Music Country

Kaitlin Butts wraps her Tulsa, Oklahoma, voice around Kesha’s “Hunt You Down” to create a version of the song that’s even more country-sounding than the original. Written by Kesha and Rick Nowels, “Hunt You Down” first appeared on Kesha’s 2017 album Rainbow. Butts’ interpretation arrives as a standalone single during …

Born and raised in Kentucky as the daughter of coal miner Ted Webb, Loretta Lynn taught herself how to play guitar as a teenager. She knew enough to begin carving out her identity as a singer, later giving way to the establishment of a powerful legacy. But taking a look …

Willie Nelson is hitting the road this summer on his annual Outlaw Music Festival Tour, and Bob Dylan is joining for all 26 shows. They’ll be accompanied on the first leg by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, and John Mellencamp on the second. Billy Strings, Brittney Spencer, Celisse, and Southern …

Ten years ago this summer, Kelsey Waldon was named one of Rolling Stone Country’s inaugural Artists You Need to Know. She’s been on a roll ever since, releasing acclaimed albums like 2022’s No Regular Dog, and signing with John Prine’s Oh Boy! Records. On May 10, Waldon will release her …

Kelsea Ballerini will return as host of the CMT Music Awards for the fourth year running. The show will take place April 7 at the Moody Center in Austin, and air live on CBS. Ballerini was also named one of the night’s performers, on top of her hosting duties. Nominees, …

Oh, the humanity. An eight-foot bronze statue of Willie Nelson in Austin, Texas, was vandalized over the weekend, Austin’s Fox affiliate reported. Much of the base of the statue was covered in bright pink spray paint on Friday — to which we can only ask, “Why?” Local cleanup crews were …

Dolly Parton congratulated fellow legend Beyoncé on topping Billboard’s HotCountrySongs chart with her new single “Texas Hold ‘Em.” Taking to social media, Parton shared an image on Instagram Thursday night that read: “I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album. So congratulations on …

Jason Isbell stopped by The Daily Show to perform his song “Cast Iron Skillet” and to chat with rotating host Desi Lydic about his most recent LP, Weathervanes. The musician took the stage solo with an acoustic guitar for the intimate, introspective number, which tells an ominous tale. Later, Isbell …

Jelly Roll has expanded his Beautifully Broken tour, a trek that will hit arenas across North America later this year. The musician will be joined on the road by Warren Zeiders, whose song “Pretty Little Poison” has dominated at country radio, and upstart singer Alexandra Kay. Additional dates will feature …

When Beyoncé released “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” last week, fans and insiders wondered if country songs from a Black pop star would get a cosign from the industry’s great gatekeeper, country radio. The answer appears to be “yes,” as “Texas Hold ‘Em” was the most added track on …