Country Music Rocks - Country Music News Website

Kane Brown To Play In NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

NBA officially released their 2020 Celebrity Game line up, naming Kane Brown to the team. In addition to Brown, each team features a star-studded array of participants across the music, film, television and sport industries. The event will emanate from the Wintrust Arena – home of the WNBA Chicago Sky – in Chicago, Ill.

ESPN will exclusively televise the 2020 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Presented by Ruffles on Friday, February 14, at 7 p.m. ET.

4X AMA winner Kane Brown will play only a few days after returning from the European kick-off of his first international headlining Worldwide Beautiful Tour. Brown, who is the only artist to have two songs in the Top 5 of the most-streamed country songs of all time, recently celebrated the 5X platinum certification of these same two No. 1 hits, “What Ifs” and “Heaven.” The 26-year-old entertainer is one of only five artist with multiple 5X Platinum RIAA country single certifications.

PopularESPN commentators Stephen A. Smith and Chicago native Michael Wilbon are the celebrity coaches for this year’s game. Wilson’s team will be designated as the “home team”, while Stephen A’s team will serve as the “away team.” Actor Jesse Williams (“Grey’s Anatomy”) will serve as Wilbon’s assistant coach, while television host and chef Guy Fieri (Food Network) will serve as assistant coach to Stephen A.

Three-time Grammy® Award winners and Chicago natives Chance The Rapper and Common have been named team captains for this year’s Celebrity Game. Fellow hip-hop artist and 2018 Celebrity Game MVP Quavo will also participate. Cassidy Hubbarth will be reporting live couchside from the ESPN stage in the Ruffles Celebrity Game Lounge, a new area on the court featuring celebrities and influencers who will enjoy the game while relaxing on couches and playing pop-a-shot, cornhole and other games.

Granger Smith Releases “That’s Why I Love Dirt Roads” Music Video

Granger Smith, widely known as leader of “Yee Yee Nation,” releases his highly anticipated music video for “That’s Why I Love Dirt Roads.” Watch video HERE. This windows down, wind in hair, reflective single earned No. 1 most added at Country radio and continues to climb the charts.

“It’s interesting to take a song title like ‘That’s Why I Love Dirt Roads’ and spin it against the grain from the typical Country song,” poses Smith. “Instead of covering beer, girls, and tailgates, what if that song turned the setting into an introspective anthem for living life in the present moment; almost a Country meditation. What if dirt roads were the place to escape, get lost in thought, and be closest to God? We tried to write this song where dirt roads became the sanctuary, a place where we feel most at peace.”

The video beautifully captures miles and miles of picturesque countryside and majestic landscapes, scenes for hard work and moments of reflection. The song and video elevate the dirt road to a place of sanctuary and honor and becomes more than an ode to growing up off the grid. Although still nostalgic, the lyrics are much deeper than just good times on backroads.

“Sometimes they’re beat up and broken, scattered and tossed in the breeze, but no matter their scars it doesn’t change what they are. That sounds a little like me…and that’s why I love dirt roads.”

These lyrics are just an example of how this song and music video actually render a penetrating perspective of dirt roads. The video paints a dirt road as an escape from the daily bustle, routines, highs and lows and sets a scene of a “Country meditation.” This song preaches to live in the moment and uses dirt roads to symbolize one’s sanctuary where they feel most at peace.

Jason Aldean & Florida Georgia Line Team Up And Launch “Wolf Moon Bourbon”

ACM “Artist of the Decade” Jason Aldean and multi-platinum, award-winning duo Florida Georgia Line (FGL) are pleased to announce the launch of their latest collaboration: Wolf Moon Bourbon™. The 80 proof bourbon has been distilled from Midwestern grains and aged for four years in new, charred American oak barrels. The bourbon’s flavor profile, chosen by the trio’s favorite whiskey flavors, offers sweet corn grain and candied fruit, with a finish of baking spices and caramel.

Wolf Moon is currently available in select markets, on ReserveBar.com and soon to be available nationally. For more information visit www.WolfMoonBourbon.com.

“There’s nothing like sharing a glass of bourbon with my crew after a show…you could say it’s been part of our ritual for years,” Jason Aldean said. “Tyler and Brian have been a part of that ritual and we wanted to create something to remind us of our favorite memories,” Aldean said. “Wolf Moon’s name is a nod to the pack…the friends that become family. I’m looking forward to raising a glass with all my fans on the road this year.”

After touring together since 2014, Aldean, Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelly have become close friends and frequent collaborators by teaming up for Aldean’s multiple No. One hits such as “You Make It Easy,” “Lights Come On” and “Burnin’ It Down,” as well as joining forces on the song “Can’t Hide Red.” Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard are no strangers to the whiskey world, with the duo introducing Old Camp Whiskey back in 2016, starting with a peach pecan flavor to celebrate their home states and made to get the party started. It was only natural for them and the distilling team to collaborate with Aldean on their next whiskey venture – a four year old straight bourbon, made for sipping and taking in the good life moments with friends.

“Making good whiskey has been our passion project, and we really wanted to create something with Jason that would be totally different from Old Camp,” Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelly and Tyler Hubbard added. “We’ve had this idea for years and spent a lot of time making sure we got it just right. We’re all so proud of this and it was really fun to collaborate on something together outside of music.”

Wolf Moon is a straight bourbon whiskey created in collaboration by multi-platinum entertainers Jason Aldean and duo, Florida Georgia Line, for the good life moments with your pack. It is distilled from robust Midwestern corn fields and aged for four years in the finest new charred American oak barrels. Wolf Moon Bourbon is 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume) and is available for purchase at select retailers nationwide. For more information, follow Wolf Moon Bourbon on Facebook and Instagram at @WolfMoonBourbon or visit www.WolfMoonBourbon.com.

Chase Rice Features Young Aspiring Musicians In New Video For “Lonely If You Are”

Fresh off the release of his surprise project The Album Part I, multi-Platinum entertainer Chase Rice continues an exciting start to the year with today’s release of his “Lonely If You Are” music video, which premiered exclusively yesterday, Feb. 5, with Billboard.

The video directed by Reid Long puts a charming twist on typical live concert footage, with young aspiring musicians taking center stage in place of Rice, plus his band and crew, at a recent tour stop in Michigan. Rice also makes a few memorable cameos throughout the video – first as the meet & greet photographer and later in the pre-show huddle – as do his band members, who pass the musical baton to their lookalike counterparts.

“Performing on the road for a sold-out crowd is something our childhood selves dreamed about, so it’s cool to see ‘mini versions’ of us living out those moments in the video,” explains Rice. “We wanted to highlight how much fun it really is getting to play shows all over the world and how fortunate we are to share these moments with our fans.”

“Lonely If You Are” is featured on The Album Part I, celebrated by American Songwriter as “a collection of seven life-defining songs” and praised by Rolling Stone for its “mix of clarity and nostalgia” as well as by the Tennessean for its range, spanning from “stories of uncontrollable longing… to time-tested love.” Listen HERE.

Rice recently wrapped his headlining The Pint of Anything Tour throughout Europe and will soon join Brantley Gilbert’s Fire’t Up Tour for select dates starting April 16 in Greenville, S.C.

For more information and all upcoming tour dates, visit www.chaserice.com. Follow on Twitter and Facebook@ChaseRiceMusic and on Instagram @ChaseRice.

Sam Hunt Announces Sophomore Album & Summer 2020 Tour

Multi-Platinum-selling country star Sam Hunt announces his eagerly-awaited sophomore album SOUTHSIDE, releasing April 3rd on MCA Nashville. The album will feature his current Top 5-and-climbing radio hit “Kinfolks,” the introspective ballad “Sinning With You,” and more from the award-winning artist. SOUTHSIDE will be the first full album since Hunt’s critically acclaimed, GRAMMY-nominated, Triple-Platinum-selling debut, Montevallo.

In addition to the April 3rd album release, Hunt plans to hit the road on The Southside Summer Tour 2020 with special guests Kip Moore, Travis Denning, ERNEST and a DJ set by Brandi Cyrus. With Live Nation as the official tour promoter, The Southside Summer Tour will kick off May 28th in Charlotte and head to over 40 markets including Chicago, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Birmingham, Houston, Phoenix, San Diego and more (full routing below).

Citi is the official presale credit card for The Southside Summer Tour and as such, Citi cardmembers will have access to purchase presale tickets through Citi Entertainment® beginning Tuesday, February 11th at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday, February 13th at 10pm local time. For complete presale details visit www.citientertainment.com. Public on sale opens Friday, February 14th at 9am local time. For more information visit www.ticketmaster.com.