The Chief’s influence is truly everywhere. If there’s one thing that cannot be overstated, it’s the huge impact that Eric Church’s music has had on some of the biggest and brightest stars of both today and the near future. Of course, we all know the impact that the Chief has had on the likes of Morgan Wallen and HARDY. Additionally, he’s influenced some of the best and brightest stars in the independent and alt country scene such as Charles Wesley Godwin, Carter Faith and Colby Acuff. With that being said, however, the biggest star he’s had an influence on directly is none other than Luke Combs. As we know, the “Hurricane” singer has gotten quite close with the Chief over the past few years. First scoring a #1 hit on country radio with their 2019 collaboration, “Does To Me,” the fellow North Carolinians would step up in a big way in 2023 in wake of Hurricane Helene. Raising over $24.5 million for disaster relief, the pair would receive the 2025 Artist Humanitarian Award at the annual Country Radio Seminar. Though their eventual friendship is fairly well documented at this point, what many didn’t know was just how big of an influence Church had on Combs as an artist in his college years. In fact, Combs recently revealed that the “Springsteen” singer was the sole reason he fell back in love with the genre and chose to pursue a career in country music. In a recent interview with New York Times’ Popcast, Combs would dive into his early days in music. Noting that he grew up on classic artists such as Vince Gill, Brooks & Dunn, Garth Brooks and more, country was all he listened to. “I was all in on country music growing up from the time I can remember, three [years old]… My mom always loved country music, grew up in Charlotte, from there. Basically I listened to exclusively country music when I was little in the car with my mom — Vince Gill, Brooks & Dunn, Garth, Travis Tritt, Clint Black… My dad is from the rust belt in Ohio outside of Akron. He didn’t listen to country at all.” Combs would then go on to explain that moving to his hometown of Asheville, a shift began to change. Though he was still being exposed to bluegrass legends such as Bryan Sutton, his middle and high school years saw him listening to just about everything but country music. In particular, the “Beautiful Crazy” singer would note how the likes of Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men and NSYNC helped him find his voice and his affinity for sweeping melodies. Additionally, he’d point to a diverse set of artists, ranging from the likes of Nirvana and the Misfits to Lil Wayne, all who were in heavy rotation for him in high school. “Obviously, Asheville is a big bluegrass town, so we would go see Bryan Sutton play at ‘Shindig on the Green’ in the park. Some of the best bluegrass musicians in the world are just sitting around some bench somewhere, so there was just music around all the time. I think that was good for me. And then I’m like, ‘The Backstreet Boys are sick.’ I’m like 12, and I’m a kid that loves to sing… So I gravitated toward stuff that was really melodic like Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys, NSYNC. Those groups taught me how to sing and find my own voice, because they had these big, sweeping, catchy melodies.  I’m learning those things, and I’m listening to Television and Nirvana and the Dead Kennedys and the Misfits, all this other stuff. Then Lil Wayne comes around when I’m in high school, and I’m listening to Tupac’s greatest hits… I’m listening to all these on my little CD player in my bedroom just taking in as much music as I can while missing out on the better part of a decade of mainstream country music.” Combs would admit that he actually wasn’t the biggest fan of country music in his high school and college years. Like many of us, he simply didn’t like the extremely pop-focused and eventual bro-country sounds that were dominating in the 2000s and early 2010s. With that being said, however, there was one artist that made him fall back in love with the genre. That artist was none other than the Chief himself, Eric Church. “I heard Eric Church, and to me, it was an awakening of sorts. [It was like] there’s somebody out there who’s trying to do what I thought I loved, everything that I loved about country music. And then, oh weird, he’s from down the road and he also went to college here where you’re currently in school.  I’m like, ‘Damn, dude, that’s pretty cool.’ I’m like, ‘That’s wicked.’ Then I remember my friend bringing in the Eric Church ‘Carolina’ CD. I’m like, ‘This guy’s from here. Everybody’s jacked about this guy being from here. I’m going to listen to this record.'” As it turns out, it was Carolina that truly reignited the love he had for the genre. “I’m in there by myself. I’m an 18 year old kid that’s had seven or eight beers, and I pop it in my CD player in my dorm room… And I’m like, ‘This is so good.’ And then, I went, ‘Okay, man, I gotta go listen to his first record. So then I go listen to ‘Sinners Like Me,’ and I’m like, ‘This is just as good.’ The rest, as they say, is history. In college, Combs would begin catching up on all the music in the genre he missed throughout the decade, falling in love with it once again and ultimately making the decision to pursue being an artist. Long story short, every time you hear a song from Combs, who is now the second-highest-selling artist in country music history, you can thank Eric Church for that. Watch the full podcast here: My Kinda Saturday Night Tour Dates March 21 Allegiant Stadium – Las Vegas, NV April 4 Scott Stadium – Charlottesville, VA April 11 Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, IA April 18 Notre Dame Stadium – South Bend, IN April 25 Ohio Stadium – Columbus, OH May 2 Neyland Stadium – Knoxville, TN May 9 Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium – Norman, OK May 15 Lambeau Field – Green Bay, WI May 16 Lambeau Field – Green Bay, WI May 30 Parc Jean-Drapeau – Montreal, QC June 5 Rogers Stadium – Toronto, ON June 6 Rogers Stadium – Toronto, ON July 4 Ullevi – Gothenburg, Sweden July 7 Accor Arena – Paris, France July 11 Johan Cruijff ArenA – Amsterdam, Netherlands July 18 Slane Castle – Slane, Ireland July 19 Slane Castle – Slane, Ireland July 25 Scottish Gas Murrayfield – Edinburgh, UK July 31 Wembley Stadium – London, UK August 1 Wembley Stadium – London, UK The post “Everything That I Loved About Country Music”: Luke Combs Credits Eric Church For Making Him Fall Back In Love With The Genre first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

This “Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell” is back and delivering exactly what fans want. Ella Langley might be the it girl of country music right now, with the success of her hit single “Choosin’ Texas,” making it clear that the future is female in terms of rising country stars. While she, Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson and more are household names among the female movers and shakers, there is another class of rising artists who are making waves with their music. Willow Avalon was one of those female stars in the making who turned heads last year with the release of her debut record Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell. Sounding somewhere between Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn with a modern edge, Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell received incredibly high praise and was named as one of our top country albums of 2025 here at Whiskey Riff, coming in at #31. While Willow Avalon has not disclosed when her sophomore project will be released, she has teased that two albums are in the works, which has fans very excited about what the future holds. Earlier this month, Avalon set the tone that the next chapter of music will begin very soon after she began teasing a new single. The cheeky new heartbreaker used a sound bite titled “Easy On The Eyes,” and she noted that it’s coming soon. “Trouble with a capital T!!!! “Easy on the eyes” soon.” View this post on Instagram When Avalon said “coming soon,” she meant it, as she only made fans wait roughly two weeks before announcing and dropping her first single of the year, “Easy On The Eyes.” The tune penned alongside Ali Tamposi, Konrad Snyder, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and Shane McAnally falls right in line with the lyrically addictive ballads of Avalon’s debut record. Ahead of the single’s release, Avalon shared with fans that her European fans have been hearing this song out on the road and promised that this is just the start of what’s to come regarding new music. “I love this song and it’s been so fun playin’ it on the road with y’all over here in Europe! I’m not kidding when I say I have so much more music coming that I can’t wait to share with y’all! This is just the tip of the iceberg.” I like the sound of that. View this post on Instagram The lyrics of “Easy On The Eyes” tell the story of a man breaking her heart, but in a charming, catchy manner that tells a complete story. The narrator details a tall drink of water who instantly stole her heart the moment she laid eyes on him, but as the two grew romantically involved, she quickly realized he was going to put her heart through the wringer. Despite knowing this relationship will leave her in heartbreak, she can’t seem to break free from his spell and constantly goes back to him. “He leaves me a mess with my clothes on the floor. I’m his but he’ll never be mine If breaking my heart was like breaking the law, that man would be doing hard time With lies on his lips and his hands in my hair, when he looks like that, I just can’t seem to care He’s easy on the eyes, heavy on the heart He’s the devil in disguise, but an angel in my arms For worse or for better, the pain or the pleasure, I can’t tell them apart He’s easy on the eyes, but heavy on my heart” Sonically, this tune has a very upbeat, catchy melody, complete with a horn arrangement that adds a cowboy-Casanova feel to the song. This, combined with Avalon’s unique vocals, makes “Easy On The Eyes” the perfect recipe to get stuck in your head. Willow Avalon is coming out of the gate swinging with this next chapter of music, and I’m buckled up, ready to see what’s in store. Turn it all the way up. The post Willow Avalon Releases Cheeky New Heartbreaker “Easy On The Eyes” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Ella would definitely approve of this one! Continue reading…

Walmart's Great Value cottage cheese is in the spotlight today, and not for a good reason—some recent batches could pose serious health risks. Continue reading…

Giving the fans what they want… even more new music. Exactly a week ago today, Megan Moroney released her third studio album Cloud 9, and of course, fans have been buzzing about “Who Hurt You?” and I’ve had “I Only Miss You,” her duet with Ed Sheeran, on repeat, along with her other duet with Kacey Musgraves, “Bells & Whistles.” She’s aiming for a #1 debut on the Billboard 200 all-genre album chart, which would mark a first for the Georgia native. And today, she’s already adding another song to the Cloud 9 tracklist, putting out a tune called “Sorry… I Meant Tonight,” which was written by Megan along with Luke Laird and Jessie Jo Dillon. It’s pretty pop-heavy in terms of the production and simple in lyrical content, as it finds her daydreaming about a guy she’s just getting to know who she seems to have a lot in common with. She starts falling fast, asking him what he’s “doing for the rest of your life” before quickly correcting herself to asking what he’s doing tonight: “No way you like all the same records Like, oh, no way, feels like I’ve known you forever I know you’ve got your pick of gorgeous girls at your feet Don’t you think you’d look better with me? And tell me, what are you thinking? Tell me it’s me on your mind I can’t go one more minute without you, your heart being mine So you pick a place and I’ll pick a time Under the stars or the city lights (City lights) And what are you doing for the rest of your life? Oh, sorry, I meant tonight” It’s a cute song, though it’s certainly not one of my top favorites from the album, but I’m sure her fans will be thrilled to already be getting new music after she just put out the album last week. Check it out: “Sorry… I Meant Tonight” CLOUD 9 Tour Dates: MAY 29 | Columbus, OH – Schottenstein Center 30 | Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse JUNE 2 | Chicago, IL – United Center 5 | Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena 6 | Greensboro, NC – First Horizon Coliseum 8 | Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena 12 | Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center 13 | St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center 16 | Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena 18 | Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest 19 | Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena 20 | Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena JULY 7 | Boston, MA – TD Garden 9 | Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center 10 | Newark, NJ – Prudential Center 11 | Philadelphia, PA – Xfinity Mobile Arena 14 | Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center 16 | Orlando, FL – Kia Center 17 | Tampa, FL – Benchmark International Arena 18 | Sunrise, FL – Amerant Bank Arena 24 | Monticello, IA – Great Jones County Fair 25 | Minneapolis, MN – Target Center 26 | Lincoln, NE – Pinnacle Bank Arena 28 | Denver, CO – Ball Arena AUGUST 1 | Portland, OR – Moda Center 2 | Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena 5 | Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center 7 | Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena 11 | Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena 14 | Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center 15 | Tulsa, OK – BOK Center 16 | Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center 18 | Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena 21 | Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena SEPTEMBER 13 | Oslo, NO – Sentrum Scene 15 | Stockholm, SE – Annexet 18 | Cologne, DE – Carlswerk Victoria 19 | Tilburg, NL – 013 Poppodium 21 | Paris, FR – Le Trianon 23 | London, UK – Eventim Apollo 26 | Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo 27 | Glasgow, UK – O2 Academy OCTOBER 1 | Belfast, UK – SSE ArenaThe post Megan Moroney Releases Surprise Song “Sorry… I Meant Tonight,” Just A Week After Dropping Her New Album first appeared on Whiskey Riff.