The Cyrus and Hurley families are all one, big, happy family according to Elizabeth Hurley’s son, Damian. Obviously, Billy Ray Cyrus has been back in the news cycle for a variety of different things this year. The country music artist first made headlines when he had a disastrous performance at Donald Trump’s Inaugural Ball (remember that?). Then you had the “Achy Breaky Heart” singer taking shots from his son, Trace, which was definitely a weird internet thing to witness. And finally, you had the unexpected celebrity couple announcement: Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley. Funny enough, the end of Cyrus’ relationship with his former wife of 7-months, Firerose, was what sparked the connection between he and Elizabeth Hurley. The model/actress and the 90s country music singer met on the set of the 2022 film Christmas in Paradise, and there was evidently an undeniable connection from the very beginning. So once Cyrus and Hurley had reconnected, they really hit it off, and a source close to Elizabeth Hurley shared that the actress encouraged Billy Ray to mend the broken relationships with his family, and attempt to get his life back on track. Considering Billy Ray Cyrus has since shared multiple posts boasting about his daughters – Miley and Noah – it’s safe to assume that the mending of relationships worked. Ever since the pair got together, Cyrus and Hurley have seemed like the absolute power couple. They were even presenters together at the 59th Annual Country Music Association Awards, and had the responsibility of announcing the Single of the Year award: Average SEC couple.#CMAAwards pic.twitter.com/hhYPGdwUtq — Whiskey Riff (@WhiskeyRiff) November 20, 2025 And in the days after that high profile appearance by the celebrity couple, Elizabeth Hurley’s son, Damian, took to his Instagram account to share some kind words about his mother’s country music star boyfriend. There’s been a lot of discourse about Hurley and Cyrus’ relationship, and the internet has had a field day poking fun at them being together, and looking for any and every thing that could or is already going wrong with the two high-profile individuals that have found one another. Damian took to his Instagram stories to put all of the narratives to bed, and tell the world that Billy Ray Cyrus has been great to his mother and the rest of his family: “I’ve been in the public eye since the day I was born and rarely comment on anything written about me or my family, but recent stories are so startlingly unique that I wan to offer a little clarity. For the record: I adore Billy Ray Cyrus, and think he’s one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met. I love seeing my mom so happy. Billy’s kids are also adorable and everyone gets along beautifully. Any claims to the contrary are yawn-inducing and tediously untrue.” For all those that have been taking shots at Billy Ray Cyrus, Damian is saying that it’s just all noise. In fact, Damian Hurley claimed that any negative thing that people have heard is likely false. He went on to say that he’s over all of the fabricated criticism, and that he’s very happy about the state that he and his family are in: “I have a very modern family – from my cherished father Arun to my wonderful step-siblings Brooke, Summer, and Jackson – and I feel blessed every day to be surrounded by so much love and support. I’m grateful for the truth we live, despite the stories others try to write for us.” Billy Ray Cyrus shared the post to his own Instagram story with the simple response of: “Love you D Man.” So it truly does seem like the Hurley and Cyrus families are doing great, and possibly even better as a result of Elizabeth and Billy Ray being together. Miley Cyrus actually spoke with The Interview podcast not too long ago and said that things have been great, and that she fully supports her father’s new relationship. The pop-star admitted that it was hard for her to see her dad with someone other than her mother, Tish, at first. But Miley was able to eventually let her inner child’s thoughts go and let her adult thoughts take charge: “At first, it’s hard because the little kid in you reacts before the adult in you can go, ‘Yes, that’s your dad, but that’s just another person that deserves to be in his bliss and to be happy.’ So my adult self has caught up.” So for as much as you might see online painting Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley as a mess, or that their relationship is complicated, family members closest to them continue to suggest that the celebrity couple is happy and healthy together…The post Elizabeth Hurley’s Son, Damian, Calls Billy Ray Cyrus “One Of The Sweetest Men” He’s Ever Met first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Nothing hits like Zach Top covering some country music classics. Zach Top is no stranger to neotraditional country music fans. With a sound heavily influenced by ’90s music, Zach Top has turned back time in the best way possible, creating a multi-generational fan base. However, as much as Zach Top is honored to lead the movement to make country music that honors traditional roots, he’s shared more than once that he never set out to be a ’90s country gimmick act. “I think that maybe part of the reason people like my music so much is that it’s not a… it’s not like a ’90s gimmick thing. I’m not trying to… this is all I know how to do. It’s not like I made the choice that I’m going to be a ’90s throwback guy. It’s like I grew up listening and learning from the same guys that all those ’90s guys would have been influenced by. So it comes from just as genuine of a place as those guys did the first time they came around. And obviously, as you said, for a lot of us, it is reminiscent—kind of like, ‘I’ve heard this before.’ So it feels comfortable, it feels like an old boot.” While Zach Top has proved through his personal catalog, with Ain’t In It For My Health being his most recent album release, he’s proved that he’s far from that act and is dedicated to bringing back the neotraditionalist sound of the genre… that does not mean that he doesn’t sound damn good laying down covers of country music classics. Over the years, we have heard Top put his spin on tunes like “Modern Day Bonnie & Clyde,” Conway Twitty’s “Slow Hand,” the Travis Tritt hit “Where Corn Don’t Grow,” Willie Nelson’s “Yesterday’s Wine,” among others. And now, Top has added Randy Travis‘ “If I Didn’t Have You” to that list of stellar covers. During a recent VIP acoustic set ahead of his show in Eugene, Oregon, Top delivered the loving lyrics to the intimate crowd. “If I Didn’t Have You” was penned by Skip Ewing and Max D. Barnes. Randy Travis recorded the single as the lead single for his first greatest hits album, which was released in 1992. “If I Didn’t Have You” became Travis’ 13th number one hit single, topping the country charts in the United States and Canada. The tender lyrics highlight a man whose life was changed for the better after meeting the love of his life. As he reflects on their time together, he shows gratitude for the stability and profound love that he’s found in his partnership, thanking the higher powers above for sending him such an incredible woman. The narrator feels in his heart that without his woman’s support, he would not have the blessings he has today. “Well, I count my blessings every night I prayThat the Lord lets me keep you just one more dayAnd every day he does ’cause God knows tooThat I wouldn’t have nothing If I didn’t have you If I didn’t have you I’d long ago Been left in the dark, out in the cold Blowing around from town to town Like a feather in the wind” The tune is the definition of a classic country love song, and Zach Top does Randy Travis justice with his acoustic cover. As Top delivers the heartfelt lyrics, you can hear a few audience members singing along with him, which naturally drew complaints in the comments section; however, it does not distract from Top’s performance. Zach Top could sing the phone book, and I’d still listen, but there is something magical about him putting his spin on country classics that heavily inspired his sound. Check it out: @graysonwally VIP was worth every penny and even got him to sing this classic… just don’t ask him to play Rainbow Stew @Zach Top @Cheyenne Dalton ♬ original sound – Grayson Wall During his show, Top let the covers keep flowing, performing “Slow Hand” with a dart hanging out of his mouth. A man of many talents, truly. @graysonwally They don’t say he’s bringing back country gold for no reason. @Zach Top @Cheyenne Dalton ♬ original sound – Grayson Wall It’s only right to fire up Randy Travis’ version while you’re here as well: The post WATCH: Zach Top Delivers Stunning Acoustic Performance Of Randy Travis’ “If I Didn’t Have You” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

I am sure this is not the karma that Bunnie Xo thought was headed her way after sharing a collection of her old mug shots. As Bunnie gears up for her book release on February 10, 2026, she’s teasing some of the novel’s stories and highlighting her personal evolution. In a recent social media post, Bunnie Xo vulnerably reopens her past and shared her mugshots from her early adulthood. In the post’s caption, Bunnie, whose real name is Alisa DeFord, details that each picture shows her in a deeper state of addiction and is a more broken person. The images are a true testament to how far she has come. Still, it’s also heartbreaking to see how empty Bunnie looks in these images compared to the goofy, fun-loving, and confident woman we see online today. “Wow, just wowwww. I had no idea the emotions it would unlock when I asked my lawyer, Michael A. Troiano, to pull all my mugshots for me. (We pulled them all for a really cool idea for merch for my book tour). Looking at the first one, I just couldn’t believe what a baby I was. I was 19, already living on the streets of Vegas for 5 years, couch to couch, or with whatever boyfriend would let me stay. By then, I’d already lost three babies. As the pics go on the eyes only get more sad, more broken & more intoxicated. The fact that I’m smiling in some of these will let you know just how disconnected I was from myself & my emotions. I look at those photos now & just want to hug that little girl. She thought surviving meant hyper independence, fighting in the streets, barking loud & biting even harder. The last one was when I was 26, arrested for soliciting an undercover cop on a casino floor. I can still see the drugs in my skin, the bloodshot eyes, the hollow look that comes when you’ve stopped caring if you wake up tomorrow. I was deep in addiction, lost in survival mode. Add in a splash of perpetual victim mentality & it was a recipe for disaster. But, I got sick. Sick of humiliating myself, sick of always having to start over & sick of who I was as a human. I had to stop pointing fingers & realize, two things can be true: I was the problem & the solution. But, even when I didn’t deserve it, God kept pulling me out the fire. Every overdose that didn’t take me, every time I inserted myself in harm’s way. He said, ‘No, there’s still work for you to do & what’s tea for them will be testimony for you.’ I’m not ashamed of these photos. They remind me who I used to be, & how far grace has carried me.”  View this post on Instagram While this part of Bunnie’s past is very vulnerable, it’s also very real, which is why her fans adore her. However, I am sure that Bunnie Xo did not foresee another mugshot being added to this collection, but according to her, another one might be on the way. During the most recent episode of the Dumb Blonde Podcast, Bunnie Xo tells fans that she’s headed back to jail… but not in the way that might have initially popped into your mind. When Bunnie Xo opened the segment by saying: “You guys, I’m going to jail. Should we talk about it?” Her two best friends and frequent co-hosts sign in shock that Bunnie is telling the world about this story, but Bunnie stops them by saying she shared everything online, so this is no different. No lies detected there. The story begins with Bunnie saying that in April 2020, while driving home from Alabama, she was pulled over and given a ticket, but she has no recollection of receiving it. However, her stepdaughter, Bailee Ann, remembers the story vividly. Years go by, and Bunnie Xo has completely forgotten about the ticket, until she recently got pulled over, which opened a can of worms with this unpaid ticket. Bunnie Xo says that when she got pulled over recently in a new vehicle, she thought the cop believed she was a drug dealer of sorts because he started very aggressive, but once he saw little ole Bunnie in the driver’s seat, he told her her window tint was too dark and was going to run her information and then let them get on their way. “And so he runs my license, and he comes back and he goes, ‘Do you know your license is suspended?’ And I was like, ‘What? When? How could this happen?’ I was like I’m an upstanding citizen these days, what are you talking about?” Lo and behold, it was because of this outstanding ticket in Alabama. Bunnie Xo goes home, pays the ticket instantly, and thinks the issue is fixed and that her license is reinstated… That was until she got pulled over again the other day. “I might’ve been speeding, I don’t know. I can’t confirm or deny. Plead the fifth…” Bunnie made eye contact with an officer who was out with his speed gun, and while she thought she was in the clear, right before she reached her exit on the highway, she saw lights behind her car. Bunnie Xo explained to the cop that her license should be reinstated after paying her ticket, but wasn’t sure how it would shake out, given she’d never experienced an issue like this before. The officer takes her information and goes to (presumably) write her a ticket for speeding. “He goes to his car, and then he comes back and he goes, ‘No, your license is still suspended.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. What do I do?’ And he’s like, ‘Well, it is an arrestable offense.’ And I’m just like, ‘F**k, dude.’ And he’s like ‘But, I’m not going to arrest you now.” He was like, ‘But sometime this week you need to go down to the jail and book yourself in. First off, I didn’t know that was an option because I know growing up as a criminal, if you give me that option, I’m never checking myself in. You know what I’m saying? We are not going to a five-star resort here.” The officer made Bunnie Xo swap drivers and sent Bunnie and her friend on their way. Bunnie then jokes on the podcast that, because of some of her rough looks in past mugshots, if she has to go back down to jail to book herself in, she will make sure she is red carpet ready. “It looks like your girl’s gonna have to go book herself in, and if I do, you guys have seen all my past mugshots, right? I’m going in glammed the f*** up, baby. And I’m going to vlog it!” While Bunnie Xo told fans that her lawyer is looking into it because the ticket was paid long before the second pull-over incident, she says that if she does have to go down to the jail to book herself in, she is rather anxious about the possibility of serving time. “I hope they don’t, I have anxiety. I won’t go there unless my lawyer goes with me; there’s no way. I’m not built for prison and jail… I know we’re laughing about it, and it’s no joking matter. Don’t drive on a fricken’ suspended license. But I didn’t know. This ticket’s from five years ago.” It’s a hand-down funny story, but for Bunnie’s sake, we hope she doesn’t have to book herself in at the local jail. Talk about funny timing of this all, given not much time has passed since she went into her archives to find old mugshots… Too bad her book cover is already done. A full glam mugshot would have made for a killer cover—free idea for your second book there, Bunnie. If you want to give the episode a listen, do so while you’re here. The post “I’m Going To Jail” – Bunnie Xo Might Be Adding A Mugshot To Her Collection Thanks To A 5-Year-Old Ticket first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

The legendary duo weighs in on the AI debate. Against all odds, the biggest threat to country music right now (and music as a whole for that matter) is not lazy lyrics, uninspired production or the constant need to shove 808 beats and electronic percussion into nearly each and every song occupying the Top 40 on country radio. While those still are quite annoying, at least they’re created by humans. Today, the fight against AI infiltrating music is not just a concern but a genuine threat. At this point, we’ve already seen an AI-generated song top the Billboard Country Digital Songs Sales chart in recent weeks. Whiskey Riff reported that a track titled “Walk My Walk,” by an artist called Breaking Rust, had seemingly fooled the masses. It’s a complete AI creation all around – from the artist, to the music video, to the song itself. However, when you dig into the weeds surrounding the Billboard Country Digital Songs Sales chart, you quickly find out that the chart is not only extremely outdated due to the simple fact that not many people consume music via digital downloads (streaming on services such as Spotify and Apple Music are still on top). Additionally, it’s quite easy to manipulate via bots and members of the team behind Breaking Rust simply buying the song over and over using different methods. With that being said, it seems like Breaking Rust and the developing story surrounding AI music in is just the tip iceberg, and that iceberg is not only massive in size but extremely concerning to those that are champions of authentic (and I can’t believe I have to say this now, human) music like we are here at Whiskey Riff. In fact, the most concerning story regarding AI music broke this Wednesday. According to Bloomberg News, some of music industry’s biggest labels have signed on to be a part of a new, AI music streaming service called Klay. The Los Angeles-based music technology company has decided to enter into the music streaming space, and what they’ve convinced UMG, Sony, and WMG to be a part of seems rather scary: “Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group have licensed their catalogs to Klay, an AI-powered music streaming startup that will let users remake songs using artificial intelligence.” Oh boy. Klay says their large music model “reimagines listening with immersive, interactive tools and is trained entirely on licensed music,” and they have apparently been working with some of the biggest parties in the music industry for over a year to “to build an innovative and comprehensive licensing framework for an AI-driven music experience.” Somehow, they are also promising that their AI streaming service will be “fully respecting the rights of artists, songwriters, and rights holders,” but I’m not just sure how that will be true, or how it will be policed. Simply put, this sounds like an absolute nightmare for anyone that has any ounce of respect for art, the artists who create it and those who simply are against blatant plagiarism that is inherently tethered to the use of AI generation. And now that new stories of AI artists are popping up seemingly out of nowhere, it’s been the cause of concern for some of the biggest artists in the genre today. After taking home their record-breaking 20th career CMA Award for Vocal Duo of the Year at the 59th Annual CMA Awards this Wednesday, Brooks & Dunn were asked their thoughts on the growing concern of AI infiltrating the music industry at a post-show press conference. In typical Ronnie Dunn fashion, he simply quipped, “Now we’ve got to go outdo the robot.” Kix Brooks, on the other hand, gave a more thorough answer to the question. Saying what pretty much all of us are thinking at this point, Brooks would point to the fact that these AI “artists” aren’t actually creating anything at all, nor can they connect to an audience in any form. Citing the fact that they can’t actually perform on a stage or be seen, he’d note that audiences won’t connect to the inherently soulless nature of AI. “There’s one thing that a machine can’t do… even if you come up with some rhymes and whatever, and people buy into it or whatever, a machine’s never going to be able to get on stage and do the thing. People that really buy into artists and really create careers that last for a long time, they really appreciate the fact that you wrote those songs, and I know I do, when I’m watching somebody.” Their quotes echo similar statements from the likes of Riley Green, Charley Crockett and Jason Aldean, all of which weighed in on the use of AI this week after the reports of Breaking Rust topping the aforementioned Billboard chart has caught steam over the past few weeks. “An AI-artist might have the No. 1 country song right now, but AI can’t play a live show.” – Jason Aldean “AI ain’t nothin but a business man. They’ve been playing money guitar out here for years which ain’t done nothin but speed up the revolution. I never claimed to be more authentic than anybody else, only defended myself against those who felt threatened by my existence in this game. That’s a fact jack. You can’t stop what’s coming. And the more you try the faster it comes.” – Charley Crockett “But I’ll say I don’t think there is any AI situation where you can really put true emotion into something. You can say this or that, but the storytelling is what I think makes country music. So I think only a human who’s been through those emotions and felt them can really do that… Yeah, let your calculator write that song!” – Riley GreenThe post Brooks & Dunn Weigh In On Growing Concern Of AI In The Music Industry: “A Machine’s Never Going To Be Able To Get Up On Stage” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.