Emily Ann Roberts. Photo: Matthew Berinato

Emily Ann Roberts is launching her first-ever headline tour, “The Thread Tour,” beginning in February.

Named for Roberts’ just-released EP, the tour will feature special guests Colton Dawson, Mae Estes, Cole Goodwin, and Kenny Whitmire on select dates. Kicking off on Feb. 4 in Chattanooga, the tour will also include stops in San Diego, Phoenix, Boston, Richmond, Fort Worth, Charleston, and more, with a Nashville date set for Feb. 13 at the Ryman.

Pre-sale tickets are available beginning Oct. 22 with general on-sale beginning Oct. 23 at EmilyAnnRoberts.com, and VIP packages are available which include a meet-and-greet with Roberts, VIP tour gift, early VIP entry and merch access, and more.

“After having the incredible opportunity to open for my heroes in this industry, it’s finally time for me to step out on my own as the headliner,” shares Roberts. “2026 has been full of so many milestones for me. From my first ever sold-out shows, to being ACM and CMA nominated, my fans have made it clear they’re ready to see Emily Ann headline! We’re thrilled to bring my music to 23 cities in the spring of 2027.”

“The Thread Tour” 2027:
Feb. 4 / Chattanooga, Tenn. / Walker Theatre +
Feb. 6 / Knoxville, Tenn. / Tennessee Theatre +
Feb. 13 / Nashville, Tenn. / Ryman Auditorium +
Feb. 18 / Oxford, Ala. / Oxford Performing Arts Center +
Feb. 19 / Searcy, Ark. / Administrative Auditorium at Harding University +
Feb. 25 / Anaheim, Calif. / House of Blues Anaheim *
Feb. 26 / San Diego, Calif. / House of Blues San Diego *
Feb. 27 / Phoenix, Ariz. / The Van Buren *
March 18 / Boston, Mass. / Royale #
March 19 / New York, N.Y. / Irving Plaza #
March 20 / Silver Spring, Md. / The Fillmore Silver Spring #
March 21 / Richmond, Va. / The National #
April 1 / Charlotte, N.C. / The Fillmore Charlotte %
April 2 / Cincinnati, Oh. / Lori’s Roadhouse %
April 3 / Shipshewana, In. / Blue Gate Theatre %
April 4 / Chicago, Il. / House of Blues Chicago ^
April 9 / Durant, Ok. / Choctaw Grand Theater
April 16 / Fort Worth, Tx. / Billy Bob’s Texas
April 23 / Birmingham, Ala. / Iron City +
April 25 / Charleston, S.C. / Charleston Music Hall +
May 6 / St. Louis, Mo. / Delmar Hall +
May 7 / Harris, Mich. / Island Resort & Casino
May 8 / Harris, Mich. / Island Resort & Casino

+ with Kenny Whitmire
* with Cole Goodwin
# with Colton Dawson
% with Mae Estes
^ support TBA

HARDY, Little Big Town and The Red Clay Strays will help Music City ring in 2027 as headliners of New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash.

The performances will take place at Nashville’s Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, airing live on Thursday, Dec. 31 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT; 10:30 PM-1:05 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live on Paramount+ (Premium) and next day. Additional performers will be announced at a later date.

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash is executive produced by Robert Deaton and Mary Hilliard Harrington in partnership with Music City Inc., the foundation of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. The special will be directed by Sandra Restrepo.

Ashley Cooke is offering fans some new music for Christmas with her first-ever holiday EP, wrapped, set for release Nov. 6 via Big Loud Records/Back Blocks Music. Kicking off the countdown to Christmas, Cooke has released the project’s title track.

“wrapped” is one of two new originals on the EP, and summons all the dreamy nostalgia of Christmas while adding a playful dose of holiday romance. Penned by Cooke, Lauren Hungate, Jimmy Robbins, Alysa Vanderheym, and Ben Williams, the love song imagines a snowed-in Christmas spent cozied up with someone who makes the whole world melt away, and instantly channels the pure joy of a magical Christmas night.

The EP also includes Cooke’s renditions of three classic holiday songs, “have yourself a merry little christmas,” “jingle bell rock,” and “silent night (with the cooke family).” “silent night” features vocals from several of Cooke’s family members, adding a poignant sense of togetherness to the time-honored Christmas carol.

Cooke is currently on her 31-date “baby blues world tour” in support of her self-titled sophomore album, and will head overseas early next year. Currently scheduled through Feb. 25 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the tour now includes three newly-added dates: Elevation in Grand Rapids, MI (Feb. 11), Varsity Theater in Minneapolis (Feb. 12), and Bogart’s in Cincinnati (Feb. 13).

Pictured (L-R): Spencer Nohe (WCM), Elizabeth Nichols, Katy Wolaver (WCM) and Austen Adams (WCM). Photo: Courtesy of WCM

Warner Chappell Music Nashville has signed a global publishing deal with rising singer-songwriter Elizabeth Nichols.

Nichols burst onto the country music scene with her viral breakout single, “I Got a New One,” which has amassed over 60 million global streams to date. She is currently on her first-ever national headlining run, the “I Don’t Kiss and Tell, I Kiss and Tour.”

“I’m very excited to join Warner Chappell, where I can finally monetize my questionable taste in men. I have the best team in the world. Here’s to many more songs,” Nichols shares.

Katy Wolaver, SVP, A&R, Warner Chappell Music, says, “Elizabeth is a breath of fresh air… witty, clever, and unabashed in taking authentic life experiences and turning them into irresistible lyrics and melodies. Her songs embrace a wide range of moods and emotions, from unique takes on relationships to political satire. In just a short time on the country landscape, she’s moved her career into high gear, and all of us at Warner Chappell are delighted to join her on what is sure to be an incredible ride.”

Born in Texas, raised in Kentucky, and educated in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Australia, Nichols moved to Nashville in 2024 to attend law school but soon turned her focus to music. After sharing original songs on TikTok, she rapidly built a fanbase of over one million followers across socials. Tracks like “Ain’t Country,” “Sweet Cigarette,” and “Okie Boys” have turned heads, leading to Nichols being named Billboard’s Country Rookie of the Month in June 2025 and making her Grand Ole Opry debut in November 2025.

Toby Keith

Toby Keith‘s album Clancy’s Tavern will mark its 15th anniversary on Friday (Oct. 24) with an Amazon exclusive gold vinyl release that will be available on Black Friday.

Named after the supper club music venue owned by his grandmother, Clancy’s Tavern was Keith’s 17th album. The title track plays like a prequel to his 2005 chart-topper “Honkytonk U.”

“It’s the same grandmother,” Keith said at the time. “‘Honkytonk U’ talked about my mother putting me on a Greyhound and sending me to live with my grandmother for the summer, and how things took off from there. Every line in the song is true. This isn’t fiction.”

“Made In America,” the album’s first single, was inspired by co-writer Bobby Pinson’s childhood memories of self-reliance. As Keith explained, “If your car broke down your dad could take a wrench, WD40, bailing wire and a screw driver and about fix it.” He added, “I just couldn’t get past thinking that my old man was that old man.”

The album also includes one of country music’s first truly viral moments with “Red Solo Cup.” The song’s video exploded online despite minimal radio airplay, driving album sales as its popularity grew. “Red Solo Cup” is also one of the few smash hits in Keith’s career that he didn’t have a hand in writing. “I don’t remember who played it for me the first time, but it was so stupid I just died laughing,” Keith said of the song, which was written by Brett and Jim Beavers with Brad and Brett Warren, all of whom played on the recording as well. “What’s great about this song is it does everybody the same way it did me: ‘That’s the stupidest song in the world and I can’t get it out of my head.'”