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MEET THE H & S FEED & COUNTRY STORE PET OF THE WEEK: “HUGO”

Posted on by Bob Ballard

This week’s H & S Feed & Country Store Pet of the Week is “Hugo”, a 7 year old Mastiff mix. Hugo’s a big boy, but a real sweetheart. He’s very well behaved, most likely housetrained, and even gets along well with other dogs and even cats. Hugo is great dog and deserves a loving home. He’s fully vetted, vaccinated, and would love to meet you!

If you’d like to set up an appointment to meet Hugo or any of the pets at Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter, visit https://www.stephenmemorial.org/ and fill out an adoption application.

Check out our visit about Hugo with Shanna from Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter here:

Toby Keith Announces 19th Annual Golf Tourney To Fight Childhood Cancer

Posted on by Bob Ballard

Toby Keith‘s “Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic” is returning for the 19th annual edition of the event. The charity golf tourney raises much-needed funds for the OK Kids Korral, a home for families of children going through cancer treatment. The event will take place June 2-3 at Riverwind Casino and Belmar Golf Club in Norman, Oklahoma.

The weekend will begin on Friday, June 2, with dinner and a silent auction at Riverwind Casino. Attendees will have the chance to win signed merchandise from artists including Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and more. Items from athletes Joe Burrow, Steph Curry and Tiger Woods will also be available for bidding, as well as goods from various retailers. The silent auction will be followed by entertainment from Sawyer Brown. The night will also feature a live auction offering trips to Australia and Croatia, a hunting excursion, membership to the private national golf Dormie Network and one-of-a-kind items from Keith.

The golf tournament itself will begin at 8AM the next day.  The day will end with a $10,000 shootout at 6PM. Last year’s event raised $1.3M – and it’s raised over $15M since its inception in 2004.

Source: TasteOfCountry

This day in Country Music History

Posted on by Bob Ballard
  • Today in 1959, the folk group Kingston Trio won the first country music GRAMMY for “Tom Dooley.”
  • Today in 1987, Randy Travis’ second album, “Always and Forever,” was released.
  • Today in 1991, Travis Tritt made his Grand Ole Opry debut.
  • Today in 1992, fans buying tickets for Garth Brooks’ show in Waterloo, Iowa, overloaded the phone lines, knocking out 911 service in three counties.
  • Today in 1993, the “No Fences” album by Garth Brooks was certified for sales of 10-million.
  • Today in 1995, Clay Walker’s “If I Could Make A Living” album went platinum.
  • Today in 1996, Shania Twain raced to number one on the Billboard country chart with “You Win My Love.”
  • Today in 1999, Tim McGraw released his album, “A Place In The Sun,” while Steve Wariner’s “Two Teardrops” album also arrived in stores.
  • Today in 2004, Big & Rich’s debut album, “Horse of a Different Color,” rode into stores.
  • Today in 2009, Taylor Swift’s video, “You Belong With Me,” video premiered on CMT.
  • Today in 2010, Chely Wright’s autobiography, “Like Me: Confessions Of A Heartland Country Singer,” was released – and with it, she officially became the first-ever openly gay commercial country artist.
  • Today in 2011, Marie Osmond remarried first husband Stephen Craig at a Mormon temple in Las Vegas. She wore the same bridal gown she wore when she first walked down the aisle in June 1982.
  • Today in 2015, Trace Adkins played a colonel on the NBC series “The Night Shift.”
  • Today in 2016, Dierks Bentley earned a gold single from the RIAA for “Somewhere On A Beach.”
  • Today in 2016, Darius Rucker was announced as a national chair for the National Museum of African American Music, destined to be built in Nashville. He shared the distinction with India.Arie, Keb’ Mo’ and CeCe Winans.
  • Today in 2016, Kelsea Ballerini sang “Peter Pan” in a guest slot on the ABC drama “Nashville,” providing a backdrop as the characters of Mark Collie and Charles Esten duked it out in the alley behind the bar.
  • Today in 2017, Jennifer Nettles took a tumble and broke a rib during a corporate performance at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York.
  • Today in 2017, Loretta Lynn suffered a stroke at her home in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, and gets checked into a Nashville hospital. She returned to the stage the following October to honor Alan Jackson at his Country Music Hall of Fame induction.
  • Today in 2018, Brooks & Dunn, Lee Brice, Travis Tritt and Terri Clark are on the guest list for the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Gala on the eve of the race in Louisville. Also appearing are Kid Rock, Naomi Judd, Richie Sambora and Eddie Montgomery.
  • Today in 2019, Randy Travis celebrated his 60th birthday with an appearance on the Grand Ole Opry, singing “Forever And Ever, Amen” with Ricky Skaggs and songwriter Don Schlitz. Charles Esten performed “Honky Tonk Moon” and Josh Turner sang “Out Of My Bones.”
  • Today in 2020, Dwight Yoakam announced his marriage to longtime love Emily Joyce in March, just before COVID-19 forced a quarantine. The ceremony in Santa Monica was attended by 10 people, each of them separated by at least six-feet for safety. The couple welcomed their son, Dalton Loren Yoakam, on August 16th, 2020.

Eric Church Announces His New Whiskey Brand

Posted on by Bob Ballard

When Eric Church sang “Drink In My Hand,” he wasn’t kidding – he enjoys a good drink now and then. To that end, the country star announced yesterday that he was entering into a new business partnership that plays directly into that.

“You all know that I love whiskey. I write about it in my songs. I share it with you all on stage and now I’ve had the opportunity to create a whiskey from start to finish that celebrates taking chances and doing things the unconventional way. Through this creative spirit, I’m proud to announce to you – Whiskey Jypsi. As my most loyal fans, we’ve set aside a presale allotment specifically for you… Lives are made for chances, EC.”

Apparently the whiskey is not your bottom-shelf variety – with the website placing the price point at a stout $199.99 per bottle. According to the company, “Whiskey JYPSI Legacy Batch 001 is the first in a series of exclusive, limited releases featuring rare and complex blends of aged whiskeys. Blending three distinct whiskeys, each at different stages of development from 4 to 20 years old, creating unexpectedly rich layers of aroma and flavor – not generally found in spirits.”

Premium Choir Choir members can register for presale to order Legacy Batch 001 via a link in the announcement email to receive a separate preorder link on May 16th. Non-Premium Choir Choir members can sign up for the Whiskey JYPSI email list to receive a preorder link the following day on May 17th. You can find more information about other batches and details on the company on their website.

Source: WhiskeyRiff

This day in Country Music History

Posted on by Bob Ballard
  • Today in 1983, Alabama’s album, “The Closer You Get,” was certified gold and platinum simultaneously.
  • Today in 1986, Dolly Parton opened her Dollywood amusement park in Tennessee.
  • Today in 1993, the “Some Gave All” album by Billy Ray Cyrus was certified for sales of 7-million.
  • Today in 1994, Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks were the big winners at the 29th annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Angeles. Garth skipped the show to be in Nashville with his then-wife, Sandy, as she gave birth to the couple’s second child, August Anna. She was born the night Garth received the ACM’s Entertainer of the Year award for the fourth consecutive year. That same night, “We Shall Be Free” was named Video of the Year.
  • Today in 1994, the “Rhythm, Country and Blues” album was certified gold and platinum.
  • Today in 1996, John Michael Montgomery hit #1 with “Long As I Live.”
  • Today in 1997, Travis Tritt, Bill Anderson, Stonewall Jackson and others attended the 50th anniversary celebration for the Ernest Tubb Record Shops in downtown Nashville.
  • Today in 2000, Faith Hill’s “The Way You Love Me” video made its worldwide debut on CMT’s “Delivery Room.” Other videos premiering included the Kinleys’ “She Ain’t The Girl For You,” “One Voice” from Billy Gilman and Sonya Isaacs’ “Since I Gave My Heart Away.”
  • Today in 2000, in an incident that no one has ever been able to truly explain, Roseanne Barr crashed the party that Lonestar’s record company hosted following the ACM Awards show. Lonestar and their friends were busy celebrating their ACM Single of the Year award for “Amazed,” so it’s not surprising that it took some time before anyone noticed that someone had walked away with the trophy presented to the record label. A few days later, Roseanne admitted that she hid the award under her jacket as she left the celebration at the ritzy Posto Restaurant in Los Angeles. She followed her confession by sending the trophy to Nashville, where it was placed on display at the record label’s office.
  • Today in 2002, Chely Wright was among “People” magazine’s annual “50 Most Beautiful.” She was the only country singer.
  • Today in 2003, Buddy Jewell became the first “Nashville Star.”
  • Today in 2006, Ricky Van Shelton wrote an open letter to fans announcing his retirement from the road, assuring fans he and his wife, Bettye were in good health, he said they “need to be close to our families” in Virginia.
  • Today in 2007, Taylor Swift picked up a gold single for her debut, “Tim McGraw.”
  • Today in 2010, water from the Cumberland River flooded Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House peaking more than two feet above the venue’s stage. The Opry moved to other locations for four months.
  • Today in 2013, Keith Urban made a surprising appearance during The Rolling Stones’ show at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, joining the band while playing “Respectable.”
  • Today in 2014, Kacey Musgraves performs “Follow Your Arrow” at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York, following an introduction by Chely Wright.
  • Today in 2017, the video for “Craving You,” by Thomas Rhett featuring Maren Morris, hit the airwaves.
  • Today in 2017, Toby Keith covered “MacArthur Park,” while Dwight Yoakam played “Wichita Lineman” at Carnegie Hall in New York during a salute to Jimmy Webb. A fundraiser for Alzheimer’s, the show also featured Ashley Campbell, Judy Collins, Art Garfunkel, Amy Grant, Graham Nash, and Johnny Rivers.

Luke Bryan Announces Next Single From Stagecoach Stage

Posted on by Bob Ballard

Luke Bryan used his performance at last weekend’s Stagecoach Festival to give the crowd a bit of news before anyone else heard it – he told the audience the name of his next single, how they can hear a snippet and when the whole thing drops.

“If you go on TikTok, I put it on my TikTok. Y’all’ll hear a sample of it tonight. It’s uploading tonight if y’all want to hear a little piece of it,” he said.

The song, titled “But I Got A Beer In My Hand,” drops in its entirety this coming Friday.

 

This day in Country Music History

Posted on by Bob Ballard
  • Today in 1985, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson released the “Highwayman” album.
  • Today in 1988, the album, “Remembering Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline,” was released.
  • Today in 1989, the “Killin’ Time” album by Clint Black and the “Something Inside So Strong” album by Kenny Rogers were released.
  • Today in 1994, Garth Brooks won two honors – Entertainer and Video of the Year – at the 29th Academy Of Country Music awards on NBC, though he wasn’t in Los Angeles to receive them. His wife, Sandy, gave birth to August Anna that night in Nashville.
  • Today in 1996, Travis Tritt’s “Greatest Hits – From the Beginning” went platinum.
  • Today in 1998, backstage at the Grand Ole Opry Loretta Lynn made the announcement that she intended to return to college and get a degree.
  • Today in 1998, Shania Twain was at #1 in Billboard with “You’re Still The One.”
  • Today in 2000, Collin Raye released his album, “Tracks,” while Chad Brock’s “Yes!” hit stores.
  • Today in 2000, Faith Hill and hubby Tim McGraw confirmed plans to perform their hit single, “Let’s Make Love,” at the upcoming ACM Awards. Their subsequent performance absolutely sizzled.
  • Today in 2002, highly anticipated CBS-TV special, featuring Clint Black, Lonestar, Celine Dion and others, was taped in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida aboard the U.S.S. Harry Truman. The show, titled “Rockin’ In The USA,” aired the following Memorial Day weekend.
  • Today in 2007, Taylor Swift’s debut single, “Tim McGraw,” went gold.
  • Today in 2009, Clint Black was fired by Donald Trump during an episode of the NBC-TV series “The Celebrity Apprentice.”
  • Today in 2010, water from the Cumberland River floods Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House, peaked more than two feet above the venue’s stage. The Opry moves like a nomad to other Nashville locations for the next four months.
  • Today in 2011, Lady A’s single, “Just A Kiss,” hit the airwaves.
  • Today in 2013, Alan Jackson performed “He Stopped Loving Her Today” to close George Jones’ memorial at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House. Other participants include Randy Travis, Brad Paisley, Barbara Mandrell, The Oak Ridge Boys, Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, Ronnie Milsap, Charlie Daniels, Travis Tritt and Kenny Chesney.
  • Today in 2014, Carrie Underwood wrote “Something In The Water” with Chris DeStefano and Brett James in a Tennessee cabin, weaving in an “I Saw The Light” reference and a section of “Amazing Grace.”
  • Today in 2016, Maren Morris underwent a tonsillectomy.
  • Today in 2017, Sara Evans headlined a George Michael tribute at City Winery in Nashville. A benefit for the Unlikely Heroes organization, the show also featured Cassadee Pope and songwriters James Slater, Shane Stevens and Desmond Child.
  • Today in 2017, Vince Gill and his daughters, Jenny and Corrina Gill, performed the national anthem before an NHL playoff game at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The Predators edged the St. Louis Blues, 2-1, for a crowd that included Kix Brooks, Brothers Osborne, Joe Don Rooney and Carrie Underwood.
  • Today in 2019, Wynonna Judd and Cactus Moser participated in a National Day of Prayer event at the White House in Washington, D.C., where Judd reveals she intended to work with president Donald Trump’s administration on criminal justice reform. Unable to remember her name, Trump refers to her as the “one with red hair.”

Willie Nelson Celebrates 90th Birthday With Weekend Concerts

Posted on by Bob Ballard

Over 45 musicians gathered at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend to celebrate the long life of Willie Nelson, who turned 90 on Saturday! The celebration was spread over two nights to recognize the depth of talent involved and Nelson’s double birthday in April. The musicians gathered to celebrate the staggering 450-plus songs written by Nelson, who is considered one of the most acclaimed songwriters and singers of all time.

The event featured a huge amount of famous artists including Beck, Leon Bridges, The Chicks, Snoop Dogg, Norah Jones, Miranda Lambert, Lyle Lovett, Ziggy Marley, Chris Stapleton, and George Strait. Also highlighted were Nelson’s longtime sideman, Mickey Raphael, on harmonica, and backup singers The McCrary sisters, Alfreda McCrary, Ann McCrary, and Regina McCrary.

How did Nelson feel about the celebration? “Happy Birthday to me!” he shouted at the end, while the show closed out with “On The Road Again” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and “I’ll Fly Away,” joined by the evening’s entire ensemble.

Source: Billboard

This day in Country Music History

Posted on by Bob Ballard
  • Today in 1967, Elvis Presley married his longtime girlfriend, 21-year-old Priscilla Ann Beaulieu at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. They had their daughter, Lisa Marie just nine months later. After six years of marriage, the couple divorced but remained very close.
  • Today in 1969, Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan taped the first installment of “The Johnny Cash Show” at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Future singer/songwriter John Hiatt was in the audience. Country Music named Loretta Lynn its 80’s Artist of the Decade.
  • Today in 1982, “Mountain Music” peaked at #1 for Alabama on the Billboard Country singles chart.
  • Today in 1980, the Academy of s released The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s album “Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. 2.” The guests included Johnny Cash, Levon Helm, Roy Acuff, John Denver, Chris Hillman, Roger McGuinn, Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby.
  • Today in 1989, the “Sweet Sixteen” album by Reba McEntire was released.
  • Today in 1993, Charley Pride joined the Grand Ole Opry.
  • Today in 1999, Dixie Chick Emily Erwin married Charlie Robison at a West Texas ranch. They made the wedding a Texas family-and-friends event rather than a Nashville extravaganza and did the planning themselves. While they later divorced, fellow Chick Natalie Maines met her future husband, Adrian Pasdar, at the ceremony – and they’re still hitched.
  • Today in 2000, Steve Wariner was in Colorado to help raise money for the construction of a new library at Columbine High School library. He signed autographs in exchange for donations to “Hope Columbine,” an organization formed by the Columbine High School families after the 1999 shooting tragedy.
  • Today in 2000, SHeDAISY staged a free concert as part of the USTA festivities. The event kicked off with a morning tennis clinic at Centennial Park in cooperation with the Tennessee Education Association. Following the clinic, Governor Sundquist officially renamed the state Tennis-e for the day. Then tennis stars like Patrick McEnroe and Alexandra Stevenson conducted a tennis exhibition/clinic. The event at War Memorial Plaza concluded with a free lunchtime concert from the sisters.
  • Today in 2002, Chely Wright was the only country artist to be featured in People magazine’s annual “50 Most Beautiful” issue.
  • Today in 2008, George Strait picked up a gold album for “”
  • Today in 2010, Rascal Flatts signed the national anthem before the Kentucky Derby at Louisville’s Churchill Downs. Amongst the attendees were Little Big Town, Smokey Robinson and Terry Bradshaw, won by Super Saver.
  • Today in 2012, Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” album was released.
  • Today in 2016, Dustin Lynch brought out two surprise guests – Jay Popoff and Jeremy Popoff, of the rock band Lit – for a version of “My Own Worst Enemy” during the Stagecoach Country Festival at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California. Lynch later joins headliner Luke Bryan on “Play Something Country” and “She’s Country.”
  • Today in 2018. the downtown Nashville venue Ole Red, associated with Blake Shelton and the Grand Ole Opry, opened its doors on lower Broadway.
  • Today in 2019, Dan + Shay sang “Speechless” as pop singer Joe Jonas married actress Sophie Tucker at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas.
  • Today in 2020, Kenny Chesney album, “Here And Now,” was released.
  • Today in 2020, the Luke Combs single, “Six Feet Apart,” to radio.
  • Today in 2021, Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley took part in the Natchez Trace Century Ride, a cycling event in Ridgeland, Mississippi.

Luke Bryan Announces The Return Of Farm Tour

Posted on by Bob Ballard

Luke Bryan is bringing back his “Farm Tour” for the thirteenth year. The tour is in partnership with Bayer, and will visit six family farms across the US this September. The tour supports the #HeresToTheFarmer campaign that Bryan started in 2015 with Bayer, which provides a meals to people through Feeding America for every use of the hashtag.

The shows will feature special guests, to be announced at a later date. Tickets will be on sale from May 4th at Luke Bryan’s website. “It’s my favorite time of year. #FarmTour2023 will kick off in Sept. I can’t wait to get back in the fields, up close to the fans & honoring our American farmer,” Bryan shared.

Check out the tour dates below:

  • Sept. 14 – Shelbyville, Kentucky – Mulberry Orchard
  • Sept. 15 – Millersport, Ohio – Miller Family Farm
  • Sept. 21 – Colfax, Iowa – Schnell Family Farms
  • Sept. 22 – Brooklyn, Wisconsin – Klondike Farms
  • Sept. 23 – Eyota, Minnesota – Gar-Lin Dairy LLC

Source: American Songwriter

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