You’ve got to keep your head on a swivel out there in today’s scam-likely world. Unfortunately and frustratingly, scammers are trying to reel in victims any way that they can. In one of the latest examples, a man named John Klein who lives in Plymouth, Michigan, is being accused of scamming hundreds of Morgan Wallen fans out of thousands of dollars during the country superstar’s two-night stop at the “Big House.” Klein is the creator of something called “HailGate,” which is a tailgate group that boasts over 10,000 members and has conducted tailgating and other events outside Michigan Stadium for years. Naturally, people online see that many members and the length “Hailgate” has gone on and choose to trust that Klein can deliver on what he’s selling. This time around, he was promising Morgan Wallen tickets, autographed memorabilia, meet-and-greets and tailgating packages. More than 600 people jumped on the offering Klein presented through “HailGate.” Now, most of those individuals are trying to get their money back after Klein didn’t deliver on his promises, and they have all banded together on a Facebook group called “HailGate Victims.” One family says they paid over $3,000 for a package that “HailGate” promised, and didn’t receive anything (they’ve apparently only gotten a small sum of that back in a refund). Another Michigan resident sent Klein close to $300 for tickets to the Wallen show, and never got them… and was blocked by Klein and “HailGate” when he tried to follow up about the purchase. As the story gained more and more traction, Klein allegedly started refunding those who had paid him with more efficiency. But the man behind “HailGate” told The Detroit News that him being unable to fulfill purchases and send out refunds has to do with a cease-and-desist letter he received from Wallen’s team: “I don’t want to cross Morgan Wallen, but I don’t want to let people down. I’m kind of between a rock and hard place here.” Ummm, pretty sure Morgan Wallen would like you to cease and desist from scamming people… and that means refunding people you stole from. I’m not buying that a C&D from Wallen’s team is the issue here. Klein is currently under investigation more multiple counts of fraud, and the country superstar’s legal team is working to stop the leader of “HailGate” from being allowed to use Wallen’s name and image ever again. Ticketmaster even came out and said that Wallen doesn’t ever participate in meet-and-greets, which should have raised a red flag for those that were buying that package from Klein. The University of Michigan has also stated that they have no relationship with Klein, and they’ve also sent cease-and-desist letters to him. Sometimes scams seem obvious, but this one is definitely a grey area. The “HailGate” has actually come through in the past, but more recently, it’s been less and less reliable. Seeing that many people in a Facebook group could lead one to believe it’s a trustworthy place to purchase tickets and packages from, but as many Morgan Wallen fans learned from this scam, “Hailgate” is far from being reliable and credible. In fact, Klein also has been in legal trouble in the past for other forms of fraud… safe to say the Michigan tailgate community didn’t know that. Needless to say, always make sure you double check (or maybe even triple check) before you send your hard earned money over to someone else. And most importantly… buy from trusted ticket marketplaces.The post Over 600 People Fall Victim To A Morgan Wallen Ticket & Meet-And-Greet Scam In Michigan first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

That’s what it’s all about. Ashley McBryde has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since December 2022, so she knows just how special it is to step into the historic circle. But she recently got to make a young fan’s dream come true and invite her to make her Opry debut. It was a full-circle moment that started back in February, when the “Girl Goin’ Nowhere” singer happened to run into a young fan named Sawyer June backstage at the Opry. As Ashley recalled at the time, she noticed the young girl singing along to “Light On In the Kitchen” during her performance, and then stopped to say hello to a tour group that was backstage after the show when she noticed the same little girl: “I stopped and said hello to everybody and at the front of the tour was the young girl and her mom and her dad. I went over and shook her hand and I found out her name and they gave me some pecans from their farm, which I love pecans, and then they let me know that she is a singer as well.” Well Ashley had her guitar with her, so she invited the young girl to sit down with her, right there on the floor backstage at the Opry, where the two delivered an incredible performance of her song “Bible & a .44.” “She looked right in my eyes the whole time she sang. And she didn’t miss a note. She didn’t miss a breath. And her agility, her vocal, just the quality of her voice was so good and that’s not even the most magical part. She sat there and I sang harmony with her and then the last chorus of Bible & a 44. I asked everybody to sing and you can’t plan moments like these but I knew it was important to sit down with her and told her that she’s a star that I will see her on the Opry stage someday because I believe that.” You can see the special moment play out in Ashley’s video: View this post on Instagram The young girl is 11-year-old Sawyer June, and as Ashley quickly discovered, she’s got a ton of talent. The Texas native even recently performed at Ashley’s Redemption bar on Broadway here in Nashville: View this post on Instagram (Funny story, I actually saw her hop up on stage with the band at Redemption when I was doing my fantasy football punishment a couple weeks ago. Kid’s the real deal). But Ashley recently had the opportunity to surprise the youngster with an even bigger opportunity: She invited her to make her Grand Ole Opry debut. Ashley surprised Sawyer June while the 11-year-old was making an appearance on WSM Radio, and the invitation to step into the circle clearly came as a surprise: “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” View this post on Instagram Sawyer June will be making her Opry debut soon (obviously she said yes to the invitation), and something tells me Ashley will be on hand to celebrate her friend’s big moment. That’s what it’s all about. I think that moment meant as much to Ashley as it did to Sawyer June.The post Ashley McBryde Brings 11-Year-Old To Tears With Invitation To Make Her Grand Ole Opry Debut first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Residents in Abbott, Texas are taking a stand against proposed data centers, and even the great Willie Nelson is getting in on the fight. No matter where you live in the United States, you’ve likely heard of AI companies moving in to rural areas and trying to erect data centers at breakneck speeds. It’s happening all across the country, and in Nashville, Tennessee, it’s happening right next to the city’s zoo. Another country music star, Brad Paisley, has stepped in there to help out. Just as Willie Nelson is stepping in to the Abbott, Texas data center fight. Why don’t people want data centers built? Well… though the organizations that are trying to build them say it will have no environmental impact, there aren’t enough studies out there just yet to confirm those claims. In reality, there’s already a lot of concern about the possible risks of data centers, and how they could impact vulnerable communities (mainly through power grid issues, depleting natural resources, and causing harm to the watershed). All those concerns together can be devastating to rural communities, and that’s why Willie Nelson is putting his foot down when it comes to his hometown of Abbott. He released a statement earlier today via social media about how the Abbott community needs to fight back: “To whom it may concern, and to everyone else as well. I grew up in Abbott, and I still have a home there with farmed land where I can still see stars at night. And now, our community, like many others, needs to fight against data centers invading our land. The last thing we need is a loud, water thieving, light polluting data center anywhere near our town (or any others for that matter).” As you can see, the “Red-Headed Stranger” is trying to be a voice for not just the Abbott, Texas area… but all the rural communities out there that are currently dealing with this exact same problem. Willie went on to talk about the strengths of rural America, which obviously aren’t derived some big industries moving in, and how being pro-data-center is basically being anti-farming. The country legend calls for the push for AI data centers in Abbott – and across America – to cease: “The strength of rural America has never come from big industrial footprints. It comes from generations of people, open spaces, local businesses, and a connection to the land. All of America deserves thoughtful stewardship that doesn’t steal farmland (where our essential shared-food is grown) and small family farmers’ livelihoods, and not data centers that only destroy the environment around them. Whoever controls food and water, controls the masses. Let’s not allow our own demise or give up control over necessary resources in the U.S. and especially in Abbott.” All I know is… when Willie Nelson talks, we should all listen. The country music great usually puts his voice behind the greater good, and there’s no doubt Willie is on the right side of this fight happening in Abbott (and all across the country).The post “Water Thieving, Light Polluting” – Willie Nelson Issues Warning Over AI Data Centers In Texas Hometown first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

She’s as humble as they come. Ella Langley is absolutely blowing up right now, and she continues to make history, as this week, Choosin’ Texas” remained at #1 for its 15th frame, garnering 25.2 million official streams, 51.9 million airplays on radio and 7,000 units sold. In turn, Langley officially owns the longest-running #1 hit by a female artist this CENTURY, passing Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston’s 14-week record with “We Belong Together” and “I Will Always Love You,” respectively. Additionally, it’s also the longest-running non-holiday hit for a female artist in the chart’s history (excluding Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” at 22 weeks). View this post on Instagram Ella grew up in small town Hope Hull, Alabama, learning to sing in church and at home and she always knew she wanted to make a career out of it. She’s certainly done that and has a bright future ahead of her in the music business, and while to some, she might seem like an overnight success, she’s far from it. Ella moved to Nashville in 2019 at the age of 20, after leaving Auburn University during her sophomore year, to pursue music and really try to make something of herself. She spent tons of nights playing in bars for tips, and in a video from last year, she shared a video talking about how she was moving, and she found a very special item she’d been saving for a while. Ella had kept the last $100 she made in her tip jar, because it was sentimental and she wanted to hold on to that part of her life in some special way. She admitted that there were tons of times she wanted, and needed, to spend it, but she never did for one simple reason: she “had faith” in herself: “Okay, so I’m moving, and I’m finding all kinds of stuff that I haven’t seen in a while, because I’ve moved a couple times and some of these boxes I haven’t gone through in a minute. And this, you might be wondering what this is. Is it just normal money? Yes, but to me, no. To me, this is the last $100 I made in tip jar. I kept the last $100 in $1s, I would always save my $1s, up until I had them in $100 increments. This is the last $100 I made in my tip jar that I pretty much started this whole thing from… So I’ve been looking for it everywhere, and you don’t know the amount of times I wanted to spend this $100 and needed to spend this $100, and did not do it, because I had faith in myself, and it paid off. I’m really happy I still have this.” For those who didn’t know Ella before she blew up, I think it’s such a perfect video to capture who she is and the kind of person she is aside from the country star you see on stage. It’s also a great lesson to hold onto things like that and always believe in yourself, even when it might seem impossible: @ellalangleymusic1Really have been *trusting the process ♬ original sound – Ella Langley The Dandelion Tour Dates 8/20/26 Green Bay, WI Resch Center (#, %) 8/22/26 North Little Rock, AR Simmons Bank Arena (#, %) 8/28/26 Auburn, AL Neville Arena (#, &) 8/29/26 Auburn, AL Neville Arena (#, &) 9/10/26 Newark, NJ Prudential Center (#, &) 9/11/26 State College, PA Bryce Jordan Center (#, &) 9/12/26 Charleston, WV Charleston Coliseum (#, &) 9/17/26 Oxford, MS SJB Pavilion (@, %) 9/18/26 Athens, GA Akins Ford Arena (@, %) 9/19/26 Jacksonville, FL Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena (@, %) 9/24/26 Knoxville, TN Food City Center (@, %) 9/25/26 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center (@, %) 9/26/26 Moline, IL Vibrant Arena (@, %) 10/7/26 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre (@, &) 10/9/26 Tulsa, OK BOK Center (@, %) 10/10/26 Lubbock, TX United Supermarkets Arena (@, %) 10/13/26 Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theatre (@, %) 10/14/26 Los Angeles, CA The Greek Theatre (@, %) 10/29/26 Des Moines, IA Casey’s Center (@, &) 10/30/26 Lincoln, NE Pinnacle Bank Arena (@, &) 10/31/26 Saint Paul, MN Grand Casino Arena (@, &) Support Acts # ERNEST @ Kameron Marlowe & Gabriella Rose % Laci Kaye Booth “Choosin’ Texas” The post “The Amount Of Times I Wanted, & NEEDED, To Spend This” — Why Ella Langley Kept The Last $100 She Ever Made From A Tip Jar first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Get excited, Ragweed fans. As one of the cornerstones of the Red Dirt movement, Cross Canadian Ragweed has remained one of the most important country bands over the past three decades. Forming in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the mid-1990s, the group’s impact truly cannot be understated, influencing some of the brightest stars in the Texas and Oklahoma scene, such as Turnpike Troubadours, Koe Wetzel, Wyatt Flores, Parker McCollum, Shane Smith & the Saints and many more. Simply put, Ragweed caught fire early upon the release of their 1998 debut album, Carney. Throughout their career, the Oklahoman band released seven studio albums and three live albums, but sadly disbanded in 2010. Red Dirt fans were beyond heartbroken when the group broke up, and from a conversation with Cody Canada, it seemed there was no way in hell they would get back together, comparing their breakup to a divorce. Against all odds, 2025 proved to be nothing short of a miracle for the band. After making their long-awaited return to the stage in January at Mile 0 Fest in Key West, Florida, Ragweed dropped the bombshell and announced their grand reunion: “The Boys From Oklahoma” Concert series, a four-night experience in April, along with fellow Red Dirt legends, Turnpike Troubadours. This would later expand into a “Texas Encore” edition of the reunion, which included Shane Smith & The Saints, Wade Bowen and more in August. With so much momentum heading into 2026, Ragweed announced another two “Boys From Oklahoma” shows: one “Cornhuskers Edition” in the University of Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium in August and one additional show in Stillwater at Boone Pickens Stadium to commemorate the one-year anniversary of their reunion in April. The crown jewel in terms of shows for the Oklahoma band, however, was none other than their first headlining gig at Red Rocks over the weekend, an achievement that Canada says was one of the main goals after their reunion last year. Unsurprisingly, Ragweed went all out at the iconic venue, packing their 20+ song set with fan-favorites such as “Boys From Oklahoma,” “17,” “Alabama,” “Sick and Tired,” “Constantly” and more to the sold-out crowd. The biggest surprise of the night, however, came midway through the set when Canada took to the stage solo and debuted a brand new song in honor of his friend and mentor, the late, great Todd Snider, who tragically passed away last November following a battle with pneumonia. Prefacing the new track, the frontman would explain that Snider, along with Merle Haggard and Mike McClure, were the three people who inspired him the most to pursue music. Additionally, he’d note that he wrote the song as a tribute during the late legend’s final days while he and Jamie Lin Wilson were awaiting the news on Snider’s health. “There’s about three people in my life that made me do this for a living, and one is Merle Haggard… Mike McClure is the other one that’s still with me today. The other one is my buddy who I mentioned earlier, Todd Snider. I knew that it was coming. I got a good friend named Jamie Lin Wilson, and her and I were tracking. We knew what was going on and what was coming. We were getting ready for the news, and I wrote this tune. I was in a spot where I couldn’t write. But Todd Snider, for his last act for me, inspired me to write a song for him. This is for my friend.” As Canada explained, the track, which is presumably titled “Glad I Ran Into You, is a beautiful tribute to Snider and his music. Noting how his music found him like a new friend, he reminisces about their friendship and the impact he had on him as an artist. “You came in with both guns blazing  Most amazing thing that I’ve never seen before That point forward, nothing was boring I wasn’t working for them anymore And I hit blacktop, looking for something Like that one thing that kept me wanting more and more Then it found me like a new friend Said ‘Buddy, come on in. There ain’t no wondering anymore’ Never thought I’d be doing what I do There’s a great big world we’re walking through I’m glad I ran into you” As of now, “Glad I Ran Into You” does not have a release date. Watch here: @andrewheesacker Brand new Cross Canadian Ragweed song! #reddirt #reddirtcountry #music #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Andrew Heesacker The post Cross Canadian Ragweed Debuts New Song In Honor Of The Late Todd Snider At Red Rocks first appeared on Whiskey Riff.