She better not make us wait much longer to hear it… This afternoon, Ashley McBryde shared a tearful video about the new music she has coming hopefully sooner rather than later, and it’s clear just how much this next batch of tunes means to her. While driving around in her car, McBryde was crying as she recorded a video she initially sent to her team about her immediate reaction to hearing some of the rough mixes of the songs she has recorded for her next project. She explained that even though she’s written and been through every stage of the process with these songs, it still felt brand new and had her in tears, and she said that it was like she had never heard the music, or the artist: “I just listened to ‘—‘ for the first time. It’s a rough mix, it’s not even mixed. And I had just listened to ‘Hand Me Downs,’ and I wrote the damn thing, me and Jessie Jo and Laura, I knew what was in that song. And then I listened to it, and I kept staring at the dash, like, why would you do that to me? I’ve been here for every note, every syllable, every breathe of this record. And I’m listening to the mixes and it’s like I’ve never heard this record. It’s like I’ve never heard this artist.” It’s raw, vulnerable, and real, which is exactly what I love about Ashley and her music. She released her most recent studio album The Devil I Know in 2023, so it’s been a while since we’ve gotten an official album from her, and so it’s exciting to hear that her next record is in the works: “This is literally a video I sent to my team after hearing this new music. Stay Tuned!” Whatever it is that has inspired this music, it sounds like we might be getting to learn about a whole different side of her as an artist, and I can’t wait… View this post on Instagram Ashley has shared some about her sobriety journey, even opened her own non-alcoholic bar called Redemption inside of Eric Church’s Chief’s Bar on Broadway in Nashville. I have to imagine that could be a theme in at least some of the songs, and if you’re a fan of her music, then you already know how authentic and honest it is so I’m sure you can expect that too. She also launched her Light On Fund last month, which will focus on mental health of veterans, rehabilitation resources for the creative community, helping children in the foster care system, championing ASL interpretation at live music events, and much more, and it will announce a new charitable focus each quarter starting 2026. In terms of live shows, McBryde will return to Eric Church’s Chief’s on Broadway for several shows in 2026, and hopefully, she’ll have some new tour dates for the new year coming soon too. “Light On In The Kitchen” Redemption Residency Dates January 22 & 23 – Just Me and My Shadow February 19 & 20 – Postcards from Lindeville March 19 & 20 – Just Me and My Shadow April 17 & 18 – Mixtape from the Mixed Up YearsThe post Ashley McBryde Shares Tearful Video About Upcoming, Unofficially Announced Album: “It’s Like I’ve Never Heard This Artist” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

The FBI has released new information from the journal of the transgender shooter who shot and killed students and teachers at the Covenant school in Nashville back in 2023. Turns out, Audrey . . .

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Though they don't have to be, weddings can be costly affairs. According to The Knot, the average cost of a wedding in 2025 was $33,000. Of course, a wedding can cost as little as $50 for a marriage license and simple courthouse nuptials and go all the way up into the millions for the rich and famous, so an average amount doesn't mean that's what most average people are spending. But that huge range in costs raises the question: Is there any correlation between what couples spend to get married and a longer-lasting marriage? In 2014, researchers Hugo M. Mialon and Andrew Francis-Tan from Emory University embarked on the first study to determine whether spending a lot of money on a wedding or engagement ring meant a marriage would succeed or fail. The pair wanted to see if the wedding industry was being honest with insinuations that the more money a couple spends, the more likely they are to live "happily ever after." Does a big wedding mean a better marriage? Photo credit: Canva “The wedding industry has consistently sought to link wedding spending with long-lasting marriages. This paper is the first to examine this relationship statistically,” the researchers wrote.The researchers conducted online surveys with more than 3,000 people who have been married at least once and live in the United States. After reviewing the answers to the questionnaire, the researchers learned that spending big bucks on a wedding and engagement ring made a couple more likely to get divorced, writing "marriage duration is inversely associated with spending on the engagement ring and wedding ceremony."So much for the idea that "Diamonds are a girl's best friend." Thanks a lot, Marilyn! marilyn monroe GIF Giphy According to the data, couples who spent between $2,000 and $4,000 on an engagement ring were approximately 1.3 times more likely to divorce than couples who spent in the $500 to $2,000 range. For wedding ceremonies, $20,000 was the big cut-off. Any more than that was correlated with a 1.6 times increase in divorce likelihood. Remember that this study was conducted in 2014. In 2025, the average cost of a wedding is $13,000 more than that, so clearly, an updated survey is needed.Conversely, the research found that "relatively low spending on the wedding is positively associated with duration among male and female respondents." Those cheap courthouse weddings that cost almost nothing? Very often, they foreshadow a long-lasting marriage.The researchers also found that the number of people who attend the wedding matters, too. The questionnaire revealed that “high wedding attendance and having a honeymoon (regardless of how much it cost) are generally positively associated with marriage duration." Research found that lots of guests—but not lots of money being shelled out— is correlated with better marriage outcomes.Photo credit: CanvaThe researchers didn't study why people who splurge on weddings and rings have a greater chance of having to hire divorce lawyers, but they have a few theories.“It could be that the type of couples who have a … (cheap wedding) are the type that are a perfect match for each other,” Mialon told CNN. “Or it could be that having an inexpensive wedding relieves young couples of financial burdens that may strain their marriage,” he added.Francis-Tan believes that people who have weddings with a large number of attendees are more successful because they have a lot of support.“This could be evidence of a community effect, i.e., having more support from friends and family may help the couple to get through the challenges of marriage,” Francis-Tan said. “Or this could be that the type of couples who have a lot of friends and family are also the type that tend not to divorce as much.”(Interestingly, common sense would indicate that a high guest count naturally drives up the cost of the wedding — so it really comes down to how much you're splurging on food and decor.) Weddings don't have to be flashy. Photo credit: CanvaCould it also be that people who put a big emphasis on a flashy wedding and jewelry tend to be a bit more materialistic? It makes sense that couples that are really into keeping up appearances may not have their priorities straight when it comes to building a loving relationship.Of course, there are many, many factors that go into a long, happy, and successful marriage. And don't forget that not all marriages that last are happy. Spending big on a fancy engagement ring or splurging for the chocolate fountain at the wedding don't spell doom for couples that communicate and work on their relationship. Like anything in life, there are no guarantees either way, but data showing that spending a lot on a wedding doesn't lead to a happy, lasting marriage is certainly good to have. This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

Generation Jones, the microgeneration of Baby Boomers born between 1954 and 1965, grew up during the golden age of variety shows. From comedy to music to dance, these outlandish, over-the-top shows have practically disappeared today.But Gen Jonesers haven't forgotten them, and they recently discussed their favorite variety shows and specials from the 1970s and 1980s on Reddit, sharing memories and laughs along the way. "Those variety shows WERE over the top in every way possible...from wardrobe to choreography to the skits....I felt like it was a 'wink and a nod' between the performers and the audience that we were all in on the fun and craziness and not to take any of it too seriously. Good stuff," one Gen Joneser commented. - YouTubewww.youtube.comThese are some of the most beloved (and obscure) variety shows and specials from the '70s and '80s that Gen Jonesers still rave about:"'Sonny & Cher' & 'The Flip Wilson Show' were my jam!" - zombeezy17"Loved Flip Wilson. So many others that are forgotten: Donnie and Marie, Lola Falana, Glen Campbell Hour, The Mac Davis Hour, The Carol Burnett Show. I and sure that I am missing many. How many can you list?" - mrf1trader"The Captain & Tennille, Tony Orlando and Dawn." - OkAbbreviations9941"Smothers Brothers of course, Hudson Brothers." - VRGator"The Jim Stafford Show! But then, it was only on for about 6 weeks." - Nightmare_Gerbil"Shields and Yarnell: how did mimes ever get a TV show?" - mindbodyproblem"While we're reminiscing, no one's mentioned the Mandrell Sisters." - SportyMcDuff @tikittytalk Variety shows everywhere #70snostalgia #70stv #70sthrowback #70saesthetic #70stvshow "Hee Haw..." - Trekgiant8018"Lawrence Welk. Happy memories! It meant snuggling up on the couch with my grandparents after a yummy dinner when visiting them. And that was pretty much heaven..." - Confident_Fortune_32"Sonny & Cher, Donnie & Marie, The Hudson Brothers, The Carpenters, Captain & Tenielle ... the Musical Variety genre! Those were the days!" - User Unknown"If there was a variety show on, I watched it. Sonny and Cher, Donny and Marie, Jim Stafford, Flip Wilson, Laugh-In, Carol Burnett, Jackie Gleason.......I really really miss variety shows." - Chefpeon"But don't forget The Brady Bunch Variety Hour!" - These-Slip1319"Red Skelton was a family favorite." - Old_Tiger_7519"The Dean Martin Roasts. He had a variety show before the roasts." Ok-Seaweed-4042, - crap_nag - YouTubewww.youtube.com"Mitzi Gaynor! Always Mitzi Gaynor. And Andy Williams! Really the queen of variety specials—she'd tour her show, polish it to perfection, then film it for a special and start all over again. She was a regular social-media user until shortly before her death and an absolute charmer.- Sharp-Ad-9423, syntax_free, ExtremelyRetired"Glen Campbell and Johnny Cash also had variety shows. The music was great." - Choice-Lingonberry-5"Starland Vocal Band ('Afternoon Delight') had a variety show." - BelAirHead"How about Pink Lady and Jeff." - knarfolled"The Muppet Show as well." - IvyCeltress"Don't forget Tom Jones, he had one as well." - Mad_Rabbi_57"Susan Anton had one!" - Realistic_Fact_3778"Howard Cosell had one. His musical guest were the Bay City Rollers on the debut.....there weren't many more." - Decent_Direction316"My mom loved the variety shows and specials even if she didn't usually go for that particular type of music or comedy she watched them all. It would be a huge paragraph to list them all, but one she watched that I haven't seen here was Bobby Vinton (The Bobby Vinton Show). Maybe it was seen more in the Midwest. One she didn't like and I loved was Carol Burnett. I would watch it on the tiny black and white 'kitchen' TV ." - Efficient_Let686"Helen Reddy with 'I Am Woman' opening song." - theresacalderone"Porter Wagoner show." - susieq73069"I also remember Marty Feldman had a variety type show that was really funny. It was more like a skit show than a song and dance show. Kind of like Monty Python. I am pretty sure it was a British show that they showed sometimes on PBS." - FrostyBeav

The year was 1967, and like most years, Americans were looking to budget their money wisely. Lyndon B. Johnson was president, the Vietnam War raged on, and anxiety was rising over inflation during what is now considered a mini-recession. Of course, good advertisers are always well aware of the financial temperature. Case in point: the 1967 "Keeping Up with the Kremplers" Volkswagen commercial.In the advertisement, viewers see two houses side by side. A voice-over narrator explains, "Mr. Jones and Mr. Krempler were neighbors. They each had $3,000. With his money, Mr. Jones bought himself a three thousand dollar car." We see a four-door sedan pull into one of the driveways. A 1967 Volkswagen commercial, comparing two neighbors. www.youtube.com, Anthony Kalamut (Southside AdGuy) Over visuals of delivery people bringing merchandise into the other home, the narrator continues, "With his money, Mr. Krempler bought himself a new refrigerator, a new range, a new washer, a new dryer, a record player, two new television sets, and a brand new Volkswagen." A VW Beetle slides into Mr. Krempler's driveway.And now for a clever tag: "Now Mr. Jones is faced with that age-old problem: Keeping up with the Kremplers." (This is a twist on "keeping up with the Joneses," the idea that we all must keep up appearances to compete with our friends and neighbors.)On Reddit, an OP posted the ad, writing, "Informative and clever commercial from the 60s, facts instead of bulls--t we get nowadays." Its simplicity is what sells it, and many Redditors seem to agree. A 1967 Volkswagen commercial compares neighbors. www.youtube.com, Anthony Kalamut (Southside AdGuy)One Redditor shared the backstory behind the ad:"This is iconic work by Bill Bernbach, art director Helmut Krone, and copywriter Julian Koenig from the legendary Madison Avenue agency Doyle, Dane, Bernbach (DDB). These VW ad campaigns were revolutionary and caused a seismic quake throughout advertising at the time. What today looks to be a common, cheeky approach to auto advertising and advertising in general was unheard of. Their approach to art and copy, led by Bernbach, was groundbreaking and award-winning. They used whitespace, humor, and tiny photos of the car to introduce the public to the (at the time) new, inexpensive, German car (remember, this is less than a couple decades after the end of WWII, which was still fresh in people's minds, who weren't keen to associate Germany with goods that Americans would easily warm up to...)Bill Bernbach was a legend in advertising. He was quite literally the father of modern advertising, being the first man to pair Art Directors with Copywriters as a 'Creative Team.' A pairing that continues to this day. I'll always love his work, and his approach to advertising is still being taught in creative institutions." A Volkswagen Beetle drives by. Giphy Volkswagen Quite a few comments offer interesting economic insight by comparing today's prices with those of the mid-to-late '60s.One commenter writes, "Did some digging based on the current value of that money, which comes out to 29.5k. Cheapest full-sized fridge I found: $480. Average-priced stove: $426. Washer and dryer set: $799. Record player: $54. Two 4K 55-inch TVs: $200 each. Brand new Volkswagen Jetta: $23,996 (MSRP; I see them anywhere between $21,000 to $25,000 depending on the dealer)."They conclude, "After sales tax of 7%, that leaves you with $1,500 to account for price variation. I didn't account for any fees or markups, but I also didn't factor used cars and appliances, nor did I spend very long looking for the best deals."This also leads to some nostalgia about how long those appliances seemed to last compared to today: "My parents had the same washer and dryer for like 25 years before the dryer gave out. They replaced both less than 10 years ago and have already had to replace the replacements."Another person notes that perhaps the nostalgia isn't entirely warranted: "If we look at the consumer goods we have access to today, we have a higher quality of life. Lots of the stuff we can buy today for basically nothing was unobtainable or prohibitively expensive. You'd need to look at the lives of the people once they bought the $3,000 house to make a fair comparison. Healthcare? Cheap electronics? Forms of entertainment? Automation? These things we take for granted would be worth millions to an early 20th-century consumer. Note: Another thing one needs to consider is the median income. It went from $5,600 per family in 1960 to $84,000 today. This house that cost 50% of the annual median income then is inferior to a house that can be bought for 100% of the annual median income today." See on Instagram While we may or may not be better off, the contrast with some of today's ads is stark. The same agency also created the extremely popular Charmin toilet paper ad, taking the time to make it funny, memorable, and relatable. In an Instagram post sharing the ad, marketing agency Zest Lab wrote, "These ads also demonstrated the power of storytelling and character creation in advertising. Mr. Whipple, portrayed by actor Dick Wilson, became one of the most recognized faces in American television advertising history. The character's quirky, lovable nature made the commercials entertaining, and viewers found themselves looking forward to the next installment."

Life for Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) looked very different during their teenage years than it does for today's Gen Alpha and Gen Z teens.Millennial high schoolers were still hanging out and shopping at malls, choosing the best ringback tones for friends and family, styling low-rise jeans, and eating at retro Pizza Huts.A nostalgic video shared on Reddit from high school in 2006 captured the simplicity, style, and vibes of the time, prompting many Millennials to reminisce about their teenage years. From the lack of social media to fashion trends, here's what Millennials had to say: Video shows what high school was like in 2006.Images via Reddit/Sad_Cow_577Many Millennials confirmed it really was a simpler time"Yeah notice not one kid is looking down at a cell phone. We had them back then but not to this level." - satanssweatycheeks "I miss the simplicity. Not so much school or the people." - juicytootnotfruit"Plus we lived in much simpler times. Social media wasn't really a thing. Phones were still phones. New technology like iPods were cool, not creepy and intrusive like tech today. We weren't tied to subscriptions for everything. We still had plenty of third spaces to just go hang out without spending a ton of money. We were still riding that new millennium high, where everything felt hopeful. Then we hit the recession in 2008 and it feels like everything's been snowballing downhill since." - RawBean7"I remember when you had to be in college to get a Facebook account because you needed a college email address." - lauvan26"I miss having no bills and my job at Banana Republic lol." - Blissfully"Graduated in 2003. Almost no one had a cellphone. Social media didn't exist yet. The internet was confined to desktop computers. Gas was so cheap, we used to get a few buddies in the car and just drive around for fun all evening on a Saturday night. Just looking for... whatever. It was amazing." - Polkawillneverdie17 Facebook GIF by ZI Italy Giphy Others commented on the fashion"You know those videos of the high school kids from the seventies and they look super old because of dated hair styles? Dated styles we attribute to old people. Do you think our kids will look at these and think, 'you look so old!'" - User Unknown"Yes. I teach high school, almost none of my students wear jeans. That alone dates this video. Interesting!" - No9No9No9No9"I graduated high school in 2006. I watched Mean Girls with a friend and her now high school aged son recently. His comment: 'Wait, that's what you guys ACTUALLY wore back then? You ACTUALLY dressed like that??!' Flared jeans, flip flops, polo shirt. Check!" - AppliedGlamour"Best we can do is 5 layered polo shirts from American Eagle." - showmenemelda "As someone who was in high school in 2006...there isn't nearly enough midriff's showing." - haysus25 @isabelclanc Another thing that would send 2006 us into a coma #nostalgia #millennial #nostalgic #2000s #2006 Some Millennials would go back, while others are content to stay in the future"I feel like I'm one of those rare kids who had a great time in high school. If I could go back and do it again but do it better, I would. I wouldn't want to be a high schooler in 2025 though." - jarberry"No. Life was not good for me in those days. I had it hard at school and at home." - HelgaGeePataki"I graduated 05 but man I'd kill to go back to that age for a weekend. Love my life now but I'd love that carefree feeling again. And my abs. I miss my abs." - User Unknown"Nope. Got bullied in high school. Glad that is behind me. Couldn't pay me enough to relive those days." - brahbocop"I doooooo! ? I'd enjoy reliving a week in high school, especially if I could go back with my self-confidence as an adult instead of an awkward teen. I graduated in 2006. It feels like just yesterday." - ExactPanda

from The National Pulse: WHAT HAPPENED: Nearly 400 Illinois state employees improperly obtained federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans intended for small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. ?WHO WAS INVOLVED: Illinois state employees across key agencies, including Human Services, Corrections, and Children and Family Services, as well as Cook County and Chicago city employees. ?WHEN & WHERE: Fraud cases […]