Great songwriting and a gorgeous voice to tell the stories. If you haven’t heard Lanie Gardner’s name before, at some point, you’ve probably seen her extremely viral cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” which she shared on Youtube around four years ago, and it quickly caught the eye of many fans… over 63 million and counting now, to be exact. She has such an incredible voice, obviously, to be able to sing a song like this and really nail it: Since then, Lanie has been putting out music and trying to carve out a career path in country music, though during a recent interview for Apple Music, she talked about how it hasn’t always been exactly what she expected: “I didn’t realize I wouldn’t be able to process  a lot of the ‘fame’ stuff. And I thought I would be like, ‘I finally made it, I finally had a video go viral, this is what I’ve always wanted.’ And then when it did, it was like, ‘Oh, wow.’ All these people are reaching out to me now to basically start a business, which is me. And I was like ‘Oh, so this is my career. This is what I’m doing for hopefully a long time.’ I don’t think I was ready to take that big step, I kind of was just thrown into the lion’s den. But I learned so much.” It’s an experience many young artists can probably relate to, because often, the actual reality of what it’s like to do music as a full-time job is the opposite of what you’d imagine it to be, especially with what Lanie went through in terms of going mega viral and being thrown into a completely new life with such a big a lunch, if you will. Especially considering she was not expecting or really all that prepared for it to happen the way that it did: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lanie Gardner (@laniegardner) In 2024, Lanie released her debut album A Songwriter’s Diary, and she was also featured on the Twisters film soundtrack on a song called “Chasing The Wind.” She penned her debut album completely on her own, which is a testament to her raw talent as an up-and-coming artist. The Burnsville, North Carolina native is rooted in country, but has a blend of classic rock and soulful delivery that pair beautifully with her incredible voice. Growing up in western North Carolina, Lanie’s late grandfather inspired her love for music, and she has a knack for storytelling and uses inspiration from her childhood in the mountains to guide everything she puts out today. She has toured with acts like Jelly Roll, and more recently, played her first set at Stagecoach, and will make her Grand Ole Opry debut next month. And this past week, she released a brand new EP called Polaroids, which features a solid six songs that touch on everything from love to life and of course, heartbreak. On “Buzzkill,” she addresses the fact that the guy she wants is after a “Barbie doll, show stopper, beauty queen” who isn’t what she appears to be. On “Boys Like You,” she warns herself of the inevitability of the man she’s after breaking her heart and how it’s as sure as the “cigarette that’s glowin red” will burn your lungs. On “Takin’ The Slow Ride,” she craves the ease of a long, winding drive with no point or destination in mind, and how the unknown of a simple day can fill a part of your soul like nothing else. “Hold Your Horses” is similar in sentiment in terms of slowing life down and finding pleasure in the little things again, and it’s a great reminder I think we all need from time to time. While it’s an EP, so it consists of just six songs, they pack a punch and impress with her songwriting ability and voice that can sing anything… I know it’s a cover, but I still can’t get over her singing “Dreams,” and there’s a reason that blew up the way it did. Even in country music, you’d be surprised at how hard it is to come by an artist who truly is a gifted vocalist without the help of autotune and other editing, but Lainey’s got the voice and that certainly sets her apart. For any country artist to have staying power in the industry, songwriting and being able to put a pen to paper in a way that no on else has before, is essential, and Lanie effortlessly combines real emotion and real life circumstances with lighthearted sass and fun, which is a winning combination. Having that kind of range is so important, and I know she will only continue to refine the natural talent she has in this genre. If you’ve never taken the time to dive into her music or maybe haven’t heard of Lanie before, this EP is a great place to start and I’ll leave my favorite four songs below. Of course, you check out the entire Polaroids project anywhere you stream music as well. “Buzzkill” “Boys Like You” “Takin’ The Slow Ride” “Hold Your Horses” Polaroids Tracklist: “Takin’ The Slow Ride” “Boys Like You” “Buzzkill” “Concrete Cowboy” “Hold Your Horses” “Little Bit Of Lovin'”The post Lanie Gardner Showcases Beautiful Vocals & Impressive Songwriting Talent On New ‘Polaroids’ EP first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Wynonna Judd is a on a mission. The country music icon and Grammy-Award-winning singer will soon set out on the Wynonna Judd: The Greatest Hits Tour. She’ll be bringing back her instantly recognizable country sound from the 1980s and 1990s at venues all around the country – and even a couple of stops in Canada. The former half of The Judds has countless number one hits in her repertoire, and Wynonna is very intentionally going out on tour to both allow for fans to reminisce with the music while also keeping tabs on how far her music has come, as she told Fox5 Atlanta: “I’m on a mission to remind people of where we were in country music. Not to stay stuck there, but just to be reminded. And it’s important to celebrate. I don’t think we celebrate enough. I think it’s really important to take out that scrapbook and look through the pictures, and talk about grandmother, and ‘Remember when we did this?’ And that’s what this tour is. It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come.” So if you call yourself a fan of The Judds, or of Wynonna Judd’s solo catalogue, this is the tour for you. And if you don’t mind, I’m going to connect the dots a bit. This new show that Wynonna Judd is embarking on sure seems to be an extension of a trio of shows Judd did last summer. She celebrated her milestone 40 years in country music last year by heading out to Sin City for a three-night ‘Greatest Hits’ stand. Judd evidently enjoyed that endeavor so much that it inspired the upcoming Greatest Hits Tour. Judd is taking the tour and the preparation for it very seriously, and said that she’s really been focusing on every aspect of her health ahead of the tour that will run from June all the way to beginning of September: “I try not to stay up too late. I don’t smoke, I drink very little. I just try to stay healthy. I’ve got a trainer three times a week, and I try to sweat and go outside and look at the sunlight. And I stay so busy trying to stay healthy mentally. I’m really huge on that because of what happened to me with mom. And I just do the work. I’m never not in a process.” Sounds like Wynonna Judd is all in on her 2025 tour. If you are too, then check out the tour schedule below to see when the country music legend comes to a city near you. Wynonna Judd: The Greatest Hits Tour Dates June 13- LaGrange, GA | Sweetland Amphitheater June 14- Cherokee, NC | Harrah’s Cherokee June 15- Wilmington, NC | Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College June 18- Greenville, SC | Peace Center June 20- Virginia Beach, VA | The Dome June 23- Lancaster, PA | American Music Theatre June 25- Grand Rapids, MI | Venue TBA June 26-  Interlochen, MI | Interlochen Center for the Arts – Kresge Auditorium July 11- Council Bluffs, IA | Harrah’s Stir Cove July 12- Mankato, MN | Vetter Stone Amphitheater July 15- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada | TCU Place July 16- Calgary, Alberta, Canada | Grey Eagle Resort & Casino July 18- Fort St John, British Columbia, Canada | Energetic County Fair July 23- Rapid City, SD | The Monument July 24- Waukee, IA | Vibrant Music Hall July 25- Rockford, IL | Hard Rock Live at Hard Rock Casino Rockford July 26- Gary, IN | Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana August 7 – Sedalia, MO | Missouri State Fair August 21- Kennewick, WA | Benton Franklin County Fair August 22- Boise, ID | Western Idaho State Fair August 23- Jacksonville, OR | Britt Pavilion August 25- Monroe, WA | Evergreen State Fair September 5- Albuquerque, NM | New Mexico State Fair And hey, while we’re talking about greatest hits, we might as well cue up Wynonna’s “No One Else On Earth,” am I right? The post Wynonna Judd Says She’s “On A Mission” To Remind Fans Where Country Music Used To Be With Her ‘Greatest Hits Tour’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Evangeline vs. The Machine didn’t fair as well as Eric Church’s other albums on the Billboard charts. One could describe the Chief’s latest entrant into the musical world as this: a ride. The project, which is designed to be listened to from front to back, is a look into the genius of Church when he simply asks the question, “How far can I push this thing?” Personally, I feel like he slightly hints at that approach in the song “Rocket’s White Lincoln,” which is included in the album. The “man vs. the machine” messaging throughout the record held up a mirror to many different battles currently taking place in the music industry: creativity and commercialism, tradition and trendy, instant profit or lasting persistence. So it’s not necessarily a surprise that the album about butting heads with the machine didn’t do all that well inside the machine itself. Plus, it’s also only 8 songs, and in today’s world of 30+-track albums, an intentional effort to rack up mega streaming numbers, it’s tough to compete with the likes of Morgan Wallen. And he isn’t trying to… But Forbes even put out a story that was titled “Eric Church Hits a New Career Low” which focused in on the performance of Evangeline vs. The Machine, and calling it a “career low” is a bit of a stretch if you ask me. They themselves point out that… well, I’ll just let you read what they said right below a subheading that shared the same name as the overarching “Church Hits A New Career Low” story: “‘Evangeline vs. the Machine’ now stands out as Church’s lowest-peaking studio album on the Billboard 200. Previously, that distinction belonged to his debut full-length, ‘Sinners Like Me.’ Released in 2006, the set reached as high as No. 29 – a respectable showing for a new artist at the time.” They also went on to point out that this is the first record from Eric Church in over 10 years that failed to reach the top 10 in the Billboard 200. Church’s first two entries into the country music realm – Sinners Like Me and Carolina – are the only other two out of his catalogue that didn’t reach that benchmark. All in all, the story was just pointing out that statistically speaking – and for where Church is currently in his career – Evangeline vs. The Machine‘s performance on the Billboard charts is both surprising and underwhelming. Though calling it a new career low is dramatic, I suppose when you strictly look at the numbers, that statement has legs. And the best part about it all? I feel very comfortable in saying that the Chief himself could not care less about where Evangeline vs. The Machine falls on the charts. Eric Church’s entire career has been about pushing the limits, and his latest album did just that, and his fans loved it. The same can’t be said for the more casual country music listener, but was Church ever doing it for them? Nope. Whether it be his latest record, or his controversial Stagecoach performance, Eric Church insists that he do things he’s passionate about, and time and time again, he hasn’t been concerned with “how it does on the radio.” That’s even the loud and clear message of his song “That’s Damn Rock & Roll” from The Outsiders: “It ain’t a middle finger on a t-shirt The establishments tryin’ to sell It’s a guy with the balls who told the establishment To go to hell It ain’t about the money you make, when a record gets sold It’s about doin’ it for nothin’, cause it lives in your soul That’s damn rock and roll.” Yeah… safe to say Eric Church isn’t losing any sleep about how his album performs on the Billboard charts. Eric has never been about the charts. In fact, you’d be shocked at how many #1 songs Eric Church has earned over the course of his career… just a handful, and that’s over the course of a 20-year career so far. Long live the Chief. May he continue to triumph in the face of his “career suicide” performances and his “new career low” projects. When it’s all said and done, it’s Eric Church that we’ll remember, not whoever is at the top of Country Airplay chart this week.The post ‘Forbes’ Calls Eric Church’s ‘Evangeline vs. The Machine’ His “New Career Low”… & I’m Confident Chief Couldn’t Care Less first appeared on Whiskey Riff.