Live from the South. Today, Ernest released his appropriately named new EP called Live From The South, which is a seven song project that beautifully ties in Southern imagery and Ernest’s incredible talent for writing songs that encapsulate just how special the South is. Of course, you have probably heard Ernest’s name in association with country music star Morgan Wallen, as Ernest has penned hits for him like “You Proof,” “Wasted on You,” “Heartless” (for Diplo featuring Wallen), “More Than My Hometown,” “Somebody’s Problem” and more. But over the last couple years, mostly since the release of his Nashville, Tennessee, album Ernest has been putting out music that honors the more traditional side of country music and the greats who made Nashville what it is today. While he does pull from all sorts of genres, this more traditional style really suits him, and his talent with the pen really shines when it comes to writing honest and authentic country music. Ernest says this new collection of songs are part of “a bigger body of work,” but he wanted fans to get to hear them sooner rather than later: “I’m excited to get these seven songs out. They are just the first seven songs on a bigger body of work. These songs felt like something that needed to get out into the world before the year is over with. Something to get us through the winter. A lot of summertime music around the corner. We’re live from the South.” The songs are filled with fiddle and pedal steel, and those classic country instruments are beautifully woven into every song. Ernest produced the project alongside Jacob Durrett, and it features co-writers in Rhett Akins, Mark Holman, and some of his ERN’s Cadillac Music signees in Chandler Walters, Cody Lohden, Rhys Rutherford and more. I think “Cowgirl Stay” is my early favorite, but each song has a simplicity to it that spotlights different parts of the South and what makes it home. Being a Southern girl myself, a collection of songs like this is right up my alley, and I can’t wait to hear what he has coming for the rest of what will likely be a 2026 album. If you love the South and the steel guitar as much as I do, these songs are definitely for you… “Cowgirl Stay” “Live From The South” “Two Black Crows” “I Hate A Small Town” Ernest will kick off his 2026 Live From The South tour in January, and you can see the full list of dates below. Live From The South Tour 2026 Dates 1/21 – Denver, Colo. – Mission Ballroom* 1/22 – Jackson Hole, Wy. – Million Dollar Cowboy* 1/23 – Salt Lake City, Utah – The Complex* 1/24 – Reno, Nev. – Grand Sierra Resort & Casino* 1/29 – Solana Beach, Calif. – Belly Up* 1/30 – Anaheim, Calif. – House of Blues* 1/31 – Sacramento, Calif. – Ace of Spades* 2/7 – Indio, Calif. – Fantasy Springs Casino 2/19 – Athens, Ga. – Georgia Theatre > 2/20 – Charlotte, N.C. – Coyote Joe’s > 2/26 – Jacksonville, Fla. – FIVE > 2/27 – Charleston, S.C. – Charleston Music Hall > 2/28 – Norfolk, Va. – NorVa > 3/5 – Indianapolis, Ind. – The Egyptian > 3/6 – Rosemont, Ill. – Joe’s Live > 3/7 – Columbus, Ohio – The Bluestone > 3/11 – Grand Rapids, Mich. – The Intersection # 3/13 – Detroit, Mich. – Filmore # 3/14 – McKees Rocks, Pa. – Roxian Theatre # 3/19 – Durant, Okla. – Choctaw Casino 3/26 – Boston, Mass. – House of Blues* 3/27 – New York, N.Y.– Irving Plaza* 3/28 – Bensalem, Pa. – Parx Casino* 4/2 – Houston, Texas – White Oak Music Hall* 4/3 – New Braunfels, Texas – Gruene Hall* 4/4 – Ft. Worth, Texas – Billy Bob’s* 4/16 – St. Louis, Mo. – Hawthorn # 4/17 – Bettendorf, Iowa – Isle Casino # 4/18 – Minneapolis, Minn. – First Avenue # 4/23 – Knoxville, Tenn. – The Mill and Mine # 4/25 – Asheville, N.C. – The Orange Peel # 4/26 – Chattanooga, Tenn. – The Signal # * Support By Chandler Walters > Support By Cody Lohden # Support By Rhys RutherfordThe post Ernest Delivers Steel-Soaked Love Letter To Home With Nostalgic New Project, ‘Live From The South’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

“With some blue ink, a blank page and an old six-string…” Eric Church is gearing up to not only hit the big screen with his first IMAX concert next February, but also release a live album to go with it. Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive was recorded live over two nights during shows at The Pinnacle in Nashville earlier this year. The album not only features the entire Evangeline vs. the Machine album from front to back, but also hits from some of his previous albums like “Sinners Like Me,” “Desperate Man,” “Hell Of A View,” and of course, “Springsteen.” Ahead of the album’s released, Church has already released live versions of “Knives of New Orleans” and “Desperate Man.” But now we’re getting our first taste of the live version of songs from Evangeline vs. the Machine. “Bleed On Paper” is one of the standouts from the album, a somewhat critical take at the juxtaposition between the business of music versus the blood, sweat and tears that go into creating it: “Yeah, I met a man at the crossroads Suit and tie with a smile like gold He tried making me a deal like I had me a ‘For Sale’ sign hanging on my soul Said all I had to do was change my tune I could cash that check But I don’t like the feel of a rattlesnake boot heel on my neck So, I keep on singing what I know between a minor and a major Keep pulling at the bittersweet and if it ain’t the latest flavor Little bit of devil, little bit of savior Whole lotta life cutting like a razor With some blue ink, a blank page and an ol’ six-string I bleed on paper” The song was written by Casey Beathard, Tucker Beathard and Monty Cristwell, one of only two on the album not written by Church himself. But it seems like the perfect fit for his catalog, in the vein of songs like “Mistress Named Music,” that speak to Church’s passion for songwriting and music. It’s become one of my favorite songs on the album (although at this point I think I can say that every song from the album has been my favorite at one point) because of the raw honesty about the struggles of the music business, as well as the passion of songwriters and artists who give it their all simply for the love of the game, never knowing whether it’s going to pay off or not. And I can say, I’ve seen Church perform it live a few times now, and it absolutely rips when he’s got the full band, orchestra and choir behind him. Evangeline vs. the Machine Comes Alive comes to IMAX on February 11th, 2026, and February 14th, 2026, with the album dropping February 13. Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive Tracklist Hands Of Time Bleed On Paper Johnny Storm In Their Blood Darkest Hour Evangeline Rocket’s White Lincoln Clap Hands Desperate Man Give Me Back My Hometown Homeboy Sinners Like Me Creepin’ Knives Of New Orleans Smoke A Little Smoke The Outsiders Hell Of A View Mistress Named Music Springsteen The post Eric Church Releases Live Version Of “Bleed On Paper” From Upcoming Album ‘Evangeline vs. The Machine Comes Alive’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Lighting up one of the best venues in the country. Undeniably one of the most talented bands in the entire genre, Flatland Cavalry has proven time and again that they’re one of the most exciting groups flying out of the Texas scene today. After scoring major career milestones in 2024, which include receiving their first certified gold record for “A Life Where We Work Out” featuring Kaitlin Butts and their first-ever ACM nomination for Group of the Year, the West Texas powerhouses celebrated their 10-year anniversary together as a band at the end of the year with the release of Flatland Forever, an eventual 40-track collection of their biggest hits, worktapes, commentaries and unreleased tracks such as “Three Car Garage” and “Lubbock.” This year, they’ve been a bit quiet release-wise, waiting until September to release the Billy Bob Thornton co-written track for Landman, “Midland After Midnight,” before dropping their first original track of the year last month with the release of “Gone,” a reflection about their last decade on the road. In the meantime, they’ve experienced a ton of success throughout the year, selling out stops nearly everywhere on the Flatland Forever Tour and flying up the list of names at high-profile festivals such as Stagecoach, Two Step Inn, Bourbon & Beyond and more events across the country. With the year slowly coming to a close, the West Texas band has one last surprise in store: an exclusive performance from PBS recorded live from the The Caverns in Grundy County, Tennessee, aptly titled The Cavern Sessions. In case you’re not familiar with the series and, by extension, The Caverns as a venue, it’s a series of live performances aired exclusively by PBS, pulling a wide variety of different artists from different genres to showcase their songs and stories. As for the venue itself, it’s arguably one of the most unique live music spots in the entire nation. Being located inside a cave, the venue features some of the best acoustics you’ll ever hear due to its structure and overall aesthetic. As for The Cavern Sessions itself, Flatland’s appearance marks the 12th and final episode of the series’ 14th season this year. With their performance they join the likes of Chris Stapleton’s former bluegrass group, The SteelDrivers and the legendary Oak Ridge Boys, along with other eclectic groups such as Violent Femmes, The String Cheese Incident and Armchair Boogie. And for Todd Jarrell, the producer of the series, the focus of it was ultimately finding a wide range of artists such as Flatland to truly reflect the diversity of both American music itself and everything the gorgeous venue has to offer. “Season 14 continues our tradition of pairing extraordinary artistry with one of the most unique stages in the world. The diversity in genres of The Caverns Sessions offers a point of discovery for our audiences—here is music from the heart of the American experience.” Though Flatland’s appearance on the series won’t release until next Wednesday, November 26th, we here at Whiskey Riff are giving you a first-look at the episode with an exclusive, early look at their live performance of their classic 2016 track, “Stompin’ Grounds.” Written independently by frontman, Cleto Cordero, “Stompin’ Grounds” has undoubtedly remained a fan-favorite in the band’s deep discography since its appearance on Humble Folks in 2016. Feeling like a love letter to their home in West Texas, Cordero and Co. yearn for all the sights and sounds associated with Lubbock, complete with references to Shiner Bock beer, dancehalls blasting Charlie Daniels and Waylon Jennings (something the world needs much more of), rowdy nights around the bonfire and more. “I’ll be out in the backyard with the porch light on Sipping on a Shiner All my friends in the background passing round a guitar Or around a bonfire Drink the night away while the radio plays some old Charlie Daniels song Oh, you can find me there” From the moment Wesley Hall hits the first note on the fiddle, you already know you’re in for a treat with the performance. If you’re familiar with Flatland in any capacity, you’ll surely be familiar with the phrase, “Easy on the ears and heavy on the heart,” and the remains true once again here on “Stompin’ Grounds.” Immediately transporting you into the beautiful venue, the pairing between a band who’s made a name for themselves with incredibly relatable, timeless music that isn’t bound to one specific time or era was nothing short of a stroke of genius. It should go without saying that this is a must-watch for Humble Folks out there. If you’re a fan of Flatland, you won’t want to miss this exclusive first-look at their Caverns Session performance here with “Stompin’ Grounds.” Watch here: Flatland Cavalry Tour Dates November 22 – St. Petersburg, Florida – St. Pete Country Fest February 6 – Auckland, New Zealand – Spark Arena February 8 – Christchuch, New Zealand – Wolfbrook Arena February 11-12 – Boondall, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre February 14 – Newcastle, Australia – Howin’ 2026 February 16 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena February 19-20 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena February 22 – Adelaide, Australia – Adelaide Entertainment Centre ArenaThe post EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Flatland Cavalry Delivers Electric Performance Of “Stompin’ Grounds” On PBS’ ‘The Caverns Sessions’ first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

In a great segment, CNBC host Becky Quick totally called out Hakeem Jeffries this morning for lying about wanting a deal with Republicans on Obamacare subsidies, accusing him of using the subsidies . . .

The Department of Homeland Security just slammed the Washington Post and CNN for patting themselves on the back with the false WAPO story about the Coast Guard allowing Swastikas and nooses to . . .

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President Donald Trump brushed aside a reporter's question to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the 2018 killing of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi, saying the crown prince "knew nothing about it and we can leave it at that." But Trump's claim is at odds with a CIA assessment.

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford announced Thursday that hundreds of air traffic controllers and technicians who worked during the government shutdown will receive bonus checks. The Department of Transportation (DOT) said in a statement that 776 air traffic controllers and technicians will be awarded $10,000 for their "patriotic work to ensure the safety of the skies during the Democrats' 44-day government shutdown."

The Trump administration is insisting that Ukraine's government agree to a much-criticized plan to end Russia's invasion by the Thanksgiving holiday — or it will cut off intelligence sharing and shipments of weapons to the beleaguered European nation, according to a new report.