If you like Merle Haggard’s classic holiday tune “If We Make It Through December,” then you need to hear this track from Chamomile & Whiskey. Based out of the Charlottesville, VA area, the five piece “Blue Ridge Mountain rock and roll” outfit has an eclectic sound that falls somewhere between bluegrass and alt-country rock and roll. And while this single they are about to release finds them slowing things down a bit from a sonic perspective, it marks yet another example of the top-tier songwriting that has defined their lengthy catalog of original music over the past decade. Titled “This Time of Year,” Chamomile & Whiskey’s next single is slated for release tomorrow, but you’re in luck, because we are giving you an exclusive first listen here at Whiskey Riff a day early. And trust me, it’s not a track you are going to want to miss. Serving as a somber reminder that despite how happy the holidays tend to be for most, it can be the most difficult time of year for many, “This Time of Year,” is sure to tug at your heartstrings. Written by the band’s co-founder and frontman Koda Kerl, the song juxtaposes the often consumer-fueled joy of the holidays with the plight of the less fortunate and lonely. In an exclusive quote shared with Whiskey Riff, Kerl deals perspective and gives some insightful context surrounding their latest song and how it came to be. “I’m glad to finally be putting ‘This Time of  Year’ out… It feels funny cutting a holiday song in the middle of the year… But that’s how it goes. I wrote it very quickly… I had most of the lyrics in my head in the car after dropping off a deaf friend of ours off at the church he stays at after a Christmas shows. It was very cold and everything had kind of a late shimmer… A blend of ice and neon and Christmas lights. I’ve always had complicated feelings about the holidays… As wonderful as it can be, it’s also a painful time of year for many of us. The older I get, the more I realize how many people feels the same way… So I guess this is my attempt at an honest holiday song. Multiple things can be true at once… You can be so happy to be with ones you love and heartbroken by the absence of the ones you’ve lost… As the smell of grandma’s apple pie wafts against the backdrop of overwhelming consumerism. Happy Holidays y’all.” So, without further ado, give “This Time of Year” by Chamomile & Whiskey a listen for yourself. “This Time of year’s for fighting back tears Gratitude and grief and slow creeping fears Regret and greed, compassion deeds Are the things that we want the things that we need?” What a track. Chamomile & Whiskey is ending the year on a bit of a heater, having just released another single less than a month ago. While we’re on the topic give “Friends are Falling Out” a listen as well. The post Chamomile & Whiskey Keep Things Honest With Somber Holiday Tune “This Time Of Year” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Country Thunder is headed to the beach. Since 1993, Country Thunder has been bringing country music festivals to your cities. The festival production company got its start in 1993 in Wisconsin. It quickly expanded its market, growing in 1996 and adding on since, marketing Saskatchewan in 2005, Alberta in 2016, and Florida in 2019 as significant market expansions. And in 2026, Country Thunder is headed to a new city in Florida, bringing country music to the beach. Announced today, December 9, Country Thunder shared they are headed to St. Pete Beach on May 8-10. “Bringing Country Thunder to St. Pete Beach marks an exciting new era for our festival. From the moment we first stepped onto the white sands at TradeWinds, we knew this was the perfect home for an elevated fan experience. Partnering with a world-class resort that has been a cornerstone of this community allows us to deliver something truly special — not just for our fans, but for the entire region. With the Gulf as our backdrop and Country music’s biggest artists on our stage, 2026 will be one for the books.”  Troy Vollhoffer, CEO & President of Country Thunder, shared. The festival will be held at the TradeWinds Resort, which spans over 40 acres, making it an excellent venue. Not to mention that it’s nestled on a beachfront, so country fans can sink their toes in white sand and view the stunning blue waters from their rooms or the stage. Scott Robbins, Managing Director of TradeWinds Resort, said: “TradeWinds has proudly welcomed generations of families, locals and visitors alike to our shores for decades. Hosting Country Thunder is not only an exciting moment for music lovers, but a major economic driver that will directly benefit our local businesses, hospitality workers, and the broader community we’re so proud to be part of. With top Country stars performing against the backdrop of our iconic white-sand beach, this festival will bring unforgettable energy and memories to St. Pete Beach.”  Okay, enough about this new location, you all want to hear about the lineup. Am I right? In 2026, Country Thunder is showcasing some of the hottest new names in country music. Headlining the festival will be Gavin Adcock, the CMA New Artist of the Year, Zach Top, and Kane Brown. That stellar group of performers is in good company with supporting acts including Randy Houser, Max McNown, Shaboozey, Gretchen Wilson, Braxton Keith, Cole Godwin, Dasha, Elizabeth Nichols, and more. View this post on Instagram I bet hearing Zach Top’s “Flip-Flop” while wearing flip flops on the beach is an out-of-body experience. If you are looking to catch some country legends and up-and-comers who are well on their way to being the next generation of superstars, this is not a festival you’ll want to miss. Tickets are on sale now. Fire up “Flip-Flop” before you leave. The post Country Thunder Florida Announces New Festival Location Featuring Zach Top, Gavin Adcock & More first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Music to my ears… Riley Green has been busy playing sold-out shows all over the country this year, and his headlining show has included many of the songs on his most recent album, Don’t Mind If I Do. It was released in 2024, and he did put out his acoustic Midtown Sessions EP not long ago, but that included mostly already-recorded and released song, just with a new, more simple production. They were all great, I think that’s the kind of style that suits Riley and his music the best, and it sounds like there’s a lot more where that came from… This week, Riley talked to Katie Neal during an interview on her Katie & Company radio show, where he revealed that he’s been in the studio cutting new songs, and he says they’re even more raw and stripped back than his aforementioned recent album. He explained that all of the new cuts are built around an acoustic track, and are much less produced than anything he’s done before… which is saying a lot, because I think Riley tends to keep it pretty simple all the time, which is what I love about his music. He added that it’s “the direction I’ve wanted to go” for a while, and I already think it will be some of his best music yet: “I was gonna tell you about it… yeah, we recorded some new songs. There’s some country stuff. I feel like it’s a little raw… a little rougher recording, which I really enjoy. I think that was something we did right on this last album. I was excited about going into the studio and doing a little less production, kind of building around an acoustic track, and that’s literally what we did. Yeah, there’s some stuff that I feel like is a little different, a little less produced, which is kind of the direction I’ve wanted to go.” He was very vague on when we might expect to hear some of these songs, but I would guess he will probably release a new album, or at least several songs, before he hits the road on his 2026 Cowboy As It Gets tour in April. Country music has always been about simple songs with lyrics that cut straight to the heart, and it sounds like that’s what Riley is going to deliver with this next batch of songs, and I can’t wait. 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 Riley Green Says He’s Cutting New Songs With A Focus On Raw Production: “A Little Different” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

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Two federal appeals court judges appointed by Donald Trump are keeping in place a policy directed by the president to remove transgender service members from all branches of the U.S. military.

A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday cleared the way for President Donald Trump's ban on military service by individuals who identify as transgender or have gender dysphoria, staying a lower-court order that blocked War Secretary Pete Hegseth from enforcing the policy.

The more painful trips down memory lane. The post The one project Carole King said she would never finish: “I cannot watch” first appeared on Far Out Magazine.