<p>Music City Minute is the quickest, easiest way to stay up-to-date with country music news. We live busy lives and it can be hard to follow all of our favorite artist's moving and shaking. Music City Minute compiles all the latest information into an easy-to-digest sixty-second audio and visual segment. From Nashville to Denver, entertainment to breaking news, Music City Minute is your local source for country music content. </p>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Imagine you are global superstar playing to a stadium packed with screaming fans in the pouring rain, when suddenly on song two, your outfit comes unzipped. This oddly specific scenario sounds a lot like an anxiety dream. You know, the ones where only your missing red Swingline stapler will fix the broken office printer or you are leading a presentation only to realize too late that you are naked as a jaybird. Yet, the opening scenario was not a dream for Ella Langley, it was closer to waking nightmare. While performing in Baltimore, Maryland, Langley had just started her energetic set when her dress came fully unzipped. Thankfully, a crisp Baltimore Ravens jersey enabled the "Choosin’ Texas" singer continue her show without the threat of accidental indecency. I tell you what, between Ella Langley’s laid back disposition and her quick-thinking team, the clothing calamity felt more like a regular costume change and less like a scandal waiting to happen.</div> <div aria-hidden="true"> </div> <div>I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Ask any professional artist and they will tell you the music business changes people. Let us look at Riley Green for example. He has built a heck of a music career that has earned him seven No. 1 hit songs and enough industry awards to fill the cab of an International Harvester. While the 37-year-old’s star power increased, at the same time, it was becoming more and more apparent that Riley Green had become a real piece of work. Seriously, you cannot tell me over the last seven years or so you have not noticed Green’s evolution from Alabama farm boy to genuine rhinestone cowboy. So, what is the country star’s secret to peak physique? The "Worst Way" singer claims it comes down to eggs, steak and workouts. Yep, two omelets (consisting of four eggs total) for breakfast, followed by ten scrambled eggs throughout the day and steak. For strength, Mr. Duckman’s highfalutin', portable gym enables quick circuits anywhere, anytime. There you have it, Riley Green’s Secret to becoming a Redneck Adonis.</div> <div aria-hidden="true"> </div> <div>I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">After months on the road, Morgan Wallen is in the final stretch of is Still the Problem tour. Although the 33-year-old still has four shows on his calendar, Gavin Adcock wrapped up his long spell as support act on July 18. To show his appreciation for the incredible opportunity, Adcock wanted to present Wallen with an equally unforgettable end-of-tour gift. Then came the "Deep End" singer’s reveal video, which went from fun to nightmare fuel shockingly fast. Adcock described his initial dilemma of what to get someone who can afford anything themselves. His answer was “something that they would never get” on their own. That’s when the world was introduced to Rufus, a buck backside mount made into a “little critter” and adorned with “some eagle claws, some turkey feet and some bull horns on the top,” Admittedly, the only way to make sense of Rufus is to see him for yourself. However, KYGO is not responsible for any nightmares or hexes you may incur following your visual experience.</div> <div aria-hidden="true"> </div> <div>I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.</div>
<div><span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Up-and-coming artist Waylon Wyatt has been chomping at the bit to share exciting career milestones with fans. With his debut album fixing to drop and the first couple of shows of his world tour under his belt, the 19-year-old was feeling every bit of ten feet tall and bulletproof. While he seemed mentally prepared for his big adventure, his body was fighting for its life, literally. In a newly uploaded video, the "Leave It Alone" singer revealed he had found himself in the emergency room with sepsis. Yet, despite the grim news, the country riser then chose to follow up with a hilarious attempt to plug the release of his debut album “Dustpiles.” As you might imagine, that poor boy was a sight in his hospital gown, grinning like a possum eating a sweet tater and clearly giddy over his medically-induced ability to hear colors and see sounds. Well, we are sending Waylon Wyatt an abundance of healing thoughts and hope for a quick recovery.</span></div> <div aria-hidden="true"> </div> <div>I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">It has been four years since Florida Georgia Line rocked the country music world with their breakup. At the time, from an outsider's perspective, it seemed like Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelly were living in high-on-the-hog from their catalogue of hits. Yet, not everything that glitters is gold. As it turns out, the once inseparable friends and bandmates found themselves at crossroads, ultimately leading them on solo journeys. Thankfully, FGL's story does not end there. After reuniting for a surprise performance in March and again weeks later at CMA Fest, the prospect of a fully-fledged reunion feels closer than ever. In fact, Tyler Hubbard confirmed just days ago they have begun planning a string of shows for next year! So, does this mean that new music is in the works too? Unfortunately, there is no concrete answer just yet. For the time being, working to rebuild their friendship is understandably a higher priority for Hubbard and Kelly.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Sheena, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<p><span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Nearly every artist on Music Row at one point or another has described their experience in the industry as being a part of a big family. In fact, artists mentoring and supporting each other is one of the unique foundations of country culture. Yet, at the same time, Kane Brown admits that camaraderie does not necessarily translate into genuine friendship. While reflecting on his personal and professional life, the 32-year-old confessed he feels like an outsider who, despite all of his connections in Nashville, does not have a tight knit group of professional friends. Although Brown does enjoy frequently exchanging texts with Shaboozey, Chris Young, Morgan Wallen and Jason Aldean, understandably, he feels it’s just not the same as hanging out on the weekend, hitting the golf simulator, drinking a few beers and talking it up. At the end of the day though, the "What If" singer hasn’t completely given up on the prospect of a group of country buddies, declaring active recruitment is always open.</span></p> <p>I'm Sheena, and that's your Music City Minute.</p>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">After a lifetime of challenges and achievements, country legend Reba McEntire is gearing up for the most important role of her life. Earlier this year, Reba's son and daughter-in-law, Shelby and Marissa, confirmed they are expecting! Unsurprisingly, Granny Reba is already crushing her new role. In fact, she was a driving force in planning an unforgettable baby shower. The theme of the shower was so creative – Baby Archer's First World Tour! Not only did baby Archer's name appear in marquee lights, but the "Fancy" singer also commissioned a custom silver record mounted in a frame and a plaque reading "Archie Blackstock – A Star is Born – 2026." Goodness gracious, I can already tell that baby's feet will never hit the floor when Granny Reba is around. Although the baby Archer's due date hasn’t been revealed, the family has confirmed he is expected to arrive in October.</div> <div> </div> <div>I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Question: how many fermented beverages and awful dance moves would earn a person free Luke Bryan tickets for life? Drawing from experience, typically one-and-a-half to two beverages will at least get someone on the dance floor. Unfortunately, after four to five drinks, overconfidence tricks us in to believing everyone needs to see our Mick Jagger moves. Needless to say, anything past that ends up being tragic and messy. Despite that sound logic, a concertgoer named Colin chose to throw caution to the wind at a recent Luke Bryan Show. This man allegedly consumed over two dozen beverages, remained lucid and danced his heart out. His moves earned him an invite on stage where Luke Bryan gave him personal booty shaking lessons, and apparently, free tickets for upcoming shows?! Although entertaining, we definitely do not condone this type of behavior. Moreover, only Andre the Giant could realistically drink that much without ending up blacked out and face down on the floor.</div> <div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody"> </div> <div>I’m Sheena, and that’s your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Garth Brooks is heading back to where it all started. Fresh off a history-making sold out show at London's Hyde Park that drew over 70,000 fans, Brooks announced the Blame It All On My Roots Tour, a full-scale return to arenas featuring the comeback of his iconic Drum Pod. If that name doesn't ring a bell, it will for anyone who saw Garth in the '90s. The Drum Pod was a massive enclosure that surrounded his drummer during his 1996 world tour, and it became one of the most recognizable stage setups in concert history. That tour produced "Double Live," which went on to become the biggest-selling live album of all time at 25 million copies certified. In an Instagram video teasing its return, Brooks dusted off the old equipment and said, "How long's it been, old girl? Thirty years? Maybe it's time we put you back to work." The tour kicks off August 21 and 22 with back-to-back nights at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, with more cities to be announced. And here's the kicker: every single seat is the same price: $154 all-in. No presales, no VIP tiers, no advance box office. All tickets go on sale at the same time on July 17 through Ticketmaster with a limit of eight per order. Brooks said, "Going back into the arenas is about putting the stadium show in a box. The excitement gets multiplied by the intimacy. Every seat is a great seat. This is personal." He's also recording the shows for a new live project called Killer Live, continuing his tradition of capturing concerts in real time.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Rhett Akins had no idea Jon Pardi was waiting backstage. Then came the words every country artist dreams of hearing. Sunday night at the Grand Ole Opry House, during a special Opry Celebrates '90s Country show, Rhett Akins finished his set and thought the night was done. It wasn't. Jon Pardi walked out from backstage, and the room changed. Pardi praised Akins as a mentor and friend before saying quote, "You've always been family to me, but I'm here to invite you to be part of a different family. Rhett Akins, I am here to invite you to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry." Akins was nearly speechless. The man who has written 36 No. 1 hits for other artists, including Pardi's "Dirt on My Boots" and Luke Bryan's "Huntin', Fishin' and Lovin' Every Day," could barely find any words of his own. "All I do every day is write words and I can't think of any right now except thank you, Lord Jesus," he said. He went on to say he'd been listening to the Opry since he was a little kid with his grandparents, and that anytime they asked him to play, even if he was in Alaska, he'd fly home immediately. Before he was known as Thomas Rhett's dad, Akins was topping charts himself with hits like "That Ain't My Truck." His son was in the crowd to witness it all, later posting quote, "My dad has had a dream to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry since he was a boy. He is a country music encyclopedia. Dad, I'm so proud of you."</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Jordan Davis just played a show in Canada. Getting back into the U.S. was the hard part. Jordan Davis has a new touring story, and it's a good one. After headlining a show at Caesars Windsor in Ontario last Friday, the "Buy Dirt" singer's tour bus was stopped at the Canadian border by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Officers pulled Davis off the bus, brought him inside and got serious fast. "I need you to be real serious with me, man," one officer told him. "Are you in some trouble in Indiana?" Davis told them he'd never even been arrested. Turns out, there's another Jordan Davis in Indiana wanted on criminal charges, and the name flagged him in the system. "Somebody in Indiana named Jordan Davis is in some trouble," he joked in an Instagram video. Things got tense for a minute. Officers told him they weren't going to put him in handcuffs as long as he walked with them. "And that's when I was like, whoa," Davis said. "I just kind of got quiet because they were pretty serious." Eventually, one of the agents recognized him and asked, "Are you that country singer?" The officer then got worried Davis would go back on stage and bash Border Patrol on social media. Davis laughed it off and said, "Nah dude, just let me get out of here." The best part? His crew on the bus had no idea what happened. They thought Border Patrol just wanted a photo. Davis walked back on and told them, "I almost got locked up, cuz." He captioned the video quote, "Keeping the borders safe, one Jordan Davis at a time. Much love Canada."</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">The U.S. Men's National Team doesn't just play country music after games. They play it before them too. We've talked about how John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" has become the unofficial anthem of the 2026 World Cup. But it turns out country music's role with Team USA goes way deeper than a postgame singalong. The U.S. head coach revealed this week that the night before every match, his coaching staff gets together and plays country music. The manager said he's become a genuine fan of the genre and even name-dropped three artists the staff has been spinning: Luke Combs, Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley. "We need them to come to games. They are very, very welcome here.” Meanwhile, "Country Roads" continues to be the soundtrack of the tournament. The song was included on the official USMNT playlist submitted to FIFA, and it's been blasted through sold-out stadiums after every match, win or lose. After the 2-0 win over Australia in Seattle, midfielder Weston McKennie was caught on camera singing along from the pitch, strumming air guitar while 67,000 fans belted out the chorus above him. The U.S. won Group D and faces Bosnia in the round of 32 on Wednesday. And if country music has anything to do with it, they're not done yet.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Alan Jackson took the stage one last time Saturday night, and Nashville gave him a send off worthy of a legend. Saturday night at Nissan Stadium, 55,000 fans gathered to watch Alan Jackson close the book on a 35-year touring career. The show was called Last Call: One More for the Road, The Finale, and it lived up to every word. The evening started with a little drama nobody planned for – lightning rolled through Nashville forcing a full stadium evacuation right before showtime. But the weather cleared, and when Jackson finally walked out at 9:25, he did what he's always done. He kept it real. "We're not going to dwell on all this sad 'last show' stuff," he told the crowd. "I'm not dead." He joked that it had started to feel a bit like a funeral, watching all these stars sing his songs from heaven. "Two-step up and down the aisle, have a good time, have a drink," he said. "We'll try to play something you like." Before Jackson took the stage, the first two hours belonged to the artists he inspired. Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Riley Green, Jon Pardi, Lee Ann Womack and more all covered Jackson's catalog. His great niece Carlisle Wright, whom Jackson personally invited to make her Opry debut just weeks earlier, opened the show. Then came the man himself with a 24-song set that covered decades of hits. George Strait walked out to join him for "Designated Drinker" and "Murder on Music Row." He closed the main set with "Chattahoochee" one final time before an encore of "Mercury Blues" and "Where I Come From." The whole thing is being filmed for an NBC special later this year. But for the people who were there, Saturday night in Nashville was something no TV broadcast will ever fully capture.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Country music's most sacred stage might have a new owner. This is a big one. According to a report from Bloomberg, Ryman Hospitality Properties is exploring the sale of its 70 percent stake in Opry Entertainment Group, the company that owns the Grand Ole Opry House and the Ryman Auditorium. They've hired Morgan Stanley to find a buyer, and this comes during the Opry's 100th anniversary year. The sale wouldn't just include those two iconic venues. Opry Entertainment Group also owns WSM Radio, the station that launched the Opry back in 1925, as well as Blake Shelton's Ole Red locations, Luke Combs' Category 10 bar in Nashville and ACL Live in Austin. The remaining 30 percent of OEG is already held by NBCUniversal and a private equity firm. Ryman Hospitality confirmed they're "evaluating potential opportunities," but stressed no agreements have been reached and there's no guarantee a deal will happen. Executive Chairman Colin Reed pointed to the rise in global popularity of country music as a reason for the timing. No matter what happens, this has Nashville paying very close attention. The Opry isn't just a venue. It's the heart of country music. And whoever ends up owning it will be holding something that can't be measured in dollars.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Kane Brown had a rough Tuesday. The 32-year-old country star was out golfing in Nashville when his own buddy hit a shot that caught him right in the head. The result? 23 stitches and a concussion. Brown shared photos of the gnarly injury on Instagram, showing blood on his ear and a row of stitches, with the caption, "Just a scratch." He followed that with another post saying, "They said it will prob get worse in the next 48 hours, but I'm alive and that's all that matters. Holy crap." His wife Katelyn added some context of her own, saying the ball hadn't been losing momentum in the air he was standing right off the side of the shot. "It could have been so much worse," she said. The injury forced Brown to miss his scheduled performance at Travis Kelce's Tight Ends & Friends charity concert Tuesday night in Nashville, where Taylor Swift and Lainey Wilson ended up stealing the show. Former NFL player Will Compton broke the news to the crowd, joking, "He says concussion, the football guys probably don't buy it." Brown says he's recovering and plans to be back on stage soon, just maybe not back on the golf course for a while.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Taylor Swift just showed up in Nashville and sang "Love Story" with Lainey Wilson, and the internet is losing its mind. Last night in Nashville, Lainey Wilson was closing out her set at Travis Kelce's annual Tight Ends & Friends charity concert when she told the crowd, "I don't think y'all are ready for what's about to happen." Out walked Taylor Swift. The two proceeded to duet on Swift's 2008 classic "Love Story" as the crowd erupted. Before the song, Wilson shared that years ago she came to Nashville for CMA Fest and watched a 16-year-old Swift perform at the Riverfront Stage to about 30 people. "Four of them were me, my mama, my daddy and my sister," Wilson said. "I knew watching that day that it was something really special." The moment got even sweeter during the song's bridge when Swift sang "he knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring" and flashed her engagement ring from fiancé Kelce to screaming fans. Kelce hosts the event each year alongside George Kittle and Greg Olsen to raise money for charity, and the night also featured performances from Dan + Shay, Nate Smith and Chase Rice. This is the second year in a row Swift has made a surprise appearance. Last year she performed "Shake It Off" with Kane Brown. The performance also comes on the heels of Swift's new country-leaning song "I Knew It, I Knew You" from the "Toy Story 5" soundtrack, fueling speculation that a return to country could be on the horizon.</div> <div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody"> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div dir="ltr" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">2026 has been the year country and Southern rock became the soundtrack of American sports on the global stage, and we need to talk about it. First, let's rewind to February, when Team USA used Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" as their goal song at the Winter Olympics in Milan. Every time the U.S. scored, that iconic guitar riff echoed through the arena, and it became one of the defining sounds of the Games. By the time it was over, both the men's and women's hockey teams had won gold, with the men capturing their first Olympic hockey gold since the Miracle on Ice in 1980. "Free Bird" played a lot in Milan. Now fast forward to this weekend. John Denver's 1971 classic "Take Me Home, Country Roads" has unofficially become the anthem of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. After the U.S. Men's National Team beat Australia 2-0 on Friday night in Seattle to clinch their group, nearly 67,000 fans didn't head for the exits. Instead, the stadium speakers kicked on "Country Roads" and the entire crowd, American and Australian fans alike, belted it out together as the players did a victory lap. The clip went viral instantly, and it's happened at every U.S. match so far. The Guardian even wrote a whole piece about why the song has struck such a chord, calling it a story about "a united America." From "Free Bird" in Milan to "Country Roads" in Seattle, country music is proving what we've always known: nothing brings people together quite like it.</div> <div dir="ltr"> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Last week we told you about Freddy, the German soccer fan whose World Cup road trip through the American South accidentally turned him into a country music fan. Since we last checked in, his following has exploded from 11,000 to nearly 700,000 with everyone from J.J. Watt to the mayor of Houston rolling out the red carpet. But the moment everyone was waiting for finally happened Thursday night in Oklahoma City. Freddy and his crew drove overnight from Houston to make Ella Langley's sold out show at the OKC Zoo Amphitheatre, and Ella's team made sure they got the full country music welcome. When they walked into their hotel room, it was loaded with gifts: brand new suitcases, cowboy hats, Tacovas boots, full country outfits, Ella Fellas t-shirts and tickets to the show. Freddy posted a photo in his new boots and jeans and wrote, "This is the most American I've ever felt." That night, he watched Langley perform "Choosin' Texas" live, the song that had been playing on every country radio station they tuned into since day one of the trip. He called it, "The soundtrack of our road trip. A full circle moment." After the show, the whole travel group met Langley backstage for photos, and Freddy posted, "The travel group with Ella Langley, our new favorite musician." Ella called the Oklahoma City crowd the best of her entire tour so far. A German soccer fan came to America for the World Cup, discovered country music on the radio and ended up backstage with one of Nashville's biggest rising stars. If that's not the American dream, I don't know what is.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">In country music, there's an unspoken tradition: when a tour wraps, the headliner gives the opening act a gift to say thanks for sharing the road. Sometimes it's a watch, sometimes it's a bottle of something nice. But back in 2022, Tim McGraw took it to a whole different level and we're just now hearing about it. In a recent interview, Russell Dickerson revealed that at the end of their tour together, McGraw walked up to his bus, sat down and handed him $20,000 in cash. Just like that. Dickerson said quote, "Tim McGraw sat down outside my bus and just slapped me up twenty bands. Just a crispy twenty Gs." Dickerson said he noticed a large bulge in the back pocket of McGraw's famously tight jeans but had no idea what it was until McGraw reached back, pulled out the stack, and handed it over without a second thought. Dickerson, being Dickerson, wrapped up the story with a joke: "He was caked up, bro," and then added, "He does work out a lot." Four years later, and that story still hits. That's the kind of generosity that keeps the touring tradition alive in Nashville.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
<div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">If you haven't met Freddy yet, you're about to love him. Freddy is a German soccer fan who flew to the United States for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and decided to roadtrip his way through the American South before the games kicked off. He's been documenting the whole thing on X, and the internet cannot get enough. We're talking Waffle House, Buc-ee's, Taco Bell, which he called "the holy land,” and enough Southern hospitality content to make you proud to be an American. He's racked up over 358,000 followers, caught the attention of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and even got J.J. Watt to hook him up with a hotel in Houston. But, here's where it gets country – somewhere along the way, Freddy discovered Ella Langley, and just like that, he became a certified "Ella Fella." He's been posting about her music nonstop, which got so much attention that people jokingly started calling him an industry plant. Well, Ella's team saw the posts, and now Freddy is headed to her sold-out show in Oklahoma City on June 18 with a meet-and-greet. He posted on X, "We're going to an Ella Langley concert on the 18th and we're even going to meet her!" Came for the World Cup, stayed for country music. That might be the most American story of the summer.</div> <div> </div> <div>I'm Brailey, and that's your Music City Minute.</div>
