On the heels of an exhausting tour and rough mental health patch, Jelly Roll credits God for returning him to 'the best headspace' as he heads into a rewarding Grammy Awards season. Continue reading…

Leave it to Jelly to pass on some advice like this. Jelly Roll and Marcus King might be an unlikely friendship to some, given that their music is vastly different, but the two are more alike when you remove their differences in sound. However, in my humble opinion, both artists take their audiences to church, just in different ways. Marcus King and Jelly Roll have both dug themselves out of dark periods in their life, coming out on the other side as better men. And they both have some bada** women by their side who also supported them during this time of change. Many know Jelly Roll’s story, being a felon most of his life, before completely turning things around after learning of the birth of his daughter while he was behind bars. Jelly Roll came out and decided he needed to be a present father to Bailee Ann, thus beginning his rebirth story and leading him to the country music star he is today. Of course, that transformation did not happen overnight, but Jelly kept his head down and kept working until he saw the light, and boy, did it pay off for him. While Marcus’ story might not be the same, there are many parallels. King has struggled with addiction and mental health issues most of his life. While he was a talented musician who was recognized by fans at a young age, life on the road led King to spiral into a deep depression. On the tour that he met his wife on, King had plans of drinking himself to death while on the road, not seeing a light to keep going… That was until Briley walked into his life. Earlier this year, when King released “Carolina Honey,” a song dedicated to his bride, he shared with fans how dark his mind was before she changed his perspective. “‘Carolina Honey’ is all about how I met my wife and what a significant impact that chance meeting had on my life that one night after a show in Raleigh, NC. I woke up still hurting from the night before – still feeling I didn’t have much to live for. I’d given up on any thought that I could ever be ‘happy.’ All that changed when Little Bird walked into my life. After my set, Briley came backstage to say hello – she started playing Linda Ronstadt and singing, and for the first time I saw something or someone in front of me that gave me ‘hope.’ Someone I wanted to be my BEST self for – Someone I wanted to grow old with, someone that made me want to grow old ‘at all.’”  During a recent appearance on the Zach Sang Show, King decided to share some of the profound words of advice that Jelly Roll once gave Marcus King. And when I say profound… just know this profundity is in traditional Jelly Roll fashion, finding a way to intertwine everything with a great sense of humor. “You’ve got to be funny, you know. If you’re gonna be ugly, you got to be funny. That’s a rule of thumb. That’s like Jelly Roll always says, ‘You can’t be fat and smell bad.’ You got to pick one. You can be fat and smell good. Um, but he’s not fat anymore. Jelly Roll looks great. Jelly looks great. It’s insane… Veggie Roll, that’s what his crew is calling him.” @zachsangshow @Marcus King shares the advice he received from Jelly Roll #marcusking #jellyroll #funny #zachsangshow #fyp ♬ original sound – Zach Sang Show HA. I mean, the having-to-be-funny thing is very true. I feel like most people who aren’t naturally good-looking know that you can become funny, which makes you likable and, in turn, more attractive, but the being fat and odor comment that Jelly shared made me cackle. Of course, the same can go for any physical characteristic that is considered not-ideal… height for example. If you’re a 5’5″ dude (no shame), being funny can go a long way in life. Jelly Roll has always had a keen sense of humor, and while I think most folks would agree that anyone smelling bad in general is never pleasant, it’s funny imagining Jelly say that line out loud. Since beginning his massive weight-loss journey, Jelly has delivered some pretty hilarious one-liners about how his body has changed. Earlier this year, Jelly Roll shared that he weighed under 300 pounds for the first time since middle school and revealed that he has another weight-loss milestone he hopes to reach by 2027.  “I want to do a shirt off cover in ’27.”  Jelly admits that he’s a “long way from that” and that before he reaches that goal, he will have to undergo surgery to remove some of his excess skin. Jelly says that his access skin has begun to interfere with his daily functions, but if it were not affecting him, he would not address it. “It’s not even an aesthetic thing. Now that I can take my shirt off and I don’t have saggy t***, that’s going to be a big bonus! You know what I mean?” Leave it to Jelly to crack a joke like that while sharing some serious goals. Marcus King was right, though. Veggie Roll has been looking good these days and is clearly living life in his new body to the fullest: @officialjellyrollThey’re calling me Veggie Roll y’all ♬ Wheres Latrell White Chicks Dance meme serie – Nora The post Marcus King Reveals The Piece Of Advice Jelly Roll Gave Him That’s Stuck With Him first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

“Choosin’ Texas” had the secret sauce to be a hit, and it appears there might be some more of that in the pipeline. Although Ella Langley’s upcoming record is not slated to be released until 2026, fans are getting a preview of what’s in store for the upcoming project from her latest single “Choosin’ Texas,” which she co-wrote with Texas native Miranda Lambert. “Choosin’ Texas” was an instant hit for Langley and proved that she and Lambert (alongside Taylor and Dick) create an unstoppable songwriting force. Before performing the song to the crowd in Durant, Langley revealed that she wrote the song with none other than Miranda Lambert at a writer’s retreat last October, noting how incredible it was to write with one of her musical heroes. “I’ll tell you what, I’ve been such a massive fan of Ms. Miranda Lambert, and it’s been the coolest thing to get to become friends the last couple years. I mean, come on. You just look up to her. She’s a legend; she’s an icon. She’s an incredible songwriter, and I’ve always wanted to write a song with her. It was a year ago this month. I got my first opportunity to write with her. We were on one of these things called a writer’s retreat, where you take a couple of your favorite people and you just sit down for however many days and write songs. And hopefully some of them are good.” However, there may be more where that came from… in an interview with Elaina Smith, Ella revealed that her and Miranda are working together on more than just this new hit. “There’s definitely more, we’re definitely doing something really cool together that is more than just the songs.” COME ON WITH IT. @elainadsmith Wait a damn second, MORE @Ella Langley x @Miranda Lambert ?!? #CMAAwards #ellalangley #mirandalambert #countrymusic #choosintexas ♬ original sound – Elaina The two have seemingly been spending a lot of time in the studio together, forming a genuine friendship outside of their working relationship as well. In a recent video, Langley showed how they are the same person in different fonts, sharing what they both hold in their purses. And you can hear a snippet of an unreleased ditty in the background of the video as well. @ellalangleymusic1 Happy Birthday to the best @Miranda Lambert ♬ original sound – Ella Langley Given how well “Choosin’ Texas” resonated with fans, I am excited to see what else these two cook up. Fire up “Choosin’ Texas” while you’re here. The post Ella Langley Says There Will Be More Collaboration With Miranda Lambert In The Near Future: “Doing Something Really Cool Together” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

constantly keeping country cool #CMAawards #LaineyWilson

Vincent Mason could be one of the next big names in country music. The young up-and-comer from Roswell, Georgia turned some heads with the release of streaming juggernaut “Hell is a Dance Floor,” which has amassed well over 100 million streams on Spotify alone. But now, nearly two years after that February 2024 single release, Mason has made his presence known with his full length debut album. Titled There I Go, the 12-track project finds Mason reflecting on the growing pains that come with territory of trying to forge a career in music this day in age. With tracks detailing the lifestyle change he is experiencing and its impact on relationships in the process, Mason’s debut record feels fairly introspective in nature, though one can only assume that not all of these love songs and done-me-wrong drinking tracks are based on personal experience at this stage in his life. Occupying an intriguing place within the greater landscape of country music, Mason’s music often features catchy choruses and clever wordplay, and his sound seems to toe the line of what is consistent with radio-ready mainstream country as well as some of the more commercial aspects of the Texas and Red Dirt scenes. Categorizing Mason’s music fully as one side of the spectrum or the other would be disingenuous, so his positioning square in the middle of the two means is his reach is far and wide. With his hand in the co-writing process on each of these tracks, Mason has proved a capable songwriter, and his collaboration with the likes of Randy Montana, Erik Dylan, and several of the other top behind-the-scenes talents in Nashville’s songwriting circles ought to serve as a vote of confidence for the young artist. And with a sound that is appealing to just about every type of country music fan out there, There I Go is bound to strike a chord with the masses, just as its aforementioned lead single “Hell is a Dance Floor” has done. So, without further ado, check out a few early favorites from There I Go here: “Little Miss” “She Loves Leaving” “Hell is a Dance Floor” “Days Are Numbered” If you like what you’ve heard from Vincent Mason’s debut album There I Go, then I suggest you get out there and hear some of these songs live. Mason has a TON of tour dates already scheduled through the remainder of the year and well into 2026, so there are no shortage of opportunities. Check out his tour dates below: Vincent Mason Tour Dates November 22 – St. Petersburg, FL – St. Pete Country Fest* November 23 – Pensacola, FL – Miracle on Palafox* December 11 – Las Vegas, NV – The Theater at Virgin Hotels^ January 22 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman January 23 – Lincoln, NE – Bourbon Theatre January 24 – West Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom Janurary 29 – Fort Worth, TX – Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall January 30 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall January 31 – Lubbock, TX – Cook’s Garage February 5 – Tulsa, OK – Cain’s Ballroom February 6 – Austin, TX – Emo’s Austin February 7 – Dallas, TX – The Studio at the Factory February 12 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl February 13 – Oxford, MS – The Lyric February 14 – Baton Rouge, LA – Texas Club February 19 – Knoxville, TN – The Mill & Mine February 20 – Newport, KY – MegaCorp Pavilion February 21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE February 26 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre February 27 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre February 28 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz March 5 – Gainseville, FL – Vivid Music Hall March 6 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues Orlando March 7 – Tallahassee, FL – The Moon March 20-22 – Willowbank, Queensland – CMC Rocks QLD* March 24 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena+ March 26 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena+ March 28 – Perth, Australia – The Ice Cream Factory+ April 10 – Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium! April 11 – Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Bank Stadium! April 18 – Tuscaloosa, AL – Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium! April 23 – Richmond, VA – The National April 24 – Silver Springs, MD – The Fillmore April 25 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts May 1 – Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium! May 2 – Las Vegas, NV – Allegiant Stadium! May 7 – Toronto, ON – The Danforth Music Hall May 8 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Theatre May 9 – Cleveland, OH – Globe Iron May 14 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza May 15 – Boston, MA – Citizens House of Blues Boston May 29 – Denver, CO – Empower Field at Mile High Stadium! May 30 – Denver, CO – Empower Field at Mile High Stadium! *festival date ^supporting Gavin Adcock +supporting Jordan Davis !supporting Morgan WallenThe post Vincent Mason Makes His Presence Known With Debut Album ‘There I Go’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.