He was just a young artist looking for a break when he debuted on the Grand Ole Opry on May 13, 2005. Continue reading…

Six strings and the truth. If you haven’t already, you need to take time to watch Eric Church‘s powerful commencement address that he delivered at the University of North Carolina this past weekend. The North Carolina native – and die-hard Tar Heels fan – spoke to the graduating class at UNC on Saturday, using his guitar strings as a metaphor for the things that are important in life: “When all six are in tune, the chords they make can stop a conversation cold, carry a broken person through the worst night of their life, or make a roomful of strangers feel for three minutes like they’ve known each other forever.  If one is off, the whole chord unravels. Not gradually, politely. The moment you strike it, you know. I believe your life runs on this principle.” Throughout the speech, Church compared his guitar strings to important pillars in life – faith, family, community, and maintaining your own moral compass. He spoke of the importance of finding the right partner and not comparing yourself to the best version of someone else that you see on social media. And he ended it with a performance of his own song “Carolina,” his tribute to his home state from his 2008 sophomore album. It’s his powerful closing message to the graduates, though, that’s taken off on social media. The video has been shared hundreds of times and racked up millions of views at this point as people praise Church for his poetic wisdom. Honestly, I’m not even going to break it up here because that would be doing a disservice to Church’s words. But here was his message: “You are made uniquely, wonderfully, distinctly. There’s a sound only you can make, a voice that has never existed before you and will never exist again. A contribution only you can bring, a way of seeing that belongs to only you. The world does not need another cover song. It needs an original. Six strings, six strings of life and willingness to keep them in tune. Six principles, six pillars. When all six are in tune with each other, the chord your life makes is full and resonant and true. All six will drift, not one or two, all six in their own time, in their own season. Your faith will go quiet when you need it loud. Your family will get complicated in a way only the people who love you most can complicate things. You will go through hard seasons with your spouse. Your ambition will hollow out and your resilience will wear thin. Your community will start to feel like an obligation and your world will try to sand down the edges of exactly who you are. This is not failure. This is not weakness. It’s the inevitable universal experience of living in an imperfect world that doesn’t stop to let us tune up. And the difference between a life that sounds like music and a life that sounds like noise is whether you stop and listen. Whether you’re honest enough to hear which string has drifted out of tune, and humble enough to make the adjustment, instead of just turning up the volume and hoping nobody notices. Because YOU will notice. The part of you that knows what the chords should sound like will always notice. It will not let you go. Life won’t be right until it is tuned. Trust what your heart hears and is telling you about your song. So graduates, now I encourage you to take your six strings, make it something worth hearing, and play your song as I leave you with mine.” Honestly was not expecting Eric Church to give one of the best commencement speeches of all time. Chief CRUSHED this pic.twitter.com/UGDq5yaJcv — J.P. Hovey (@jhovey34) May 12, 2026 Powerful. And while Church’s wisdom was delivered to the new graduates, it’s resonating with people of all ages: My goodness. This is beautiful. https://t.co/FbqbsI02ZF — David French (@DavidAFrench) May 13, 2026 This is pretty dang good advice…. https://t.co/V7iVt8HCEH — John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) May 13, 2026 A phenomenal commencement address from @ericchurch that resonates with me and perhaps will have the same influence on you. Songwriters and musicians who speak from their souls is as good as it gets delivering messages. https://t.co/qN0maPTQaH — Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) May 13, 2026 Wow This performance by Eric Church puts a lot of very gifted politicians to shame. What an inspiring speech https://t.co/7AVZqKyRnH — Jesse Hunt (@JJHunt10) May 13, 2026 How the heck is anyone else ever supposed to give a commencement address? https://t.co/fGzYcYNVBy — Whitney Westerfield (@KyWhitney) May 13, 2026 I needed to hear this today way more than I realized. https://t.co/JPADOiesan — Amie Ernst (@amieernst) May 13, 2026 Don’t we all. Of course anyone who’s familiar with Church’s music knows his way with words when it comes to writing a song. But he may have also just set the bar when it comes to delivering commencement addresses too. If you haven’t watched the whole thing, it’s well worth your time. The post Eric Church Is Going Viral For This Powerful Quote From His UNC Commencement Address first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Like Zach Top has already proclaimed to the world…. he ain’t in it for his health. There are a lot of rising stars in country music right now, but the one who has often been attributed with bringing back 90s country is Zach Top. His neotraditional sound has tapped into a part of country music that everyone appreciates and longs to listen to, and Top’s latest two albums – Cold Beer & Country Music and Ain’t In It For My Health – have delivered a breath of fresh air to the genre. Simply put, Zach Top has shaken things up, and in a recent interview with comedian Bert Kreischer on his Bertcast, the world found out that the country singer doesn’t mind shaking things up outside of music as well. The comedian and the country star were talking about drinking and sobriety, and both came to the consensus that being sober… is a bit performative. Their words, not mine. Top insisted that people should just a) take care of themselves and b) know how to handle themselves around alcohol, and that drinking isn’t the evil thing that many portray it as: “Keep yourself healthy enough that you can drink all your life. I don’t want to be… sobriety is such a fad, trendy thing right now. The next person I hear say they got sober, I want to hit them in the head. We don’t need that. Just be a normal guy and drink a normal amount. You can do it your whole life. You’re fine.” Zach Top went on to say that there’s just something off about anyone who he’s crossed paths with that has told him they are now sober. The “I Never Lie” singer believes that many aren’t doing it to be healthy, or to take care of their body. Rather, Top thinks it’s all for the clout of being able to say you are sober: “There’s a little bit of attention seeking in it, a lot of times… just do it. If you actually feel that way, it’s a bit of a disease. People do stuff just to be recognized for it versus (doing it for themselves). There’s a difference between doing something just for the love of doing it, and then doing it so that you can post a video and get a bunch of affirmation and a bunch of likes. If you are doing it just for the love of doing it, you don’t have to talk about it as much.”  Hot take? Or reasonable thought process? I’ve got a feeling that the answer to those questions will heavily depend on who you ask. Some people take a lot of pride in their sobriety, and if their decision to cut out alcohol was considered to be a life-saving move, more power to them. But I suppose that Zach Top has a point… there’s a lot of people out there who went sober for no other reason but to be able to tell others about it. There’s also a lot of folks out there lately announcing their sobriety journey like they were drinking a handle a day… when the reality is that they just stopped drinking on the weekends like your average person. It certainly seems like going sober is the trendy thing to do these days, and more power to you for doing it, but it’s not that inspirational in most cases. Now, if you have a serious problem with alcohol, then by all means, please get the help you need… and I’m sure Zach would applaud that as well. Those are the type of people that Zach Top (and Bert Kreischer) have a problem with, and you can hear them talk more about it in the video below: The post Zach Top Isn’t Buying Into the Sobriety Fad: “Just Drink a Normal Amount… You’re Fine” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

There’s so much that goes into putting on a stadium show, and it sounds like Morgan Wallen is doing everything he can to make his absolutely perfect. Morgan has had an astronomical rise to fame, becoming one of the biggest acts in all of music, but he comes from humble beginnings, growing up the son of a pastor and a teacher in small town Sneedville, Tennessee, located in the mountains of Northeast Tennessee, before moving to Knoxville during his high school years. Morgan’s dad, Tommy Wallen, has spoken about his very famous son publicly before, saying he’s proud of everything Morgan has overcome, though he also acknowledged that even the unimaginable success hasn’t solved all of life’s problems for Morgan, and he praised his son for admitting to himself, and the world, that he might be one of those problems: “I’ve seen Morgan go through a lot since he was a kid. The first big problem I saw him face was an injury that dashed any hope of him playing college baseball. I watched him overcome that, only to have another dream put on hold after getting voted off ‘The Voice.’ I followed him to Nashville in a tiny U-Haul truck to drop him off for another try at that same dream—and you all probably know the rest. But along Morgan’s journey, I’ve also seen how success doesn’t get rid of all your problems, no matter how big that success is. It takes a lot to admit that you might be one of those problems. I know because, at a tougher time in my life, I had to say the same thing to myself.” Tommy is a pastor, and he says he’s learned through many years helping guide people that it’s a universal experience, no matter your tax bracket or anything else, to realize you hold the responsibility for the good and bad in your own life many times. And we all know a lot about Morgan’s issues, though Tommy points out that he’s “proud” of Morgan’s problems, because they’ve shaped the man he is now both on and offstage: “I’ve also seen a lot of people in that position, through my work as a pastor, at the moment they realize they may have ruined everything they’d worked so hard for. It’s what you do about those problems that really matters, though.  I’m proud that Morgan has had problems in his life. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be the man he is today. But I’m even more proud of what he’s done with them.” Morgan’s parents have been very supportive of him over the years, and during a new episode of Morgan’s newly-launched SiriusXM radio station, his dad spoke during the “Family Tradition” segment, he revealed that Morgan is now sober: “I’m Morgan’s dad, Tommy Wallen, bringing you Family Tradition on Morgan Wallen Radio on SiriusXM. Something that doesn’t relate to music or Morgan’s music that makes me really proud, again, there’s no question about this answer also – it’s his sobriety and the Dad he’s become.” Morgan himself has never outright claimed to be completely sober, but if that’s true, that’s amazing and surely something that has only made his life better. And during a new episode of Morgan Wallen Radio on SiriusXM during the “Family Tradition” segment, Tommy revealed how much effort his son puts into making his live shows the best they can possibly be, saying Morgan starts a strict diet and workout routine months in advance of the shows, explaining that he “works out like a madman” and the “band practices a lot”: “I guess the favorite part of me watching Morgan perform live is knowing all the effort that he puts towards getting ready for the tour. He changes his diet, he exercises like a madman, and then he and the band practice a lot. You just get to see it all come together. And he just brings that unforgettable experience to his fans. It’s amazing to get to see all of it come together.” Tommy says he loves getting to watch the reactions of the crowd, and he feels a ton of pride just getting to take it all in after seeing everything that’s gone into it in the months leading up: “The crowds at Morgan’s shows, when I get to see them, it’s pretty overwhelming just to watch. Especially when I’m side-stage and sort of peeking around. Just to see the enthusiasm, the excitement, just the joy… it’s just hard to look at that and think, ‘That’s my son.'” Tommy has of course been there since the beginning, and he admits that Morgan has had some rough patches, but he’s become someone he’s very proud of through it all: “After Morgan decided to make a career in the music industry, I’ve got to watch it from the beginning to the end. He’s had some rough patches, but to see who he has become through it all, I’m thankful. And I feel pretty fortunate to have been able to see and experience it all from the beginning.” Tommy also shared a sweet personal memory from when all three of his kids were little, recalling hauling them all around in a Nissan Quest van and listening to music just enjoying being together: “The car we had when the kids were growing up was a Nissan Quest van… We had them all close together, so we had three car-seats, and what we had on the radio was definitely Christian music, some classical music, and then of course some kind of teaching or training, because Leslie was home-schooling them at the time. I just remember singing State Capitals and it was pretty fun.” @morgan_wallen_radio Tune in #morganwallen #siriusxm #countrymusic ♬ original sound – Morgan Wallen Radio Morgan is understandably a very private person, but it’s neat to get a peak into his family and who he really is through hearing his dad talk about him growing up and who he is now. And if you’re planning on attending any of the shows on Morgan’s 2026 Still The Problem tour, it sounds like you’re in for a heck of a show… you can see the remaining dates below, and Morgan will head to Gainesville, Florida for two shows this weekend. ‘Still The Problem’ Tour Dates May 15 || Gainesville, Fla. || Ben Hill Griffin Stadium w/ Thomas Rhett, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King May 16 || Gainesville, Fla. || Ben Hill Griffin Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King May 29 || Denver, Colo. || Empower Field at Mile High w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason May 30 || Denver, Colo. || Empower Field at Mile High w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Vincent Mason June 5 || Pittsburgh, Penn. || Acrisure Stadium w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King June 6 || Pittsburgh, Penn. || Acrisure Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King June 19 || Chicago, Ill. || Soldier Field w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King June 20 || Chicago, Ill. || Soldier Field w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Zach John King June 26 || Clemson, SC. || Clemson Memorial Stadium w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Jason Scott & The High Heat June 27 || Clemson, SC. || Clemson Memorial Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Jason Scott & The High Heat July 17 || Baltimore, Md. || M&T Bank Stadium w/ Brooks & Dunn, Gavin Adcock, Jason Scott & The High Heat July 18 || Baltimore, Md. || M&T Bank Stadium w/ Ella Langley, Gavin Adcock, Jason Scott & The High Heat July 24 || Ann Arbor, Mich. || Michigan Stadium w/ Thomas Rhett, Hudson Westbrook, Blake Whiten July 25 || Ann Arbor, Mich. || Michigan Stadium w/ HARDY, Hudson Westbrook, Blake Whiten July 31 || Philadelphia, Penn. || Lincoln Financial Field w/ ​​Brooks & Dunn, Hudson Westbrook, Blake Whiten August 1 || Philadelphia, Penn. || Lincoln Financial Field w/ Ella Langley, Hudson Westbrook, Blake WhitenThe post “Exercises Like a Madman”: Morgan Wallen’s Dad Reveals the Grueling Prep Behind His Stadium Tour first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Kacey Musgraves released her sixth studio album Middle of Nowhere a little over a week ago, which features the highly anticipated duet with Miranda Lambert called “Horses and Divorces,” and it marks not only a huge moment in the country genre from a purely musical standpoint, but a turn around in their personal relationship, too. The two had a years-long feud that stemmed from Miranda’s song “Mama’s Broken Heart,” which was released as the fourth single from Lambert’s 2011 Four the Record album in 2013, and was written by Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally and of course, Kacey Musgraves. The song peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Country Airplay chart and has since been certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA, which means it has moved over 1,960,000 units. The simple version of the story goes that Miranda really wanted the song, and Kacey was reluctant to give it up, clearly knowing that it was a hit, and it was apparently pitched to Miranda without Kacey’s knowledge. Kacey wanted to use it as the lead single to her debut album, but she ended up giving it to Miranda (though she does sing background vocals on it), mostly for the sake of her co-writers because Miranda was the much bigger artist at the time. But being forced to give up her song created some resentment, understandably, that lasted for years. Their beef also led to an iconic internet moment, which resulted from Miranda’s 2013 speech at the CMA Awards, when she won Female Vocalist of the Year, a category Kacey was also nominated in. That same year, Kacey won the CMA Awards for New Artist of the Year, and they were both also nominated for Single of the Year and Song of the Year with the aforementioned “Mama’s Broken Heart.” After years of keeping their distance, Kacey decided it was time to bury the hatchet, so to speak, and in speaking with NPR Music’s Jewly Hight, Kacey explained what went down back then and how the two of them ended up working together for this album. They lost touch at that point and definitely “wouldn’t consider each other friends,” but when Kacey saw a photo of Miranda riding one of her horses on Instagram one day, it sparked an idea… because they have two things in common: “horses and divorces,” and a song was born. Kacey says she randomly reached out and asked Miranda if she wanted to write it with herself and Shane McAnally, and Miranda was eager to do it. She said it was a “very full circle” moment, adding that they aired out any past laundry, had some laughs, and wrote the song in a matter of hours. The girls have known each other since 2000, being raised in towns not too far from each other and being into music from a young age, and their issues were very much real, as Kacey described their beef as “grade A, grass-fed,” so their making up and writing this song came from a very real place, and they completely buried the hatchet with their first live performance at Kacey’s recent Gruene Hall show, where she brought out Miranda as a surprise guest. And with the early success of the song, Kacey and Miranda are the first two ladies to debut on the Billboard Hot 100 with an all-female country duet following the first full week of tracking since 2014, when Miranda and Carrie Underwood accomplished the same with their hit “Somethin’ Bad,” which debuted at #39. “Horses and Divorces” debuted at #84 on the Hot 100 following release week: .@KaceyMusgraves‘ “Horses And Divorces,” featuring @mirandalambert, debuts at No. 84 on this week’s #Hot100. — billboard charts (@billboardcharts) May 12, 2026 There have been other female country duets make an appearance on the Hot 100 in between that time, though, as Miranda and Elle King reached #37 on the chart with “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” in 2022. Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde peaked at #63 on the Hot 100 in 2022 as well with  “Never Wanted to Be That Girl.” Maddie & Tae’s “Girl in a Country Song” peaked at #54 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2014 similar to Carrie and Miranda, but it did not debut there after the first week of release like theirs did. All of that basically means that it took more time and support for those songs to get to the Hot 100 whereas “Horses and Divorces” is having an immediate impact on the all-genre chart, which simply translates to the fact that fans are loving it and listening to it. Willie Nelson also achieved a cool new chart feat thanks to his duet on Kacey’s album, another one of my favorites, “Uncertain, TX.” It’s so incredible to see Kacey and Miranda not only working together, because I truly never thought it would happen, and the fact that they’re having so much success with it is just the cherry on top. It’s everything I could have hoped for, and you can probably guess that “Horses and Divorces” has been on repeat in my car for the last week or so… @choosingwasnot Kacey Musgraves brings out Miranda Lambert (who was slated to headline Kid Rock’s MAGA concert, btw) at the final night of her Gruene Hall residency in New Braunfels, TX #kaceymusgraves #middleofnowhere ♬ original sound – mandy Turn it up: “Horses and Divorces” “Uncertain, TX” The post Kacey Musgraves & Miranda Lambert Are The First Artists In Over 10 Years To Debut On Hot 100 Chart With All-Female Country Duet first appeared on Whiskey Riff.