Food-at-home prices are forecast to rise 2.4% in 2025 per USDA’s latest outlook, but with tariff threats looming and staples like rice up 1.2% already, your grocery bill could jump another 4–6% by Q1 2026. In this hands-on video, I show you how to meal prep a full week’s worth of defensive staples (rice, beans, oats, canned fish) for under $50—even if cash is tight. Pulling straight from my book Defensive Preparedness, these low-cost strategies turn bulk buys into resilient, no-waste meals that stretch during inflation squeezes or supply hiccups. No fancy kitchen needed—just smart swaps and a pantry mindset.

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"A massive wake-up call."

Half a dozen members of Congress who previously served in the military or intelligence community are urging service members and intelligence officials to disobey illegal orders that might be issued by President Donald Trump’s administration. In a video posted on X Tuesday, Democratic lawmakers Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Sen. Mark Kelly, Rep. Jason Crow, Rep. Maggie […]

Not exactly pitch perfect. Megan Moroney performed her song “6 Months Later” at the CMA Awards, where she’s one of the most nominated artists, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Female Vocalist of the Year, as well as Single of the Year, Music Video of the Year, and Musical Event of the Year for “Don’t Mind If I Do,” featuring Kenny Chesney. Megan also performed her song “6 Months Later,” which was a little rough to be honest. Of course, it was written by Moroney with Ben Williams, David “Messy” Mescon, and Rob Hatch, like many of her songs, “6 Months Later” focuses on heartbreak and how she’s coping in the wake of a breakup. It’s also her current single at country radio, and has been steadily climbing the country charts after debuting at #30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart (which encompasses all musical genres), making it the highest debut of her career thus far. And I’m not sure if there were issues with the in-house audio or what, but vocally, it wasn’t her best performance, and fans on X let her have it… she received similar criticism at the CMA Awards last year, and I’m sure performing on live TV is really scary, so maybe the never contributed, but still… not the kind of reaction you want from people during one of country music’s biggest night on national television. Here’s a clip of her performance: MEGAN MORONEY EVERYBODY #CMAawards pic.twitter.com/RJy9FIjaMv — noelle (@noellewes123) November 20, 2025 I’ve seen her live several times, and she sounded much better in person, so hopefully she can shake it off and come back even better next year. Here’s a look at some of the comments, many of which came from fans of hers who attributed to the poor performance to nerves or sounds issues: Megan Moroney sounded very nervous still love her though #cma2025 — Bethany Bright (@bethybgirllllll) November 20, 2025 Sounds like the nerves are hitting Megan Moroney. #cma2025 — MsUnderstood (@ms_understood) November 20, 2025 I feel like Megan Moroney gets nervous at every award show she’s asked to perform at which is sad. #CMAS — autumn. (@apalachiabarbie) November 20, 2025 I love Megan Moroney, but I hate how hard it seems they’re trying to make her like Taylor Swift #CMAawards — Aaliyah (@AaliyahThomas13) November 20, 2025 Still here to tell y’all that Megan Moroney is one of the worst vocalists to ever step foot in Nashville. She got a record deal for being pretty and a decent writer. She’s never once sounded good live #CMAawards — Macey (@5Volforlife) November 20, 2025 I dont get the hype around Megan Marony. This is my opinion but I dont like her voice. Especially when she preformes live. Idk what it is but its not it. #cma2025 #cmaawards — MistyRedWolf (@MistyRedWolf) November 20, 2025 Omg Megan Moroney sounds awful #cma2025 — Rob (@hitman6498) November 20, 2025 Why is Megan Moroney still being invited to perform at awards shows/special events??? She’s cute but canNOT sing #CMAawards — Christina (@ChristinaR11xox) November 20, 2025 Death, Taxes, and Megan Moroney sounding terrible on an award show. — Joe Webster (@JoeWeb10) November 20, 2025 At least Megan Moroney didn’t have to go *after* Chris Stapleton #cma2025 — ALEX (@imsovancey) November 20, 2025 #CMAawards Megan Moroney not a good singer…..that’s all — itsme (@father_son_hs) November 20, 2025 Maybe Megan Moroney is sick? She sounded rough. #cma2025 — (@rhuddy18) November 20, 2025 Megan Moroney sounds awful live!!! — Exapachedriver69 (@Exapachedriver1) November 20, 2025 Omg Megan Moroney sounds awful #cma2025 — Rob (@hitman6498) November 20, 2025 There’s always next year… the song is still a bop. “6 Months Later” 2025 CMA Awards Winners *Winners in BOLD Entertainer of the Year Morgan Wallen Luke Combs Lainey Wilson Cody Johnson Chris Stapleton Album of the Year Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney Producer: Kristian Bush Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top Producer: Carson Chamberlain Mix Engineer: Matt Rovey F-1 Trillon – Post Malone Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi Mix Engineers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson Producer: Jay Joyce Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce Male Vocalist of the Year Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen Luke Combs Cody Johnson Zach Top Female Vocalist of the Year Lainey Wilson Ella Langley Megan Moroney Kelsea Ballerini Miranda Lambert Vocal Group of the Year Old Dominion The Red Clay Strays Little Big Town Lady A Rascal Flatts Vocal Duo of the Year Brooks & Dunn Dan + Shay Brothers Osborne The War and Treaty Maddie & Tae Single of the Year “4X4XU” – Lainey Wilson Producer: Jay Joyce Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce “Ain’t No Love In Oklahoma” – Luke Combs Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews “Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney Producer: Kristian Bush Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank “I Never Lie” – Zach Top Producer: Carson Chamberlain Mix Engineer: Mat Rovey “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley ft. Riley Green Producer: Will Bundy Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley Song of the Year “4X4XU” – Lainey Wilson Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson “Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney Songwriters: Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird, Megan Moroney “I Never Lie” – Zach Top Songwriters: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top “Texas” – Blake Shelton Songwriters: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley ft. Riley Green Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere New Artist of the Year Zach Top Ella Langley Stephen Wilson Jr. Tucker Wetmore Shaboozey Musician of the Year Jenee Fleenor (Fiddle) Paul Franklin (Steel Guitar) Brett Mason (Guitar) Rob McNelley (Guitar) Derek Wells (Guitar) Music Video of the Year “Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney Directors: Alexander Gavillet, Megan Moroney “I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson & Carrie Underwood Director: Dustin Haney “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson Director: TK McKamy “Think I’m In Love With You” – Chris Stapleton Director: Running Bear “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green – WINNER Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney Musical Event of the Year “Don’t Mind If I Do” – Riley Green ft. Ella Langley Producers: Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen, Dann Huff “Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake w/ Jelly Roll Producer: Micha Nichols “I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson w/ Carrie Underwood Producer: Trent Willmon “Pour Me A Drink” – Post Malone ft. Blake Shelton Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome “You Had to Be There” – Megan Moroney ft. Kenny Chesney Producer: Kristian Bush Presenters: A long list of presenters has been announced, including Lady A; Grammy-winning banjoist Alison Brown; actress currently starring in “9-1-1: Nashville,” Jessica Capshaw; Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, actor, and worldwide entertainment icon Billy Ray Cyrus; Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Lauren Daigle; Country artist Jordan Davis; actress, model, and philanthropist Elizabeth Hurley; Country artist Cody Johnson; comedian, actor, and podcaster Bert Kreischer; and five-time Grammy winner and multi-Platinum award-winning singer/songwriter Brandon Lake Additional presenters include country artist Ella Langley; Grammy-winning banjoist, actor, comedian, and author Steve Martin; comedian and actress Leanne Morgan; three-time Grammy winning hitmaker NE-YO; Golden Globe-nominated actor Chris O’Donnell; Country artist Kimberly Perry; multi-Platinum, two-time Grammy winning singer, songwriter and star of “9-1-1: Nashville,” LeAnn Rimes; actor and producer Alan Ritchson; Emmy Award-winning anchor and host from ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Lara Spencer; star of the hit Paramount+ series “Landman,” Academy Award-winning actor, director, and musician Billy Bob Thornton; critically acclaimed actor and producer starring in Hulu’s “Tell Me Lies” and “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox,” Grace Van Patten; Country artist Gretchen Wilson; and Country artist Bailey Zimmerman.The post Country Fans Were Less Than Impressed With Megan Moroney’s Rough CMA Awards Performance Of “6 Months Later” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Extending their record. The fact that Brooks & Dunn are still winning CMA Awards gives me some hope for the current state of country music… although that hope could be a lot higher if Old Dominion didn’t win Group of the Year last year and it went to the Red Clay Strays… which could finally happen later tonight. I digress… Brooks & Dunn have been in the game for 34 years and remain a prominent name despite all the new faces who have entered and exited the scene since they got their start — proving that the right artists can have insane longevity in this genre. Tonight, the duo won their 16th… Yes, SIXTEENTH CMA Award for Duo of the Year. Give it up for the #CMAawards Vocal Duo of the Year, @BrooksAndDunn pic.twitter.com/RrpxSrcrnW — CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) November 20, 2025 During last year’s CMA Awards, Brooks & Dunn finally broke their tie with Vince Gill for the most CMA Awards, with their win for Duo of the Year. But it was short lived as Chris Stapleton tied them with 19. With this win, for the time being, they are sole owners of the most CMA Awards ever at 20. Talk about a comeback for this legendary duo, and Reboot II’s release proves their career is not slowing down anytime soon. In fact, they believe they still have the horsepower to make new music in the future. Brooks & Dunn have not released new material since 2007 with Cowboy Town, but in an interview earlier this year with Billboard, it sounds like they might be thinking about getting back in the studio. With their new label chiefs at Sony Nashville—chairman/CEO Hilary Lindsey and president/COO Ken Robold are encouraging the two to think about recording some new material. Kix Brooks told the outlet. “We’re kicking along. We’re working on it, we’re pushing that row. We’ve got a label that we had a really great meeting with. They can’t make us make a record, but they would love to see us do it. They don’t want to put out a record that’s not a great record.” He added that while they would love to make a new record, they aren’t willing to sacrifice the legacy they’ve built just to put one out. They know that if they do it, it has to be just right, and if they don’t release a new album, they feel like their career is still in good standing. “He’s not a country artist, but I love quoting Billy Joel. He said, ‘I haven’t made a new record in [32] years and it’s working quite well.’” So will they or won’t they? It’s still up for debate, but Ronnie Dunn thinks they still have “the juice” to make a new record that fans would love.  “I still think we have the juice to be able to sell a new one. I just want to put one more through the goal posts.” Regardless of whether they do or don’t, they are still winning CMA Awards without having put out new material since 2007, which proves the caliber of their songwriting and artistry. This is Brooks & Dunn’s 20th CMA Award win… that’s insane. At the time of writing, they now sit as the artist with the most CMA Award wins, but as we saw last year, the night is still young, and if Chris Stapleton wins any awards tonight, they could tie or lose that title. Fire up a little “Neon Moon” while you’re here: The post Brooks & Dunn Win Their 16th CMA Award For Duo Of The Year, Set New Record For Most Wins Ever first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Sorry, ladies… I really hate to be the messenger here, as hearts all over the world are breaking with news that Riley Green has a date for the CMA Awards, and it’s not his mom or one of his sisters… it’s influencer Bryana Ferringer. I’m sure you know that Riley is a fan-favorite among the ladies for obvious reasons, and I’ve recently heard him say that he is single, but it appears as though he might actually have a girlfriend, as the cameras panned to Green sitting next to Bryana during the show a couple times tonight. I know some of you are probably very upset to be reading this, but you can still look, okay… there’s no crime in that. Bryana and Riley have been spotted together for months now, so I think it’s safe to assume they’re in some sort of relationship, and it’s serious enough that he would go public with it at such a big event, though they notably did not walk the red carpet together, so there’s that. From a quick Google search, I learned that Bryana previously dated country artist Tucker Wetmore, and she is a beauty, fashion, and lifestyle influencer who lives in Nashville and has been spotted with Riley here and there for the last several months, so I’m sure some of his fans have taken notice, especially if you’re on TikTok at all: @countrysidecakes Saw @Riley Green in the wild and @Red Rocks Amphitheatre #rileygreen #redrocks #worstway #celebrity #countrymusic ♬ original sound – Annabel Earlier this evening on the CMA Awards, when the camera panned to Riley and Bryana, I’m sure fans were heartbroken that the heartthrob appears to have a lady in his life, though it’s unclear if they’re an official item or not… I guess we’ll have to wait and see if they step out publicly again, or maybe even walk the red carpet at another event where we can get all the juicy details about their relationship. Here’s a look at some of her photos on Instagram: View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram View this post on Instagram Riley is already a winner tonight, taking home three trophies for Music Video of the Year (announced before the show started), Single of the Year and Song of the Year for the song “You Look Like You Love Me,” which he shares with Ella Langley. “You Look Like You Love Me” Riley Green Releases “Ol Stray Dog” From the vault. Today, Riley Green released a new song called “Ol’ Stray Dog” as part of Apple Music’s new Lost & Found series, which focuses on showcasing unreleased country tracks from some of Music City’s best songwriters. This is the first song from the second season, and last year, there were some great ones that got uncovered, but my easy favorite is Ernest’s “Would If I Could.” If you haven’t checked that one out yet, you’re missing out… And Riley’s new song is another incredible find. It was originally written by two of Nashville’s best songwriters in Erik Dylan and Jon Randall, and they penned it back in 2019. Dylan, who is a frequent collaborator of Riley’s and has co-written his songs like “There Was This Girl,” “If It Wasn’t For Trucks,” and “Damn Good Day to Leave,” says it was the perfect song for Riley: “Riley’s the guy on this. He’s for sure the guy, he sounds like he wrote it, he sounds like he’s lived it.” Randall adds: “I absolutely love that Riley liked this song enough to try it on. I may be partial because I’m a fan, but I think it fits him like a glove. I sure am thankful that it landed in his world. I guess sometimes an old stray dog can find a home.” Riley says “Ol’ Stray Dog” was right up his alley and the perfect fit for this new season of Lost & Found: “I’ve always been a huge fan of Erik. He knows my style of music, and ‘Ol’ Stray Dog’ was certainly one of those that was right up my alley. Lost & Found has given us another motivation to go find songs.” The song tells the story of a struggling musician living life on the road just trying to make it, something I think Riley and many others can certainly relate to: “Just an ol’ stray dog Back out on the road again, Ain’t got a prayer, ain’t got a friend And it’s been so long I spent half my life just running and the other half getting home” It really is the perfect song for Riley, and along with the acoustic production and simple delivery, I’m so glad we’re finally getting to hear this one and Riley’s giving it the spotlight it deserves. It really is wild how many great songs get pushed to the side, or end up on the cutting room floor for whatever reason during the process of making an album, so I have really enjoyed this Apple Music series and it sounds like we’re in for another great batch of songs with season two. You can listen to the preview of “Ol’ Stray Dog” below, and of course, if you have Apple Music, the entire song is available for streaming there. The original demo is pretty cool too: Dylan recorded it for his 2023 album, Stray Dogs & Homegrown Calamities, but honestly, Erik Dylan’s catalog might be one of the most slept on in country music. With a handful of albums since 2016 including Heart Of A Flatland Boy, Baseball on the Moon, and more, Erik is prolific songwriter, compelling storyteller, and all around good dude. Dig into his music and I promise you, you’ll wonder where he’s been hiding all this time. “Fishing Alone” is a great place to start: Riley is gearing up for another big tour run in 2026 as he will hit the road for his extensive Cowboy As Is Gets Tour. Cowboy As It Gets 2026 Tour Dates: April 16th, 2026 – Southaven, MS – Landers Center#~$ April 17th, 2026 – Louisville, KY – KFC Yum! Center#~$ *ON SALE 10/3 April 18th, 2026 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena#~$ May 7th, 2026 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion#~• May 8th, 2026 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre#~• June 18th, 2026 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center#~• June 19th, 2026 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Saratoga Performing Arts Center#~• June 20th, 2026 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater#~• June 25th, 2026 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center#$* June 26th, 2026 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake#$* July 16th, 2026 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center#~• July 23rd, 2026 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre#~• August 6th, 2026 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater#/• August 7th, 2026 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center#/• August 8th, 2026 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live#/• August 13th, 2026 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion#/• August 14th, 2026 – Hartford, CT – The XFINITY Theatre#/• August 15th, 2026 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheatre#/• August 21st, 2026 – Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford#$*^ August 22nd, 2026 – Grand Forks, ND – Ralph Engelstad Arena#$*^ #Justin Moore ~Drake White $Mackenzie Carpenter •Hannah McFarland *Adam Hood /Zach John KingThe post Who Is Riley Green’s CMA Awards Date, Bryana Ferringer? first appeared on Whiskey Riff.