If you are looking for the best selection, you need to plan your shopping trip on this day. Continue reading…

The self-proclaimed "American Bad A--" might have gotten himself in hot water. Continue reading…

Getting down to the wire. The NCAA Final Four is still a couple of days away, but before the #1 seeds face off in what might be the most boring March Madness we’ve had in a while, we’ve got plenty of excitement for you in our annual Whiskey Riff Madness tournament. This year for our annual tournament we teamed up with our good friends at Rock the Country, a festival for “We The People,” to bring you a bracket for “We The People” featuring 64 of the most red, white and blue-blooded American country songs of all time – and let you, the readers, vote for your favorites. Throughout the entire tournament, Toby Keith is a strong favorite to win it all. I mean it’s hard to deny that when you think of patriotic country songs, he’s the first name that comes to mind. But as the rounds have gone on, the competition has only gotten stronger. And now we’re down to just four heavy hitters left. But before we start voting on the Final Four, let’s take a look back at the Elite Eight. We had more votes this round than any round so far in the entire tournament, thanks to some campaigning from Toby Keith’s team themselves: "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" and "American Soldier" have made it to the Elite Eight of @WhiskeyRiff's American Madness bracket. Let's get em to the Final Four! Vote here: https://t.co/SE6HdxQCCg https://t.co/ATURwHVarQ — Toby Keith (@tobykeith) April 2, 2025 You love to see it. So it should be no surprise that both “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue” and “American Soldier” easily won their matchups – setting us up for a Toby vs. Toby matchup to see which song will represent the Big Dog Daddy in the championship round. On the other side of the bracket, the matchups were much closer: “Ragged Old Flag” by Johnny Cash went back and forth with “Ballad Of A Southern Man” by Whiskey Myers for pretty much the entire tournament before eventually pulling away and sending the Man in Black to the Final Four by the smallest of margins. And in our final matchup, Justin Moore’s “Small Town USA” but up a good fight but ultimately wasn’t able to top Alan Jackson’s “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning),” rounding out a Final Four that features all legendary country artists. Here’s a look at the updated bracket: Voting is open NOW for the Final Four, and ends at 11:59 PM central time on Friday, April 4. You can vote down below, or by clicking the link here, and you can vote as many times as you want if you have a favorite that you want to see move on to the next round. As we saw in the last round, every single vote counts, so throw a few extra votes to your favorite song if you really want to see it stay alive. And of course if you haven’t already, start making your plans to celebrate America in person this summer at Rock the Country, coming to a small town near you with so much good country music you’ll want to run out and buy a suit like Kid Rock wore in the Oval Office. Loading… This year, Rock the Country will feature a stacked lineup featuring headliners Kid Rock, Nickelback, Hank Williams Jr. and Lynyrd Skynyrd, along with performances from incredible artists like Travis Tritt, Treaty Oak Revival, Tracy Lawrence, Aaron Lewis, Big & Rich, Shenandoah, and more. The lineup varies by city, so make sure to check out the closest one to you and get your tickets soon before they’re sold out and you’re left on the outside looking in like the British were in 1776. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Peachtree Entertainment (@peachtreeentertainment) Rock the Country Dates: April 4-5 – Livingston, LA April 25-26 – Knoxville, TN May 2-3 – Poplar Bluff, MO May 9-10 – Ocala, FL May 30-31 – York, PA June 13-14 – Hastings, MI June 20-21 – Little Rock, AR July 11-12 – Ashland, KY July 18-19 – Sioux Falls, SD July 25-26 – Anderson, SCThe post WHISKEY RIFF MADNESS: American Madness Presented By Rock The Country – Final Four Voting Is Now Open first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Going back into the archives. In the age of pop stars going country, I find this early adopter to be one of the most fascinating collaborations of the last half-decade: Kesha and Sturgill Simpson. Back in 2019, Kesha teased a new song called “Resentment,” which would later appear on her 2020 album High Road. While some thought this might be Kesha’s take on a country song, it’s far from that. If you are plugged into social media at all, you might know that Kesha has gone through a lot in the public eye over the last decade. In 2014, Kesha accused Dr. Luke, one of her former producers, of sexual, physical, emotional, and verbal abuse, and attempted to break her contract with his label, Kemosabe Records. After Kesha’s accusations, Dr. Luke filed a defamation lawsuit, noting that her claims were false and defamatory. While the two reached a settlement agreement in 2023, Kesha’s nearly decade-long battle was very tumultuous. During this time, she released music that detailed her experiences, and helped her therapeutically during that horrible time in her life. One of those songs that was very healing for Kesha was “Resentment,” which featured Sturgill Simpson, Brian Wilson, and Wrabel. Leading up to the song’s release, Kesha took to social media to share how much this song meant to her. “‘Resentment’ is such a powerful and destructive emotion and in my experience is more complex than hate or anger. Brian Wilson is one of my personal musical heroes, so when he said he would collaborate with me on the recording… that moment was one of the most exciting in my career. Still can’t even believe it. Then add in Sturgill, who I have all the respect in the world for and admire so so much, as well as my close friend, the insanely talented songwriter Wrabel. This record feels more like a dream than just another song to me, I hope y’all like it.” (1/3) https://t.co/1sINPn1HRo Resentment is such a powerful and destructive emotion and in my experience is more complex than hate or anger.@BrianWilsonlive is one of my personal musical heroes, so when he said he would collaborate with me on the recording pic.twitter.com/0fW7dDHk4a — kesha (@KeshaRose) December 12, 2019 The lyrics of this song are raw and powerful, embodying Kesha’s sound at this time in her life. So, where does Sturgill fit in? Unlike many pop artists today trying to collaborate with country artists on a twangy song, Kesha brought in Simpson to highlight his vocal talent in the background of this track and add depth to the harmonies with his thick, rich voice. While this track might not be one I reach for on a day-to-day basis, I love that Kesha didn’t bring Simpson onto the track to make something that’s not “her,” nor did she expect Simpson to sound like something that he’s not. This is how you showcase a country talent in a space where they are not known. Simpson sounds incredible supporting Kesha on this moving song, and it blends their two genres together seamlessly. Maybe some of the pop artists wanting to get in on the country action should take notes from 2019 Kesha. She was onto something then, and this approach would do well today, six years after the single’s release. Check it out. The post Did You Know That Sturgill Simpson & Kesha Have A Song Together? first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Tyler Childers is ready to hit the road and spread more than just his music. When he announced the 2025 Tyler Childers On The Road tour we learned that $1 from every ticket sold was going to support the Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund (which he and his wife founded) and Reverb, which helps artists, fans, and venues find more environmentally sustainable approaches to live music. The HHARF raises money for various Appalachian causes, such as education, civil rights, and addition recovery. But today, on the first day of the Tyler Childers On The Road tour, it was announced he was going even further to support the most vulnerable members of his beloved community. Tyler and HHARF announced a partnership with Can’d Aid’s TUNES program at each and every stop on the tour. Fans will be able to stop by a table and learn specifically how they are helping students at Title-1 (low income) schools throughout Appalachia have access to musical instruments. The press release reads: “At each of the 30 tour stops, fans can swing by the HHARF and Can’d Aid table to learn about both organizations and how they can help Give the Gift of Music! Can’d Aid’s TUNES program includes the new ‘Ukes for Youth’ initiative, which builds and decorates ukuleles to donate to aspiring young musicians. With school arts programs typically being the first to lose funding, Can’d Aid is stepping up to ensure kids have access to the creative outlets that can change lives.” Founder and Executive director of Can’d Aid, Diana Hicks, added: “The Give the Gift of Music campaign is all about celebrating the way music brings us together, lifts us up, and changes lives. With Tyler and his fans by our side, we’re turning up the volume on this cause and making a real impact in communities that need it most.” To date, Can’d Aid has donated over 4,000 new instruments to classrooms with students interested in music but whose schools don’t have the means to support their aspirations. Tyler has been a longtime supporter and participant, serving as a TUNES ambassador at a number of in-person donation events across the US. Honestly, would you expect anything else from Timmy Ty? The man walks the walk and uses his platform to support the causes dear to his heart. Few artists are as active in their philanthropy though you may not know it because he’s a pretty quiet dude. If you’re interested in helping out, swing by the table at one of his shows or head over to tylerchilders.set.bio/ to learn more or donate. There’s plenty of artists who want to give the impression that they’re in it for more than themselves but Tyler Childers needs to be applauded for his work. Not only did he define an entire generation of country artists and near single-handedly tip the scales of country music back in favor of songwriters making real art, but he’s using the proceeds of that to support an area of the country that often gets overlooked, if not downright forgotten, by society. A big ole tip of the cap to you, Mr. Childers. This post contains links from our Affiliate Partners program. If you use these links to make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.The post Tyler Childers Partners With Can’d Aid To Give ‘The Gift Of Music’ At All Tour Stops This Year first appeared on Whiskey Riff.