Hunter Hayes has added new dates to his “The Evergreen Tour,” extending the run into the Midwest and West Coast later this year following his spring tour.

The new leg of the tour will kick off on July 31 at TJ’s Corral in Minden, Nevada, and the added stops include shows in Los Angeles, San Diego, Salt Lake City, Denver and more. Tickets are available now.

Hayes has several upcoming CMA Fest appearances this week as well, including events at the Greenhouse on June 5-6 and a performance at Billboard Country Live on June 4. His latest album Evergreen completes a trilogy that began with Wild Blue and Red Sky, tracing a journey from optimism through conflict to resolution.

Throughout Evergreen’s 10 tracks, Hayes weaves together threads of pop, country, folk, R&B, and indie rock, with lyrics that center on themes of renewal, self-discovery, compassion, and presence, not only as the foundation for a healthy relationship with himself, but also with the world, and others. He has been promoting the new album with media appearances including on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, and more, and kicked off the first leg of his tour with a performance at The Grand Ole Opry.

“The Evergreen Tour” Dates:
Friday, July 31 – Minden, NV – TJ’s Corral
Sunday, August 2 — Boise, ID — Treefort Music Hall
Thursday, August 6 — San Francisco, CA — August Hall
Monday, August 10 — Great Falls, MT — The Newberry
Thursday, August 13 — Livingston, MT — Pine Creek Lodge
Thursday, September 24 — San Diego, CA — The Observatory
Friday, September 25 — Los Angeles, CA — Pacific Electric
Saturday, September 26 — Anaheim, CA — House of Blues Anaheim
Tuesday, September 29 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Depot
Thursday, October 1 — Colorado Springs, CO — Phil Long Music Hall
Friday, October 2 — Denver, CO — The Summit
Saturday, October 3 — Omaha, NE — Barnato

The Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts at Jacksonville State University officially opened last week in Jacksonville, Alabama with a star-studded sold-out grand opening celebration at the “Live in Concert: Randy Owen and Friends” concert.

Some of the biggest names in country music gathered to honor Jax State alumnus and ALABAMA frontman Owen at the tribute concert, including Teddy Gentry, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Riley Green, Jamey Johnson, Pam Tillis, The Oak Ridge Boys, Mark Wills, Drake White, The Isaacs and Gordon Mote, all of who were kept secret from Owen ahead of the concert.

Each artist performed songs spanning ALABAMA’s Hall of Fame career while celebrating Owen’s impact on music, philanthropy and Jacksonville State University. The concert marked the official opening celebration of the new state-of-the-art facility, which will host concerts, educational programming, student performances, touring productions, and community events, while also serving as a learning environment for Jax State students pursuing careers in music and the performing arts.

“What took place says everything about what Randy Owen means to Jacksonville State University and to the country music industry,” says Jax State President Dr. Don C. Killingsworth, Jr. “When artists and friends of this caliber come together to honor one person, it speaks to the respect Randy has earned through his career, his character, and the way he has invested in others throughout his life. Randy has never forgotten where he came from, and now future generations of students will have a place that inspires them to dream bigger, create boldly, and share their talents with the world. The impact of this facility and what it will represent will be felt at Jax State for decades to come.”

“My wishes, and my hopes, and my dreams are that someday some kid will come through here, like me, and when they leave here, they have a dream,” adds Owen. “Because if I can make it, anybody can. I’ve been so blessed to be here, and this is one day that I’ll never forget.”

Laci Kaye Booth is set to release Love Ain’t For The Faint Of Heart, her first album for Lost Highway Records, on Sept. 18.

The new single off the project was released today (June 3), “Ethereal Redneck Shit.” The new project is a cinematic ride through diverse sounds, harsh reckonings and serious growth, and was produced by Ben West, who also helmed Booth’s 2024 album The Loneliest Girl In The World, which appeared on the Los Angeles Times’ list of the best albums of the year.

“Luck Of The Draw,” another track from the album, is currently featured in the new NYLON x Colgate Optic White social media campaign.

During CMA Fest this week, Booth will perform at Spotify House on Thursday (June 4), Chevy Riverfront Stage on Friday (June 5), and at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium Platform Stage on Sunday (June 7.) She’ll spend the rest of the summer playing festivals and supporting Ella Langley on select tour dates.

Ashley Gorley Featured In CMHOFM Poets and Prophets Program

This past weekend, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum welcomed Ashley Gorley as part of its Poets and Prophets series, which spotlights songwriters who have made significant contributions to country music. Moderated by museum writer-editor Allison Moorer, the program featured an in-depth conversation with Gorley, along with live performances of several of his songs and a multimedia presentation of photos, film and recordings. The event was filmed and will premiere at a later date as part of the museum’s Live at the Hall digital series, available for streaming on the museum’s website.

Widely regarded as the most commercially successful country songwriter of all time, Gorley has written more than 80 No. 1 hits and has had more than 400 songs recorded by artists including Kelsea Ballerini, Bon Jovi, Luke Bryan, Dan + Shay, Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood and Weezer. Among his chart-topping credits are “I Had Some Help,” “What He Didn’t Do,” “You Should Probably Leave,” “She Had Me at Heads Carolina,” “Last Night” and “You Proof.” A Belmont University graduate originally from Danville, Kentucky, Gorley has earned eight Grammy nominations, 10 ASCAP Songwriter of the Year honors, the NSAI Songwriter of the Decade award for 2010–2019, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2025. In 2023, he spent multiple weeks atop Billboard’s Hot 100 Songwriters chart as “Last Night” led the all-genre Hot 100 for a record-breaking 16 weeks.

 

Truist To Host 26th Annual Hot Dog Day

Truist will host its 26th annual Hot Dog Day tomorrow (June 3) from 11 a.m – 2 p.m. at 1026 17th Ave S.

The event will feature hot dogs from Daddy’s Dogs, drinks and chips, as well as performances by Somewhere Blue, Taylor Goyette, Ja’Cee, Kelsey Lamb, Adysen Malek, SJ McDonald, Danny Myrick, Bridgette Tatum and Emma Zinck.

 

Jake Owen Wraps The Uwohali Bucket Invitational

Last week, Jake Owen hosted the second annual Uwohali Bucket Invitational, bringing together top bucket players from around the world to compete for the championship title.

This year’s champion was Justin Williams. Other participants included Ben Rector, John Daly, Dylan Marlowe, Scotty Emerick, Yelawolf, Zach Top, Travis Denning, Parks Bonifay and Brian Grubb. Sponsors for the event included Kress Lawn Mowers, Imperial, KOW Steaks, Clubhouse Events, and Daddy’s Dogs.

 

International Country Music Conference Concludes 42nd Annual Meeting

The International Country Music Conference concluded its 42nd annual gathering this past weekend at Belmont University in Nashville. Held May 28–30, the conference brought together scholars, journalists, authors and country music fans from around the world for three days of presentations, discussions, and awards. The Belmont University Curb Music Industry Award for Country Music Book of the Year was presented to HOWDY! The Minnie Pearl Story by Mary Ellen Pethel and Don Cusic, while David B. Ramsey received the Chet Flippo Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism for Ain’t It a Cold, Cold World?: The Collected Stories of Blaze Foley. A special Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented to ICMC Co-Founders James Akenson and Mickie Akenson for their longtime dedication to the conference.

Participants traveled from countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and across the United States. This year’s program explored many styles of country music, including Americana, bluegrass, honky tonk, country rock, and western swing. Highlights included a presentation by Lisa Sorrell of Sorrell Custom Boots on boot history and a keynote address by Jamie Kent about how data from the 2024 Greater Nashville Music Census is helping shape policies that support musicians and music venues in Nashville.

 

The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project Partners With Shield 616

The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project partnered with Shield 616 to provide advanced ballistic vests to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Department during a special event on May 26. Together, TCDJHP and Shield 616 invested more than $150,000 to provide the body armor and help improve officer safety and readiness.

During the event, Shield 616 Founder Jake shared his experience responding to the active shooter incident at the Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs, highlighting the importance of proper protective gear for first responders. The partnership also supports TCDJHP’s broader mission of helping those who serve. While the organization is widely known for supporting military veterans, it also recognizes the sacrifices made by first responders and continues to support efforts that strengthen and protect local communities.

“We are excited by the response from our community and look forward to expanding this mission to support additional divisions within the Sheriff’s Department, particularly our School Resource Officers who serve throughout Wilson County’s educational system,” says David Corlew, President and Co-Founder of The Charlie Daniels Journey Home Project. “Ensuring those who protect our children have access to life-saving protective equipment is a responsibility we take seriously. This is a model that communities across the country should consider as they look for ways to better support and protect the men and women who serve on the front lines every day.”