Get this unreleased song on the Landman soundtrack pronto. Long before Billy Bob was the star of the hit Paramount+ show, he was broke and trying to make it as either a musician or an actor. Thornton moved to California in the 1980s originally trying to make it in music. When things weren’t progressing, he decided to try out a little acting gig on the side. For his first job, which just required him to say one line, he was paid over $350. From that point on, he knew he wanted to be an actor. Though that realization didn’t immediately translate to success in Hollywood. Thornton flip-flopped between acting and playing music in the late 1980s and early ’90s in an effort to just stay afloat financially. When one potential career path slowed, he pivoted and went to the other. It’s hard to imagine the actor known for such classic films as Sling Blade and Bad Santa was struggling to get his foot in the door, but like many that chase the dream of becoming a movie star, Thornton’s life wasn’t all glitz and glamor initially. When he started to break through a bit in acting and making music, he was fortunate enough to meet the legendary Johnny Cash after Thornton’s 2003 film U-Turn caught the country music artist’s attention. Their relationship started with a simple phone call, and blossomed into occasional visits when the movie star made trips to Nashville, Tennessee. Billy Bob has detailed some of those visits in the past, and in a recent interview with a country music radio station in the UK, the 70-year-old actor revealed that of all the high-profile individuals he’s met over the years, the one person that always made him a nervous wreck when he saw him was the “Man in Black.” The Landman star says that Johnny Cash had a presence to him that led to Thornton having unshakable nerves whenever he was around the legendary artist: “I came up around all of those guys: Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. And Johnny Cash is the only one that I never got over being nervous around. Because every time… his presence was so huge, that you were always aware that you were around Johnny Cash.” A number of artists over the years have echoed similar sentiments about the aura of Johnny Cash. Thornton and Cash grew closer as friends as the years went by, and apparently Billy Bob was able to control the nerves at one point for long enough to… record a song with Johnny. The TV and movie star went on to talk about their collaboration, saying that he and Johnny talked over a plan for the cover of Cash’s “I Still Miss Someone”… and at one point, Cash passionately indicated that he might have a couple of notes on the song that he wrote himself: “(It’s) never been released, no. This was later on. He wasn’t singing like he used to, and didn’t have as much breath and everything. When we were doing a song – we did ‘I Still Miss Someone’ – he said, ‘Well son, what do you want to do?’ I said, ‘Well, I thought I’d sing the first verse and bridge, and then you do recitation. We’ll come out of that and have a solo, and then I’ll do the last verse and bridge. And he goes, ‘Alright, I might have an idea or two myself. After all, I wrote the f***ing thing.’ And I was like, ‘Yes, God. Thank you very much.'” View this post on Instagram All I know is that the world needs to hear this Billy Bob Thornton and Johnny Cash duet that’s mentioned in this story. Obviously, the original version is one of Cash’s greatest hits… but I can’t be the only one thinking that a collab between Johnny and Billy Bob would be worth a listen, right? “I Still Miss Someone” The post “Never Been Released”: Landman Star, Billy Bob Thornton, Says He’s Been Sitting On A Song He Recorded With Johnny Cash first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Taking it on the chin once again. These days, it’s becoming hard to point to artists that Zach Bryan hasn’t found himself at odds with. As we know, he’s had some fairly long-lasting beefs with the likes of John Moreland, shade thrown at him by Drayton Farley and most notably, the incredibly long feud with Gavin Adcock that resulted in the “Something in the Orange” singer jumping a fence at Born & Raised Fest in an attempt to fight Adcock. Over Super Bowl weekend, it looked like he may have found himself in some hot water with both Jason Aldean and Brantley Gilbert, but as time passes, it seems as if Gilbert has taken Bryan’s trolling pretty well. In case you missed it, let me catch you up to speed… During the Super Bowl, Bryan found himself in hot water once again, taking aim at Turning Point’s alternative halftime show, which featured Kid Rock, Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert and more as performers. First, he’d take to his Instagram story, sharing his friend, Harley Carmichael, jokingly watching the TPUSA halftime show on his phone while blocking out Bad Bunny with his hand. He’d add his own commentary mocking Kid Rock: “What kid rock actually thinks is happening across America” While he clarified that Carmichael actually watched the Bad Bunny halftime show with him, apparently, his joke upset quite a few people (because of course it did). The “Something in the Orange” singer took to Instagram to share some of the messages he received, while also doubling down and slamming the Turning Point USA halftime show: “I don’t care what side you’re on, a bunch of adults throwing temper tantrums and their own halftime show is embarrassing as hell and the most cringe s— on the planet” The Tuesday after the Super Bowl, he and Carmichael took to Instagram to post an elaborate chili dog-inspired parody of Jason Aldean’s 2011 #1 hit, “Dirt Road Anthem,” which was originally written by Brantley Gilbert along with Colt Ford, clearly taking aim and trolling both Gilbert and the “Try That In a Small Town” singer following the alternative halftime viewing where Gilbert performed it. View this post on Instagram Flipping “Dirt Road Anthem’s” chorus, Bryan and Carmichael would hilariously sing: “Chili on a hot dog I’m talkin’ ’bout chili on a hot dog Motherf****** chili on a hot dog I’m double-fistin’ chili on my hot dog I need a dog. I got a bad itch Throw in some mustard and some relish Every day is like a ball game Got myself a white shirt with a chili stain” This prompted Gilbert to deliver a hilarious response of his own. Responding to the lyrics in Bryan’s parody, the “You Don’t Know Her Like I Do” singer would stand in his kitchen, preparing two massive chili dogs while jokingly jamming to the song. Putting mustard and relish on the dog as well as double fisting them while the Oklahoma native sang the respective lyrics, it was arguably the best response he could have given. He’d also throw a little bit of shade Bryan’s way during the response, referencing the near-fight with Adcock in the caption: “Zach Bryan, you can climb all the fences you want, you’re not getting my chili dog” View this post on Instagram Though it seemed like the dust had settled on this “beef” (no pun intended), Gilbert had one final trick up his sleeve during his recent concert in Tallahassee, Florida, which was the final show of his Tattoos tour. In the midst of an end-of-tour prank, he decided to call on opener, Travis Denning, to help him troll Bryan one final time. Before performing “Dirt Road Anthem” in Tallahassee, Gilbert would jokingly shout out the “I Remember Everything” singer, singing the “chili on a hotdog” line himself and even grabbing a hotdog shirt from a fan in the crowd. “There’s actually a pretty decent remix done here recently.” During the performance itself, Denning would then come out dressed in a hot dog costume, barely able to sing “Dirt Road Anthem’s” actual lyrics since he was laughing so hard. At one point, he managed to fight the laughter and sing Bryan’s “chili on a hot dog” line during the chorus, prompting Gilbert to double over laughing. In the comments of the Instagram post, Denning would joke about how he couldn’t keep it together during the performance. “I couldn’t keep it together for sh*t. CHILI ON A HOTDOG“ You really can’t help but applaud Gilbert for rolling with the punches and laughing at both Bryan and himself during this “beef.”  In a time where it seems as if artists are going after each other personally, it’s fun to see the two trade some light-hearted blows without it escalating into the type of Adcock/Bryan beef we’ve seen in the past. Watch here: View this post on Instagram The post “Pretty Decent Remix”: Brantley Gilbert Delivers Another Hilarious Response To Zach Bryan’s Chili Dog-Inspired “Dirt Road Anthem” Parody first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

A popular BBQ sauce has hit a snag, and it might be hiding in your pantry. Let's break down what you need to know. Continue reading…

After a “pause” in 2025, Faster Horses Music Festival has announced that they won’t be returning in 2026. The music festival, which started in 2013 and was one of largest country festivals in the nation during its heyday, consistently brought around 40,000 fans to the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan annually. In years past, the three-day festival always took place in July. In 2024, the three-day festival featured headliners Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and Hardy, along with performances from Cody Johnson, Riley Green, Shane Smith and the Saints, Zach Top and many more. But the festival surprisingly announced a “pause” in 2025, and now in 2026, they’ve put out a statement saying they won’t be returning: “Faster Horses Music Festival will not return in 2026. While the festival will not take place this year, we are proud of the memories created and the impact it has had on live music in Michigan. We remain grateful to the fans, artists, partners and the Michigan International Speedway community who have supported Faster Horses over the years.” View this post on Instagram Just last year, the festival worded their statement a bit differently, saying they had “made the decision to pause Faster Horses” so that they could take the year to “make plans for a bigger and better Faster Horses.” Apparently, the festival that’s put on by Live Nation used the 365 days to determine that Faster Horses didn’t need to come back at all… and this time around, they didn’t really hint at any future plans (though they did specify that it wouldn’t return in 2026). So far, Faster Horses and Live Nation have not given a reason for the cancellation. These festival pauses and cancellations have become commonplace in the past couple of years. Festivals like the Iron Hills, Country Roads, and Watershed (the Pacific Northwest’s largest country festival) have all made the tough decision to waive the white flag in the past year or so, with most citing “softer than expected demand” as the main reason for shuttering. The pause may come as a surprise to some, but we’re entering into a time where more and more festivals are struggling, postponing to future dates, and even closing up shop altogether. It’s truly become a crowded landscape, and despite many bigger festivals faltering, it seems like a new festival pops up every single year. There’s also the issue of cost. Festivals need to charge fans a certain amount to justify putting on the whole kit and caboodle, and that price can sometimes be too steep for even the most passionate music lovers. Tack on the fact that festivals often require fans to travel, book lodging, and pay for food and drinks… and you’ve got yourself an economic activity that not everyone can pull off during these times. And for Faster Horses, they dealt with some controversy in previous years that could have played a role in the 2025 and 2026 cancellations. Many news outlets like Rolling Stone described the event as a “hotbed of sexual assault,” and a 2o21 investigation revealed that there had been 30 criminal sexual conduct reports to go along with 91 reported assaults. And in that same year, three festival goers passed away while camping at Faster Horses after suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning leaking from a generator into their camper. A court found the festival and promoter Live Nation not responsible for the deaths.The post “Proud Of The Memories Created”: Faster Horses Music Festival Canceled For 2026… & It Doesn’t Sound Like They Have Plans To Return first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Regardless of what side of the aisle you stand on or your thoughts on gun control as a whole, I think we can all agree that school shootings have become a terrifying reality that we’ve had to deal with for the better part of four decades at this point. What once seemed like a world-stopping tragedy in the 1990s has now become a regular part of the news cycle seemingly every month or so. It’s become a real fear for many parents today, and it’s been reflected by quite a few country songs as of late. Most notably, Eric Church touched on the topic of mass shootings a few times over the years. In addition to his powerful reflection on the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, which occurred just a day after he performed at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival, via “Why Not Me?,” he recently touched school shootings, in particular, last year on “Johnny,” where he despondently notes, “Now machines control the people, and the people shoot at kids.”  This, of course, was written in response to the 2023 Nashville Covenant School Shooting, which occurred just a mile from where Church’s children attend school. Church wrote the song sitting in the parking lot of his children’s school the day after the tragic shooting. Couple Church’s aforementioned songs with the likes of George Strait’s “I Believe,” Jason Isbell’s “Save the World,” Drew Baldridge’s “Tough People” and more with mentions of school shootings, it’s clear that the fear has been on many artist’s minds, especially over the past decade or so. Last night, HARDY, a new father himself, became the most recent artist to share a powerful reflection on the matter. During a celebration of the Listening Room’s 20th anniversary at the Ryman Auditorium, the “Favorite Country Song” singer would debut a powerful new song, chillingly titled “Tommy Made the News.” Setting the scene of a typical Monday morning for Tommy in the first verse, Hardy paints a harrowing description of how hollow points “rained like hell in the hallway” before the police found him on the bathroom floor. “Tommy woke up for school this morning Had everything he needed in his old backpack Ketchup and a fried egg waiting for him And he pulled out the drive just to never come back Till 10 a.m. it was just another Monday And everybody went a-running and locking their doors Well, hollow points rained like hell in the hallway And they found Tommy on the bathroom floor” In the chorus, the Mississippi native would reflect on the aftermath of the shooting, noting how his mother and the town mourned his senseless death before pointing out the sobering reality that he made the news for all the wrong reasons. “Well, Tommy made the news Heaven sang the blues Tommy’s mama cried Whole damn town did too What a mess the Devil made What a Hell they have to go through Lord, ain’t it a shame That Tommy made the news” Watch here: @nikkx518 Tommy Made The News – @HARDY brand new song @The Listening Room #hardy #newsong #nashville #theryman ♬ original sound – Nicole HARDY Tour Dates March 19 – Green Bay, Wisconsin – The Resch Center °* March 20 – Moline, Illinois – Vibrant Arena °* March 21 – Omaha, Nebraska – CHI Health Center Omaha °* March 26 – Allentown, Pennsylvania- PPL Center °* March 27 – Charleston, West Virginia – Charleston Coliseum °* March 28 – Evansville, Indiana – Ford Center °* April 9 – Knoxville, Tennessee – Thompson-Boling Arena x* April 10 – Tupelo, Mississippi – Cadence Bank Arena x* April 17-18 – Durant, Oklahoma – Choctaw Grand Theater * April 23 – Jacksonville. Florida – VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena x* April 24 – Charleston, South Carolina – Credit One Stadium x* April 25 – Orlando, Florida – Kia Center x* May 21 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Riverbend Music Center ~* May 22 – Huntsville, Alabama – The Orion Amphitheater ~* May 23 – Orange Beach, Alabama – The Wharf Amphitheater ~* May 28 – Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio – Blossom Music Center ~* May 29 – Darien Center, New York – Darien Lake Amphitheater ~* May 30 – Bethel, New York – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts ~* June 4 – Rogers, Arkansas – Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion °* June 5 – St. Louis, Missouri – Hollywood Casino Amphitheater °* June 6 – Noblesville, Indiana – Ruoff Music Center °* June 11 – Columbia, Maryland – Merriweather Post Pavilion ~* June 12 – Virginia Beach, Virginia – Veterans United Home Loans ~* June 13 – Raleigh, North Carolina – Costal Credit Union Music Park ~* June 25 – Gilford, New Hampshire – BankNH Pavilion #* June 26 – Mansfield, Massachusetts – Xfinity Center #* June 27 – Camden, New Jersey – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion #* August 20 – Lubbock, Texas – Cooks Garage =* August 21 – New Braunfels, Texas – Whitewater Amphitheater * ° – Cameron Whitcomb * – McCoy Moore x – Mitchell Tenpenny ~ – Tucker Wetmore # – Muscadine Bloodline = – Jake WorthingtonThe post Hardy Debuts Gut-Wrenching Song About School Shootings, “Tommy Made The News” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.