Just in time for rodeo season. Another single from his forthcoming record, In Defense of Drinking. Tyler Halverson is really treating fans with the amount of singles he is gifting fans ahead of his debut record’s release, out everywhere on February 13. Since the release of Tyler Halverson‘s debut single, “Beer Garden Baby,” in 2021, the South Dakota native has solidified himself as a staple among Texas and red dirt country fans, releasing other stellar singles like “Mac Miller,” “Her,” and “Codigo GoGo.” In April of 2024, Halverson released his first EP, Western Amerijuana (Pt. 1), which was quickly followed up with the release of his second EP, Western Amerijuana (Pt. 2). It was a long time coming for fans to be promised a full-length LP from him, and he delivered just that earlier this fall, announcing his debut album. Recorded at Amber Sound in Hermitage, Tennessee, and produced by Halverson, Ryan Youmans, and Gary Stanton (of Muscadine Bloodline), fans can expect this 11-song record to build off the sound established on his Western Amerijuana EPs. “You can lose yourself in the troubadour lifestyle, where every night is a damn party and you’re far from your family, your home, and your faith. So, this album may be a little bit of a personal battle: Who are you on the road vs. who are you at home. These songs are often about me admitting that I can be reckless and impulsive, but that I’m trying my best. Conflict isn’t always bad if you can make some good out of it.” Halverson gave fans a taste of what’s in store with the previously released singles, a reimagined “Beer Garden Baby” featuring Parker McCollum,  “More Hearts Than Horses,” and “Fort Worth Losing.”  Halverson is now giving fans a taste of the second collaboration found on the record, releasing “Like The Rodeo,” featuring Wade Forster. The duet with the Australian highlights the life of chasing barrels, cattle, and arena start times, while the other is chasing showtimes, both hoping to make it big one day. However, whether it’s rodeoing or being a touring musician, life on the road takes its toll, and when you’re going non-stop all the time, it begs the question: Is this all worth it? “You don’t make any money sitting still, whether you rope, ride, or sing. This song is about chasing somebody who’s chasing something themselves. A world Wade and I both know well.” Halverson said about the single. Forster, who is an active cattleman and rodeo participant, was the perfect selection for a feature on this tune. Halverson ties a lot of rodeoing themes into his lyrics. Forster has also scored success in the United States since making his stateside debut in Fort Worth Stockyards for a pop-up show in 2024. He is a hot commodity in country music, making this a meeting of the minds to create a stellar tune. Forster shared the following about working with Halverson on “Like The Rodeo.” “Tyler Halverson and I come from similar backgrounds. We know the road and world of rodeo and for us to do a song together is pretty cool.” Chasing girls, chasing a dream, chasing money is all a rodeo of sorts, and this single hits the nail on the head of trying to love someone who is chasing one of these things. Turn this one all the way up. Tyler Halverson Tour Dates Jan 15 Thu – Oklahoma City, OK – Beer City Music Hall Jan 16 Fri – Dallas, TX – The Studio at The Bomb Factory Jan 17 Sat – New Braunfels, TX – Gruene Hall Jan 18 Sun – Houston, TX – House of Blues – Bronze Peacock Jan 22 Thu – Lubbock, TX – The Blue Light Jan 23 Fri – Luckock, TX – The Blue Light Jan 24 Sat – Stephenville, TX – Twisted J Live Feb 5 Thu – University, MS – Pavilion at Ole Miss* Feb 6 Fri – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena* Feb 7 Sat – Salem, VA – Salem Civic Center* Feb 12 Thu – Winston Salem, NC – Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum* Feb 13 Fri – Auburn University, AL – Auburn Arena* Feb 14 Sat – Savannah, GA – Enmarket Arena Feb 18 Wed – Columbia, MO – Rose Music Hall Feb 19 Thu – Chicago, IL – Carol’s Pub Feb 20 Fri – Indianapolis, IN – Turntable Feb 25 – Washington, DC – Pearl Street Warehouse In Defense Of Drinking Tracklist:  More Hearts Than Horses Beer Garden Baby (ft. Parker McCollum) 8 Second High Fort Worth Losing Smoke You Out In Defense of Drinking Like The Rodeo (ft. Wade Forster) Cowboy Babies Old Men, Younger Women The Dreamer Son, Brother, Believer The post Tyler Halverson Teams Up With Wade Forster For New Single, “Like The Rodeo” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

The country legend was actually born under a completely different name. Continue reading…

I mean, when you spend your life insulting and looking down on everybody in country music… Maren Morris is currently in a new era of her career after announcing back in 2023 that she was leaving country music while calling it a “toxic institution”, then backtracking and saying she was never leaving country and that it was “clickbait.” All of this came after Maren has been involved in quite a bit of drama with others in country music over the years, most notably her feud with Brittany Aldean a few years ago. Back in 2022, the wife of Jason Aldean had posted a tongue-in-cheek Instagram post thanking her mom for not changing her gender when she went through her tomboy phase, and Maren decided to insert herself, insulting Brittany for her job and telling her to “zip it” while calling her “Insurrection Barbie” over her support of President Donald Trump. It’s far from the first time Maren has called out those in her own genre. In 2021, Maren accused the industry of protecting white men like Morgan Wallen following his racial slur controversy, and in early 2023 she apologized on behalf of country music for the genre’s treatment of LGBTQ+ people, which rubbed some of her fellow artists the wrong way. She’s also compared country music to “an abusive relationship” and says she feels like the “hall monitor.” “I hate feeling like I need to be the hall monitor of treating people like human beings in country music. It’s exhausting. But there’s a very insidious culture of people feeling very comfortable being transphobic and homophobic and racist.” Then there was the whole saga surrounding her leaving country music. At the time, she called it a “toxic institution” that was “burning itself down.” “I don’t want to say goodbye, but I really cannot participate in the really toxic arms of this institution anymore. I couldn’t do this sort of circus anymore, feeling like I had to absorb or explain people’s bad behavior. And you know, laugh it off.”  So yeah, you can probably see why she rubbed people the wrong way with the way, not even with her politics but with the way she talked about country music. But for some reason, Maren is apparently shocked that people in country music aren’t friendly to her anymore… In a long diatribe posted to her TikTok, the pop singer responded to a fan comment about finding “the right” audience, and once again decided to blast the country music industry as a bunch of hateful Trump supporters. “My first album, Hero, with my church, it came out in June of 2016, and Trump won in November of 2016. So my entire success of my first record was under this first year of Trump’s reign. So weirdly, everything felt very political. Even though no one cared that much before, this was a very big year for us all to be blindsided of his win. So the last 10 years of my career have been under this Trump presidency, Biden, then Trump again. And it’s been quite interesting to see the country music space become very politicized.” Honestly, it’s pretty rich of Maren to complain about country music becoming too politicized. When you think of “political” voices in country music, Maren is one of a handful of names at the top of the list. Nobody is making her speak out about politics. If she feels like it’s the right thing to do and something she wants to do, great, but there are plenty of artists who have long, successful careers without ever revealing their political affiliation to fans. You can’t choose to use your platform to speak on politics (which, again, is 100% her right to do) but then complain that it’s too political. She also again complains about the atmosphere in Nashville and in the country music industry: “It’s really heartbreaking because I love my Texas roots. I love country music. I love Nashville. I live there. I’ve not lived anywhere else in the last 13 years. But it’s been very hot. Like no one is very friendly. Some people are cool, but it’s been very dicey at these award shows and s—. And I don’t really go to them anymore, but it’s been very heated.” Again, do you think it has to do with the fact that you’ve insulted the genre as a bunch of racist homophobes and called the institution “toxic?” I can see why people might not be as friendly when you’re constantly bashing them publicly… Then, without an ounce of self-awareness, Maren goes on to say that it’s impossible to make country music without being political – after bashing the industry for becoming too political: “You cannot be a full songwriter and reflect reality and life through song without being political. Like, I’m sorry, it is what it is. That’s John Prine, babe. And I try to be kind. I try to be benevolent. But there are people and energies in the sphere of my work the last few years that have really put me off. So I’ve stepped away in certain facets, but I still love country music, obviously.” It seems like she loves country music like OJ loved Nicole… Maren goes on to say that she’s lost friends and family members over the years, but that she doesn’t regret speaking out on what she believes in. And again, that’s 100% her right to do – but when you continue to insult those people for their own beliefs because they don’t align with yours, you can’t then be surprised that they don’t want to be friendly with you either. And I already know what her response would be: I’m just speaking up for what’s right and speaking out against hate. And that’s the problem with politics today: Anything you say is right and anything you don’t like is hate speech. Maybe, just maybe, it’s more nuanced than that, and those with different beliefs AREN’T terrible people just because they feel differently than you. Maybe that institution you’re calling “toxic” isn’t as “hateful” as you think, and just doesn’t like being constantly insulted by your moral superiority disguised as righteousness. @marenmorris Replying to @Kevin Smith ♬ original sound – marenmorris The post Maren Morris Says No One Is Friendly In Country Music Anymore: “It’s Been Very Dicey At These Award Shows” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

“Skipping barefoot between the constellations.” Yesterday, the world learned that we lost a musical genius and icon. Bob Weir, the founding member of the Grateful Dead, passed away at the age of 78. The singer-songwriter’s official social media page confirmed the heartbreaking news: “It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of Bobby Weir. He transitioned peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, after courageously beating cancer as only Bobby could. Unfortunately, he succumbed to underlying lung issues…   His loving family, Natascha, Monet, and Chloe, request privacy during this difficult time and offer their gratitude for the outpouring of love, support, and remembrance. May we honor him not only in sorrow, but in how bravely we continue with open hearts, steady steps, and the music leading us home. Hang it up and see what tomorrow brings.” View this post on Instagram The post went on to say that Bob Weir was diagnosed with cancer back in July of 2025, and started treatment just before he and Dead and Company took the stage at Golden Gate Park for a celebration of 60 years of the Grateful Dead’s music. Weir’s family called those three nights of shows “not farewells, but gifts. Another act of resilience. An artist choosing, even then, to keep going by his own design.” The Grateful Dead has toured pretty much every year since 1965, with the iteration of the band being the only thing that’s changed across the decades. The most popular version of the band, at least in the past decade, has been Dead and Company. It usually consisted of Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Mickey Hart (drums), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums), with John Mayer stepping in to play guitar and lead vocals, and bass player Oteil Burbridge and keys player Jeff Chimenti rounding out the group. Though the band members and the band’s name changed often over the years, Bob Weir was always the through-line. He stood on stage and shared the Grateful Dead’s music for 60 years. Another version of the Grateful Dead that existed, typically in smaller venues, was Bob Weir and the Wolf Bros. It was through that group (and occasional crossovers with Dead and Company) that Weir shared the stage with country music artists. Sturgill Simpson was known to drop in with Dead and Company from time to time, Tyler Childers was another country star that Weir took a fond liking to, and the jamgrass icon Billy Strings. Strings has captured the hearts of many Dead fans with his psychedelic bluegrass, intertwining his love for classic rock and jam bands with bluegrass. But over the years, Weir became more than a musical icon for Strings; he became a dear friend. Billy Strings has the honor of knowing Weir and playing alongside him numerous times. Weir even played at Billy Strings’ wedding alongside Trey Anastasio and Les Claypool for an impromptu jam session, including a heartfelt performance of “When I Paint My Masterpiece.” Not many can say that Bob Weir played at their wedding, and Strings is a part of that select group. After learning this heartbreaking news, Strings took to social media to share some thoughts and a heartfelt message about his dear friend and musical idol. “Today me and the fellers were deep into a recording session cutting a tune called ‘Wrestling An Angel’ when my wife told me our friend Bob Weir had made his journey from this earthly realm into the heavens. We are all completely devastated but I also can’t help but feel like he is at total peace and more magical now than he ever was. I’ve never knew a person so in tune with the cosmos. Who was so mystical and smart and mysterious, alluring and radiant. He was a star wrangler .. a celestial skysage who traded fear for wonder. Now he is riding the northern lights and skipping barefoot between the constellations… We took a while to try to understand the news and then told some beautiful stories about our times with him.. but eventually we decided to pick ourselves up and got back to recording our music because that’s what he would have wanted us to do. As he said ‘There’s work to be done.’ I’ll always cherish the memories I have of Bob .. of hanging out in his hotel room and him showing me his record collection and mobile recording rig. Sitting there listening to kind of blue in silence. Soaking in the frequencies. Of him busting into ‘when I paint my masterpiece’ at my wedding.. and in an instant he turned the place into a joyous musical celebration. It was the greatest gift anyone could have given us. He was always ready to ‘Kick up a fuss.’ He always had boundless time and knowledge to share with everyone and was truly one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. The world is a better place because of him. I’m extremely grateful to have crossed paths with him in this life. I am sending all of my love and prayers to his beautiful family and my heart breaks for them.. having just lost my mother recently I comprehend and sympathize with how hard it is to lose someone we hold so dear. Words are hard to find in these moments.. I just know that he has had such a profound impact on so many of us and we will all carry that onward into the horizon until we someday meet again. Heaven’s choir just gained a beautiful new voice. There is joy in knowing he is with some of his old friends again.. singing and laughing and playing beautiful songs. Thank you Bob.” Rest in peace Bob Weir. View this post on Instagram Before you go, check out Billy Strings and Bob Weir on stage together at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium back in 2022. The post Billy Strings Pens Heartfelt Tribute To Bob Weir: “Heaven’s Choir Just Gained A Beautiful New Voice” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

In a tribute post after Bob Weir's death, Wynonna Judd says she was so close to the late Grateful Dead star, she considered him family. Continue reading…