Katie & Company

Katie just went on an amazing vacation to Italy all by herself!  Naturally, she found some pros, as well as some cons to taking on a solo adventure.

Zach Top talks with Katie Neal backstage at CMA Fest 2024.

Brantley Gilbert is soon-to-be a father of three and could not be more excited to be blessed with another little one. While he and his wife, Amber, are keeping the gender a secret from the public for now, he did share that one of his kids had a less-than-desirable reaction to the news. “One of ‘em was really stoked and one of ‘em was not feeling it at all,” Brantley laughed, admitting his daughter was hoping for a girl and his son was rooting for a boy. Regardless of a boy or girl, Gilbert says he hopes his third child doesn’t have the level of attitude his daughter does. “It’s bad,” he said of his 4-year-old daughter’s sass. “She’s boujee, she’s gangster too all at the same time. There’s a little Al Capone in that child. … it’s something else,” he laughed. When asked about names, Gilbert said he doesn’t think his wife would ever let him name the baby, so that’ll be a secret for now too. While he’s keeping a lot under wraps for now, one thing that’s out in the open is news of a new song, “Over When We’re Sober” featuring Ashley Cooke, available June 21. Gilbert revealed the song was originally written by him and Jelly Roll for a different album but eventually found a home on Brantley’s forthcoming, 7th studio album. “We wrote it for an album that Jelly [Roll] and I were working on for a minute,” Gilbert shared with Audacy’s Katie Neal during an interview at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe during CMA Fest. “That wouldn’t have really been that good with me and him singing that to each other, you know?” He laughed before sharing he and Jelly’s writing sessions are quite a spectacle. “If there was a fly on the wall that could talk, we’d probably have to kill him,” he laughed. Jokes aside, Brantley says he was excited to present the song to Cooke, who he says slayed the vocals. “We took it to Ashley in studio and she knocked it out of the park. I’m really excited to work with her, she’s a rockstar.” The song will be the second taste of Brantley’s seventh studio album which he describes as being created with absolutely no rules. “All the rules are changing, which for us is a good thing,” he shared. “Well, there never really have been rules for us, but now there are less than there were … with this record, we really just let things be what they wanted to be, but we’ve got some solid country stuff on there.” To hear more about the music, family, and Jelly Roll writing session, check out Brantley Gilbert’s entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Riley Green is keeping the good times rolling on his 2024 Ain’t My Last Rodeo Tour, most recently by surprising his fans with special guest, John Daly, on stage. The pro golfing legend hopped on stage with Green during a show earlier this month in Iowa and sang, “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door,” until Green says he physically had to pull Daly off the stage. “He’s a character,” Green told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his CMA Fest interview at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe. “It’s hard to bring somebody like that out on stage because his personality is so much bigger than mine — he almost enjoys it more than me so it’s hard to drag him back off the stage. [He was out there] as long as I’d let him be. I had to physically go and get the mic from him.” While Daly brought a new energy to Riley’s show, the good times didn’t stop there for fans as they also got to hear Green’s new single, “Damn Good Day to Leave,” which he describes as a “fun break-up song.” According to Green, there’s a lot more where that came from as he is already working on music for a new album he hopes to release in the fall. That would be only one year since the release of his latest album, Ain’t My Last Rodeo. “I’m in the studio, constantly writing and we’re recording some new music. I’m going to try and put out another album later this year,” he shared. “I don’t see why not. While people are listening we’re gonna try to keep ‘em listening.” The 35-year-old says he’s been paying close attention to fan reactions on the road when it comes to different songs and is doing his best to write more of what he thinks the fans will love. “I don’t think there’s any better teacher for a songwriter than fans,” he said. “Seeing the reactions and being out on tour — seeing what songs are really resonating. I took that knowledge and tried to write the next album to be a lot of what people seemed to like.” Hear more about what to expect from the new album and stories from his current tour by checking out Riley Green’s entire interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal from CMA Fest above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Virginia-born artist Shaboozey is experiencing a new type of heat this summer with the success of his mega-hit, “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” During an intimate chat at CMA Fest with Audacy’s Katie Neal taking place at Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe, the 29-year-old shared where he pulled inspiration for the song full of good-time lyrics and boozy references that has music fans of all ages lettin’ loose. “It’s just a feel-good song,” Shaboozey shared of what he thinks made the tune so successful. “As soon as you hear it, it’s kinda just let go of your worries for a little bit.” He continued, “I’m gonna tell you this, from the first time that I played that [first] show live when no one has heard it, to now — it’s the same exact reaction,” he shared. “I think that’s when you’ve really made something special… The first time I played it for 20 people and the next time I played it in front of 20,000 people it’s the same reaction… by the end, everyone’s singing the chorus, and everyone’s screaming, like crazy, everyone’s just having a good time the first time they heard it.” The good times were on full display at CMA Fest over the weekend as numerous stages reached capacity anytime Shaboozey was scheduled. He even played the song twice in a row after fans filled the overflow spaces and packed the surrounding streets and bars for any chance to catch the “good vibes” live. So where exactly did he find the magic mix for this song? “It definitely started with ‘Everybody in the Club Gettin’ Tipsy,’ [‘Tipsy’ by J-Kwon], he said, recalling the inspiration he felt when hearing the song from 2004. “I think it started there and then… as soon as I said it, It just kind of fell out. It as so fun to write. I have a voice memo of me starting to write the song and you can hear me in real time writing the song… me singing random lyrics and then singing, ‘Me and Jack Daniel’s got a history,’ it’s a really cool piece of archive audio.” While the song is surely contributing to many good times, Shaboozey says there can also be some major depth to it depending on what frame of mind you are in. “Not to ruin anybody’s time, but ‘A Bar Song’ is… a song that sounds happy, but if you look at it from a different perspective, it’s also like, a song about someone who is having some struggles that are trying to get through it,” he shared. “And in the moment, it seems like we’re having a great time, but then…. It’s kinda sad. Like, ‘I’m at the bottom of a bottle don’t miss me…. It’s good storytelling.“ There’s a lot more of that depth throughout his newest album, Where I've Been, Isn't Where I'm Going, which highlights his humble beginnings and is proof to everyone of just how far he’s come from “writing music on broken laptops,” to having one of the hottest Country songs of the summer. While many might credit his success mostly to hard work and dedication, Shaboozey says it was mostly “delusion.” “Making music in a basement and then being like ‘Hey, I want to do this seriously,’ and then just a lot of luck, a lot of delusion,” he said of how he got to where he is. “A lot of delusion, a lot of just, ‘Well, if they did it, why can’t I do it?’ And then just going for it.” He continued, I didn’t put too much pressure on myself to be like, ‘You gotta be this,’ I’m just having fun and honestly just helping the people around me — helping their dreams come true too. Whether it’s producers or managers or labels, everyone’s got goals and everyone wants to work on something they're proud of so I really just try to work my hardest every time I’m in the studio just to make the people around me proud.” Safe to say he’s doing just that as he continues to dominate streaming and gains even more traction on the charts. And while all of that is reassuring, Shaboozey says he’s focused on just staying true to himself, his sound and the people who have supported him. “It’s not about the accolades and the awards… it’s really about how do you feel when you get there,” he concluded. Hear much more from Shaboozey by checking out his entire interview at CMA Fest with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Post Malone has cannonballed into Country music and couldn’t be receiving a warmer welcome from fans and fellow artists. One of those most excited to welcome him is Jelly Roll, who believes Country music is exactly where Posty belongs. “He knows so much about Country music,” Jelly told Audacy’s Katie Neal of Post Malone. “This wasn’t like, ‘Oh, Country is hot right now, let me go over there,’ he’s been wanting to do this forever and has been talking about it in interviews forever.” He continued, “His heart is here. I think they’re going to have a struggle to get him to do a record that’s not Country again.” Surely that’ll be fine by the majority of Country fans who have helped propel his first Country single, “I Had Some Help” featuring Morgan Wallen to the top of the charts in record time. While Jelly recognizes Posty creates more of a fight for him on the charts — there is one title he is willing to relinquish to Post — one of the nicest guys in Country music. “He is the sweetest dude, ever, man,” Jelly said. “I thought I was one of the nicest guys in Country music and then I met Luke Bryan and I was like, I’m an a**.’ Now, I’ve met Post Malone and I’m like, ‘I’m just plain rude!’” Clearly, Jelly is happy to shine the light on Post Malone and credits him for having the song of the summer with “I had Some Help,” but come fall — the 39-year-old says he’ll be ready for his own moment with new music. “My sound has never fully favored the summer, so I think we’ll be coming out [with new music] around fall,” he revealed of a new project he says is 85-95% done. “It was cool [to write] because I’m in a different headspace than I’ve ever been so I was in a cool place to be able to write like that. I wrote most of my career from extreme, dark, hopelessness, which I still write from… I am now trying to write from the perspective of the people the music helps.” He concluded, “I didn’t write any song on this album to try to be like, a hit. I wrote every song to be impactful.” Hear more about the new music to come, his friendship with Post Malone and why he thinks Morgan Wallen is the Garth Brooks of our generation by checking out Jelly Roll’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Bailey Zimmerman bared all last month when he stripped down to his underwear at Stagecoach music festival in Indio, CA. Now, the 24-year-old is sharing exactly what was going through his mind as he unbuttoned and unzipped in front of thousands with freshly spray-tanned skin. “People buy a ticket and they expect to see a show, so I was like, ‘Take your clothes off, man. Do it!’” Bailey said of what went through his mind when he was told he had to end his set early due to severe weather. Determined to “Give them a freakin’ show,” in any way he could to make up for the shortened set, Zimmerman started to strip, and has absolutely no regrets in his efforts to make people smile in an unfortunate situation. “I’ve never been scared to be that guy,” he shared of doing something goofy. “I just want to have fun, I just want to make sure everybody is happy, everybody was goin’ home at least goin’ ‘We might not have been able to hear the songs we wanted to, but I got his pants.’” The confidence to bare all in front of thousands is next level and for Bailey, a large part of that confidence was knowing he had sun-kissed skin to show off underneath his clothes. “I’m tired of hiding it, I get freakin’ spray tans and that’s fine cause I’m human and I was born with like, the whitest skin, I am like a ghost,” he stated. “Sometimes, I wanna be tan with everybody else and it’s fun to be tan, OK?” He continued, “Quit thinking it’s weird to get a spray tan. Everybody looks better with a spray tan, you look better with a spray tan and it’s fun. Ernest has been saying, ‘Legalize Country music,’ I say, ‘Legalize men’s spray tans and quit judging me, bro!’” His spray tan secret hasn’t been the only thing under wraps for Zimmerman, who also shared new music is in the works, but he’s not ready to share it quite yet. Teasing fans with the first new taste of what’s to come with his new release, “Holy Smokes,” Zimmerman promises when it does come it’ll be fresh, yet familiar to his fans worldwide. “’Holy Smokes’ for me, was something fresh, that sounded a little different, but also, was still me,” he said of the song, before sharing he’s aiming to release more new music in the fall.  “2024 is a time for me to try things that I haven’t tried before [but] also stick on the same things and write… that’s what I’m chasin’ with this new album that’s hopefully coming in the fall. I don’t know yet though, I won’t turn it in if it’s not perfect.” Hear all about what Zimmerman is working on, his near-naked on-stage appearance and so much more by checking out his entire conversation on the Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Following the recent release of his new single, “Drinkin’ Buddies,” Lee Brice is excited to share even more new music with a brand new album. “I say this about every record, but it is the most ‘me’ record, songs, music all of it, that I’ve ever done,” Lee told Audacy’s Katie Neal of the forthcoming record during his time on the Superstar Power Hour. Nearing the 14th anniversary of releasing his debut album, Love Like Crazy, Lee is reflecting on the new-found freedom he feels while making music. “[I’m] just kinda at a point in my life where I want to do the music that I want to do and I don’t wanna necessarily feel like there’s boundaries or walls or genres,” he said. “Country music is truth, it’s who I am, so whatever comes out of me — I’ve got everything from Soul to Pop to Rock to Blues to very Country, Country, Country all the way down to the roots, Gospel — but this thing has a lot of all that.” While it has a little bit of everything, the 44-year-old shared he is most excited about a Gospel-rooted song, "When the Kingdom Comes," that he says represents not only his favorite song on the whole project, but also represents who he is. “If I had to play you one song from the whole record, it’d probably be this one gospel sort-of song [‘When the Kingdom Comes’] It wouldn’t be the single, just because I care what people know about me and what they think about where I’m at in my life and that’s where I’m at in my life.” Don’t let the couple of Gospel songs throw you, Lee promises plenty of good time anthems, quick-witted and playful tunes as well. “We have some really, really, really fun stuff [like] ‘Said No Country Boy Ever,’ ‘Drinkin’ Buddies’ is amazing.” He concluded, “It’s very diverse, I’ve always had kind of diverse records, but it’s got a thread through it.” Hear more about the new music, family updates and the story behind his tackiest taxidermy by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above.

Cody Johnson is walking into tonight’s ACM Awards with five nominations and every intention of trying to land a spot on Reba’s new television show. While excited to be up for one of the night’s biggest awards, Entertainer of the Year, COJO is even more excited to be surrounded by his childhood heroes whom he grew up watching on the ACM Awards. That includes tonight’s host, Reba McEntire, who Johnson said he connected with while at various ACM events earlier in the week. “I was talking to her earlier this week, she’s so sweet,” Johnson said of McEntire. After inviting her to one of his shows in Arlington, TX this November, Johnson said he also took the opportunity to offer himself up as an extra on her new sitcom. “I was like, ‘Hey! If you need any extras, let me know.’” He laughed. “It’s always great to have people like Reba or like Ronnie Dunn that you can pick up the phone and call and let them mentor you a little bit,” he said on a more serious note. “They were here for the first time too. They know how it feels. I’m doing this all for the very first time — this is all brand new to me... I remember being a kid and watching Reba and Alan Jackson, George Strait, Garth Brooks and all my heroes that were nominated in this category [Entertainer of the Year].” In addition to catching up with all his mentors and fellow Country pals, Johnson is also set to take the stage to perform his current single, “Dirt Cheap,” a song he said was almost recorded by Luke Combs. “I’ll tell ya what, Luke Combs had this song,” Cody revealed. “He had it in his phone and never clicked on it. So, thank you, Luke!” he laughed. Expressing his gratitude for the tune that he believes will bring him his next number 1 hit. Catch Cody’s performance of “Dirt Cheap,” on the ACM Awards tonight via Amazon Prime and hear his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Ahead of tonight’s ACM Awards, Russell Dickerson caught up with Audacy’s Katie Neal to talk new music, that viral moment of his son and Thomas Rhett's daughter, and more. “I just dropped a little piece called ‘Good Day to Have A Great Day,’" Russell noted, “it's my life motto, obviously,” he added, before going on to recall the first time he had the idea for the song. “I had the idea and I was like, this could be really dumb. You know what I mean?” Katie didn’t, countering that it turned out “dope.” Which Russell agreed with. “Yeah, it turned out dope and yeah, I was just like, why not just drop this song?” And so he did. Pulling a parent go-to by pulling out his phone to show Katie some pics of kiddos while he gushed about Remington and Radford, Dickerson also discussed that viral moment of his son and Thomas Rhett's daughter holding hands, and how he cant wait for TR to "pay for the wedding.” “I think there's going to be this wild moment in 15 years when all of them are in high school together,” Russell said. “Because we live literally two minutes from TR, and so they'll probably go to the same school. They'll probably all be in the same class, They’ll probably fall in love, and then Thomas Rhett will have to pay for the wedding.” When asked who he’s most excited to see and try to find during commercial breaks during tonight's show, Dickerson shouted out his possible future brother-in-law Rhett. “Probably TR honestly,” she replied, “Just find him and Lauren,” before adding the game plan might include finding “everybody,” noting “I’m friends with everybody.” As for any after parties, that’s gonna be a no go for Mr and Mrs Dickerson. “We have no kids. So that means trying to catch some Zs, mega Zs… The only after party that I'm going to is betwixt my sheets. Do you know what I'm saying?” Making sure to ask about his plans for more music, Russell shared that he doesn’t know exact dates, but did reveal that “it's getting mixed probably today or this week sometime.” “So mix, and then we got a master, then we gotta tweak and then we gotta do, and then we gotta eat,” he joked. "That's, all those pro industry terms that you guys don't really understand.” To hear all that and more, check the entire interview above, and don't miss the ACM Awards on Amazon Prime. Words by Maia Kedem Interview by Katie Neal

Lainey Wilson has been on a steady climb with her ACM Award wins after winning New Artist of the Year in 2022, Female Artist of the Year in 2023 and is now up for Entertainer of the Year in 2024. “I wasn’t nervous until I got here and saw all y’all and we started talking about it,” she said ahead of Thursday night’s show. “So many feelings. It’s just hard to wrap your head around all of it, but I’m excited.” Along with her Entertainer of the Year nom, Lainey is walking into the awards with an additional four nominations. With a big night ahead, Lainey is staying cool calm and collected knowing she has one of the best plus ones ever — her mama. “My mama has never walked a red carpet,” Lainey said before sharing her mom is embracing the experience to the fullest. “She was at the spa this morning, I didn’t even get my toes done for this and my mama is gettin’ her toes done. She was like, ‘I want the works!’” Sharing her special night with her mom is just another example of how humble Lainey remains after skyrocketing to fame over the last few years, and also where the 31-year-old drew inspiration for her next album, Whirlwind. “In the last few years I have said the word, ‘whirlwind’ a million times because that’s what I feel like it’s been,” she shared. “Trying to keep one foot on the ground, trying to make sure that I’m staying true to myself because we are moving at a very rapid pace and I can see where it’s easy to lose yourself.” “When I was writing this music and even when I was recording this music… I felt at home. I think making this record, it truly, it was the thing that kept me feeling still in a little bit of the chaos.” Whirlwind is set to release August 23. Hear more about the album, ACM Awards and Lainey’s new Bell Bottom’s Up Bar in Nashville by checking out her entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Audacy Launch artist Kassi Ashton is going into tonight’s ACM Awards with her very first nomination and she plans on arriving in style. While catching up with Audacy’s Katie Neal ahead of Thursday night’s show, Ashton revealed she made her own red carpet outfit and is “stoked” to show it off. “I’m stoked to wear my outfit, I made it,” she shared before detailing it reflects her personality perfectly. “You know me, I’m not a rhinestones or sequins girly, I’m a leather girly. I’m a chrome, witchy, ‘70s Cher girly. I hope people that know me, when they see the outfit will go, ‘That’s so her!’” Fans of Ashton know she is no stranger to making her own clothes and this time, she filmed every stage of the process so fans can see exactly what went into the creation. “They make me film everything,” Ashton said of capturing creative process. “The filming part is so irritating… most the time when I’m sewing, I don’t have pants on… because I’m putting the clothes on and off while Im making them so I’m like, s***, I have to put a shirt on, I’m recording,” she laughed. Ashton is sure to turn heads with her look tonight and pull even more people in to her growing fanbase. Gaining more traction with her music is something Ashton is really excited for this year as she spends 2024 featured as a Launch artist on Audacy Country stations nationwide. “Every show I play, I know the amount of people that are singing and dancing along and wearing the merch it’s going to go up exponentially for the rest of the year and that’s insane to me because that’s the kind of fuel that helps to balance out all the rest of the things that aren’t great,” she shared. “And that’s what I’m crazy ecstatic for.” Hear from Kassi about her outfit, music, hearing herself on the radio and more by checking out her entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

The 59th Annual ACM Awards are upon us and Thomas Rhett is ready to debut his brand new single, “Beautiful As You,” live for the first time in front of everyone but Chris Stapleton. During his appearance on Audacy’s Superstar Power Hour with ACM Award-winning Katie Neal, Thomas Rhett shared the one person he avoids eye-contact with while performing at awards shows is Stapleton and here’s why. “He’s just so good,” Thomas laughed. “Even though we’re really good friends, I’m just like, ‘You’re on such on a different level vocally than everyone else in this building.’” While he’ll be avoiding Stapleton, TR is over the moon to share his first new music in two years on such a big stage. “I haven’t put new music out in two years and so it feels really fresh for us,” he shared before shouting out the ACM Awards for supporting his new single. “Getting to debut a new song on an award show is such an honor — it takes a lot of trust, honestly, from the ACM folks. For them to [say], ‘we heard this song, we like it, you should play it!’ We’re very excited.” After releasing last week, fans everywhere have been dancing it out to the new single, “Beautiful As You,” which stemmed from one of Rhett’s biggest inspirations, his wife Lauren. “I think in a nutshell, for me, this song fully represents who my wife is at the core,” he shared. “People tell me all the time, ‘You don’t give yourself enough credit,’ and it’s like, I don’t deserve any credit for the marriage I’m in. I genuinely, every day wake up and I wonder ‘Why?’ like, ‘How did this happen?’ It really is one of those songs about just lookin’ at the person you’re with and being like, ‘What are you doing with someone like me? Thank God you are — but why?’” There’s a lot more fun to come as TR says the single is the first taste of his new album, arriving August 23. “It’s done, mixed, mastered, photo, video — all the things,” Rhett said of the new project which has been his main focus while not touring as heavily. “I’ve taken more time on this project than I really have on any project… It been a fun change of pace.” Taking time away from touring has not only brought what he says is one of his most joyful albums, but it’s also gifted him precious time with his four daughters at home. “It’s been really fun to kind of immerse myself in school and softball and dance and horses and all the things they’re into,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun to watch them really grow up this year and become themselves.” It’s also given him the opportunity to go full dad mode and have more opportunities than ever to embarrass his girls like only the best dads do. “We’re going to pick them up from school and I’m going to wear my Chewbacca outfit and Lauren’s going to be Darth Vader,” he said of his plans for picking up his two eldest on May 4th, better known as Star Wars day. “They’re going to be super embarrassed, but that’s what a parent’s job is, is to embarrass their children, so… internally, they’ll think, ‘Mom and Dad are pretty rad,’ but they’ll probably [externally] be like, ‘Ugh! Mom and Dad are such idiots.’” Hear more about Rhett and his adorable family stories, what he’s looking forward to most about the new album and so much more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above, and don’t forget to tune in to the 2024 ACM Awards taking place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on, May 16 at 8PM ET. Hosted by Reba McEntire, the show is free to stream exclusively on Prime Video. No Amazon Prime account is needed. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Jelly Roll is headed into the 2024 ACM Awards already breaking records as he celebrates being a first-time nominee with not one, but four nominations; Single of the Year (“Need A Favor”), Music Event of the Year (“Save Me” feat Lainey Wilson), Male Artist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year. “My first thought was, ‘You been nominated four times, what could I have done that justified four nominations?!'” Jelly laughed while catching up with Audacy’s Katie Neal, who is celebrating an ACM win of her own. “The Entertainer of the Year [nomination], that’s crazy talk… I just couldn’t wrap my head around being nominated four times. Before I even seen what the four noms were, I seen the stat that it was the first time someone went from zero nominations to EOTY nomination since Billy Ray Cyrus in 1993.” Catch all the fun during the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards taking place live from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on, May 16 at 8PM ET. Hosted by Reba McEntire, the show is free to stream exclusively on Prime Video. No Amazon Prime account is needed. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

The Grand Ole Opry’s newest member, Scotty McCreery, has a lot to celebrate after being inducted into Country’s most prestigious establishment just one week ago. “The Opry to me is such a big deal and it’s always been a huge goal of mine,” McCreery told Audacy’s ACM Award-winning, Katie Neal, during his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour. “I’ve got such an appreciation for the history of Country music and the Opry played a very significant role in making Country music popular… I’ve just got so much respect for the artists that have played there. To me, Country music is what I know, what I love, it’s what I will always do — whether 5,000 people show up or 5 people show up.” Making Country music is exactly what Scotty’s been focused on the past year as he’s put work into his next album, Rise & Fall, due out May 10. “This is me, and where I am today,” McCreery said of the forthcoming album. “Songs I enjoy singin’, songs that feel good to my soul… everything about this record feels right.” Included in the tracklist he loves so much is a couple of what Scotty refers to as “Daddy songs,” which were inspired by his son, Avery. “I didn’t flood this record with ‘em,” he laughed. “But, there was one song I started writing the night Avery was born, so that song made the record and there’s one that kind of ends the whole album as like, a thought towards Avery.” Songs about fatherhood aren’t the only new things about the album, so was the creative process. McCreery explained the songs were the product of a songwriting retreat to the mountains of North Carolina with his best songwriting pals — a different approach from writing songs in the city like he’s done for past projects. “It’s like heaven on earth up there,” he said of the location. “You hear the birds chirpin’ and you’ll see black bears. You’re in the middle of nature and it just puts your mind somewhere different than writing an album at 11 o’clock at an office like I do all the time.” Hear more about McCreery’s new album, his best Dad fails and so much more by checking out his full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Sam Hunt’s songwriting has visited a wide range of topics over the years. From backroads and house parties to cop cars and outskirts, there’s not much Sam is afraid tackle in a songwriting session, except fatherhood. “I’m intimidated to write about my family and fatherhood,” he admitted to Audacy’s Katie Neal while sharing he’s been starting to gather ideas and draw inspiration for his next project. While the 39-year-old says he has no intentions of a “Dad song” making the tracklist, he shared hints of his family values will likely be weaved throughout as he is focused on providing a strong foundation for his kids. “I’ve always been geared more towards progress and pushing the boundaries, [but] the next project — at least from an idea perspective — will be more about roots and foundation... more traditional values,” he said. “The bedrock of how I hope to raise my family. Those things will be there — even if my songs don’t sound like what you would call a ‘Dad song,’ they will be written from a dad’s heart.” That’ll be a bit of a shift from his most-recent release “Locked Up,” which was inspired by the night Hunt was arrested in November 2019 for driving under the influence and violating open container law in Nashville and the impact it had on his marriage. While resurfacing a deeply personal time in his life, Hunt says he doesn’t mind bringing it back up as it is part of his story. “I wanted it to feel more like messing up, but having your significant other go through it with you and stand by your side,” he shared. “It’s more symbolic than a specific story about getting locked up, but because of my history — there are dots that can be connected there.” The song title also serves as the namesake for Hunt’s summer tour, the Locked Up Tour which will travel across the U.S. and Canada through September with special guests Russell Dickerson, George Birge (U.S.) and Dalton Dover. Also along for the ride is Sam’s family who he says make everything more fun. “Early on I didn’t get out to experience a lot of the places we’d visit,” he said of touring before having kids. “I get up early now and go find a really good breakfast place. A lot of the guys from the band will get up and go with me, or my kids [Lucy Louise (2), Lowry Lee (6 mo.)] and [wife] Hannah. They’re traveling with me so we try to smell the roses… we’ve been going to aquariums and museums and things that I wouldn’t have done years ago, but I’m making a point to do now.” He continued, “It makes a big difference, it makes the trip feel like a vacation and a big, exciting road trip where I just work for a couple hours a night and I get to be on this road trip with my family and some of my best friends in the world, so it’s the best of both worlds.” Hear additional details about Sam’s tour adventures, plus his ideas for new music and more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

At the age of 47, Luke Bryan has discovered “Huntin’, Fishin’ and Lovin’ Every Day,” comes with some personal consequences as he recently found he’s allergic to bass. Before playing a private show for some lucky Audacy listeners, Luke sat down with Katie Neal and said after years of mystery, he’s found the reason he comes home from fishing trips with red eyes, swollen hands, and a stuffy nose. “If I look like I’ve been smoking pot, that’s not true, I’ve been catching bass,” Luke laughed before detailing his rather serious bass allergy. “If I touch a bass, my eyes will get red, my hands will swell if I have to take the hook out.” The discovery comes after years of suffering for Luke, who thought he was simply experiencing normal allergies from being outside. “I spent years not knowing. My dad would take me on these fishing trips and I would be in the back of the boat like wheezing, maybe in need of an epipen. But my Dad was just like [suck it up], we just thought it was allergies [to] like, the trees, but it’s actually touching the bass.” Luke wasn’t about to let his allergies get in the way of making a small group of Audacy listeners dreams come true after they won a Totally Private concert from Luke at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville. The show was his first weekend gig in more than four weeks as he’s recently been striving to find better work-life balance. “My thing [now] is to just have fun writing songs, have fun doing the shows,” he shared. “I think for ten years I’ve just overworked myself to where all my friends, whenever I see them, they’re like, ‘You’re overworking yourself’ and I’m like, ‘I know, I can’t tell people no.’” While consciously making an effort to find balance, Luke still keeps pretty busy, especially now as he serves as a judge for his seventh season of ABC’s American Idol alongside Lionel Richie and Katy Perry, who revealed this go-around is likely her last. “I thought she might be [leaving],” Luke said when asked about Perry’s departure. “She’s been a rockstar on the show and to have developed a friendship… we’ve had a great time together. When I took the Idol gig, I knew that she had already signed up to do it and I didn’t know her. Seven years later, to have spent so much time with her has been pretty awesome. She’s a trip.” On top of his time with Idol, Luke is also promoting his brand new single, “Love You, Miss You, Mean It,” which he says has a “straight down the middle” Luke Bryan sound and is available now. “When I look at 16, 17 years of doing this there’s been a lot of songs put out. Sometimes I do some songs where I try something and the fans like it and sometimes the fans are like, ‘What is he up to?’” Luke said, laughing. “But this one is right down my wheelhouse and I’m excited to have that out.” Hear the new single on Audacy stations nationwide and check out Luke’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above to learn about his bass allergy, Idol, new single and more. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

No Bad Vibes isn’t just a tour name for Old Dominion, it’s a promise they keep with a little help from a tequila shot before every show. Recently joining Audacy’s Katie Neal for the Superstar Power Hour, the guys revealed they go through $70,000 worth of tequila per year on tour. A large part of that is due to their pre-show ritual which includes a crew-wide tequila shot which can include up to 200 people some nights. “A tequila shot has always been the tradition,” Trevor Rosen shared of the group’s pre-show routine “We started when it was just five of us, six of us, and now it’s become a pre-show ritual. We get our whole team there and do a little toast before every show.” Added frontman Matt Ramsey, “Sometimes there’s like 100-200 people there. We just actually learned our tequila budget this week. It’s like, $70,000 a year.” Laughing at the amount is easier for the guys after sharing they have a partnership with a tequila company that sponsors all pre-show shots. “Turns out, it was a very smart partnership,” Rosen said of their connection to Cantira Negra tequila. “I don’t think they realized how much tequila we were going to go through,” laughed Ramsey. Come Summer 2024, tour isn’t the only place you can find OD raising a glass as they ready to open their own bar in Nashville’s Midtown district just minutes from the famed Broadway strip. “It’s going to be a little different than other artist bars in that we’re not trying to overtly make this the Old Dominion bar,” shared Ramsey. “That’s why we didn’t name it Old Dominion’s Bar. It’s Odie’s, which is sort of a nod to our name, but ultimately we don’t want people to walk in there and feel like they’re going to the Old Dominion show.” Agreeing on a concept and vibe for the bar came naturally for the guys, but coming up with a name wasn’t their strong suit according to celebrity restaurateur, Guy Fieri. “We had pretty much decided it was called Memory Lane,” shared Brad Tursi of their original idea. “We were at Stagecoach and we were talking to Guy Fieri [about it]… He looked right at us and said, ‘That’s the dumbest name I’ve ever heard,’” the guys laughed. “He threw a couple F-bombs in there too. He railed us for that,” added Matt. Needless to say, the guys took things back to the drawing board and decided on Odie’s, which they hope is a place (and name) everyone can enjoy. “Ultimately, we hope it’s a place locals feel comfortable going to, songwriters feel like they can come and showcase their music or have a #1 party,” concluded Ramsey. “We really want it to be part of the community rather than a tourist attraction.” Hear additional details about the bar, more stories from tour (including a proposal gone wrong) and Ramsey’s new puppy, Eddy, by checking out the guys’ full conversation with Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Audacy's Katie Neal welcomes Keith Urban to our airwaves as this week’s co-host for the Superstar Power Hour on all your favorite Audacy Country stations nationwide. During his time on the The Superstar Power Hour with Audacy’s Katie Neal, the 56-year-old shared his next project is a product of a lot of hard-work, soul searching, and honesty. After one year of working hard on what he believed would be his next studio album, Urban realized he missed the mark while presenting the new music to the team at his record label. “Each song was very strong unto itself, but when I put them together, it wasn’t the album,” Urban said of the first collection he presented to his team in February 2023. While the realization was heartbreaking, Urban knew he owed it to himself and his fans to take things back to the drawing board and make an album he was proud of. “I could feel, ‘this is not it,’  and I so didn’t want to say that,” he expressed before taking a deep breath, recalling the painful realization. “I so wish I could’ve just said, ‘It’s fine… let’s go.’” The decision to go back to the drawing board set a lot of original plans back for Urban, including touring. However, by staying true to himself, and buckling down for another year of work — Urban says he now has an album he knows is it and oozes the strong, relentless spirit that lead him to it. “There’s a spirit on the record that’s through every song — no matter what the songs are — it’s a very strong, through line,” he shared, revealing a lot of it is inspired by ideas expressed in the book The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. So what does all of this sound like? Fans can get a taste if what’s to come with recently released, ”Messed Up As Me,” and “Straight Line,” which will both be included on the album in addition to a special collaboration and “more guitar solos” according to Urban. “This record is full of guitar,” Keith said after sharing his producer, Dan Huff, prompted him to ponder why he doesn’t have as much guitar in his recent songs. “The tracks made me want to play.” And for the collaboration? Well, Urban is keeping that under tight wraps for now, but it’s a secret he’s ready to spill soon as he’s been keeping it for almost a year. “I did a collaboration with an artist last summer that I think turned out fantastic,” he revealed. “I’ve just been sitting on it since June last year and it’s been killing me.” That’s pretty much all Urban is willing to reveal about the track for now — other than the fact it’s very much a collaboration, not a duet — which makes the possibilities even more endless. “A friend of mine had suggested a collaboration — it’s not a duet, it’s a collaboration,” Urban said of reviving a song he’s had for some time. “I had somebody in mind, and I sent it to them and they loved it and we did it last summer we were just elated with how it turned out.” Hear more hints about what’s to come, plus some of his most touching stories from his past by checking out Keith Urban’s entire conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal on the Superstar Power Hour above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

HARDY has officially entered his Rock era with the announcement of his very first Rock album coming soon. While excited to fully step into a new genre, the Mississippi native — who got his start as a Country songwriter — promises fans he’ll never abandon Country music. “I fully want to balance being a Rock ’n Roll artist and a Country artist at the same time,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal during his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour. “I don’t even really know what that means yet, but I love Country music, I will never abandon it or leave it. I always want to make Country songs, I’m just kind of discovering myself and I’ve realized that maybe I do have a bit of a knack for the Rock ’N Roll thing, so I’m just chasing that to see how far it goes right now. Country is coming back, don’t worry.” HARDY’s Country roots run deep and it’s apparent with his newest HIXTAPE project honoring the late Joe Diffie. DIFFTAPE, available March 29, was previewed at the 2023 CMA Awards as HARDY took the stage with Morgan Wallen and Post Malone to perform “Pickup Man,” the first song to be released from the album. Keeping the tracklist a secret until the release on March 29, HARDY promised some worth-the-wait features. “It’s by far the biggest star-studded feature list ever. I can’t even tell you — you have no idea. It’s the coolest thing in the world,” he said before detailing the approach. “It’s Joe’s original recordings of his biggest hits and a couple maybe no-so-big hits, but great songs. Joey [Moi] my producer, has the tracks… and we’ve kept all the instrumentation the same and brought in all of either Joe’s friends or, well, everybody. Everybody is on this record and it is so cool.” Following the DIFFTAPE release, the focus will turn to Rock for HARDY, who says he’s been hard at work on his Rock album that will feature previously released songs “QUIT!!” and “Rockstar.” “Writing Rock songs is a lot easier than writing a Country song — there’s fewer rules,” he said when asked about the differences in the creative process. “Not that there’s rules, rules, but if you’re tryna write a Country hit, there are rules. That’s no discredit to all the Rock writers and bands out there — writing a song is not as easy as people think it is, but it just is more free [in Rock]. The lyrics don’t have to all tie into this one hook.” With the new album comes a fresh tour from HARDY, who will hit the road this spring beginning with a show May 30 in Rogers, AR. With a total of 15 dates, fans may notice a major cutback on the amount of shows, which the 33-year-old says is intentional. “I cut my touring in half this year — I wanted to be home more and feel maybe more like a human,” he disclosed. “I love touring, but it got to a point for me where it was too much… This overload of attention three or four days out of the week and then to come back and try to feel normal and be normal — there’s just a weight that it put on me… the way that I’m wired, it just took a toll on me.” For more information on his headlining tour, the new album, DIFFTAPE and much more check out HARDY’s full conversation with Audacy’s Katie Neal above. Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal