The 2025 ACM Awards LIVE Blog
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Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the 2025 ACM Awards LIVE Blog! As the event transpires, we’ll be following along in real time, razzing on folks for poor performances and life choices, and giving credit where it is due.
Country Star Randy Barlow Has Passed Away
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Traditional country artist Randy Barlow, known for his string of Top 10 hits in the late 70’s, and for being a staunch supporter of traditional country music throughout his life, has passed away after a battle with Cancer. Barlow was placed in hospice care, and passed away Thursday morning (7-30). He was 77-years-old.
On Garth Brooks Stepping Away from Entertainer of the Year
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Once again Garth is being Garth, which means ultimately he’s probably doing the right thing and making a good choice. He’s just doing it in the most self-gratifying of ways. His heart is 100% in the right place. But his ego won’t allow him to make an altruistic move without letting everyone else know what he’s doing.
The Story Behind New Randy Travis Song “Fool’s Love Affair”
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A new track from Randy Traivs called “Fool’s Love Affair” has been brought forth, and is being released to coincide with the 35th Anniversary of Randy’s debut single, “On The Other Hand.” “Fool’s Love Affair” comes from SiriusXM DJ and former music publisher Charlie Monk.
Album Review – Lori McKenna’s “The Balladeer”
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If anything, The Balladeer takes lofty expectations already reaching towards the unattainable, and still impresses with what might be the high water mark of Lori McKenna’s career so far. The wisdom and calming attitude flowing from these works is as potent as Asian proverbs.
Merle Haggard Biopic Movie Acquired by Amazon
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The biopic will be based on the Merle Haggard memoir Sing Me Back Home, with much of the picture to be centered around the 60’s, and the tumultuous time in Merle’s life when many of the most iconic moments in his career occurred, including escaping from local jails 17 times and ending up in San Quentin Prison in California.
Luke Bell Re-Emerges in Live Event with Matt Kinman
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As an addendum to The Search for Luke Bell, the elusive country music singer and songwriter originally from Wyoming re-emerged Sunday afternoon (7-27) after a long period of being out of the public eye. The occasion was a live stream event with close friend and common collaborator Matt Kinman.
Album Review – Scott Southworth’s “These Old Bones”
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Sometimes you just have to set everything else aside and find a bona fide veteran of country music that never swayed from that timeless, classic sound, never played a role or chased a trend, and delivers country songs with no affectations or irony. That’s where the music of Scott Southworth comes into play.
Alan Jackson Emerges w/ Caylee Hammack to Toast Don Williams
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Alan Jackson fans have been hankering for some new music for a while now since it’s been a good five years since he released his last album. Well he surprised us all this week by releasing a new version of an old Don Williams song with up-and-coming Capitol Records Nashville signee Caylee Hammack.
Brothers Osborne: Expect Even More Real on New Album ‘Skeletons’
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“If ‘Pawn Shop’ was our introduction, and ‘Port Saint Joe’ was like the first conversation we had with someone over a beer, then ‘Skeletons’ is the moment where you start getting down to the real stuff and showing who you really are,” says John Osborne. “If you really want to get to know us, this is the record to do it.”
Midland Apologizes For Doctored Photo, Pays Business Owner
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To some it was much ado about nothing. But to many in Austin, TX, the Midland trio conducted a grave offense when a photo featuring the band ended up in a recent Washington Post feature with the sign of the legendary Sam’s BBQ in east Austin changed to the name of one of their songs.
Album Review – Courtney Marie Andrews – “Old Flowers”
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We knew Courtney Marie Andrews and producer Andrew Sarlo’s vision was to take a sedate and simple approach to this record, only utilizing two other musicians. But what we didn’t know is that ‘Old Flowers’ would present itself as such a devastating breakup record.
Bloodshot Records Co-Owner Nan Warshaw Responds to Accusations
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The employees of insurgent country and roots label Bloodshot Records got the attention of many earlier this week when they sent a memo to their artists explaining how the label was up for sale, and were accusing embattled co-owner Nan Warshaw of accounting irregularities. She has now responded to the accusations.