Kid Rock is setting the story straight. In a matter of months, the “All Summer Long” singer will kick off a celebratory concert run in honor of the United States of America turning 250 years old. Kid Rock decided to call his 10-stop tour the Freedom 250 Tour, and it’s set to be quite the patriotic, red-white-and-blue event. About a week ago, the country-rock artist took to his social media account to let fans know that he was doing everything he can to keep the tickets to his event affordable and out of the hands of scalpers. Kid Rock actually worked with Ticketmaster to sell this tour’s tickets through the “Face Value Exchange” program (if you swipe right on the post below, you can read more about it): “Concerning our ‘Freedom 250 Tour: The Road To Nashville,’ and how we are selling tickets. The best I can come up with at this present time, in the present state of ticketing that I have been working tirelessly to try and fix – and as hard as I’ve been on Ticketmaster, I want to thank them for working with me on this. Kid Rock’s Freedom 250 Tour is using Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange to keep tickets in the hands of real fans — not scalpers.” View this post on Instagram Obviously, Robert Richie is doing his best to fight the overpriced ticket epidemic. But even with those efforts, others across the media have hammered Kid Rock for selling front row tickets to his Freedom 250 Tour for $5,000. That’s caused an uproar, but in reality, those tickets are “First Class Seats,” and versions of them are offered in rows one through five (and prices drop by $1,000 each row you go back). Other tickets throughout the venue range from $50 (lawn seats) to $500 or so (directly behind the “First Class Seats”) Most seats are going for $100 a piece. In order to cut through all of the confusion, Kid Rock posted this message on his social media: “Here we go again. The fake liberal media says I’m charging $5,000 for front-row tickets. They know damn well that’s not the full story. Those are extremely limited First Class seats like I explained  — FOUR tickets per row, first five rows only (5k per seat row 1, 4k row 2, 3k row 3, 2k row 4, 1k row 5). Again ONLY 4 seats in rows 1 through 5 (20 “first class” seats in venues that hold 15k to 25k people). But instead of reporting facts or that lawn seats are only 50 bucks or how we are cutting out the scalpers, they twist it for headlines/clicks and to attack me – nothing new here. I WILL pray for them but I know that sooner or later God will cut ‘em down.” Here we go again. The fake liberal media says I’m charging $5,000 for front-row tickets. They know damn well that’s not the full story. Those are extremely limited First Class seats like I explained  — FOUR tickets per row, first five rows only (5k per seat row 1, 4k row 2,… pic.twitter.com/Dgc9wp8sWq — KidRock (@KidRock) February 20, 2026 In other words, there are plenty of affordable tickets for Kid Rock’s upcoming tour, and you can see if the singer (who just recently scored his first No. 1 on the Christian charts) is coming to a town near you by scanning the tour dates below: Kid Rock’s Freedom 250 Tour Dates May 1 – Dallas, Texas – Dos Equis Pavilion May 8 – Raleigh, North Carolina – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek May 9 – Charlotte, North Carolina – Tuliant Amphitheater May 15 – St. Louis, Missouri – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre May 16 – Tinley Park, Illinois – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre May 30 – Tampa, Florida – MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre June 5 – Holmdel, New Jersey – PNC Bank Arts Center June 6 – Mansfield, Massachusetts – Xfinity Center June 19 – Noblesville, Indiana – Ruoff Music Center June 20 – Burgettstown, Pennsylvania – the Pavilion at Star LakeThe post “Sooner Or Later, God Will Cut ‘Em Down”: Kid Rock Calls Out “Liberal Media” & Clarifies Pricing On His ‘Freedom 250 Tour’ Tickets first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Surprise, surprise… Charley Crockett is once again airing is grievances. The “Kentucky Too Long” singer released two albums in 2025 (Lonesome Drifter and Dollar A Day), and he’s got another on the way in 2026. Age of the Ram, Crockett’s final installment of his “Sagebrush Trilogy,” will release on April 3. That’s obviously gotten a lot of fans talking… but funny enough, what’s gotten the recent Grammy-nominee in the headlines again is an online rant about the current state of the world and country music. That’s not out of the norm for Crockett. In fact, his lyrics can often be a bit accusatory. He’s never been afraid to call out the Nashville Music Machine and country music in the modern day, and the “Son of Davy” has no issue at all crafting songs that are inspired by his real life business dealings in the Nashville area (see “Music City U.S.A.,” or “Game I Can’t Win.”) As of late, the country singer has been dipping into the political sphere more with his social media messaging. Just a week or so ago, the Texas troubadour took to Instagram to call President Trump a “cosplay president,” and took shots at Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Jelly Roll as well. This latest post from Crockett seemingly acts a response to those who labeled him left-leaning after targeting President Trump: “I’m not on the left. I’m not on the right. I’m on the road. And that’s a hard way to go. There’s no real left in corporate America. Only the party of the dollar with two right wings. The last president who stood up to the military industrial complex lost his life on the streets of Dallas in 1963. Not one single president has been elected outside the two party system in our entire 250 year history. A politician is somebody who collects votes from the poor and accepts money from the rich, promising both protection from the other. They’re dishonest by design. Fenced in, sold off, plate out.” Tell us how you really feel, Charley. The “Welcome to Hard Times” singer then piggybacked off that political rant by comparing modern day country artists to politicians. He very boldly claimed that the country music establishment is “dead,” and then gave some more back story on why he’s been referring to himself as the “Muhammad Ali of Country Music.” Here’s the rest: “It’s true that artists are a lot like politicians, it’s just that some of us don’t ride for a brand and tell it like it Is. The country music establishment is dead. It has been for 25 years. Remember when Strait and Jackson sang about murder on music row? They were right. To all the big men on here running my name through the mud. I appreciate the encouragement. It’s good to know who hates you. Pull up on me anytime bronc. It’d be hilarious if you folks knew who it was that nicknamed me the ‘Muhammad Ali of Country Music.’ He became an enemy to me just a piece back. Lying through his teeth about me out of jealousy. Actually there’s a lot like him. They can get it too. You know what’s harder than marrying outside your race? Marrying outside your class. That’s why I started robbing banks.” The only difference, or differences, between this message and those that Crockett has sent out in the past is a) the artist sent this one out on his Instagram story, rather than an actual post and b) he has since deleted it. He sent it out late on February 19, and if you are unfamiliar with how stories on Instagram work, they usually stay up on a person’s profile for 24 hours. This one is no longer there on Crockett’s page. Which is weird for two reasons. First off, Charley usually just sends something like this out as a full-fledged post. And second, it’s rare to see him back off of something that he said… Crockett typically lets messaging like this ride, no matter the backlash or controversy that gets stirred up. Makes me wonder why the country singer decided to take this one down, likely before many people had a chance to see it. Perhaps the “pull up” part? As they say though… screenshots are forever.The post “Pull Up On Me Anytime”: Charley Crockett Calls The Country Music Establishment “Dead” In Lengthy Instagram Rant About Politics & Haters first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Is Chris Stapleton in his folk era? These days, it seems as if country and folk have never been closer together. In addition to major young stars such as Zach Bryan, Sam Barber, Evan Honer, Dylan Gossett and more rising in the genre with a folk-centric sound, we’ve seen a plethora of major folk artists cross over into the country world as of late. From Noah Kahan teaming up with both Bryan and Kelsea Ballerini on the CMA-nominated track, “Cowboys Cry Too,” to Chance Peña recently hopping on Barber’s 2025 song, “Better than the Floor,” there have been some high-profile crossovers over the past two years. Lately, none other than Mumford & Sons have been the latest folk staple to cross over into country, making appearances with the likes of Luke Combs, Sierra Ferrell, Lainey Wilson and more over the course of the past year. Not only did they make multiple appearances with Ferrell and Wilson throughout their 2025 tour, most notably, Mumford and Co. were also featured predominantly during the Grand Ole Opry’s historic, first-ever international show in London at the Royal Albert Hall. Joining the likes of Combs, Darius Rucker, Ashley McBryde and more, frontman Marcus Mumford joined the “Hurricane” singer for a cover of Willie Nelson’s “Always On My Mind” at the event. With so many appearances with country superstars recently, especially over the past few months, many (myself included) were wondering if Mumford and Co. were signaling a potential full crossover into the genre due to the prominence and subsequent fusion of both country and folk over the past few years. As it turns out, Mumford & Sons are not fully diving into country music. With that being said, however, they did just deliver another stellar outing on their sixth studio album, Prizefighter, today, which features none other than the living legend himself, Chris Stapleton. View this post on Instagram Appearing as the record’s first track, “Here,” which was written by Mumford himself, fellow bandmembers Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane, along with The National’s Aaron Dessner, marks the first time Mumford & Sons have featured a country artist on any of their six studio albums. As for “Here” itself, it’s safe to say it’s just about everything that you would want from a crossover between these two powerhouses in their respective genres. Adding a bit more percussion and electric guitar into the mix compared to the majority of Prizefighter, the track perfectly lends itself to Stapleton’s style while still staying true to that classic Mumford sound that you’d expect. Lyrically, it’s quite an interesting one on multiple fronts. For starters, “Here” presents itself like an album-closer rather than an opener, feeling more like a departing letter. Here, Mumford and Stapleton seemingly grapple with a broken relationship, telling the unknown subject of the song to essentially take everything from his past, knowing it will help them find peace. “Well, here’s my final serenade Here’s a gun and here’s a blade Here’s a picture that I saved For too long Here’s my credit card and keys And the reason I won’t find peace Here’s a song I should not complete For too long” Once the chorus kicks in, which features some absolutely brilliant harmonies that highlight Stapleton’s world-class vocals, they continue the theme of offering up pieces of themselves, pride, shame, past mistakes and all. “Well, here’s my pride and here’s my shame Here’s a trophy that bears my name Here’s all the mistakes I madе For too long Here’s the answеrs I never gave Here’s the calls I shoulda made Here’s a substance that I crave All along” Overall, “Here” is a highly successful outing from Mumford and Stapleton. As folk and country continue to blend together and crossover, I would absolutely not mind further exploration in the genre from Mumford & Sons, especially if it’s as interesting as it is here both lyrically and sonically. “Here” All-American Road Show Tour Dates May 23 – Nashville, Tennessee – Nissan Stadium with Lainey Wilson & Allen Stone June 11 – Jacksonville, Florida – Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena with Allen Stone June 13 – Tampa, Florida – Raymond James Stadium with Lainey Wilson & Allen Stone June 17 – Burgettstown, Pennsylvania – The Pavilion at Star Lake with Allen Stone June 20 – Charlotte, North Carolina – Bank of America Stadium with Lainey Wilson & Allen Stone June 24 – Hershey, Pennsylvania – Hersheypark Stadium with Grace Potter June 26 – North Charleston, South Carolina – North Charleston Coliseum with Grace Potter July 8 – Mountain View, California – Shoreline Amphitheater with Molly Tuttle July 10 – Chula Vista, California – North Island Credit Union Amphitheater with Molly Tuttle July 17 – Portland, Oregon – Providence Park with Grace Potter July 22 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Rogers Arena with The Teskey Brothers July 24 – George, Washington – The Gorge with Grace Potter July 29 – Shakopee, Minnesota – Mystic Lake Amphitheater  with Allen Stone August 1 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Paycor Stadium with Lainey Wilson & Allen Stone August 6 – Toronto, Ontario – Rogers Stadium with Zach Top & Allen Stone August 8 – Detroit, Michigan – Ford Field with Lainey Wilson & Allen Stone August 14 – Boston, Massachusetts – Fenway Park with Zach Top & Allen Stone August 18 – Virginia Beach, Virginia – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater with Maggie Rose August 21 – Atlanta, Georgia – Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Lainey Wilson & Ashley McBryde August 26 – Wantagh, New York – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater with Carter Faith August 28 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion with Carter Faith October 2 – Bristow, Virginia – Jiffy Lube Live with Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs October 7 – Lincoln, Nebraska – Pinnacle Bank Arena with Nikki Lane October 9 – Kansas City, Missouri – Morton Amphitheater with Nikki LaneThe post Mumford & Sons Enlist Chris Stapleton On Stellar New Track, “Here” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Dang… she really went there. Today, Megan Moroney released her third studio album Cloud 9, which features previously-released hits like “6 Months Later,” “Beautiful Things” and the title track, but I think the one fans have really had their eye on is “Who Hurt You?” because they’re convinced Megan wrote it about Riley Green (just check out the comments section). Megan previously said in an interview with Elaina Smith for her radio show, Megan talked about how she got very vulnerable on that song in particular, which she wrote with Luke Laird and Jessie Jo Dillon. Megan explained that she went “bar for bar” and “said everything” so she no longer has to answer interview questions about the “situation,” which she didn’t elaborate on, and I’m only assuming could be about all the rumors about her and Riley that were everywhere last year. That was obviously the biggest news story about her personal life, and she was seen with him quite a bit in around April and May of 2025. She was even spotted riding around Riley’s hometown of Jacksonville, Alabama, in May, so at the very least, fans think they had some sort of fling. In the interview, Megan says there should be “no further questions” once everyone hears it, and I’d say the was right about that… “Like you said, I’m pretty consistently vulnerable, but there’s one song, ‘Who Hurt You,’ that I’m really excited for. Bar for bar, didn’t lie, said everything so that I don’t have to answer interview questions about the situation. Yeah, and here’s my piece, and there’s no reason to ask me any questions about it because I told you what I needed to say. I’m try to just be efficient here… I’m like, have you heard the song? Like, there should be no further questions.” The rumors about her, Riley and Ella were all-consuming for a few months last year, and let’s be honest, that kind of thing is unfortunately good for business, so I think putting it all into a song where she doesn’t hold back is going to play very well for her, and at the very least, will likely put up massive streaming numbers. Moroney says writing “Who Hurt You?” was a cathartic moment, that finds her being incredible honest about this elusive situation. She explained that she tried to include “every possible detail” so she never has to talk about it again: “I remember coming up with that song and trying to include every possible detail that rhymes, so that I could put it out into the world and never have to talk about that situation again. Songwriting is always therapeutic for me—but with ‘Who Hurt You?’ in particular I released so many emotions, and it feels really great not to have that all pent-up inside me anymore.” That she did… it’s pretty ruthless, opening with a line that seemingly gets straight to the point about who it’s about, and while I’m sure she’ll never say for sure, it’s one of those “read between the lines” moments, I think… Really, where she sings “the devil went down to Georgia, then he crossed the Bama line” says a LOT about who the subject of this song might be: “I was blinded by the lies, And the manufactured smile, The devil went down to Georgia, Then he crossed the Bama line, So casually convincing, The dream you sold was glistening, So cruel but always kidding, Are you kidding? And I heard what they were thinking, She ignored the warning signs, But if you flew across the world for them, They too would change their mind” Yeah… it doesn’t sound like this relationship, or whatever you want to call it, was all butterflies and rainbows. She goes onto reference “hometown happy hours” and “hand-delivered flowers,” explaining that she “tried to run” while it was still a fun fling, alleging it was the man who “cosplayed someone with feelings” and convinced her to stay: “Hometown happy hours The hand-delivered flowers You looked me in the eyes and told me what was yours was ours And when I tried to run Pump the brakes, just call it fun You’d cosplay someone with feelings Oh, l’ve never felt more dumb ‘Cause all of that for nothing I just don’t understand To know you hurt a girl like me Do you feel more like a man” The last verse is really the most scathing, where she calls this person out for dating 21-year-olds and constantly needing his ego fed… she admits that even though she fell for it, she knows she’ll eventually move on, and he won’t. He’ll “stay the same forever”: “You said you needed less flashy, more fun Oh, of course she’s 21 On your arm through the bar God, I hate how gross you are And how did I not see it? Your ego, it needs feeding Endlessly, relentlessly At the cost of me And I’ll move on and I’ll find better But you’ll stay the same forever” Ultimately, she boils it down to the fact that this guy has a lot of unresolved issues from someone who hurt him before, and honestly, scathing doesn’t feel like nearly a harsh enough word to describe this song. Whoever it’s about, she dressed him down, hung him out to dry and is seemingly trying to make sure he, whoever “he” is, never dates in Nashville, or anywhere else, again. Of course, there are two sides to every story, and I certainly don’t think this will put an end to any of the questions about her dating life… this is going to make people want to know a lot more, but she’s giving the fans what they want on “Who Hurt You?” and the tea has officially been spilled. I’ll leave you with the song below and let you be the judge for yourself about what it all means: Cloud 9 Tracklist 1. “Cloud 9” (Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Ernest Keith Smith)* 2. “Medicine” (Megan Moroney, Connie Harrington, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Jessi Alexander)* 3. “6 Months Later” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Rob Hatch, and David “Messy” Mescon)* 4. “Stupid” (Megan Moroney, Amy Allen, and David “Messy” Mescon)* 5. “Beautiful Things” (Megan Moroney, Connie Harrington, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Jessi Alexander)* 6. “Convincing” (Megan Moroney, Connie Harrington, Jessie Jo Dillon, and Jessi Alexander)* 7. “Liars & Tigers & Bears” (Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, and Jessie Jo Dillon)* 8. “I Only Miss You (ft. Ed Sheeran)” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter, Micah Carpenter, and Ed Sheeran)* 9. “Wedding Dress” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, and Colin Healy)+ 10. “Change of Heart” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Micah Carpenter)* 11. “Bells & Whistles (ft. Kacey Musgraves)” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Micah Carpenter)* 12. “Table for Two” (Megan Moroney, Ben Williams, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Micah Carpenter)^ 13. “Wish I Didn’t” (Megan Moroney, Emily Weisband, Hillary Lindsey, and Luke Laird)* 14. “Who Hurt You?” (Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, and Jessie Jo Dillon)* 15. “Waiting on the Rain” (Megan Moroney, Luke Laird, and Jessie Jo Dillon)* * Produced by Kristian Bush + Produced by Luke Laird and Megan Moroney, additional production by Kristian Bush ^ Produced by Luke Laird and Megan MoroneyThe post Megan Moroney Absolutely Does Not Hold Back On “Who Hurt You,” The Song Fans Are Convinced Is About Riley Green first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Sticking to her roots. It’s a great time to be an Ashley McBryde fan lately. If you haven’t been keeping up with the “One Night Standards” singer as of late, at the very end of December, she’d share a tearful video to Instagram and tell fans that she had just gotten done listening to her upcoming album. She explained that even though she’s written and been through every stage of the process with these songs, it still felt brand new and had her in tears, and she said that it was like she had never heard the music, or the artist: “I just listened to ‘—‘ for the first time. It’s a rough mix, it’s not even mixed. And I had just listened to ‘Hand Me Downs,’ and I wrote the damn thing, me and Jessie Jo and Laura, I knew what was in that song. And then I listened to it, and I kept staring at the dash, like, why would you do that to me? I’ve been here for every note, every syllable, every breath of this record. And I’m listening to the mixes and it’s like I’ve never heard this record. It’s like I’ve never heard this artist.” View this post on Instagram After announcing it a week prior, on January 23rd, McBryde officially kicked off her new era of music with the re-recording of a fan-favorite track, “What If We Don’t,” which first appeared on her independently released debut EP, Jalopies & Expensive Guitars, back in 2016. Unsurprisingly, long-time fans (myself included) absolutely loved the reimagining of the classic track and were begging for another preview of the upcoming album. Less than a month later, the Arkansas native officially announced the release of its second single, fittingly titled “Arkansas Mud.” View this post on Instagram In an Instagram reel promoting the track, McBryde would describe the track as a cautionary tale of straying too far from your roots and ultimately letting yourself slip into bad habits. Candidly, she’d admit that she’s fallen down that rabbit hole before, but that time has now passed. “Dimming your light or denying yourself causes all kinds of problems. Drinking problems, substance problems… even as the chick that’s known for sticking to her guns, there are parts of me I still let slip away. I don’t mind telling you now, I tried to fill those spots with all the wrong things. And that time has passed.” As for “Arkansas Mud” as a whole, it’s an absolute gem from the 42-year-old singer/songwriter. It should go without saying that she’s never shied away from her rock roots, namely on tracks such as “Martha Divine,” “Rattlesnake Preacher” and “Voodoo Doll.” With that being said, McBryde and Co. simply let it rip on this track, which was written by McBryde herself, Chris Tompkins and Jessie Jo Dillon. Coming out firing in the first verse with some slick, stop-and-go guitar riffs, the “One Night Standards” singer lays the groundwork for the aforementioned bad decisions and hardships she’s faced. “Percocet and Adderall Nicotine and alcohol Throwing dishes down the hall Bad decisions tried ’em all I’m turning off the radio I can’t take it anymore I started singin’ Curtis Loew I need a little rock and roll” In the equally rockin’ chorus, McBryde brings the metaphor of the titular “Arkansas Mud” home. Noting how the powers that be can try to shine her up or break her down, which she admitted happened in the past, she’s now firmly planted within herself and her roots. “Oh, you can shine me up You can whittle me down But, oh, what’s underneath you can’t scrub out It’s in my throat It’s in my bones It’s on my boots And in my blood That Ozark streak sure runs deep And it sticks to me Like that Arkansas Mud” Overall, “Arkansas Mud” is McBryde firing on all cylinders. Sonically, it sees her pushing the limits of her established sound and the genre as a whole. In turn, we get some absolutely fantastic musical moments, highlighted by the bold choice to have a full-fledged mandolin solo mixed in between the established overdriven electric guitars. Lyrically, it’s a rock-solid effort that serves as a timely reminder to stick to your roots despite what outsiders might say. “Arkansas Mud” Redemption Residency Dates February 19 & 20 – Postcards from Lindeville March 19 & 20 – Just Me and My Shadow April 17 & 18 – Mixtape from the Mixed Up YearsThe post Ashley McBryde Sticks To Her Roots In Rocking New Track, “Arkansas Mud” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.