There’s a tradition Down Under where musicians will do a “shoey” on stage, that is, take a drink from a shoe. After that, the performer is supposed to wear the wet footwear for the rest of the show. Chris Stapleton, however, isn’t going to take part. Ahead of his tour stops in Australia, the country star has said he’s not down with that. “I’ve heard about this. I asked somebody before I went on for the first night, ‘Is there anything that I should be prepared for?’ And then they’re like, ‘Yes, a shoey. They’ll want you to drink beer out of a shoe.’ And I said I will graciously decline to do that.” Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson, Harry Styles and Morgan Wallen are among the big stars who’ve taken part, but Stapleton will not be adding his name to the list.

Jelly Roll returned to his alma mater, Antioch High School in Tennessee, this week but it was a bittersweet visit. Jelly’s visit came a little more than a month after a tragic school shooting there that took the lives of both the shooter and another student. No video or audio was released from the singers return, but he reportedly spoke to both the faculty and the students, taking time to discuss the tragedy with everyone before lightening the mood by posing for selfies with the students. In a social media post, the district wrote, “Thank you, Jelly Roll, for reaching out to the Antioch community and offering some comfort during a difficult time. We appreciate your support!”

Carrie Underwood‘s role as judge on “American Idol” comes with a side-gig. The singer is to lead the web series “Idol To Icon,” which will be released as a companion to the singing competition. It will air on YouTube starting on March 4, serving as a table-setter for the series itself, which makes its debut on ABC on Sunday, March 9. Each webisode will cover a different part of the competition as the season progresses, with the last episode covering her finale memories and ultimate Idol winning moment.

Back in November, we told you that Blake Shelton and Taylor Sheridan were teaming up to create an all-new televised singing competition. Yesterday we learned that a big name was added to the mix. Keith Urban will be the headliner of “The Road,” a CBS series that tests up-and-coming musicians’ ability to perform in front of live audiences. The show will follow Urban’s concerts across Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma; the contestants will open for the country superstar, and the audience at each venue will determine which musicians get to stay on the tour. The best part: you can be part of that all-important audience. The shows are free, with tickets distributed on a “first come-first served” basis. Tickets will be made available through the show’s website. The schedule of performances:

• March 2: Tannahill’s Tavern and Music Hall in Forth Worth
• March 5: The Factory in Deep Ellum in Dallas
• March 9: Oklahoma Ranch in Oklahoma City
• March 12: Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa
• March 24: Minglewood Hall in Memphis
• March 28: Marathon Music Works in Nashville
• April 2: Ryman Auditorium in Nashville

Lainey Wilson is a singer, actress, and now…author? Not quite, but she did dip her toes into the publishing world. A new children’s book, “Howdy: Welcome To The Grand Ole Opry” by Emily Frans, is coming out this summer, and Lainey was tapped to write the forward for the picture book. In doing so, Lainey describes her first visit to the Opry as a child, and how she knew she wanted to perform there. “I dreamed about making my debut and standing in the circle where all my heroes have stood,” she wrote. She also told readers about joining the Grand Ole Opry last June. “Of all the blessings and accolades, this is my biggest accomplishment so far.” “Howdy: Welcome To The Grand Ole Opry” hits book stores and Kindles everywhere September 16.