Lambert revealed that the song is a gripping narrative of a woman reclaiming her strength and seeking a touch of revenge. “I think we can all identify with the character in this song, because we have all had a time in our life where we needed to find our strength and also get a little revenge on someone that did us wrong,” Lambert shared. Fans of her bold anthem ‘Gunpowder & Lead’ will find a familiar fierceness in this upcoming track, promising a continuation of Lambert’s signature blend of grit and empowerment. Get ready to channel your inner rebel with Lambert’s latest musical offering.

“Wranglers” builds on the intense, empowering sound that has characterized much of Miranda Lambert’s music. Dropping on May 3, this single adds another chapter to her catalog of bold anthems, featuring strong storytelling and a spirited call to finding one’s strength. Pre add the song to your playlist at www.mirandalambert.com.

This week’s lineup is jam-packed with tunes perfect for every moment life throws your way. Whether you’re mending a broken heart, seeking that extra spark in your day, or gearing up for a night out with your girls, I’ve got you covered. Take a look.

Tanner Adell Releases Infectious Pop-Induced Track “Whiskey Blues”

Skyrocketing independent Country artist Tanner Adell falls into a predictable heartbreak from a red-flagged situationship in her new track “Whiskey Blues”. The track marks Adell’s first solo release of 2024.

The song features a tempo-driven, pop-induced aggressiveness that stretches the boundary lines of modern Country. The melody accents the urgency of her voice as she traces the unsuccessful, toxic vices she’s been leaning into to try and get him off her mind. Wallowing in overthinking while dissecting the balance of her emotions, her pristine vocal performance takes her very real feelings and wraps them around an irresistible rhythm that will not only relate to the broken-hearted listener but will keep them listening.

Kirsty Lee Akers Is in Her Cowgirl Era with Release of “Girls Are Why The West Is Wild”

In the realm where melodies meet magic, two-time Golden Guitar winner and star of ‘The Block’ – Kirsty Lee Akers strides forth in her Cowgirl Era, a spirit woven with threads of the wild frontier. 

Welcoming the dawn of 2024, Kirsty unveils her latest ode, “Girls Are Why The West Is Wild.” A song for the cowgirls, the untamed hearts, and the daring souls who roam free.

Renee Blair Makes a Lot of Noise with Release of “Banjos & Boys”

CMA and ACM Award-nominated songwriter Renee Blair makes a lot of noise with their latest release, “Banjos & Boys.” Blair penned the rowdy track set to an electrifying banjo-laden beat with Lenny Pey, Rufio Hooks, and Rajiv Dhall. 

This marks the third release from Blair’s upcoming album, HILLBETTY, set for release in Fall 2024. It follows the lovestruck tale “Hillbillies And Betties,” which she performed on The Bobby Bones Show, and the viral hit “Holy Cowboy,” which resulted in over 40,000 user-generated videos. The CMT Next Women of Country alum, who was dubbed as a “rising country talent” by American Songwriter, has garnered over 50 million collective streams.

Auburn McCormick Releases Powerful New Single “Overdramatic”

Mississippi native Auburn McCormick is known for her captivating storytelling and raw lyricism. McCormick’s release delivers a powerful message that resonates with audiences far and wide. “Overdramatic” showcases McCormick’s signature blend of honest emotion and clever melody. The song, written by McCormick alongside Hannah Kalfas and Bryan West, explores themes of frustration and anger in the aftermath of a tumultuous breakup.

“Inspired by personal experiences, ‘Overdramatic’ delves into the complexities of toxic relationships,” McCormick explains. “It’s a cathartic anthem that allows listeners to release pent-up emotions and find solace in shared experiences.”

Jayne Denham’s Unveils New Groundbreaking Album Moonshine

Jayne Denham, proving again that she’s the dominant female force in Australian country rock music, unveils a new groundbreaking album titled Moonshine. The album is infused with the spirited essence of the Prohibition era of risk-taking, love affairs, and dedicated moonshine runners; the resonating themes and sounds blend uniquely into today’s modern country music scene. 

Drawing inspiration from the raw, wild, and action-packed sounds of that time, Jayne embarks on a sonically rich journey that evokes the spirited and illegal act of moonshine production. With Moonshine, Jayne’s musical voyage pays homage to the adventurous thrill-seekers and the inevitable heartbreak that characterized a period defined by defiance and rebellion. The full-length album, Moonshine, will be available on Friday, May 3, 2024.

“I’m proud of my home state’s rich history in every area, from music to food to geography and people. There’s a legacy of artisans here — I know it as a songwriter, and I see it in the craftsmanship of Lucchese. When I slide on a pair of Lucchese boots, I feel like I’m at home.”

Never Enough is a testament to how much he cares about country music. “Sometimes I wish I didn’t care so much because everything would be easier. Hopefully one day people will look back at what I’ve done in country music and think it was honest and good for the genre,” Parker says. “This album may be called Never Enough, but if they see that what I did was real, that’ll be enough for me.”

The Ruger Fund was established in 2023 by Parker McCollum, with a philanthropic objective to support various charity organizations close to his heart. McCollum always stands up for and alongside those in need, and he is passionate about giving back. The Ruger Fund helps him achieve this goal. A portion of proceeds from every Lucchese x Parker McCollum script hat purchase will benefit The Ruger Fund.

Kelsea said on social media, “ten years ago, I was twenty, naive, starry eyed, and absolutely relentless on putting my music out into the world. I’m proud to say, nothing has changed…except a DECADE of this wildly beautiful journey we’ve gotten to share full of tours and sing alongs, wins and losses, and growing up together.”

The singer continued, “soooo, before we move into new music (yes, it’s coming I swear) I wanted to celebrate the beginning with you. 

“the song that started it all, love me like you mean it (reimagined and ten years later) comes out tomorrow night at midnight. Oh, and I’ll be performing it on the @cmt awards Sunday. See you there. Love you, mean it.

“(thank you @alysavanderheym for helping me add some 2024 spice and your brilliance to this little song that could, and @reidgah for cooking up this lil teaser track)”

This week’s picks are sure to hit you right in the feels. They cover everything from heartbreak to looking ahead with excitement, sticking together, and staying true to yourself. Each song tells a different story, capturing moments we all go through, no matter where we’re at in life. Whether you’re young, old, or somewhere in between, there’s something here that’ll strike a chord with you.

Tiffany Woys Gets Personal with Release of “Took Back”

Tiffany Woys has always been a singer but only recently did she become a songwriter. It took some tumultuous and heartbreaking life experiences for her to take the leap into writing her own story through her own songs.

“At first I was the vehicle for other people’s stories, but now being able to share my own is incredibly rewarding,” shares Tiffany. “The biggest difference is these are actually my words and now you’re going to hear directly from my heart. Music is very cathartic. In the last year, I learned just how much I actually could lean on what I love, and it is music. I think I was supposed to be a vehicle so other people who are going through things will know they’re not alone. Hopefully, they’ll listen to the EP and realize that everything is going to be okay. You’re going to find that thing that’s meant for you. You just weren’t in that moment in life yet where it was supposed to come. What’s meant for you, finds you.”

Jacquie Roar Unleashes Powerhouse Vocals in New Single “Learn About Love”

Jacquie Roar, the dynamic powerhouse vocalist and electrifying finalist from “The Voice” Season 24, has just unleashed her latest musical masterpiece to the world stage. 

Her newest single, “Learn About Love,” penned by the esteemed trio of songwriters Jaden Michaels (Jennifer Lopez, Demi Lovato, Lea Michele, Carly Rae Jepsen), Molly Reed (Hillary Scott & the Scott Family, Olivia Newton-John, Danny Gokey, Marie Osmond), and Jason Mater (Jelly Roll, Donny Osmond, Big Smo, 98 Degrees), is already setting hearts ablaze with its captivating blend of traditional country essence and Jacquie’s signature grit and sass.

Laurie Lewis Releases “Long Gone” as the First Single From Her Upcoming TREES Album

With five decades of music-making to her credit, multi-GRAMMY nominee Laurie Lewis has emerged as both a successor and contemporary of the many greats in bluegrass, old-time, and folk music. 

“I have loved ‘Long Gone’ since I first heard Bill Morrissey sing it a couple of decades ago. Recording it was a blast, and I think that as a ‘returning’ song, it is particularly resonant in these post-pandemic times. We’ve all been long gone, from each other and the world at large. Every time I hear Brandon Godman’s fiddle kick-off, I get excited all over again, to be returning from the virtual to the corporeal world.”

Rhonda Vincent Releases New Single “Please Mr. Please”

Multi-award-winning bluegrass artist and Grand Ole Opry member Rhonda Vincent’’s new single “Please Mr. Please” from her upcoming album is available now. The follow-up from Vincent’s number one song, “City of New Orleans,” “Please Mr. Please” continues to set the pace for a specialty project over a year in the making. 

“I was working on the song ‘Four Strong Winds’ from our upcoming “destinations” themed album, and as I turned from working on that song, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I started singing ‘Please Mr. Please,’ smiles Vincent. “There was something similar in the songs. My heart started to race, and I instantly thought, ‘This will be a great bluegrass song!’ I couldn’t wait to tell the guys in The Rage. When I mentioned it, none of them had heard the song before. This made it even better. I found that so many people have never heard of the song, and it’s like having my own original bluegrass song. We rehearsed it at sound check and then started performing it on our shows. I could instantly tell this song was special with everyone’s reactions, with many singing along, and best of all, people are now asking for it everywhere. I love that!”

Anne Wilson Strikes “Country Gold” in New Duet with Jordan Davis

Anne Wilson gives fans another look at her forthcoming album, REBEL, with the highly-anticipated duet “Country Gold” with Jordan Davis. 

“I am so excited about my new song ‘Country Gold’ with Jordan Davis,” shares Wilson. “I’m a huge fan of Jordan’s music, and I’m honored to have him join me. This song is all about roots and remembering where the good stuff in life really is. I love the line that says, ‘the richest people that I’ve ever known struck country gold,’ and I hope you do too. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!”

“I always like hitting the listener right in the nose,” Wetzel says. “‘9 Lives’ is a straight-up rock song, man. I’m influenced by so many genres of music, but with this record, I found myself going back to the Texas country and classic rock that I grew up listening to.”
 
Written by Wetzel alongside producer Gabe Simon (Lana Del Rey, Noah Kahan, Dua Lipa) and Amy Allen (Justin Bieber, The Chainsmokers, Harry Styles), “9 Lives” contains a solid helping of what he calls the “rocky nasty shit” on which he’s built his career, offsetting the vulnerability of “Damn Near Normal” and sharing as a preview of the balanced and wide-ranging juxtaposition of music he’s excited to continue sharing with fans.
 
The live-phenom plans to take his new music global this year as well, with headlining sets at both Cattle Country Fest and Country Thunder Arizona this weekend preceding his recently announced 46-date Damn Near Normal World Tour. Wetzel will also perform prominent sets at several additional festivals this year, including Rock the Country, Hangout, Country Jam, Country Thunder Wisconsin, WE Fest, Watershed and more, plus a hometown stadium show as he joins Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time World Tour in Arlington, Texas this July.
 

Toby Keith’s family was in attendance and sang along as Sammy Hagar, Lainey Wilson, Brooks and Dunn all sang covers of some of Keith’s most iconic songs. Rodger Clemens then led everyone in a toast to honor Country Music legend saying “ Whisky for my men and beer for my horses.”

Wilson performed a rendition of the 1999 song “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” Brooks and Dunn sang “ I Should Have Been a Cowboy,” and Hagar performed “I Love This Bar,” in a tribute to the late Toby Keith.

Lainey Wilson won Female Video of the Year for her song “Watermelon Moonshine.” She said that the song “is about that young wild crazy love a time in your life when nothing else mattered…that is what Country Music is right there, it’s just about telling a story.”

Wilson also took the stage to perform her song “Country’s Cool Again” in an energetic performance as she made her way through the crowd dancing with fans and stars alike.

Jelly Roll took home awards for Video of the Year, Male Video of the Year, and CMT Performance of the Year for his song “Need a Favor.

Trisha Yearwood was the recipient of the 2024 June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award. Yearwood joked saying “It’s nice to know you have won before you got here.” Yearwood goes on to say “ I don’t think anyone who has ever received a humanitarian award thinks they deserve it and that is absolutely tracking.”

Yearwood also gave a moving performance of “Put It In A Song.” A song she co-wrote with Erin Enderlin and Jim Moose Brown.

Ashley Cooke won the award for Breakthrough Female Video of the Year for her video “Your Place” saying she needed to take a moment to soak it in “because I have dreamed of winning an award like a CMT Award. This is my first CMT Award and award in general.”

Other winners include Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton who won the award for Collaborative Video of the Year for the song “We Don’t Fight Anymore,” Warren Zeiders with Breakthrough Male Video of the Year for “Pretty Little Poison.” Dan and Shay won the Duo/Group Video of the Year for “Save Me The Trouble,” and Scotty McCreery won CMT Digital- First Performance of The Year for “It Matters To Her”.

Having garnered a total of three nominations, Wilson stood among the top five most-nominated artists. Apart from her victorious entry, she also contended for Video of the Year and Collaborative Video of the Year for her collaboration with Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real on “More Than Friends.” Wilson’s triumph was hard-won amidst fierce competition. The category boasted a formidable lineup including Ashley McBryde’s “Light on in the Kitchen,” Gabby Barrett’s “Glory Days,” Megan Moroney’s “I’m Not Pretty,” Reba McEntire’s “Seven Minutes in Heaven,” Kacey Musgraves’ “Deeper Well,” and Kelsea Ballerini’s “Penthouse.”

Grateful for the unwavering support from the audience, who cast their votes in the fan-driven awards, Wilson remarked the significance of uplifting female talent in country music, remarking, “This recognition means the world. It’s a monumental achievement for women in our industry.”

Known for wearing her heart on her sleeve, Wilson delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech following the announcement. She expressed her admiration for her fellow female artists in the category, emphasizing their relentless dedication to their craft, stating:

“Each and every one of them is not only a dear friend but also a relentless force in the music industry. They pour their souls into their work, bringing their artistic visions to life… Being a part of this category is truly humbling. Witnessing these incredible women pursue their passion is simply awe-inspiring.”

Congratulations Lainey on an amazing achievement!

Multi-talented and extremely diverse, King burst onto the country music scene in 2016 when she was featured with Dierks Bentley on “Different for Girls,” which won the Musical Event of the Year at that year’s CMA Awards.  However, her 2015 debut pop hit “Ex’s & Oh’s,” which served as the lead single on her debut album Love Stuff, achieved platinum status, selling more than a million copies.

With the release of her first country album Come Get Your Wife–which contains her Top 40 hit, Dierks Bentley collaboration “Worth A Shot,” and her platinum single “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home),” with Miranda Lambert, King has now found a home in Nashville and with Country Music.  On the album, King also sings about motherhood in the song “Lucky,” inspired by her infant son, and her small-town roots in the song “Ohio.” Growing up between Los Angeles and southern Ohio, King, a four-time Grammy Award nominee, is the daughter of actor/comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member Rob Schneider, where she boasts about “eating ketchup, baloney, and cheese sandwiches.”  

King has had Number 1 hits on four different Billboard formats, including pop, alternative, and country, and embraces this diversity.   “What’s cool about that diversity is, that I believe, I’m the only female to have achieved this and it speaks to my versatility and love for different styles of music,” says King.  “As an artist, I feel very proud of this success, as I started as a banjo playing girl who could open for anyone and play any kind of music.  I was a bit of a Chameleon.                                                           

“It took me a while to realize that this was my strong suit, and I could use this diversity through my songwriting and the rest of my career.  I continue to express myself creatively, and feel it is a testament to the strength of music.  You don’t have to always fit into one box, and I am constantly inspired by so many new things and creating new sounds.” 

While King does not know if she will ever have four hits in four different genres again, she plans to continue to push new boundaries, and just “loves music in any capacity.”  Having made Nashville her home, at least for now, her background comes from country/blues and once she was embraced by the country music world, she felt free to explore her vision and even to get involved with producing her songs.

“I was able to speak a language that people didn’t always understand in different genres, and this has been a cool experience, making me realize that this is where I should plant my roots,” explains King.  “But I am sitting on a pop album and will release it when the time is right for my music to be out in the world.  I wrote “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna to Go Home),” eight years ago, but it wasn’t released until 2021.”

One of King’s most successful collaborations has been with Lambert and says that both the female country music star and Dierks Bentley have changed her life in major ways.  She feels that they have raised the bar in the way they write their music, and run their tours, and who they play music with.  Lambert took a shot with King and asked her to go on tour with her after they recorded “Drunk” together, and the rest is musical history.  “We had no idea what was going to happen with that song, much less getting a Grammy nomination.  We performed the song at the end of the concert and Miranda is so much fun, so caring, and a massive light in this world.”

This collaboration occurred when Bentley and King were working on “Worth a Shot,” and he introduced her to Lambert.  King had just given birth to her son, Lucky after experiencing two painful pregnancy losses and started working on the song just three months later, still emotionally and physically drained after finally becoming a full-time mom.  The song was written by Ross Copperman and Shane McAnally, and Bentley had cut the track individually before offering it to King.  

Coming full circle, King then invited Bentley to be her duet partner on the song.  She feels very proud to have both “Worth a Shot” and “Drunk” on her first country album.  Growing up, King participated in ‘friends’ groups’ where everyone sang together, and she loves that there is still that aspect in modern country music today.

Perhaps her most personal song is “Lucky,” where she explains that loss is a part of life.  “I think that loss contributes to growth, and I went through feeling totally depleted both physically and spiritually after losing two babies,” King explains.  “Sometimes you need things that are really hard and painful to push through to new growth.  After these experiences I really changed my life, moving to a ranch in New Mexico to find peace, living alone with my animals, including donkeys and goats.  I was also fostering dogs and responsible for the care of eight puppies.”

During this quiet time, King focused on healing and her writing, and being of service to this new community, volunteering to help women take care of their children.  “That was when I was blessed with the pregnancy that became Lucky Levi.  My baby came into my life, and I had no idea if we were going to have a girl or boy, but it was Lucky either way.  Now I have this beautiful driving force and know that I can’t quit moving forward with my music.  There are certain things I can’t do because it may affect my son’s life, but I still travel the world, now with my son in tow, and these are experiences that hopefully we will remember for the rest of our lives.”

Animals, babies, and music are now King’s life, and writing the song “Lucky” happened almost organically.  After working on the lyrics on her tour bus, she and Lucky returned to their hotel room, where she played the song for him.  He seemed to know intuitively that this was his song.   “He recognizes my voice, and it’s beautiful to see,” King recently told People magazine.  “He’ll go up and put his hand on the speaker.”  The heartfelt lyrics chronicle the sometimes tumultuous life King led before finding happiness with fiancé Dan Tooker, a tattoo artist, and finally becoming a mom.  

“I’ve been a runner / I’ve been a fighter / I’ve been the fuse / Hell, I’ve been the lighter / There’s only one way to explain how I got here…  / I got lucky,” King sings on the poignant track.

“That was when I was blessed with the pregnancy that became Lucky Levi.  My baby came into my life, and I had no idea if we were going to have a girl or boy, but it was Lucky either way.  Now I have this beautiful driving force and know that I can’t quit moving forward with my music. ”

Now two-and-a-half years old, King calls her son a ‘Road Dog,’ explaining that he inspires her on tour and is a wonderful traveler.  

In addition to being a remarkable singer, gifted songwriter, and performer, King’s banjo playing on the song “Bonafide” is amazing and has been called an “acoustic country masterpiece.”  Playing the banjo since the age of 14, she seems to have a real gift for acoustic instruments.  “I’m not sure it is a gift,” King says modestly, “but when I was a young girl my mom introduced me to violin studies, and I hated it.  But something must have stuck, as I am very drawn to acoustic instruments.  

“It’s not that I’m a renowned player in any shape or form, I can’t even read music and play just by feel, but my band members, who are all classically trained, may sometimes know what you’re not supposed to play, which can impede you from knowing what you should play.  Sometimes I think this lack of professional training affords a certain freedom, as I can think out of the box which can lead to some cool songwriting.  My dad was a massive Elvis fan and Beatles obsessed, so there has always been music in my life.” 

As her career has progressed, she realizes that there is ebb and flow in her creativity, and when she has that flash, King will stop whatever she is doing to put down the words on paper.  However, there can be a struggle between “my music creativity and this creation that we have made—my son, which is life.  I’m still trying to find my balance, and still do not have it quite have it figured it out yet.”  Having toured with everyone from Lambert, Bentley, and recently internationally with The Chicks, we asked her about any wild stories that she experienced on the road, she coyly says, “that some things need to stay backstage.”

Touring extensively in both the United States and internationally, King finds a difference in the audience and energy from state-to-state, as well as in Australia and New Zealand where she was touring with The Chicks.  “But Europe is a whole new world unto itself and is so fun,” says King.  “I feel that my music is more well-known in the states.  That said, I am a stage performer and don’t have a preference where I perform as I love live music and am really looking forward to going back to Europe this Spring.   Country music is really exploding over there, and I am super-excited to get back.”

Moving forward into 2024, King will have some musical surprises on her next full-length country album, and will pull in some performer favors, as well as spotlighting one gem, that she’s excited to release.  And speaking of country, she recently went horseback riding to pan for gold.  So, is King a bit of a Cowgirl?

“I absolutely am,” she gushes.  “My family in Northern California has horses and my mom’s side is from Ohio, so I grew up riding 4-Wheelers, running around barefoot, and have even eaten squirrel.  Southern Country was a massive part of my life, so when I moved to New York at age eleven, people made fun of the way I talked and dressed, and it has taken me a long time to be able to open up about who I am and where I came from.”

“I write from the perspective of being me, I don’t try to be someone that I’m not, and my fans and followers seem to really like it.  At the end of the day, I’m a mom, but a silly girl as well.”

She believes that because of who her dad is, people have preconceived notion about her.  But she is now over that part of her life where she feels that she must tell people who she is or is expected to be.  It wasn’t until King immersed herself in Country Music that she began to feel comfortable with who she was and where she came from, and was then able to share a bit of that part of her life with her fans.  “My family is first with me, and people can be cruel, so I’m very protective of them, but yes…I am country as Hell!

“My dad’s sister had a horse ranch in California where I would ride, and I have always loved horses, horseback riding, and just being around them.  So, any chance I can get on a horse, I feel it’s freedom, trust, and non-verbal communication.  I learned about this relationship when I had miniature donkeys at the ranch in New Mexico.  They have gotten such a bad rap, and are incredibly smart animals, not stubborn or uncooperative, but you have to work with them to earn their trust.”

King plans to purchase a ranch in Tennessee and bring her donkeys there, as well as getting several horses to have on the property.  Her goal is to instill this love for animals and down-to-earth-living, which has served her so well, in her son Lucky.   

Her less sensitive and wilder side loves being on stage and serving as a host for some of Country music’s biggest moments and events.  She recently took the stage at the Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, California, co-hosted the CMA Fan Fest with Lainey Wilson and Bentley, as well as lighting up New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash, performing with Wilson and Lynyrd Skynyrd.  “New Year’s Eve is the one party we celebrate all over the world,” says King, “and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend it any other place than Music City!”

“My music is one thing, but I also really enjoy performing both in front of an audience and on TV and enjoy being medium weird and wild.  I know that I’m funny and really like being myself on camera, but have never seriously wanted to be an actor, as it has taken my entire life for me to be okay with being me.  I write from the perspective of being me, I don’t try to be someone that I’m not, and my fans and followers seem to really like it.  At the end of the day, I’m a mom, but a silly girl as well.”

King deeply believes that her music evolves and changes and grows as she does through her life and that she will continue pressing new boundaries, because she just, “really loves music.”  WW

HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTIST: Chris “Bear” Garcia @chrisbearmakeup

WARDROBE STYLIST: Twila Trahan @twilatrahanstylist

ASSISTANT STYLING: Madeline Harrington @maddifrances

PRODUCTION: Ken Amorosano

BTS VIDEO: Minni Moreklithavong

PHOTO ASSISTANT: Sinatra Jones

LOCATION: The Underdog, Nashville