Your Friday just got better with this bit of Joshua Ray Walker news. Joshua Ray Walker is on a roll, announcing his next studio project after the release of his June record, Tropicana. Tropicana was my record of the summer as the ’90s-inspired island beats transported me to the land of Jimmy Buffett with a piña colada in my hand. However, the light and airy melodies and lyrics were not created in a tropical environment. In fact, it was crafted in quite the opposite in a sterile environment. The country music world was shaken to its core when Walker announced he was diagnosed with colon cancer back in 2023. Things took a dive for the worse after 6 months of chemotherapy when he was told the cancer had spread to his lungs and moved to stage 4, but, near miraculously, it turns out some of the worries were for nothing. In October of last year, he went in for a biopsy, and doctors discovered that the original diagnosis was incorrect and there was no sign of cancer in his lungs. Even better, they were unable to find evidence that there was cancer anywhere in his body, which doesn’t mean he’s out of the woods, but beginning the road to remission is literally the best news any of us could have hoped for. After getting that great news, he began treatment for his 3B colon cancer. The project was written while Joshua was stuck inside during chemotherapy and could only daydream of days in the sun, in the sand, at the beach: “I was at home for a year, without the ability to play shows or even take a vacation. Since I couldn’t leave town and go see a palm tree in real life, I started writing about them. It’s the sort of place where you can order a piña colada at the pool bar and go wander down a nondescript beach. I couldn’t go to the beach, so I decided to bring the beach to me. Music has always been an escape for me.” However, Tropicana was not the only record that Walker began writing while undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Today, Joshua Ray Walker announced a brand-new record, titled Stuff. The record, slated for release on October 17 via East Dallas Records/Thirty Tigers, is noted to be Walker’s most ambitious concept album to date, inspired by items sold at an estate sale. For Walker, these two records, Tropicana and Stuff, make up two sides of the proverbial coin. Hospitals are harsh and sterile, leading Walker to need an escape from the fluorescent lights. Stuff, on the ladder, was filled with thoughts of Walker contemplating his own legacy. After his misdiagnosis, Walker wanted to push himself creatively in whatever time he had left. While he thought he had cancer in his lungs, he vowed to release three records in whatever time he had left, with Stuff being the second. During this period of uncertainty about what lay ahead, Walked found himself mourning his creative life and wanting to make the most of what he had left in him.  “Both my grandparents found value in things that had life left in them. At the time of writing these songs, I was really hoping that I had a second shot, some more life left in me, and I think that I projected that on a lot of these characters.”  When it came time to record this record, Walker teamed up with his long-time producer and friend, John Pedigo, and locked themselves in Pedigo’s backyard studio for a week. The two set some ground rules for the writing of the record, like anything they wrote about had to be found in the studio. The two also used instruments they had never used on recordings, such as toy reed organs, synthesizers, banjoleles, melodicas, and other found objects.  While Walker might have penned many lyrics about inanimate objects, he hopes that listeners can bring the lyrics into the living world and relate them to friends, family, or acquaintances in their own personal lives. “It’s probably lofty to think that an album about bowling balls and Barbie dolls is going to make people think about their relationship with their neighbors or community. But maybe subconsciously, if people can connect with these things that aren’t even people, it’ll make them a little better at connecting with people.” In celebration of the album’s announcement, Walker shared the title track of the record, “Stuff.” This single is a stellar preview of what’s in store for this record. The acoustic ballad is thought-provoking and leaves the listeners wanting more. “Stuff” further proves why Joshua Ray Walker is one of the best in the business. Stuff Tracklist: 1) Stuff 2) Brick 3) Barbie 4) Perfume 5) Bowling Ball 6) Suit 7) Shears 8) Telephone 9) Radio (Cuchiarella / Banjo / Magic Set) 10) Home Tour Dates: 8/22 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry 8/23 – Macon, GA – Grant’s Lounge 8/24 – North Charleston, SC – Marcus King Band Family Reunion 9/11 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl (Official Americanafest Showcase) 9/23 – Hopwell, VA – The Beacon Theatre # 9/25 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre # 9/26 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle # 9/27 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel # 9/28 – Knoxville, TN – Tennessee Theatre # 9/30 – Savannah, GA – Victory North # 10/1 – Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live # 10/2 – Clearwater, FL – The Nancy and David Bilheimer Capitol Theatre # 10/4 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse # 10/6 – Dallas, TX – State Fair of Texas 10/10 – St. Louis, MO – The Hawthorn # 10/11 – Lawrence, KS – Liberty Hall # 10/12 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown # 10/14 – Bozeman, MT – The ELM # 10/16 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox # 10/17 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater # 10/18 – Medford, OR – Holly Theatre # 10/19 – Redding, CA – Cascade Theatre # 10/24 – Salt Lake City, UT – The CommonWealth Room # 10/25 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre # 11/12 – Appleton, WI – Poplar Hall # 11/13 – Wausau, WI – Grand Theater # 11/14 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater # 11/15 – Stoughton, WI – Stoughton Opera House # 11/16 – Iowa City, IA – The Englert Theatre # # – with Molly TuttleThe post Joshua Ray Walker Announces New Estate Sale-Inspired Concept Record, ‘Stuff’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Okay, I’m into this… To be honest, I didn’t expect to really like it at all, but today, rapper BigXthaPlug released his country-inspired rap album I Hope You’re Happy, which features some of country music’s biggest stars in Ella Langley, Jelly Roll, Shaboozey, Bailey Zimmerman and Mr. Luke Combs. BigX has already had some success with the pre-released singles, as the song with Bailey Zimmerman on “All The Way” topped the country airplay charts, and cracked the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it a crossover hit there. The Dallas native and grew up hearing country music being in Texas, and it was actually being imprisoned in solitary confinement during a jail stint that led him to becoming a rapper. He had violated a probation, and at 20-years-old, was in jail on his son’s 1st birthday. He said in an interview with Billboard that took a toll on him, obviously, and he used writing and poetry at first to help him cope. Eventually, that turned into a music career: “It took a toll on me, and made me very emotional. So they [jail officials] had to confine me by myself. And in that confinement, I felt like I was losing myself mentally.” In terms of his motivations for doing an entire country-inspired album with so many country artists involved, BigX previously explained that he believes that a true “artist” doesn’t want to be boxed into one genre… adding that “they can’t hate it if it sounds good.” At it’s core, it’s still a rap album, it just features guest vocals from country singers. “I mean, it’s the difference between somebody that doesn’t like… hip-hop, a rapper and an artist. So I’m saying, people like Beyoncé, me and a bunch of people that have been able to do it are artists. You can’t just hold them in one lane. It’s like telling a painter you can only paint red apples. No, he’s an artist, he’s gonna play a lot of different things. So I feel like you can’t really, I mean of course there’s gonna be some hate about it, but they can’t hate it if it sounds good.” It’s no secret that country music is the hot genre right now, and everyone wants in… but like some of the other artists outside of country who have tried similar projects over the last several years, I really wasn’t expecting to be blown away by this project, but I was open to hearing how he would combine rap with country, especially when it comes to Combs, whose music stays very true to the country genre and to himself. But their collab “Pray Hard” is actually super cool, and as many pointed out in the comments section on the YouTube video, sounds like some sort of college football anthem, which we all know is a Luke Combs specialty, so that shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. Several of his songs have been used for college football theme songs on different networks, and last year, the SEC Network used Combs’ cover of Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream” as the leading tune for the season. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Luke Combs (@lukecombs) In 2021, the SEC Network used Luke’s song “South On Ya” as the theme, which was my personal favorite. And this year, Combs will once again be the voice of the SEC Network alongside his collaborator Bailey Zimmerman as their song “Backup Plan” will be the official anthem of the SEC on ABC. But honestly, one of the other networks needs to scoop this one up quick… The first week of college football is called “Week Zero,” and tomorrow, on Saturday, August 23rd, we will officially be back in full swing at campuses across the country. I love the NFL, but for me, absolutely nothing compares to the electricity of a college football Saturday, so maybe I’m a little blinded by the fact that this is going on my tailgate playlist immediately and I get to use it SOON. Anytime Luke Combs just lets it rip vocally, I feel like he really can’t do anything wrong because he has such an incredible voice. If you want appreciate this song for what it is, and go into it with the understanding that BigX isn’t trying to get himself into the Country Music Hall of Fame with this project, I think you can actually enjoy some of it. I can just hear these lyrics behind some sort of opening montage on the TV on a crisp fall Saturday: “A little bit of magic, a little bit of smoke up in these lungs Runnin’ from the Devil with my guitar Angel on my shoulder got me this far Had to make it happen Go and touch the sky or die too young But, I don’t take the credit for the good part Blame it on my mama ’cause she prayed hard” Combs is a featured co-writer on this song, and it’s hard for me to explain exactly “why” this sounds like a college football anthem, aside from the fact that it just has that sound and upbeat energy that’s comparable to some of the others Luke has done that have (rightfully) ended up as college football anthems across multiple networks. You should just listen for yourself… “Pray Hard” I Hope You’re Happy Tracklist: 1. “I Hope You’re Happy (feat. Darius Rucker)” (Xavier Landum, Krishon Gaines, Tony Coles Anderson, Charles Nelson Forsberg, Chris Stapleton, Anderson East) 2. “Gone (interlude)” 3. “Box Me Up (feat. Jelly Roll)” (Jordan K. Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Gregory “Aldae” Hein, James Gutch, Stavros Tsarouhas, Xavier Landum, Jason DeFord) 4. “All The Way (feat. Bailey Zimmerman)” (Xavier Landum, Charles Nelson Forsberg, Krishon Gaines, Ben Johnson, KK Johnson, Jenna Johnson) 5. “Hell At Night (feat. Ella Langley)” (Xavier Landum, Ryan Vojtesak, Krishon Gaines, Yuval Haim Chain, Rocky Block, Joybeth Taylor, Ella Langley, Ro’Darrion Harrison) 6. “Gift & a Curse (interlude)” 7. “Pray Hard (feat. Luke Combs)” (Xavier Landum, Luke Combs, Nick Monson, Jon Robert Hall, Mark Nilan Jr., Dave Cohen, Krishon Gaines) 8. “Home (feat. Shaboozey)” (Xavier Landum, Collins Obinna Chibueze, Bryant Taylorr, Scoot Teasley, Krishon Gaines, Tony Esterly, Sean Cook, Dave Cohen, Charles Nelson Forsberg) 9. “24/7 (feat. Ink)” (Xavier Landum, JT Daly, Nick Gale, Krishon Gaines, Hank Compton, Emily Weisband, Ro’Darrion Harrison, Atia Boggs) 10. “About You (feat. Tucker Wetmore)” (Written by: Xavier Landum, Jon Hume, Krishon Gaines, Dave Cohen, Laura Veltz, Jackson Nance, David Ray Stevens) 11. “Long Nights (feat. Thomas Rhett)” (Xavier Landum, Krishon Gaines, Ryan Vojtesak, Bryant Taylorr, Mike Ewing, Jenna Andrews, Stephen Kirk)The post “Pray Hard,” Luke Combs’ Collab With Rapper BigXthaPlug, Sounds Like A College Football Anthem, & I’m Here For It first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Outside of Tennessee, there’s no other state in the U.S. that has historically produced the greatest artists in the genre than Texas. From George Strait, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and George Jones to Kenny Rogers, Kris Kristofferson, Cody Johnson and Charley Crockett, the list is seemingly endless for the Lone Star State. Given the state’s prominence not only in the genre itself but to music as a whole, it’s no surprise that Texas boasts an elite Songwriters Hall of Fame that consists of dozens upon dozens of influential artists across genres, including the likes of the aforementioned Nelson, Jennings and Kristofferson as well as household names such as Clint Black, Ronnie Dunn, Townes Van Zandt, Buck Owens, Buddy Holly and more. Earlier in the week, the Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association announced their star-studded 2026 Hall of Fame class consisting of four new members: George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Don Cook and Keith Gattis. The King himself is ironically probably the most controversial inductee in this class. Despite being the undeniable King of country from a numbers perspective, complete with the most #1s for any artist in any genre (60), the most #1 albums (27) and over 113.5 million units sold in the U.S. (fourth among country artists), Strait has consistently been criticized for his lack of songwriting credits. Though he has written a few dozen songs throughout his career, none of his iconic hits have been written by him. Lambert feels like a modern no-brainer for the association. Over her two-decade career, she has penned iconic tracks such as “Tin Man,” “Over You,” “Heart Like Mine,” “Vice” and a plethora of underrated songs such as “Carousel,” “Pushin’ Time” and more. Being a quintessential artist in the mainstream over the past two decades, she’s undoubtedly one of the most influential songwriters working right now with 10 #1 hits, seven #1 albums, 3 Grammy awards and nearly two dozen platinum certifications. Announcing her induction on Instagram, Lambert said: “It is a huge honor to learn that I will be inducted into the Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame next year. Especially alongside my hero George Strait, and legends Don Cook and Keith Gattis. My dad was my first co-writer. He taught me how to play guitar and is a huge part of the reason for my love of country music. I’m grateful for what music and songwriting have done in my life. Thank you Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association for the honor.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Miranda Lambert (@mirandalambert) As for Don Cook, he has spent decades as a co-writer with Brooks & Dunn, scoring 13 #1 hits with the duo on hits such as “Brand New Man,” “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone,” “My Next Broken Heart” and “Lost and Found.” Overall, he’s scored 20 #1 hits throughout his career, also writing for the likes of fellow inductee George Strait, as well as Charley Pride, Alabama, Kenny Rogers and Conway Twitty. Finally, the late Keith Gattis will posthumously be inducted into the hall. It’s hard to understate the scope of Gattis’ songwriting throughout his career. He has songs cut on everyone from Willie Nelson, George Strait, George Jones and Randy Travis to Kenny Chesney, Randy Rogers Band, Wade Bowen, Miranda Lambert and more. Notably, he penned one of Strait’s last Top 20 hits, “I Got a Car,” and Randy Houser’s severely underrated “What Whiskey Does.” Strait, Lambert, Cook and Gattis will be inducted on February 21, 2026, at ACL Live in Austin during the 20th annual Texas Songwriters Hall of Fame Awards Show. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Texas Heritage Songwriters Association (@txhsa) The post George Strait & Miranda Lambert To Be Inducted Into The Texas Songwriters Hall Of Fame Alongside Keith Gattis And Don Cook first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

One of the most underrated love stories in country music. Eric Church and his wife Katherine have been married since 2008, before he had even released his sophomore album Carolina. But unlike a lot of couples in country music, Eric and Katherine are more private about their marriage. They’re not sharing videos on social media, she’s not going on podcasts or doing interviews, and she’s not trying to build her own brand. But despite their relationship not being as visible to the public, Eric acknowledges that he wouldn’t have a career without her. Church met Katherine Blasingame early in his career – but as it turns out, she was actually in the music business before he was. Katherine was working as a music publisher, and wanted to pitch Eric on a songwriter she was working with. But instead of simply finding a co-writer to collaborate with, Eric and Katherine ended up forming a bond themselves, and were married in a private ceremony on January 8, 2008 in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. He’s long credited his wife with being a soundboard for his song ideas, given her experience in the music industry. On his Carolina album, he included a song called “You Make It Look So Easy” that he wrote for his wife for their wedding. And he decided to record “Like Jesus Does,” which is one of the few songs over his long career that he didn’t also write, because it was a favorite of Katherine’s. And this week, while accepting the Icon Award at the 2025 ACM Honors ceremony, Church spoke of the impact she’s had on his career, recalling his first gig at 6 PM on a Monday at Woodlands BBQ in North Carolina when he only knew 12 songs: “I couldn’t help but think about where this started for me, and it started for me in Blowing Rock, North Carolina at Woodlands BBQ. I was 18 years old…and I had the monday night gig at 6:00, and I knew 12 songs and that’s it. And I’ll never forget that night, I remember thinking, ‘This is the most fun I’ve ever had. And if I can just get to the Friday or Saturday night gig at Woodlands, I’ll never want anything else.’… I married a long tangled blonde from Tennessee. If I did not meet her, I would be playing Woodlands BBQ tonight.” @ronnieblovesmusic #acmawards #acmhonorawards #ericchurch @Eric Church ♬ original sound – Ronnie B loves music Of course she’s given him more than a career. The couple also have two children, 13-year old Boone McCoy and 10-year old Tennessee “Hawk” Hawkins. And together they started the Chief Cares Foundation, which has recently helped thousands of people in the wake of the devastation from Hurricane Helene in his home state of North Carolina. But Church also has admitted they don’t always see eye to eye – particularly over one of his songs, the unreleased fan favorite “Old Friends, Old Whiskey, Old Songs.” Back in 2021, Church revealed that his wife has been trying to get it on a record for a while now: “If my wife was here right now we’d have a whole different conversation because that’s one of her favorites and we’ve had many arguments about that song. She beats on me every day that if I don’t record that we might not be married forever.” You know what they say, Eric. Happy wife, happy life. Better record it soon. The post Eric Church Credits His Wife Katherine For His Country Music Career: “If I Did Not Meet Her, I Would Be Playing Woodlands BBQ” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

It’s just being reported by Fox News Pentagon Producer Liz Friden that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has given his authorization that both National Guard soldiers and Airmen in Washington, D.C. can carry . . .

President Trump just responded to a question about the raid on the home of his former National Security Advisor John Bolton this morning. Here’s what he said: Trump is at the People’s . . .

President Trump was asked this morning if he was going to fire Federal Reserve member Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud, saying he would if she doesn’t resign. Here’s what he said:

Jonathan Turley was on Fox News this morning to weigh in on the raid of the home of former National Security Advisor John Bolton, and he explains why Bolton could go to . . .

Report: Trump considers firing Lisa Cook over mortgage fraud allegations | Newsline

Since Trump deployed National Guard, there have been no DC homicides: Fields | Newsline