“20 Cigarettes” and a brand new music video. Today, Morgan Wallen released the official music video for “20 Cigarettes,” which is the current and sixth single from his monster 37-song new album I’m The Problem. The focus of the record is obviously on Morgan and his feelings on a lot of the mistakes he’s made in his personal life, and specifically, lots of different relationships, and he previously explained that he wanted to “dig deeper” and really flesh out all of the concepts he had for each song. Of course, a lot of the album also focuses on Morgan’s struggles in his love life and falling short in that area in may different ways, but one of the fan-favorites, “20 Cigarettes” focuses on a specific night and how he essentially had a one night stand with a woman he met at a bar. It also cleared up how to pronounce “Demonbreun,” for all the Nashville visitors who constantly say it wrong. Just a heads up, it’s not “Dee-mon-brawn.” The song has four co-writers in Chris LaCorte, Chase McGill, Blake Pendergrass and Josh Miller, and in a previous post, to quote myself, I said: “I hate this song. I almost liked it, but something about the melody and cadence of the verses drove me crazy.” It’s grown on me a little since then, I actually don’t mind it now, and just a little fun fact for you here, the math DOES add up in the song, but I digress… In the video, you see Morgan with multiple different girls, at bars and riding around town, but they all end up doing the same thing together… smoking cigarettes, as the title suggests. Like all of his music videos, this one is super high quality and cinematic, and while seemingly simple on the surface, I think it delivers the message in a creative way, and ‘m sure his fans will be excited he’s releasing another music video so soon after putting one out for “I Got Better.” “20 Cigarettes” has been streaming incredibly well, and I have no doubt it will shoot to the top of the country charts very quickly on country radio… Morgan’s already scored five #1  hits from I’m The Problem. “20 Cigarettes” officially impacts radio today, so we’ll see over the next several weeks and monthly just how fast it does climb the charts. If this is one of your favorites songs from Morgan’s most recent album, I think you’ll enjoy this video and the artistry that went into it. You can watch the full music video below: The post Morgan Wallen Burns Through “20 Cigarettes” In New Music Video For Current Single From ‘I’m The Problem’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Super Bowl bound for sure. In the midst of a busy month which included the release of his three-song EP, The Prequel, and the announcement (and further extension) of his massive 2026 My Kinda Saturday Night international tour, featuring Dierks Bentley, Thomas Rhett, Ty Myers, The Castellows and more, Luke Combs made an appearance on ESPN’s College Game Day over the weekend in Athens, Georgia. Appearing alongside Bailey Zimmerman before their performance of their recent #1 hit, “Backup Plan,” the North Carolina native sat down with the likes of Pat McAfee, Kirk Herbstreit, Nick Saban and more briefly to discuss his complicated relationship with Carolina Panthers’ owner, David Tapper, who he publicly criticized for the team’s disastrous 2023 and 2024 seasons which resulted in a 2-15 and 5-12 record, respectively. After his appearance on College Gameday with McAfee and Co., Combs would later sit down with ESPN’s Katie Feeney to make his picks for an all-country music football lineup, and the results were hilarious. Right off the bat, Feeny selected Morgan Wallen as the first artist, and Combs immediately picked him as his middle linebacker. Makes sense, you need a high-motor star to command your defense, and Wallen is the biggest in the genre by far. His off-the-field endeavors could be an issue, but it’s not like CFB or the NFL hasn’t dealt with their fair share of star players getting into a couple controversies here and there. He’d then assign his “Backup Plan” co-star, Bailey Zimmerman to safety. Though they didn’t specify whether he’d be playing strong or free safety, I could see Zimmerman flying around the secondary as a free safety. I mean just check out his social media, the guy is full of energy, and it would translate pretty well on the football field. Another good pick. Taking a playful jab at Luke Bryan, Combs would assign the “Play It Again” singer to the bench as a glue guy before picking Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson as the team’s running back and quarterback respectively. Solid picks. Moroney has gotten off to a hot start in her career and has the flashy attributes a good running back needs. Wilson, on the other hand, has all the traits needed to command a championship team, complete with all the talent, personality and media presence a quarterback needs. Hilariously, the “Beautiful Crazy” singer would draft Jelly Roll as a slot receiver, calling him a former offensive lineman due to his incredibly weight-loss journey over the past three years. Personally, I would have drafted Jelly as my tight end, but I can’t fault him since the joke was too good. After selecting Kelsea Ballerini as a defensive back (not a bad pick to fill out the squad), Luke would then designate former D1 quarterback at Jacksonville State University and country superstar, Riley Green, as the team’s water boy. Again, another great joke but maybe let him relive his glory days as a starting quarterback, all for the sake of the team winning games, of course. Finally, Combs would designate himself to the bench, telling Feeny he wouldn’t be good enough to start. If we’re being realistic, the team needs some help on the offensive line, so I think he’d have to step up off the bench, hopefully at one of the guard positions. Overall, the team still has some gaps to fill. Bringing in the likes of some seasoned veterans like Eric Church, Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson on offense coupled with some young stars like Zach Top, Ella Langley and Koe Wetzel on defense would make this team into instant contenders. Hell, they might even be able to beat the lowly New Orleans Saints now given the way they’ve been playing this season. Watch Combs make his picks here: @katiefeeneyy I think we need a country artist football game @Luke Combs @College GameDay @ESPN #collegegameday #espn #lukecombs #countrymusic ♬ original sound – Katie Feeney “Backup Plan” My Kinda Saturday Night Tour Dates March 21 Allegiant Stadium – Las Vegas, NV April 4 Scott Stadium – Charlottesville, VA April 11 Jack Trice Stadium – Ames, IA April 18 Notre Dame Stadium – South Bend, IN April 25 Ohio Stadium – Columbus, OH May 2 Neyland Stadium – Knoxville, TN May 9 Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium – Norman, OK May 15 Lambeau Field – Green Bay, WI May 16 Lambeau Field – Green Bay, WI May 30 Parc Jean-Drapeau – Montreal, QC June 5 Rogers Stadium – Toronto, ON June 6 Rogers Stadium – Toronto, ON July 4 Ullevi – Gothenburg, Sweden July 7 Accor Arena – Paris, France July 11 Johan Cruijff ArenA – Amsterdam, Netherlands July 18 Slane Castle – Slane, Ireland July 19 Slane Castle – Slane, Ireland July 25 Scottish Gas Murrayfield – Edinburgh, UK July 31 Wembley Stadium – London, UK August 1 Wembley Stadium – London, UKThe post Luke Combs Hilariously Drafts Country Music Football Lineup Featuring Morgan Wallen At Middle Linebacker, Jelly Roll At Slot Receiver & More first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Setting the record straight. Earlier this month, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman filled headlines when news broke they were separated. TMZ reported the two had been living apart since the beginning of summer when Keith moved out. Sources tell the news outlet that Nicole has been taking care of their two children and is “holding the family together through this difficult time since Keith has been gone.” The source added that Kidman was trying her hardest to save the marriage, making Urban’s decision to move out one-sided. While many fans hoped they would find their way back to each other, they were heartbroken when news broke that Kidman had officially filed for divorce from the country star, which was first reported by TMZ and later confirmed by People. Since the divorce, there has been some back-and-forth between the two parties about who feels hurt and who has allegedly already moved on. The rumor mill has been swirling that Urban has moved on, and internet “FBI agents” are now reading into everything surrounding their split. One moment that stirred up a lot of conversation came from his Virginia show, where he tweaked the lyrics of “You’ll Think of Me.” While singing the chorus, Urban added a line that has fans convinced he’s referencing the end of his relationship with Kidman: “Take your records, take your freedom Take your memories, I don’t need them Take your space and your bullsh** reasons But you’ll think of me And take your cat and leave my sweater ‘Cause we have nothing left to weather In fact I’ll feel a whole lot better But you’ll think of me….” Typically, the line that he changed is “Take your space and take your reasons,” so it’s a very slight change. @rtthebest1 #keithurban #keithurbanconcert #virginia #nicolekidman #highandaliveworldtour ♬ original sound – rtthebest It did not take long for folks online to jump to conclusions, commenting things like: “Wow- he’s angry.. His ex-wife clearly got the good hair straightener in the divorce.” “Keith Urban crashing out on stage was not on my 2025 Bingo card.” “Orrrrrrrr….. hear me out. He’s a selfish narcissist addict. Who is trying to re write the narrative.” “Recovering addict here. I think he’s relapsed, that crash out looks fueled by something else.” Then other social media users pointed out that he has been singing “You’ll Think Of Me” with a fiery passion for years. “HE HAS SANG THESE LINES AT EVERY SHOW THE LAST 20 YEARS “ “For reference: he has literally sang this extra verse for 15 years!” And those users are not wrong. Urban has always gotten into character when performing this tune. While, of course, his fiery passion might be fueled a little bit by what’s going on in his personal life, however, it’s not driving his choice to theatrically lean into the lyrics. Because of the chatter online after this show, Keith Urban decided to address the viral moment during his recent show in Nashville. The Australian urged his fans to not read into online rumors surrounding his divorce, but specifically on stage moments where he’s in character. “I’ve song it like this for a long time. Stop reading s*** into it. It’s called ‘You’ll Think Of Me.'” Amen to that. The internet loves to act like it knows what’s going on in famous folks’ personal lives, and this is a reminder to not believe everything you see online. Check it out: @hgbananagirl The real ones know. #keithurban #nicolekidman #celebritynews #celebritygossip #celebritytiktok ♬ original sound – Hannah Moments like this also are a good reminder to fans that not all lyrics are 100% fact. Urban was singing this heartbreak anthem while happily married to Nicole for years, and recorded it long before he met her. While it’s heartbreaking these two are no longer a couple, “You’ll Think Of Me” is a mega hit for Urban and fans would be upset if he did not perform it in his set. Despite what’s going on in his personal life, Urban has remained the top notch entertainer he has always been. Part of the job of being in the entertainment business is to sell the words you are singing… he’s doing just that.The post Keith Urban Tells Fans To Stop Reading Into His Passionate “You’ll Think Of Me” Performance: “I’ve Sung It Like This For A Long Time” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

President Trump just won a big victory in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, against an activist lower federal court which had blocked him from deploying the National Guard in Portland, Oregon. . . .

Part of the music business since the early 1960s, Eric Clapton first achieved fame as a member of The Yardbirds. He quickly gained recognition after playing with John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Cream and many other successful projects throughout his career, in addition to his acclaimed solo records. He had the opportunity to witness the evolution of British rock up close and see many incredible guitarists emerge. Over the decades, he has spoken about numerous bands, sharing his opinions, for example on Dire Straits and the band's vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Mark Knopfler. What is Eric Clapton's opinion on Dire Straits Eric Clapton is a big fan of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler, they played together multiple times and called him a "great craftsman". “Well, Mark Knopfler, I think, is totally unique. He’s a great craftsman, which brings it back to that. I mean, with Dire Straits, if you listen to any of their albums the first time, it sort of goes by you a bit. Then gradually it just gets better and better, and it stands the test of time. They’re fantastic craftsmen.” “Sting (The Police) has that same quality. Soul Cages was exactly the same thing for me. I liked it the first time, but it was a bit esoteric. Then it grew and grew. For a period of time it was all I listened to, over and over again. I would listen to it in my car in a CD cartridge. Along with Mozart and Puccini and the Band and Muddy Waters. And it stood up on its own, amongst all those other classic things,” told Rolling Stone in 1991. As Dire Straits bassist John Illsley said in his book "My Life in Dire Straits", the first time Clapton went to see them play was in the early 80s, after they released "Love Over Gold" (1982). But as he said, the guitarist was probably more interested in seeing Mark Knopfler playing. "We hit the road with a warm-up gig at Guildford Civic Hall, a sketchy performance memorable only for the after-show appearance backstage of Eric Clapton, a guitarist much admired by anyone who has ever picked up the instrument. It was flattering that he came to see us or, more probably, to see Mark in action," John Illsley said. The first time Eric Clapton and Dire Straits played together Curiously, one of the few times during his career that Eric Clapton played in a band mainly as a rhythm guitarist was during his performances with Dire Straits. Illsley even joked once that the legendary guitarist is actually quite good playing rhythm guitar. The first time Eric Clapton played with Dire Straits was in 1985, when he joined them at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. That night, the guitarist joined them to perform "Two Young Lovers" (Dire Straits song), "Cocaine" (J.J. Cale song made famous by Clapton) and "Farther Up the Road" (Bobby Blue song recorded by Eric). After 1985, Knopfler and Clapton played together again in 1986 at the Prince’s Trust 10th Birthday Concert. The following year, when Clapton began his Royal Albert Hall residency, he recruited Knopfler as his second guitarist. In 1988, they once again performed together at the Prince’s Trust show and the Nelson Mandela concert. That same year, when Clapton embarked on an American tour to celebrate 25 years of his career, Knopfler was part of his band. The tour’s final shows in Japan featured Elton John as a guest. The setlist ended up being a mix of hits from their respective careers. Even Sting, the voice behind “I want my MTV,” appeared one night to sing “Money for Nothing” with them. They continued performing together on special occasions in the following years. Mark Knopfler said that he and Clapton play differently but have the same roots Knopfler and Clapton have similarities but their styles are actually different, starting with the fact that the Dire Straits guitarist didn't use a guitar pick. Not long after their performance in 1988 at the Prince's Trust, Mark talked  in an interview with Scott Muni about his friend. He revealed that the first time he heard Clapton was on the famous album Clapton recorded in 1966 with John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers. He also noted that although they didn’t play the same way, they shared the same roots. "I like playing with Eric because is fun making Eric sound as good as possible. (...) I know all of Eric's stuff," he said. Then the interviewer says he thinks Clapton also knows some of Knopfler's music and the musician replies: "He does know, he has to learn it now. He is up there now doing it, he have to for (the) Wembley (show). He has played (with us) before. So it's not quite hard for him." "He did lend me a guitar or two (for the album 'Brothers in Arms'). Acoustics and stuff, which was very, very kind of him. He took his favorite guitar and took all the way to Salem, Montserrat (In the West Indies). I suppose we are both rooted... We play differently, but we both rooted in the same kind of stuff. We both like the same kind of stuff. So the similarity comes in the Blues playing, basically. Later in the interview, Knopfler recalled the first time he heard Clapton playing. "The John Mayall album. That was serious (stuff), serious," he said (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). During the same conversation, the guitarist said that when people like Clapton say they like what you do, you should feel good about it because it’s a very important thing. What makes Eric Clapton special according to Mark Knopfler https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zOjRlVpAOQ&list=RD_zOjRlVpAOQ&start_radio=1&pp=ygUhZXJpYyBjbGFwdG9uIGRpcmUgc3RyYWl0cyB3ZW1ibGV5oAcB0gcJCfwJAYcqIYzv According to Mark Knopfler, a guitarist can be really talented and play the guitar really well but if he doesn't have the background in Blues, he can't really play that kind of music. He explained that in an interview for the documentary "Eric Clapton: Standing at the Crossroads" (2009). "With Eric, it's just really (has) been a blues-based thing, that has been refined here and there. Extended backwards in time and refined around what there is then. It's an excellent base for explorations, really, and for just doing different things. In fact, you can hear it, when you get figures who are maybe popular in Rock bands who play, but they don't have that basis. When they try and do bluesy things or blues type things... I remember Eric laughing at some people's efforts to do that. Because I suppose people achieve a sort of facility on instruments. So they think they can therefore play that stuff. It's not as easy as that," Mark Knopfler said (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage). More recently, Mark and Eric have recorded together a few times. In 2014, Clapton put together the J.J. Cale tribute album "The Breeze: An Appreciation of J.J. Cale". Knopfler played with Eric on the tracks “Someday” and “Train to Nowhere,” as both of them were heavily influenced by the musician, who had passed away the previous year. In 2024, it was time for Clapton to be part of a Mark Knopfler project. Alongside many incredible guitar players, he covered Mark's "Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)" to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America. Besides them, were also part names like Slash, David Gilmour, Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Bruce Springsteen and Tony Iommi.The post Eric Clapton’s opinion on Dire Straits appeared first on Rock and Roll Garage.

President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a critical-minerals deal at the White House on Monday as the U.S. eyes the continent’s rich rare-earth resources when China is imposing tougher rules on exporting its own critical minerals abroad. The two leaders described the agreement as an $8.5 billion deal between the allies. Trump said it had been negotiated over several months. “In about a year from now we’ll have so much critical mineral and rare earth that you won’t know what to do with them,” said Trump, a Republican, boasting about the deal. “They’ll be worth $2.”...

Summary: US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sign a deal on critical minerals and rare earths The agreement is a key objective for the US as it seeks to move away from dependence on China, writes the BBC's Bernd Debusmann Jr. Albanese says the US and Australia will contribute billions to crucial projects in the next six months as part of the new rare earths and critical minerals deal Trump also says the Aukus defence agreement struck with Australia and the UK is a deterrent for China - but adds "we're not going to need it"...