Dierks Bentley hits Country radio this week with “What the Hell Did I Say,” the fourth single from his latest studio album, Black. Dierks hoped this song would be a summertime single because he says it perfectly captures the spirit of his “What the Hell World Tour” with Cole Swindell and Jon Pardi. Bentley says, “It’s crazy right now with Cole and Pardi…every night is better than the one before…just when you think it can’t get any more fun, it does. I’ve worked my whole career
Australian singer-songwriter Morgan Evans has signed a record deal with Warner Music Nashville, meaning he’ll likely get to spend more time in Nashville with his famous fiancée, Kelsea Ballerini. To celebrate his new record deal, Evans recorded a mashup of his favorite songs by Warner Music Nashville artists, including Blake Shelton, Brett Eldredge, Cole Swindell and Dan + Shay. Morgan, who has a duet with Ballerini on her forthcoming album, is currently in the studio working on new music with songwriter/producer Chris DeStefano.
Brett Eldredge appeared on NBC’s Today show on Tuesday (5/9) to help announce the nominees for the 2017 CMT Music Awards. Keslea Ballerini, Thomas Rhett and Keith Urban lead this year’s pack with four nominations apiece, while Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Lauren Alaina and Luke Bryan follow closely behind with three nods each. Hosted this year by Nashville star Charles Esten, the CMT Music Awards will take place live from Nashville on June 7 at 8 PM ET.
The full list of CMT Music Awards nominees appears below:
Video of the Year
Artists of Then, Now & Forever, “Forever Country”
Brad Paisley, “Today”
Brett Eldredge, “Wanna Be That Song”
Carrie Underwood, “Church Bells”
Cole Swindell, “Middle of a Memory”
Dierks Bentley and Elle King, “Different for Girls”
Florida Georgia Line, “H.O.L.Y.”
Jon Pardi, “Dirt on My Boots”
Keith Urban, “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Kelsea Ballerini, “Peter Pan”
Little Big Town, “Better Man”
Luke Bryan, “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day”
Miranda Lambert, “Vice”
Thomas Rhett, “Star of the Show”
Male Video of the Year
Blake Shelton, “Came Here to Forget”
Eric Church, “Record Year”
Jason Aldean, “Lights Come On”
Keith Urban, “Blue Ain’t Your Color”
Luke Bryan, “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day”
Thomas Rhett, “Star of the Show”
Female Video of the Year
Carrie Underwood, “Church Bells”
Kelsea Ballerini, “Peter Pan”
Lauren Alaina, “Road Less Traveled”
Maren Morris, “80s Mercedes”
Miranda Lambert, “Vice”
Reba McEntire, “Back to God”
Duo Video of the Year
Big & Rich featuring Tim McGraw, “Lovin’ Lately”
Brothers Osborne, “21 Summer”
Dan + Shay, “How Not To”
Florida Georgia Line, “H.O.L.Y.”
LoCash, “I Know Somebody”
Group Video of the Year
Eli Young Band, “Saltwater Gospel”
Lady Antebellum, “You Look Good”
Little Big Town, “Better Man”
Midland, “Drinkin’ Problem”
Old Dominion, “Song for Another Time”
Breakthrough Video of the Year
Brett Young, “In Case You Didn’t Know”
Jon Pardi, “Dirt on My Boots”
Kane Brown, “Used to Love You Sober”
Lauren Alaina, “Road Less Traveled”
Luke Combs, “Hurricane”
RaeLynn, “Love Triangle”
Collaborative Video of the Year
Artists of Then, Now & Forever, “Forever Country”
Chris Young featuring Vince Gill, “Sober Saturday Night”
Dierks Bentley featuring Elle King, “Different for Girls”
Florida Georgia Line featuring Tim McGraw, “May We All”
Keith Urban featuring Carrie Underwood, “The Fighter”
Kenny Chesney with P!nk, “Setting the World on Fire”
CMT Performance of the Year
Jason Aldean, “Hicktown” (From CMT Concert of the Summer)
Jason Derulo and Luke Bryan, “Want to Want Me” (From CMT Crossroads)
John Mellencamp and Darius Rucker, “Pink Houses” (From CMT Crossroads)
Alicia Keys and Maren Morris, “80s Mercedes” (From CMT Crossroads)
Meghan Trainor, Jill Scott and Kelsea Ballerini, “You’re Still The One/Any Man of Mine/Man I Feel Like A Woman” (from CMT Artists of the Year)
Nick Jonas and Thomas Rhett, Close (From CMT Crossroads)
Social Superstar of the Year
Brett Eldredge
Jake Owen
Keith Urban
Kelsea Ballerini
Lauren Alaina
Thomas Rhett
On this day in 2014, “This Is How We Roll” by Florida Georgia Line featuring Luke Bryan sat on top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart for the second of three weeks at #1.
The song was released as the fifth single to FGL’s debut studio album, Here’s to the Good Times, although “This is How We Roll” was only included on the 2013 re-release.
The artists were assisted in the writing of the song by Cole Swindell.
The Nightly Concert lineup at Nissan Stadium during CMA Music Festival was revealed this morning (3/17) on ABC’s Good Morning America. Taking the big stage this year will be Trace Adkins, John Anderson, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Tracy Lawrence, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Rogers, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton, Chris Stapleton, Cole Swindell, Thomas Rhett, Keith Urban, and Chris Young.
· The 2017 CMA Music Festival will take place June 8-11 in downtown Nashville.
On this day in 2015, Warner Bros. released Cole Swindell’s “You Should Be Here” to radio. The song was the lead single to his second studio album of the same name.
“You Should Be Here” hit number one on the Billboard Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs charts, which gave Swindell his fourth number-one overall. The song was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Cole Swindell says that Thanksgiving for him is a special time to share with his family, “We’ve always had a close family so it really… the holidays whether it be Thanksgiving, Christmas, whatever is the only time when we really all get to be together as a family.”
Cole Swindell has hit the top of the country chart this week with his current single “Middle Of A Memory.” The song becomes Cole’s sixth consecutive #1 song and continues his streak of chart-toppers, which began with his 2013 debut, “Chillin’ It.” Reacting to the exciting news, Swindell said, “Thanks to my team at Warner for my sixth #1 in a row! Country Radio you have been so good to me and a huge part of why I get to hear fans singing songs like ‘Middle Of A Memory’ back to me every night! Let’s celebrate!”
· Additionally, the video for “Middle of a Memory” sits at #1 on CMT Hot 20 Countdown this week, making this Cole’s fifth chart-topping video.
· Swindell’s sixth consecutive chart-topper is also his ninth overall #1 as a songwriter.
On this day in 2015, Dierks Bentley hosted his 10th annual Miles & Music For Kids motorcycle ride and concert in Nashville in a show that featured Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, and Cole Swindell. The benefit has raised over $2 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country.
The list of presenters during the 50th Annual CMA Awards will feature some of the biggest country stars from past and present as well as huge celebrities from both the sports and acting worlds. From the country realm, presenters will include Country Music Hall of Famers Bill Anderson, Brenda Lee, Barbara Mandrell and The Oak Ridge Boys, as well as Lee Greenwood, Olivia Newton-John, Cam and Cole Swindell. Presenters from the sports world will include “Final Five” Olympic gymnasts Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, and Aly Raisman, NFL great Peyton Manning, as well as ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit and Samantha Ponder. Presenters from the acting side will include Matthew McConaughey, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Garner, Lily Tomlin, Josh Dallas, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Hayley Orrantia.
· Hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, The 50th Annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena tomorrow (11/2) at 8:00 PM ET on ABC.
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