Country music artist Brantley Gilbert is speaking directly to those who are criticizing his involvement in the Turning Point USA “All-American Halftime Show.” Shortly after Bad Bunny was announced as the Apple Music halftime performer, the organization founded by the late Charlie Kirk shared that they’d be staging a “pro-America” halftime show to act as counter-programming. From the very beginning, Turning Point USA has maintained that their show will be “celebrating faith, family, and freedom.” And for those who have been begging for country music to make an appearance at a Super Bowl halftime show (looking at you Jelly Roll), the lineup for the alternative halftime show will be the closest we’ve gotten in years. Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett are all set to take the stage for the event. THE LINEUP FOR THE ALL-AMERICAN HALFTIME SHOW IS HERE! Watch Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett THIS SUNDAY pic.twitter.com/xwurEhdB13 — Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) February 2, 2026 The decision to put on an alternative halftime show hasn’t come without criticism. For one, it seems as though Turning Point USA only put together the halftime programming because Bad Bunny was selected as the NFL’s official halftime performer. I feel like I don’t even need to say this, but if the National Football League would have went with someone like George Strait or Post Malone, I highly doubt Turning Point USA would have put on their own show. When Turning Point USA announced their lineup for their halftime show, some questions directed at Brantley Gilbert apparently started pouring in. That’s at least what I’m assuming, since the country music artist put out a statement earlier today that was titled “For those asking ‘Who is Brantley Gilbert?’ and ‘Why Is He Playing This Event?'” Feeling as though he had to defend his decision and involvement with the alternative show, Gilbert first shared a bit about himself, and provided some commentary on the current state of the country: “I’m a songwriter who grew up, and still lives in Jackson County, Georgia, whose goal in the music business was to sell out the local theater a few miles from my house and somehow make my living writing songs. I’m a recovering addict with the history of all the bad choices that come with it. I’m not proud of those choices, but I am proud of the choice I’ve made to live in another direction. I share my story through my music, in hopes that it may help and inspire others in their darkest hour. I’m a Christian, and I love our country, despite its flaws. I’ve dedicated part of my life to the men and women who fight for it, and the families of those who gave their life for it. Above all, I’m a proud husband and  father of three.” The “Bottoms Up” singer went on to say that he’s taking pride in bringing country music back to the halftime show (even though it’s not necessarily an official return to the NFL stage), and ultimately decided to join the lineup because he wanted to make his kids proud: “We’re celebrating 250 years as a country, and it’s been more than 20 years since a country artist has been asked to play the Super Bowl halftime show. I respect that some people may see this differently, but I’m not playing this show to be divisive. I was offered this opportunity and imagined my kids watching their daddy perform at halftime during the biggest game in American football. Everything I do, I do for them.” Fair enough. Gilbert concluded with a unifying message, and sharing that he has a prayer for the United States to come together and be united. The country artist then said that he’s excited to take the stage on Sunday, which all but confirms that Turning Point USA will be trying to pull off a live performance right at the same time that Bad Bunny takes the stage at Super Bowl LX: “The way I treat people isn’t conditional based on what our differences may be. I believe “united we stand, divided we fall,” and my prayer for our country is that we stand united. Thank you to my road family and all the fans who have stood beside me. Looking forward to hitting the stage this Sunday and giving folks a hell of a show.” The post “I’m Not Playing This Show To Be Divisive”: Brantley Gilbert Responds To Critics Of Turning Point USA’s “All-American” Halftime Show first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

A historically impeccable performance which will live on forever at the top of the “greatest Super Bowl National Anthem’s of all-time” performances. Leave it to  Chris Stapleton to produce a performance like that on the world’s biggest stage, which occurred on February 12th, 2023. Ahead of Super Bowl LVII, where the Philadelphia Eagles took on the Kansas City Chiefs, Stapleton moved everyone so much with his rendition that it even brought Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni to tears, among others, and it remains the most-watched anthem of the decade. Of course, after a performance like that, most of us wish he could do it every year, but the 10-time Grammy winner has officially retired from singing the Anthem, and honestly, I don’t blame him. I think there’s more pressure on the person singing the National Anthem at the Super Bowl than the halftime performance… those are so subjective, and how much you like it probably depends purely on how much you like the artist performing. While the ever-humble Stapleton would never give himself too much credit, even though he should, he did tell Rolling Stone in a recent interview that he thinks he did “an all right job” with it, adding that he’s poud of himself for remebering all of the words. He explained that he thinks what worked so well about his rendition is that he “played it as a song,” rather than making it into a huge production which tends to happen at an event as big as the Super Bowl: “I did an all right job with it, and I remembered all the words. But I also took it back down to a song. I played it as a song, not as a production, and I think maybe that is why it resonated.” I think he’s selling himself very short, but I think many of us can agree that the soulful, stripped back nature of his performance, and that generational voice, just felt so reverent and resonated very deeply. And this year, he’s paying homage to that legendary performance with a Super Bowl commercial for his whiskey, Traveller Whiskey. The 30-second commercial features soulful guitar riffs of the “Star Spangled Banner” while Stapleton bestows some wise words that perfect moments don’t just happen, they are made: “There is a time. Time spent doing the work that nobody sees. Playing the long game. Because perfect moments don’t happen. They are made. Traveller Whiskey. Made for the moment.”  Accompanying Stapleton’s silky-smooth dialogue is imagery of him working behind the scenes for his national anthem performance, followed by an announcer introducing him as he walks out of the tunnel to deliver a performance of a lifetime. Just as Stapleton poured hard work into making sure he nailed the “Star Spangled Banner,” the commercial features behind-the-scenes footage from Buffalo Trace Distillery, highlighting that hard work also goes into making great whiskey and bourbon. The 30-second ad was filmed in real life, and he notes that it’s very much a “non-AI commercial”: “It’s a very non-AI commercial.” Well, it definitely isn’t “AI,” but it’s certainly expensive, as it’s been reported that a half-minute Super Bowl ad in 2026 will run advertisers right around $8 million to air, and it’s well-known that Super Bowl commercials are the highest premiums around. Sazerac Company, which is the alcoholic beverage company that oversees Traveller, is footing the bill for the TV spot, and Stapleton explained to Rolling Stone that they wanted to put it out on the world’s biggest stage in order to drive their message home: “The Super Bowl is historically the big stage for commercials, so I think we’re hoping to create a moment. The ‘made for the moment’ thing is really a discussion of the quiet moments and the work that goes into all the things that we do.” And when it comes to why he’s done with the anthem, during an appearance on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Dirty Mo Media podcast a little while back, he explained that after nailing the performance, he wants to go out on top, so to speak… and he also credited the editing of the performance as part of its magical appeal: “Oh yeah, I practiced that one. I don’t get nervous to play, necessarily… that one, I was like I’m gonna make sure I’m as prepared as I can be for this. I would have people ask me to sing the National Anthem for various things, and I jokingly always said, ‘No, I’ll just do it when it’s time to do it at the Super Bowl,’ you know. And I just turned it down a lot, and I do say now that I’ve officially retired from it as well. And I have to give credit to, and I’m not saying my version wasn’t wasn’t good, I think it was good, but all the TV editing that they did while I was doing it was just spot on. Everything that they did to make that moment feel as big and nice as it could, they did it. And they executed flawlessly. So, yes, I prepared for that, and yes, I worked on that. Genuinely nerve-racking, and I was live live. There was no pre-recorded anything.” It’s clear how honored Stapleton was to get that gig, and he certainly “made a moment” with it that is as timeless and perfect as it could ever be. We all know he has an incredible voice, so I was not the least bit surprised at how incredible it was, but I’m gonna need him to start giving himself a little more credit. When you’re in conversation with Whitney Houston as the best to do anything, you’ve ascended to a level most of us mere mortals could only ever dream of. His new commercial is set to run right before kickoff on NBC and Telemundo this coming Sunday ahead of the Super Bowl, and you can check it out here: And of course, I must leave you with this… The post Chris Stapleton Says He Did An “All Right Job” With Legendary Super Bowl National Anthem Performance first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Gavin Newscum is outright lying to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem after she called on him to work with ICE and not release tens of thousands of criminal illegals back on to the . . .

Cheap Trick continues on the road in 2026 promoting their latest album "All Washed Up", released last year. Besides solo shows in the United States and Canada next February, March, April, June and August, the band will tour in May with Styx. The band is currently formed by Rick Nielsen (Guitar), Tom Petersson (Bass) and Robin Zander (Vocals, guitar). They are accompanied by Nielsen’s and Zander’s sons: Daxx Nielsen (Drums) and Robin Taylor Zander (Guitar). Cheap Trick 2026 tour dates February 25 – Hertz Arena, Estero, FL 27 – The BayCare Sound, Clearwater, FL 28 – St. Augustine Amphitheatre, St. Augustine, FL March 3 – Chattanooga, TN 4 – Knoxville, TN 6 – Bossier City, LA 7 – Biloxi, MS 9 – Melbourne, FL 11 – Orlando, FL 20 – Sayreville, NJ 21 – Ledyard, CT 27 – Ranson, WV 28 – Danville, VA April 3 – Bensalem, PA 4 – Niagara Falls, NY 17 – Las Vegas, NV 18 – Las Vegas, NV 21 – Claremont, CA 22 – Paso Robles, CA 24 – San Diego, CA 25 – Winterhaven, CA May (Shows with Styx) 17 – Rogers, AR 20 – Park City, KS 21 – Des Moines, IA 23 – Camdenton, MO 24 – Lincoln, NE June 28 – The Sylvee, Madison, WI August 2 – Rockin’ the Fields of Minnedosa, Minnedosa, Canada “All Washed Up” tracklist “All Washed Up” “All Wrong Long Gone” “The Riff That Won’t Quit” “Bet It All” “The Best Thing” “Twelve Gates” “Bad Blood” “Dancing With the Band” “Love Gone” “A Long Way to Worcester” “Wham Boom Bang” "All Washed Up" is their first album since “In Another World”, released in 2021. This record was produced by the band and Julian Raymond and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge. It was recorded at studios in Nashville and Los Angeles last year. “Just one more great album from the best rock band in the world,” Robin Zander said. https://youtu.be/OlQss71eNs0?list=PLxA687tYuMWgf3FLnKT8lhSgLOIIu_tJUThe post Cheap Trick 2026 tour dates appeared first on Rock and Roll Garage.

Twisted Sister had announced a series of tour dates around the world to celebrate their 50th anniversary, but all shows were canceled due to Dee Snider’s health issues. The musician revealed that he suffers from degenerative arthritis and recently learned that he can no longer perform onstage with the same level of intensity as before. Formed back in 1976 in New Jersey, Twisted Sister announced their reunion last December but without the classic bassist Mark “The Animal” Mendoza. The band’s frontman Dee Snider revealed he wouldn't be with them due to “irreconcilable differences”. Read Twisted Sister's and Dee Snider's statement "With Regrets, Twisted Sister Cancels 50th Anniversary Celebration Performance: Due to the sudden and unexpected resignation of Twisted Sister’s lead singer Dee Snider brought on by a series of health challenges, the band has been forced to cancel all shows scheduled, beginning April 25th in Sao Paulo Brazil and continuing through the summer. The future of The future of Twisted Sister will be determined in the next several weeks. Stay tuned for updates," Jay Jay French and Eddie Ojeda said. Dee Snider's statement says: "A lifetime of legendarily aggressive performing has taken its toll on Dee Snider’s body and soul. Unbeknownst to the public (until now) Snider (70) suffers from degenerative arthritis and has had several surgeries over the years just to keep going, able to only perform a few songs at a time in pain." "Adding insult to injury, Dee has recently found out the level of intensity he has dedicated to his life’s work has taken its toll on his heart as well. He can no longer push the boundaries of rock ‘n’ roll fury like he has done for decades. Says Snider, “I don’t know of any other way to rock. The idea of slowing down is unacceptable to me. I’d rather walk away than be a shadow of my former self.” In the immortal words of Dirty Harry, “A man’s got to know his limitations.” Sadly, Dee Snider now knows his," Dee Snider said. One of the most memorable bands from the 1980s, Twisted Sister released so far seven studio albums, the most recent one being “A Twisted Christmas” in 2006. Their biggest hits are “I Wanna Rock” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkIGtuSwhCM&pp=ygUSdHdpc3RlZCBzaXN0ZXJsaXZlThe post Twisted Sister cancels reunion due to Dee Snider’s health issues appeared first on Rock and Roll Garage.

Once again, Skid Row is looking for a new singer, and anyone in the world can apply. The band has teamed up with online music retailer Sweetwater to launch a worldwide search for their new vocalist. How to apply to be the next Skid Row vocalist Candidates must submit a video of themselves on the website, including a short bio and an explanation of why they should be chosen as the band’s next singer. The submission should also include videos of them performing the hit songs “18 and Life” and “Monkey Business.” The official statement says: "This isn’t a contest. This isn’t a gimmick. This is your chance to join. This is about more than pitch-perfect vocals. It’s about presence, conviction, and authenticity — the qualities that have always defined Skid Row." "If you’ve got what it takes, don’t wait. Submit your audition for your chance at becoming part of one of rock’s most enduring stories. Tell Us Who You Are: In your video, start by introducing yourself with a short bio and tell us why you should be the next lead vocalist for Skid Row!" "Record Yourself: After the introduction, your video (or videos) must include both Skid Row songs (“18 And Life” and “Monkey Business”) to showcase your range and presence — download links are below." "Upload Your Submission: Enter your email and upload your video link from any platform in the form below. Use the hashtag #SkidRowNextChapter on Instagram, YouTube, and/or TikTok, and don’t forget to tag Sweetwater and Skid Row!" @OfficialSkidRow on Instagram @SkidRow on YouTube @SkidRowOfficial on TikTok "How You’ll Get Heard: Submissions will be reviewed directly by Skid Row, their management, and Sweetwater.  For any next steps, you will be contacted directly via the email address provided, if the band likes what they hear." "Timeline: Submissions open February 5, 2026, at 10:00AM ET. There’s no deadline — Skid Row will wait until they find the right singer." "Share Your Audition with #SkidRowNextChapter Want to get your voice heard beyond the submission form? Post your audition on social media and use the hashtag #SkidRowNextChapter" "Upload your performance to platforms like YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. Use the hashtag #SkidRowNextChapter so the band and Sweetwater can find it! Tag  Sweetwater and Skid Row when you post. " Since the band fired classic singer Sebastian Bach in 1996, he has not returned to the lineup, although he has said many times that he would like to. Since then, the band’s vocalists have included Johnny Solinger, Tony Harnell, ZP Theart, Erik Grönwall, and Lzzy Hale. The current lineup consists of Dave “The Snake” Sabo (guitar – since 1986), Rachel Bolan (bass – since 1986), Scotti Hill (guitar – since 1987), and Rob Hammersmith (drums – since 2010). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sONIdrJkT5g&list=RDsONIdrJkT5g&start_radio=1&pp=ygUSc2tpZCByb3cgbHp6eSBoYWxloAcBThe post Skid Row is looking for a new singer and anyone can apply appeared first on Rock and Roll Garage.

Besides being one of the most important guitarists and singers of all time, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour has always been relatively private. He rarely discussed other bands or artists in interviews over the decades, but when he did, he shared his genuine opinions. Although it might seem unlikely to many music fans, the connection between Pink Floyd and the American band Toto is actually stronger than expected. Over his career, Gilmour has spoken about some members of the band, including guitarist Steve Lukather and the late drummer Jeff Porcaro. What is David Gilmour's opinion on Toto's Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro David Gilmour has been a big admirer of Steve Lukather and has become a very good friend of his over the decades. “Steve Lukather is great. I really love his playing. I love a lot of people’s playing, but I mostly tend to like some of the old guys, you know? Eric, Jeff Beck, people like that. They’re more to my taste,” David Gilmour said in an interview with Guitar World in 1988. He has been a really good friend of Steve and went to see Toto play a couple of times over the years. The most recent one was in 2025 at the Wembley Arena in London. The band posted a photo of the two guitarists backstage with a message of Steve saying: "Beyond honored to spend some time with my friend and hero David Gilmour. Thanks also to your family and the band for graciously taking time out to see us. Big love, yer pal Luke," the Toto guitarist said. Steve has always been a huge Pink Floyd and David Gilmour fan but never had the chance to work with the guitarist. However, he did record with Roger Waters, playing guitar on three tracks from his 1992 album “Amused to Death.” He also had the opportunity to pay tribute to Gilmour on Pink Floyd’s tribute album “Back Against the Wall” (2005). Steve played guitar on the versions of “Another Brick in the Wall, Part III” and “Hey You.” When David Gilmour pranked Lukather It was Steve Lukather’s late, legendary bandmate Jeff Porcaro who introduced them to each other. He had the opportunity to meet Gilmour and the band in the late 1970s, when he was hired to record the drums on the song “Mother” from the groundbreaking album “The Wall” (1979). Toto was a band primarily formed by highly respected session musicians such as Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro. Over the decades they ended up working with almost every major name in the music business. One of those artists was Paul McCartney and during one of his stays in London in the 80s, Steve also had the opportunity to spend time with David Gilmour, who ended up playing a prank on him. "While I was over in England (Recording McCartney's 'Give My Regards to Broad Street' - 1984) I hung out with David Gilmour as well. Gilmour ended up in my hotel room one night, bullshitting me about all this gear he owned. (He was) just taking the piss, you know? I was just picking his brain about some of the Floyd records and stuff. I found out later that he lied to me about everything, ha!," Steve Lukather told On Stage magazine in 2013. David Gilmour said Jeff Porcaro was one of the greatest drummers in the world Nick Mason was highly praised by his bandmates over the years as being the right man for Pink Floyd. But David Gilmour already praised many other drummers, including Jeff Porcaro. When it came time to record “Mother” during the sessions for “The Wall,” David recalled that it was a very difficult track, and they ended up calling the American musician. “On Mother the timing follows the words. ‘Mo-ther-do-you-think- they’ll-drop-the-*bomb*?’ How many beats is that? Nine. It was very very difficult to get it to work. You can’t (mimes standard Floyd 4). There’s no rhythm that carries on straight through like that. You’ve got to find a way of floating through it. Jeff Porcaro did immediately,” David Gilmour said  in an interview with M. Resnicoff in 1992. A couple of years later, in 1984, when he recorded his second solo album, “About Face,” he made a list of the greatest musicians in the world, who were also his personal favorites. As Gilmour told Source at the time, Porcaro was at the top of his list when it came to drummers. “I wanted to make a really good record. I didn’t want to do it very, very quickly. (So) I wanted to get the best musicians in the world that I could get hold of to play with me. So I thought I’d just make a little list of all my favorite musicians.” David Gilmour continued: “You know, best drummer, best bass player, best keyboard player. I’ll work through the list to see who I can get. Jeff Porcaro was top of my drummers list, Pino Palladino was top of my bass players list. Ian Quely, he actually came and did the bulk of the Hammond and piano playing, he was terrific. Steve Winwood was top of my keyboard playing list. He couldn’t do most of the album, but I got him to do a bit,” David Gilmour said. Jeff played the drums on that entire record which also had Pino Palladino (Bass) and Ian Kewley (Hammond organ/piano). Some of the other special guests were Jon Lord and Steve Winwood. So Porcaro is one of the few artists who had the chance to record with Pink Floyd, David Gilmour and Roger Waters, since like Lukather he was also part of the album "Amused to Death" (1992). He tragically passed away that same year at the age of 38. Like Toto’s guitarist, Jeff also played with some of the most important musicians of all time. Some of them were Paul McCartney, Elton John, Michael Jackson, the Bee Gees and Bruce Springsteen.The post David Gilmour’s opinion on Toto’s Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro appeared first on Rock and Roll Garage.