number of country music stars paid tribute to the country music legend. But Cody Johnson is tipping his hat to the Hag with a full studio version of the Merle Haggard song, “Footlights.” “Merle Haggard’s music has been the soundtrack of my life. I couldn’t think of a better way to honor him on his birthday than by sharing our version of “Footlights.” It’s out now. Hope we did it justice.” View this post on Instagram While Johnson’s words might sound like he’s buttering Merle Haggard’s biscuit with those kind words, he’s in fact speaking nothing but the truth in that statement. At the end of last year, Johnson sat down for a conversation with RFD-TV for an episode of On The Record, and he touched on how much Haggard has shaped his career. The “Blame Texas” singer touched on how other country icons have shaped his career during the conversation, highlighting traits from George Strait, Willie Nelson, and Chris LeDoux. “George Strait influenced me probably more than anybody as far as being the cowboy, not taking the hat off whenever they wanted to change his name and take the hat off. And he didn’t, and he wound up being The King of country music. He’s still such a gracious person to be around. He’s always been so cordial to me, and he’s never lost any integrity in his music. Willie Nelson being the man that was told no so many times and still became Willie Nelson. That inspired me. He inspired my lyrics and the way I play guitar so much.  Chris LeDoux, the crazy wild rock show from the guy with the gold belt buckle and the cowboy hat, and it felt like an AC/DC concert, but it was still just a cowboy. That shaped me more than you’ll ever know.” But Johnson shares that no artist has had the same impact on his life and career as Merle Haggard. “But Merle Haggard, even in the up-tempo fun songs, was still a poet. I probably have every Merle Haggard song ever recorded on my phone, and most days that’s what’s going on in my truck, when I’m happy, when I’m sad, when I’m frustrated, everything in between, Merle has sung the soundtrack to my life.  And he still is the only artist that passed away where I cried like it was a family member. I don’t know why. I opened for him three times, got an autograph on my guitar, and man, it hit me in the heart. It’s to the point where my kids have asked, ‘When can we go see Merle Haggard in concert?’ Because I’ve played it so much. My song to my daughter Clara is ‘My Favorite Memory of All,’ and my song to my daughter Cori is ‘The Farmer’s Daughter.’ So Merle is just a part of our family, and always will be.” This statement proves that Johnson’s cover of “Footlights” is more than a cover for him. It’s a chance to continue to honor his greatest inspiration. Johnson embodies the spirit of Merle Haggard outside of “Footlights” as well, and those in the industry recognize that too. Back in 2025, Johnson received the ACM Spirit Award at the ACM Honors. Merle Haggard inspired the Spirit Award, which recognizes his authentic storytelling and independent spirit in country music and continues his legacy. Johnson shared that receiving the award was one of the greatest honors of his life. “Anything tied to Merle Haggard with my name is just one of the greatest honors.” What an honor to receive the @ACMawards Spirit Award. Merle Haggard has always been one of my heroes, so this means the world to me. I’m grateful every day that I get to do what I love. Big thanks to my friend @lukebryan for being a part of it. Long live country music, y’all. pic.twitter.com/h9RfX29kmr — Cody Johnson (@codyjohnson) August 22, 2025 Cody Johnson is following in Haggard’s footsteps, solidifying his name as a staple of the genre and shaping the sound generations to come will listen to and look up to. Merle Haggard would be proud to hear one of his songs sung by Cody Johnson. It’s simply incredible. Fire up “Footlights” before you go. The post Why Cody Johnson’s Cover Of Merle Haggard’s “Footlights” Is Personal first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

At least you’ve never screwed up so bad that even Kenny Chesney is mocking you. If you’re on TikTok, chances are you’re probably already familiar with Mike the lineman, but if not, here’s a quick rundown of one of the most viral stories of the year so far. It all started during the 2026 lineman’s rodeo in Huntsville, Alabama. The annual event (officially known as the Public Power Lineworkers Rodeo) is an opportunity for linemen (and women) from around the country to compete and show off their skills. Competitors face off in various competitions simulating real-word power restoration challenges…and afterwards, apparently they party pretty hard. After the rodeo, a TikTok user named Mikala West put out an SOS seeking to track down one lineman in particular who she and her friend had met – and apparently hit it off with – at the bar. “My friend found her soulmate last night in Huntsville Alabama after the lineman rodeo and we know nothing about him except his name is Mike and his friends kept calling him like the birds in Finding Nemo. (Mike! Mike! Mike!) Help us get Nemo home.” The video, set to Kenny Chesney’s 2009 hit “Out Last Night,” showed Lineman Mike dancing around the bar – and sharing a kiss with West’s friend. @mikalawest P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sydney #huntsvillealabama #linemanrodeo ♬ Out Last Night – Kenny Chesney I bet you know where this is going… People took to the comments thinking it was a sweet love story and hoping that Mike and his “soulmate” would be able to find each other. But as it turns out, Mike already has a soulmate…his wife, Laura. Laura came across the video and jumped in the comments herself: “Hi! I’m Michael’s wife. He’s busy explaining this to our two children right now.” She also followed it up with a comment that her life had been “completely turned upside down.” And for those who questioned whether Laura was actually his wife, her profile photo appeared to show her and Mike with his distinctive arm tattoos – though her comments have apparently been deleted and her profile made private (which is understandable). Well Mike the Lineman has completely taken over TikTok, with the original video racking up nearly 25 million views so far. And other linemen are also expressing their frustration with Mike for making their lives harder at home: @nick_connell Lineman Mike#fyp #foryoupage #bluecollar #lineman #bluecollar ♬ original sound – Nick Connell Come on Mike… Well thanks to the viral video, as well as the parodies and responses, Kenny Chesney has seen his own song go viral over 15 years after it was released. As of right now, there have been nearly 19,000 videos made using “Out Last Night,” with the majority of the recent videos referencing the Lineman Mike scandal: @built.by.cody “Let me find out” I don’t even leave the house #fyp #cheating #funny #entertainment ♬ Out Last Night – Kenny Chesney @thunder_thundercat He knew he was wrong for that. #fyp ♬ Out Last Night – Kenny Chesney @ty.wvy ♬ original sound – Ty Well apparently Kenny Chesney himself got wind of the controversy – and renewed fame for his song – because he too got in on the trend and posted a video today poking fun at the Lineman Mike situation: @kennychesney Heard we went out last night ♬ Out Last Night – Kenny Chesney And the comments knew exactly why he was posting it: “This song feels messy now” “I bet Mike can no longer listen to this” “It’s Coldplay all over again” “I fear you may need to dedicate this song to Mike from here on out” Even Megan Moroney got a kick out of it: “Lmao” The song was first released on Kenny’s 2009 album Greatest Hits II, the only new track on the compilation album. But thanks to Lineman Mike, it appears to have gotten new life…although now it might be synonymous with cheating linemen.The post Kenny Chesney Jokes About His Song Going Viral Thanks To A Lineman Who Got Caught Cheating On His Wife first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Morgan Wallen Radio is nearing it’s premiere on SiriusXM, and the country music superstar recently let fans know what to expect when they tune in. The “Last Night” singer will be launching his own satellite radio station on Tuesday, April 7. Wallen’s station will find a home on channel 64, and will be available year-round for those who subscribe to SiriusXM. He joins the likes of Chris Stapleton, Willie Nelson, Carrie Underwood, and Kenny Chesney as country stars that have their own SiriusXM channel. If you aren’t a subscriber, and still want to check out Morgan Wallen’s station, it’ll be free to access from April 7 to May 6. Wallen has previously stated that he’ll be personally curating the music that will play on channel 64, and it’ll contain a lot of what he listens to on a daily basis… which might include some unexpected genres: “Listeners can expect to hear a lot of things that I listen to on a day-to-day basis, which is probably a lot different than what most people expect. I will be personally curating the music so they will get a glimpse into my world. I’m excited for everyone to hear it.” And while speaking with The Highway, another country music station on SiriusXM, Wallen got more specific with what fans can expect when they tune in to his station: “I’m gonna show them a little bit of what I like. I don’t know what people expect that I listen to. I’m kind of private. I keep most stuff to myself. I think this will be a good way for me to give a little window into what I’ve got going on.” When the country superstar was asked if he had any “must have artists” that would be featured on the channel, there was one, somewhat predictable name that came to his mind. It wasn’t much of a surprise that Morgan Wallen said his “Man Made A Bar” collaborator would be featured heavily on Morgan Wallen Radio: “Eric Church, obviously. He’s had a big impact on my life. Ever since 2013 or 2014. (He’s) one of the main reasons I sing country music, so that has to be on there.” We're about to have @MorganWallen's personal playlist on demand Morgan Wallen Radio starts April 7, only on @SIRIUSXM and the SiriusXM app. pic.twitter.com/d97rrsuDqS — SiriusXM The Highway (@highwaysiriusxm) April 6, 2026 Wallen also shouted out another country music legend, Keith Whitley, at the end of his answer… as well as an Australian alternative dance group called Rüfüs Du Sol. I guess that’s where some more of the “unexpected” music tastes come in? As Morgan Wallen Radio nears its debut, there’s a lot of excitement surrounding the venture. Scott Greenstein, the President and Chief Content Officer at SiriusXM, said that he’s excited for fans to get to connect with Wallen through the station: “Morgan Wallen is undeniably one of the most influential forces shaping and creating music today. At SiriusXM, we’re always looking for ways to bring fans closer to the artists they love, and this launch does just that — from a channel curated by Morgan himself to an exclusive concert experience that gives listeners unprecedented access to his music, his influences, and his live performance.” In addition to music personally curated by Morgan Wallen, the station will include three different “special programs” on a week-to-week basis. “Still The Problem Tour Segments” will feature Wallen taking listeners behind the scenes of his upcoming tour, “808 to 865″ will have the country singer playing hip-hop tracks on Saturday nights, and “One Track At A Time” will shine a light on new music. And then obviously… there will be a whole lot of Eric Church played throughout.The post Morgan Wallen Says His SiriusXM Radio Station Will Be Eric Church Heavy: “That Has To Be On There” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.