George Strait. Photo: Ethan Miller

George Strait has announced he will return to Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena for back-to-back Strait to Vegas shows on Friday, Aug. 13 and Saturday, Aug. 14. As previously announced, Caitlyn Smith will be Strait’s special guest.

“The Ace in the Hole Band and I have been looking forward to this day for a year and a half,” says Strait. “I cannot wait to see Vegas and all of my great fans once again. It’s been way too long. We will finally ride again. See you soon.”

Tickets to the original 2020 dates will be honored for the rescheduled shows: Aug. 28, 2020 tickets will apply to the Aug. 13, 2021 show, while Aug. 29, 2020 tickets will apply to the Aug. 14, 2021 show. Those unable to attend the rescheduled shows are eligible for a refund at the original point of purchase for the next 30 days.

It was also recently announced that Strait will help celebrate the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 90th anniversary celebration with a performance on the final day of festivities, March 20, 2022. This will mark his 31st Houston Rodeo performance.

Blackberry Smoke. Photo: Joe Lopez

Blackberry Smoke is set to embark on their extensive Spirit of the South Tour: A Celebration of Southern Rock N’ Roll tour this summer with special guests The Allman Betts Band, The Wild Feathers and founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, Jaimoe.

Kicking off July 30 at Bridgeport, Connecticut’s Hartford Healthcare Amphitheatre, the tour will include stops at New York’s Pier 17, Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater, Dallas’ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory, Alpharetta’s Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, Boston’s Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion and Morrison’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, among many others.

Created to honor the various influences within southern music, each show will conclude with a collaborative finale including Blackberry Smoke, The Allman Betts Band, The Wild Feathers and Jaimoe as well as additional surprise guests. The Allman Brothers Band Museum At The Big House will also have a new mobile set up on-site at each show, featuring never-before-seen archival items including original hand-written lyrics, family photographs, iconic clothing and jewelry, one-of-a-kind instruments played by the band and more. All ticket holders will be granted free access to the museum with $1 of each ticket donated to The Allman Brothers Museum at the Big House to help preserve its history and heritage.

Tickets for the newly confirmed dates go on sale this Friday, May 21 at 10 a.m. local time, and details can be found at blackberrysmoke.com/tour.

The Spirit of the South Tour adds to a landmark year for Blackberry Smoke, who are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year with the release of their new album, You Hear Georgia, out May 28 via Thirty Tigers. Ahead of the release, the band has released four album tracks: “All Rise Again” featuring Warren Haynes, “Ain’t The Same,” “Hey Delilah” and “You Hear Georgia.”

The soundtrack for The Ice Road, a new Netflix action thriller starring Liam Neeson debuting on June 25, is being released by Big Machine Records.

Written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, The Ice Road tells the story of a big-rig ice road driver (Neeson), who leads a rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save trapped miners after a remote diamond mine collapses in far northern Canada. Benjamin Walker, Amber Midthunder, Marcus Thomas and Laurence Fishburne are also a part of the cast.

Jason Isbell kicks off the dozen-song soundtrack with the Johnny Cash truckers’ anthem “All I Do Is Drive.” The project also features Tim McGraw (covering the Cars’ “Drive”), The Cadillac Three (on Dave Dudley’s 1963 No. 1 “Six Days On The Road”) and Mark Collie and Allison Moorer (“All Coming Down.”)

Miranda Lambert appears on Hank Snow’s “I’m Movin’ On” and Carly Pearce reprises the classic “Eighteen Wheels and A Dozen Roses,” Kathy Mattea’s No. 1 and 1989’s ACM/CMA Single of the Year. John Carter Cash teams with the Assassinzs for the heavy rock “Heart Made Of Steel,” while Brantley Gilbert and Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard pair for “Rubber Meets The Road” and Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox offers up “We Got Fight.”

Jackson Dean also marks his debut with “Don’t Come Lookin’” on the collection, while the L.A. Rats, comprised of Nikki Sixx (MÖTLEY CRÜE) and friends Rob Zombie, guitarist John 5 and drummer Tommy Clufetos, forge a pounding reprise of Hank Snow’s 22-week No. 1, “I’ve Been Everywhere,” (most notably re-recorded by Johnny Cash on his Rick Rubin-produced Unchained.)

“That hard-charging sense of the road is a real common ground between rock, country and Americana,” Big Machine Label Group founder and chairman Scott Borchetta says. “Musicians live the road life. They know the freedom, the speed, the gone and the get there—and every single artist on this soundtrack understands exactly why these songs have such enduring appeal.”

The Black Keys

Spotify has just announced their virtual concert experience with the hope of continuing to connect fans to artists and vice versa.

Throughout the next month, Spotify will give fans access to five intimate, ticketed performances in partnership with producer Driift. These five pre-recorded livestreams will include performances by The Black Keys on May 27, Rag’n’Bone Man on June 3, Bleachers on June 10, Leon Bridges on June 17, and June 24’s show with Girl In Red.

“We have always been a band that loves to play live in venues of all shapes and sizes,” says The Black Keys. “The past year has been tough for musicians and fans alike, so we wanted to find a way to share this live performance of songs from our new project, Delta Kream, from a place we love, the Blue Front Café, the oldest active juke joint in America. We’re excited to be a part of this new initiative with Spotify that will give fans a great way to connect with their favorite artists.”

With concerts and other in-person events beginning to ramp up, these shows will allow fans who are still uncomfortable or hesitant to experience and support their favorite artists while immersing themselves in a performance-style experience they crave.

Tickets to these 40-75-minute concerts are available to purchase for $15 (plus tax) now.

Eclipse General Manager of Publishing, Penny Gattis; Ronnie Bowman

Ronnie Bowman has renewed his global publishing deal with Eclipse Music Group.

Bowman has penned No. 1 hits for Brooks & Dunn and Kenny Chesney, and his songs have been recorded by Don Williams, Lee Ann Womack, Jake Owen, and, most recently, he had four songs on Marcus King’s Grammy-nominated record El Dorado. He also has three tracks on Chris Stapleton’s multi-Platinum album Traveller, including the ACM Song of the Year single “Nobody to Blame.”

A bluegrass household name, Bowman has been awarded International Bluegrass Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year three times, and has twice earned the IBMA Album of the Year (Carrying The Tradition and Cold Virginia Night.) He received the Gospel Performance of the Year award for “Three Rusty Nails” and, twice, IBMA Song of the Year for “Three Rusty Nails” and “Cold Virginia Night.”

“We are thrilled to continue our journey with Ronnie at Eclipse,” says Eclipse General Manager of Publishing, Penny Gattis. “Ronnie channels a special place when he makes music, refusing to write inside any box. He’s a quadruple threat with his vocals, world class musicianship, songwriting and performing and brings contagious excitement to every session.”

“I’m really thankful to be a part of the Eclipse Music family,” Ronnie added. “It’s been nothing but wonderful since I’ve been at Eclipse.  It’s great to be a part of a team that is so genuine and authentic.”