Katie & Company

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Lainey Wilson | 2025 ACM Awards May 08, 2025

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Hang tight honey, we're making way for 'Entertainer of the Year' nominee Lainey Wilson, backstage at the 60th ACM Awards. The singer sat in with Katie Neal to talk about the big show, the new music she's been teasing on socials, and her amazing feature film debut.

The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Eric Church | 2025 ACM Awards May 08, 2025

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Backstage at the 60th ACM Awards, Eric Church checked in to talk about his performance on the big show, his new album, 'Evangeline vs. The Machine,' and his upcoming tour. The Chief also told Katie Neal about his spot on Morgan Wallen's upcoming album, due out next Friday.

Cody Johnson | 2025 ACM Awards May 07, 2025

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Throughout his career, there's been a few songs that really struck Cody Johnson, but he wasn't sure if they should be singles. Thankfully the fans have the final vote, and have pushed tracks like "'Til You Can't" and the latest single, "The Fall," into the spotlight. Backstage at the 2025 ACM Awards, Cody explained why it's always up to the fans, and shared his excited with Katie Neal for this week's award show.

Tucker Wetmore | 2025 ACM Awards May 07, 2025

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Backstage at the 2025 ACM Awards, Tucker Wetmore talks with Katie Neal about the reaction from fans after releasing his debut album, and how it feels to be collaborating with Thomas Rhett.

Hudson Westbrook | 2025 ACM Awards May 07, 2025

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Our Audacy 'LAUNCH' artist, Hudson Westbrook, is making the most of first ACM Awards, dipping in and back out immediately to continue life on the road. It's not something he planned for at the beginning of the year, but the success has been "insane" and amazing for the Texas native. The "House Again" singer caught up with Katie Neal backstage to talk about being able to drive his truck to the award show, the things he always forgets at home, and more.

Blake Shelton | 2025 ACM Awards May 07, 2025

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Blake Shelton has a lot to celebrate this week, including his 30th number one single and being back on stage at the 2025 ACM Awards. Backstage he told Katie Neal how "unbelievable" it is to notch his 30th chart-topper, and shared who he won't lock eyes with when performing at the ACMs. "Those Dan + Shay guys, they're pretty idiotic," he joked. "Shay is always doing something stupid."

Kelsea Ballerini | 2025 ACM Awards May 07, 2025

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Backstage at the 2025 ACM Awards, Katie Neal caught up with 'Entertainer of the Year' nominee, Kelsea Ballerini, who shared how proud she is of her nomination and also detailed her day out with Noah Kahan at Dollywood.

Audacy 'LAUNCH' Artist Hudson Westbrook May 01, 2025

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What else can we say about our Audacy LAUNCH artist Hudson Westbrook? The rising Country star was first introduced to us with his hit, "House Again," which has since gone gold. He also recently released with debut album, 'Texas Forever,' and continues to be a force in the world of Country music. You've heard him here for the past few months, now look back at Katie Neal's conversation with Hudson from inside our Nashville studios.

Westbrook discussed the profound impact of his song "House Again" on fans during his visit with Katie. "Once you're that for someone else, you don't realize that, but someone's been that for you," he says of his song helping people through hard moments. "That's what's really cool. So I always try to put myself back in their shoes of how do they feel about this song."

"I'd written two songs, and it was my first time ever co-writing in my entire life," Hudson says on the creation of the song. "So you're sitting there with like dudes that have written songs that are very well known, and you're just a kid that came from Lubbock that was in a fraternity 3 weeks ago, you know, and working to make a living."

"I remember I had written just, 'well this kitchen used to be a dance hall' and then I had, 'now it's just 4 empty walls,' and I had put like, 'the house you made a home is now just a house again.' And it was kind of just a statement I was saying, it was just, this is the general idea of the song."

Westbrook opened up to his co-writers and the song became a standout of his live shows, before deciding to cut the record. "I thought it was too niche for other people to relate, but it turned out great."

Hear more from Katie's conversation with Hudson Westbrook above.

Blake Shelton | Superstar Power Hour May 01, 2025

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Just a few days away from the release of his 13th studio album, and potentially on the cusp of his 30th number one song, Blake Shelton shared with Katie Neal the moment that inspired him to jump back into the album arena.

"I've been so excited and grateful to see the reception that it's gotten because, man, I hadn't even made an album in years," Blake says of the success of "Texas" which continues to climb the charts. "I was kind of OK with that because, I just kind of been in the grind with 'The Voice,' and just my career over the last, you know, now quarter century."

"It wasn't until Post Malone called and asked if I would sing 'Pour Me A Drink' with him for his record, and then it came out as a single, and then we made a video, and just being around him and his excitement for Country music and how much he loves it," shares Shelton. "It truly did. I credit Post all the time. It was the wake up call I needed to realize, 'what am I doing?' I get to be a Country singer and a handful of people in the world get to do what I do, and I need to get back in there and make another record."

First up with his new lit fire was "Texas," which Blake says is a "once in a lifetime" song. "It's just when you hear it, it's it for me anyway, it was impossible to get it out of my mind. I'd wake up in the middle of the night just singing my own song. Like normally if I make a record and by the time I get a mixed version of it, I'm so sick of it. I never want to hear it again, you know, when you work on something like that. And I just still sitting here right now, it's so much fun, that song. I love the George Strait references in there, and 'All My Ex's.' It's just been a blast."

After his collab with Post Malone marked Shelton's 29th number one, could "Texas" be lucky number 30? "if we're able to get to 30, I may lose my mind," smiles Blake. "That might be the thing that sends me over the edge."

To hear more from Blake Shelton about his show, 'The Road,' the title of his upcoming album, 'For Recreational Use Only,' and being mixed up with Luke Bryan, check out the full 'Superstar Power Interview' with Katie Neal above.

Tucker Wetmore Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

It's been a big week for Tucker Wetmore, who just released his album, 'What Not To,' thrilled the Country crowd at Stagecoach, and now is gearing up for a summer tour with Thomas Rhett. Before the whirlwind of the past few days, Katie Neal had a chance to talk with Tucker, sharing some of the stories behind the songs on his latest effort, and how he has felt about his rapid rise over the past year and a half.

"I'm ready to get it out in the world, it's been a long time coming," Tucker shared about his official debut album. "Nothing in my life for the past year and a half has felt real, but yeah, I'm just blessed."

"There's a couple different themes to the album, but I actually wrote 'Goodbye Whiskey' as the outro track, originally when I first wrote it, and that's why it's produced out the way it is and that's why it's set up and it kind of feels like an outro," says Wetmore about one of the three "Whiskey" songs on the nineteen track album. "But it felt like the perfect medium to the next step of the album. So I was like, 'that has to go right there.' It feels like I'm closing a chapter and then opening up a new one and then boom, 'Whiskey Again,'" which closes out the album for Tucker. "I'm right back to square one."

Check out the full interview with Tucker Wetmore above.

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