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Brantley Gilbert at CMA Fest 2024 Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

Brantley Gilbert is soon-to-be a father of three and could not be more excited to be blessed with another little one. While he and his wife, Amber, are keeping the gender a secret from the public for now, he did share that one of his kids had a less-than-desirable reaction to the news.

“One of ‘em was really stoked and one of ‘em was not feeling it at all,” Brantley laughed, admitting his daughter was hoping for a girl and his son was rooting for a boy. Regardless of a boy or girl, Gilbert says he hopes his third child doesn’t have the level of attitude his daughter does.

“It’s bad,” he said of his 4-year-old daughter’s sass. “She’s boujee, she’s gangster too all at the same time. There’s a little Al Capone in that child. … it’s something else,” he laughed.

When asked about names, Gilbert said he doesn’t think his wife would ever let him name the baby, so that’ll be a secret for now too.

While he’s keeping a lot under wraps for now, one thing that’s out in the open is news of a new song, “Over When We’re Sober” featuring Ashley Cooke, available June 21. Gilbert revealed the song was originally written by him and Jelly Roll for a different album but eventually found a home on Brantley’s forthcoming, 7th studio album.

“We wrote it for an album that Jelly [Roll] and I were working on for a minute,” Gilbert shared with Audacy’s Katie Neal during an interview at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe during CMA Fest. “That wouldn’t have really been that good with me and him singing that to each other, you know?” He laughed before sharing he and Jelly’s writing sessions are quite a spectacle. “If there was a fly on the wall that could talk, we’d probably have to kill him,” he laughed.

Jokes aside, Brantley says he was excited to present the song to Cooke, who he says slayed the vocals. “We took it to Ashley in studio and she knocked it out of the park. I’m really excited to work with her, she’s a rockstar.”

The song will be the second taste of Brantley’s seventh studio album which he describes as being created with absolutely no rules. “All the rules are changing, which for us is a good thing,” he shared. “Well, there never really have been rules for us, but now there are less than there were … with this record, we really just let things be what they wanted to be, but we’ve got some solid country stuff on there.”

To hear more about the music, family, and Jelly Roll writing session, check out Brantley Gilbert’s entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Riley Green at CMA Fest 2024 Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

Riley Green is keeping the good times rolling on his 2024 Ain’t My Last Rodeo Tour, most recently by surprising his fans with special guest, John Daly, on stage.

The pro golfing legend hopped on stage with Green during a show earlier this month in Iowa and sang, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” until Green says he physically had to pull Daly off the stage.

“He’s a character,” Green told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his CMA Fest interview at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe. “It’s hard to bring somebody like that out on stage because his personality is so much bigger than mine — he almost enjoys it more than me so it’s hard to drag him back off the stage. [He was out there] as long as I’d let him be. I had to physically go and get the mic from him.”

While Daly brought a new energy to Riley’s show, the good times didn’t stop there for fans as they also got to hear Green’s new single, “Damn Good Day to Leave,” which he describes as a “fun break-up song.”

According to Green, there’s a lot more where that came from as he is already working on music for a new album he hopes to release in the fall. That would be only one year since the release of his latest album, Ain’t My Last Rodeo.

“I’m in the studio, constantly writing and we’re recording some new music. I’m going to try and put out another album later this year,” he shared. “I don’t see why not. While people are listening we’re gonna try to keep ‘em listening.”

The 35-year-old says he’s been paying close attention to fan reactions on the road when it comes to different songs and is doing his best to write more of what he thinks the fans will love.

“I don’t think there’s any better teacher for a songwriter than fans,” he said. “Seeing the reactions and being out on tour — seeing what songs are really resonating. I took that knowledge and tried to write the next album to be a lot of what people seemed to like.”

Hear more about what to expect from the new album and stories from his current tour by checking out Riley Green’s entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal from CMA Fest above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Shaboozey at CMA Fest 2024 Jun 10, 2024

Show notes

Virginia-born artist Shaboozey is experiencing a new type of heat this summer with the success of his mega-hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy).”

During an intimate chat at CMA Fest with Audacy’s Katie Neal taking place at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe, the 29-year-old shared where he pulled inspiration for the song full of good-time lyrics and boozy references that has music fans of all ages lettin’ loose.

“It’s just a feel-good song,” Shaboozey shared of what he thinks made the tune so successful. “As soon as you hear it, it’s kinda just let go of your worries for a little bit.”

He continued, “I’m gonna tell you this, from the first time that I played that [first] show live when no one has heard it, to now — it’s the same exact reaction,” he shared. “I think that’s when you’ve really made something special… The first time I played it for 20 people and the next time I played it in front of 20,000 people it’s the same reaction… by the end, everyone’s singing the chorus, and everyone’s screaming, like crazy, everyone’s just having a good time the first time they heard it.”

The good times were on full display at CMA Fest over the weekend as numerous stages reached capacity anytime Shaboozey was scheduled. He even played the song twice in a row after fans filled the overflow spaces and packed the surrounding streets and bars for any chance to catch the “good vibes” live. So where exactly did he find the magic mix for this song?

“It definitely started with ‘Everybody in the Club Gettin’ Tipsy,’ [‘Tipsy’ by J-Kwon], he said, recalling the inspiration he felt when hearing the song from 2004. “I think it started there and then… as soon as I said it, It just kind of fell out. It as so fun to write. I have a voice memo of me starting to write the song and you can hear me in real time writing the song… me singing random lyrics and then singing, ‘Me and Jack Daniel’s got a history,’ it’s a really cool piece of archive audio.”

While the song is surely contributing to many good times, Shaboozey says there can also be some major depth to it depending on what frame of mind you are in.

“Not to ruin anybody’s time, but ‘A Bar Song’ is… a song that sounds happy, but if you look at it from a different perspective, it’s also like, a song about someone who is having some struggles that are trying to get through it,” he shared. “And in the moment, it seems like we’re having a great time, but then…. It’s kinda sad. Like, ‘I’m at the bottom of a bottle don’t miss me…. It’s good storytelling.“

There’s a lot more of that depth throughout his newest album, Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going, whichhighlights his humble beginnings and is proof to everyone of just how far he’s come from “writing music on broken laptops,” to having o ...

Jelly Roll | Superstar Power Hour Jun 06, 2024

Show notes

Post Malone has cannonballed into Country music and couldn’t be receiving a warmer welcome from fans and fellow artists. One of those most excited to welcome him is Jelly Roll, who believes Country music is exactly where Posty belongs.

“He knows so much about Country music,” Jelly told Audacy’s Katie Neal of Post Malone. “This wasn’t like, ‘Oh, Country is hot right now, let me go over there,’ he’s been wanting to do this forever and has been talking about it in interviews forever.”

He continued, “His heart is here. I think they’re going to have a struggle to get him to do a record that’s not Country again.” Surely that’ll be fine by the majority of Country fans who have helped propel his first Country single, “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen to the top of the charts in record time.

While Jelly recognizes Posty creates more of a fight for him on the charts — there is one title he is willing to relinquish to Post — one of the nicest guys in Country music. “He is the sweetest dude, ever, man,” Jelly said. “I thought I was one of the nicest guys in Country music and then I met Luke Bryan and I was like, I’m an a**.’ Now, I’ve met Post Malone and I’m like, ‘I’m just plain rude!’”

Clearly, Jelly is happy to shine the light on Post Malone and credits him for having the song of the summer with “I had Some Help,” but come fall — the 39-year-old says he’ll be ready for his own moment with new music.

“My sound has never fully favored the summer, so I think we’ll be coming out [with new music] around fall,” he revealed of a new project he says is 85-95% done. “It was cool [to write] because I’m in a different headspace than I’ve ever been so I was in a cool place to be able to write like that. I wrote most of my career from extreme, dark, hopelessness, which I still write from… I am now trying to write from the perspective of the people the music helps.”

He concluded, “I didn’t write any song on this album to try to be like, a hit. I wrote every song to be impactful.”

Hear more about the new music to come, his friendship with Post Malone and why he thinks Morgan Wallen is the Garth Brooks of our generation by checking out Jelly Roll’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Bailey Zimmerman | Superstar Power Hour May 30, 2024

Show notes

Bailey Zimmerman bared all last month when he stripped down to his underwear at Stagecoach music festival in Indio, CA. Now, the 24-year-old is sharing exactly what was going through his mind as he unbuttoned and unzipped in front of thousands with freshly spray-tanned skin.

“People buy a ticket and they expect to see a show, so I was like, ‘Take your clothes off, man. Do it!’” Bailey said of what went through his mind when he was told he had to end his set early due to severe weather. Determined to “Give them a freakin’ show,” in any way he could to make up for the shortened set, Zimmerman started to strip, and has absolutely no regrets in his efforts to make people smile in an unfortunate situation.

“I’ve never been scared to be that guy,” he shared of doing something goofy. “I just want to have fun, I just want to make sure everybody is happy, everybody was goin’ home at least goin’ ‘We might not have been able to hear the songs we wanted to, but I got his pants.’”

The confidence to bare all in front of thousands is next level and for Bailey, a large part of that confidence was knowing he had sun-kissed skin to show off underneath his clothes.

“I’m tired of hiding it, I get freakin’ spray tans and that’s fine cause I’m human and I was born with like, the whitest skin, I am like a ghost,” he stated. “Sometimes, I wanna be tan with everybody else and it’s fun to be tan, OK?”

He continued, “Quit thinking it’s weird to get a spray tan. Everybody looks better with a spray tan, you look better with a spray tan and it’s fun. Ernest has been saying, ‘Legalize Country music,’ I say, ‘Legalize men’s spray tans and quit judging me, bro!’”

His spray tan secret hasn’t been the only thing under wraps for Zimmerman, who also shared new music is in the works, but he’s not ready to share it quite yet.

Teasing fans with the first new taste of what’s to come with his new release, “Holy Smokes,” Zimmerman promises when it does come it’ll be fresh, yet familiar to his fans worldwide.

“’Holy Smokes’ for me, was something fresh, that sounded a little different, but also, was still me,” he said of the song, before sharing he’s aiming to release more new music in the fall. “2024 is a time for me to try things that I haven’t tried before [but] also stick on the same things and write… that’s what I’m chasin’ with this new album that’s hopefully coming in the fall. I don’t know yet though, I won’t turn it in if it’s not perfect.”

Hear all about what Zimmerman is working on, his near-naked on-stage appearance and so much more by checking out his entire conversation on the Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Lee Brice | Superstar Power Hour May 24, 2024

Show notes

Following the recent release of his new single, “Drinkin’ Buddies,” Lee Brice is excited to share even more new music with a brand new album.

“I say this about every record, but it is the most ‘me’ record, songs, music all of it, that I’ve ever done,” Lee told Audacy’s Katie Neal of the forthcoming record during his time on the Superstar Power Hour.

Nearing the 14th anniversary of releasing his debut album, Love Like Crazy, Lee is reflecting on the new-found freedom he feels while making music.

“[I’m] just kinda at a point in my life where I want to do the music that I want to do and I don’t wanna necessarily feel like there’s boundaries or walls or genres,” he said. “Country music is truth, it’s who I am, so whatever comes out of me — I’ve got everything from Soul to Pop to Rock to Blues to very Country, Country, Country all the way down to the roots, Gospel — but this thing has a lot of all that.”

While it has a little bit of everything, the 44-year-old shared he is most excited about a Gospel-rooted song, "When the Kingdom Comes," that he says represents not only his favorite song on the whole project, but also represents who he is.

“If I had to play you one song from the whole record, it’d probably be this one gospel sort-of song [‘When the Kingdom Comes’] It wouldn’t be the single, just because I care what people know about me and what they think about where I’m at in my life and that’s where I’m at in my life.”

Don’t let the couple of Gospel songs throw you, Lee promises plenty of good time anthems, quick-witted and playful tunes as well. “We have some really, really, really fun stuff [like] ‘Said No Country Boy Ever,’ ‘Drinkin’ Buddies’ is amazing.”

He concluded, “It’s very diverse, I’ve always had kind of diverse records, but it’s got a thread through it.”

Hear more about the new music, family updates and the story behind his tackiest taxidermy by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Cody Johnson at the 2024 ACM Awards May 16, 2024

Show notes

Cody Johnson is walking into tonight’s ACM Awards with five nominations and every intention of trying to land a spot on Reba’s new television show.

While excited to be up for one of the night’s biggest awards, Entertainer of the Year, COJO is even more excited to be surrounded by his childhood heroes whom he grew up watching on the ACM Awards. That includes tonight’s host, Reba McEntire, who Johnson said he connected with while at various ACM events earlier in the week.

“I was talking to her earlier this week, she’s so sweet,” Johnson said of McEntire. After inviting her to one of his shows in Arlington, TX this November, Johnson said he also took the opportunity to offer himself up as an extra on her new sitcom. “I was like, ‘Hey! If you need any extras, let me know.’” He laughed.

“It’s always great to have people like Reba or like Ronnie Dunn that you can pick up the phone and call and let them mentor you a little bit,” he said on a more serious note. “They were here for the first time too. They know how it feels. I’m doing this all for the very first time — this is all brand new to me... I remember being a kid and watching Reba and Alan Jackson, George Strait, Garth Brooks and all my heroes that were nominated in this category [Entertainer of the Year].”

In addition to catching up with all his mentors and fellow Country pals, Johnson is also set to take the stage to perform his current single, “Dirt Cheap,” a song he said was almost recorded by Luke Combs. “I’ll tell ya what, Luke Combs had this song,” Cody revealed. “He had it in his phone and never clicked on it. So, thank you, Luke!” he laughed. Expressing his gratitude for the tune that he believes will bring him his next number 1 hit.

Catch Cody’s performance of “Dirt Cheap,” on the ACM Awards tonight via Amazon Prime and hear his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Russell Dickerson at the 2024 ACM Awards May 16, 2024

Show notes

Ahead of tonight’s ACM Awards, Russell Dickerson caught up with Audacy’s Katie Neal to talk new music, that viral moment of his son and Thomas Rhett's daughter, and more.

“I just dropped a little piece called ‘Good Day to Have A Great Day,’" Russell noted, “it's my life motto, obviously,” he added, before going on to recall the first time he had the idea for the song.

“I had the idea and I was like, this could be really dumb. You know what I mean?” Katie didn’t, countering that it turned out “dope.” Which Russell agreed with. “Yeah, it turned out dope and yeah, I was just like, why not just drop this song?” And so he did.

Pulling a parent go-to by pulling out his phone to show Katie some pics of kiddos while he gushed about Remington and Radford, Dickerson also discussed that viral moment of his son and Thomas Rhett's daughter holding hands, and how he cant wait for TR to "pay for the wedding.”

“I think there's going to be this wild moment in 15 years when all of them are in high school together,” Russell said. “Because we live literally two minutes from TR, and so they'll probably go to the same school. They'll probably all be in the same class, They’ll probably fall in love, and then Thomas Rhett will have to pay for the wedding.”

When asked who he’s most excited to see and try to find during commercial breaks during tonight's show, Dickerson shouted out his possible future brother-in-law Rhett. “Probably TR honestly,” she replied, “Just find him and Lauren,” before adding the game plan might include finding “everybody,” noting “I’m friends with everybody.”

As for any after parties, that’s gonna be a no go for Mr and Mrs Dickerson. “We have no kids. So that means trying to catch some Zs, mega Zs… The only after party that I'm going to is betwixt my sheets. Do you know what I'm saying?”

Making sure to ask about his plans for more music, Russell shared that he doesn’t know exact dates, but did reveal that “it's getting mixed probably today or this week sometime.”

“So mix, and then we got a master, then we gotta tweak and then we gotta do, and then we gotta eat,” he joked. "That's, all those pro industry terms that you guys don't really understand.”

To hear all that and more, check the entire interview above, and don't miss the ACM Awards on Amazon Prime.

Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Katie Neal

Lainey Wilson at the 2024 ACM Awards May 16, 2024

Show notes

Lainey Wilson has been on a steady climb with her ACM Award wins after winning New Artist of the Year in 2022, Female Artist of the Year in 2023 and is now up for Entertainer of the Year in 2024.

“I wasn’t nervous until I got here and saw all y’all and we started talking about it,” she said ahead of Thursday night’s show. “So many feelings. It’s just hard to wrap your head around all of it, but I’m excited.”

Along with her Entertainer of the Year nom, Lainey is walking into the awards with an additional four nominations. With a big night ahead, Lainey is staying cool calm and collected knowing she has one of the best plus ones ever — her mama.

“My mama has never walked a red carpet,” Lainey said before sharing her mom is embracing the experience to the fullest. “She was at the spa this morning, I didn’t even get my toes done for this and my mama is gettin’ her toes done. She was like, ‘I want the works!’”

Sharing her special night with her mom is just another example of how humble Lainey remains after skyrocketing to fame over the last few years, and also where the 31-year-old drew inspiration for her next album, Whirlwind.

“In the last few years I have said the word, ‘whirlwind’ a million times because that’s what I feel like it’s been,” she shared. “Trying to keep one foot on the ground, trying to make sure that I’m staying true to myself because we are moving at a very rapid pace and I can see where it’s easy to lose yourself.”

“When I was writing this music and even when I was recording this music… I felt at home. I think making this record, it truly, it was the thing that kept me feeling still in a little bit of the chaos.”

Whirlwind is set to release August 23. Hear more about the album, ACM Awards and Lainey’s new Bell Bottom’s Up Bar in Nashville by checking out her entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Kassi Ashton at the 2024 ACM Awards May 16, 2024

Show notes

Audacy Launch artist Kassi Ashton is going into tonight’s ACM Awards with her very first nomination and she plans on arriving in style. While catching up with Audacy’s Katie Neal ahead of Thursday night’s show, Ashton revealed she made her own red carpet outfit and is “stoked” to show it off.

“I’m stoked to wear my outfit, I made it,” she shared before detailing it reflects her personality perfectly. “You know me, I’m not a rhinestones or sequins girly, I’m a leather girly. I’m a chrome, witchy, ‘70s Cher girly. I hope people that know me, when they see the outfit will go, ‘That’s so her!’”

Fans of Ashton know she is no stranger to making her own clothes and this time, she filmed every stage of the process so fans can see exactly what went into the creation. “They make me film everything,” Ashton said of capturing creative process. “The filming part is so irritating… most the time when I’m sewing, I don’t have pants on… because I’m putting the clothes on and off while Im making them so I’m like, s***, I have to put a shirt on, I’m recording,” she laughed.

Ashton is sure to turn heads with her look tonight and pull even more people in to her growing fanbase. Gaining more traction with her music is something Ashton is really excited for this year as she spends 2024 featured as a Launch artist on Audacy Country stations nationwide.

“Every show I play, I know the amount of people that are singing and dancing along and wearing the merch it’s going to go up exponentially for the rest of the year and that’s insane to me because that’s the kind of fuel that helps to balance out all the rest of the things that aren’t great,” she shared. “And that’s what I’m crazy ecstatic for.”

Hear from Kassi about her outfit, music, hearing herself on the radio and more by checking out her entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

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