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HIXTAPE VOL 2. Featuring HARDY & Famous Friends

HIXTAPE VOL 1. was one of our favorite albums of 2019, but HIXTAPE VOL. 2 is truly giving it a run for its money. Learn more about the project below.

While volume one of HIXTAPE featured HARDY collaborating with guest artists on each and every song, the new installment of the project showcases the singer-songwriter sharing the spotlight with dozens of other artists teaming up on each individual track. Since Friday, September 10th, HARDY and his team have released one song a week off the one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Songs like “Hometown Boys,” (Matt Stell, Dierks Bentley & HARDY) “Beer Song,” (Lainey Wilson, Chase Rice & Granger Smith) and “Small Town On It” (Chris Lane & Scotty McCreery) have already won over fans.

However, the most highly anticipated song is slated to come out at the end of this week, Friday, December 10th, closing out the stellar project. HARDY collaborates with label-mate Morgan Wallen and Chris Shiflett on a sure to be smash hit!

Check out the full track-list of the fourteen songs below.

HIXTAPE VOL. 2. Track List:

  1. Home Town Boys (feat. Matt Stell, Dierks Bentley & Hardy)
  2. WD-40 4WD (feat. Sean Stemaly, Jimmie Allen & Justin Moore)
  3. In Love With My Problems (feat. Larry Fleet & Jon Pardi)
  4. To Hank (feat. Hardy, Brantley Gilbert & Colt Ford)
  5. Small Town On It (feat. Chris Lane & Scotty McCreery)
  6. Break our Own Damn Heart (feat. Midland & Marty Stuart)
  7. Drink Up (feat. Lee Brice, Randy Houser & Hardy)
  8. Jonesin’ (feat. Ronnie Dunn, Jake Owen & Jake Worthington)
  9. Red Dirt Clouds (feat. David Lee Murphy, Ben Burgess & Ernest)
  10. Beer With My Buddies (feat. Hardy, Josh Thompson & Travis Denning)
  11. One Of Ya’ll (feat. Hardy, Rhett Akins & The Cadillac Three)
  12. I Smoke Weed (feat. Ashland Craft & Brothers Osborne)
  13. Beer Song (feat. Lainey Wilson, Chase Rice & Granger Smith)
  14. Goin’ Nowhere (feat. Hardy, Morgan Wallen & Chris Shiflett)
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HIXTAPE VOL. 2 features HARDY and famous friends on twelve original tracks.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements.

HIXTAPE VOL. 2  is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Dustin Lynch’s “Thinking ‘Bout You” with MacKenzie Porter Goes #1

Dustin Lynch’s song, “Thinking ‘Bout You” with MacKenzie Porter officially goes number one on the country radio charts.

This week, Dustin Lynch scores his eighth number one song with “Thinking “Bout You.” For his collaborator, MacKenzie Porter, while she has three number one songs on Canadian country charts, the single marks Porter’s very first US number one hit.

Back in March, Lynch released a new version of the song as a single featuring pop-country vocalist, Porter on the track with him. The push-pull of the two distinct voices create an interesting dynamic on the already enticing tune. It was just a matter of time before the track became a hit with fans and radio alike.

“I was just thinkin’ ’bout that weekend out on Cumberland Lake // And that one time in Baton Rouge when we made out in the rain // Where we went chasin’ fallin’ stars on a hill at your daddy’s farm // Don’t be sorry for callin’ me up out of the blue // I was was just thinkin’ ’bout you // Oh, I was just thinkin’ ’bout you”

It is always exciting to see an established entertainer collaborate with a rising artist. It is even more exciting to see the song hit the number one spot! Congrats to Lynch and Porter and their teams on their success!

Join our Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Dustin Lynch and MacKenzie Porter announcements and releases.

To keep up with Dustin Lynch, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

To keep up with MacKenzie Porter, follow her on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

“Thinking ‘Bout You” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Nessa Lea? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

Who is Nessa Lea? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

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The Beginning:

We love bringing you new artists, and today we get to do just that. Our spotlight shines on newly signed Curb Records artist, Nessa Lea. Her story is unlike anyone else’s, and we chatted with her about where she started and where she is now.

Born and raised in Tennessee, just south of Nashville, Lea recalls her childhood being very special. I grew up playing in creeks and catching lightning bugs and all that. I have a very musical family, so music has always been in my life that way,” she shared.” Her family dabbled with different instruments and connections to music throughout her early life.

Finally, when she was in middle school, Lea got the urge to play music too. “I didn’t start really playing myself until I was eleven years old,” she begins, “I was inspired by Taylor Swift, so I started playing guitar and writing my own songs at eleven, I wanted to be like her.” Despite a true love for music, like many of us, the singer was unsure of the path. She added later, “As I grew up I figured music probably wasn’t going to work for me, but I enjoyed it as a hobby, so that’s kind of where I kept it.”

She decided to put music on the back burner, until her boss and mentor encouraged her to go for it.

The Turning Point:

While working at Nashville’s infamous Chaffin’s Barn, a local dinner-theater restaurant, Lea caught the attention of the restaurant’s owner. “The owner there, she found out I could sing and wrote songs and she asked me to play something for her.” After hearing her sing, the owner offered her a chance to play dinner music at the barn before the show every night. Lea obliged, and was happy to have music in her life even more.

Eventually, the owner offered to pay for recording time for Lea, truly showing her how much she believed in her undeniable talent. “We started recording and Don Cusic ended up sending my songs over to Mike Curb unbeknownst to me and Mike ended up offering me a record deal a couple of weeks in,” she shared of the whirlwind experience. “So I signed with them early January of this year and I cannot be more thankful and excited to have an opportunity like this.”

Having all these people in her corner truly inspired Lea to go for her dreams. “I’ve always had this love for music and it’s been my safe place with writing and playing. It was something I enjoyed by myself and kind of being in Nashville and having so many friends that were trying to pursue a musical career, ya know sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t, and I never really had the confidence,” she shared. “Now I have people telling me “I can,” so I’m trying to believe them!”

Today:

Flash forward almost a year later, Lea is living her dream! She made her debut with her single “Bad Boy” in October, and it is truly just the beginning. Taking her love for her artists like Loretta Lynn, Lana Del Ray, and Queen, the singer was able to craft music that speaks to her both as an artist and as a songwriter.

“’Bad Boy’ is my first single and actually on the note of confidence, that song really is about having the confidence to tell someone in a relationship that I can be what you want but if you want me, you have to treat me right.” Lea also added, “Singing “Bad Boy” actually gives me some confidence in myself and I really hope it does that for other girls, […] I hope that other people will listen to it and it will give them the little kick that they need, that little kick of confidence.”

If her single is anything like what’s to come, fans are in for a real treat! Lea lets us know that she has several other songs recorded and more music coming out in 2022. Her goal though is to make meaningful connections with fans. “Now I just really want to give music my all and not disappoint the people that helped me to get here. I’m just really thankful and excited to share my music and hope that it can reach people the way it has me.”

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Nessa Lea announcements and releases.

To keep up with Nessa Lea, follow her on InstagramTwitter, and Facebook.

Nessa Lea’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Zac Brown Band’s “Same Boat” Goes Number One

Zac Brown Band’s latest single, “Same Boat” officially goes number one on the country radio charts, marking their fourteenth hit song.

For over a decade, Zac Brown Band have been entertaining fans across generations. Hit songs like “Chicken Fried,” “Toes,” and “Homegrown” remain mainstays in their catalog and during their live shows. This week, ZBB earn another hit song with their single, “Same Boat.”

Penned by Zac Brown with Ben Simonetta and Jonathan Singleton, “Same Boat” is a true ZBB classic. We knew the song would become a hit from first listen. It truly is an undeniable instant jam. Upbeat and fun, “Same Boat” is simply about the human experience. We all have unique moments in our lives, but life, in general, is something we all go through. In a time where life can feel chaotic and people can feel at odds, ZBB reminds us all that we are all merely humans trying to make sense of life.

“We’re all in the same boat // Fishing in the same hole // Wondering where the same time goes // And money too // Tryna fix the same broke hearts // Wishing on the same stars // We’re all hoping hope floats // And we’re all in the same boat”

Congrats to Zac Brown Band and their team on another number one song! It will be fun to see how ZBB follow up this incredible feat.

Join our Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Zac Brown Band announcements and releases.

To keep up with Zac Brown Band, follow them on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram.

“Same Boat” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Chase Wright? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

Who is Chase Wright? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

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Photo Credit: Jason Myers

The Beginning:

This week we are highlighting an Indiana-born artist that we are loving lately! Chase Wright is an up and coming singer-songwriter, who will captivate any country music lover. We chatted with the Nashville-transplant about his story, his brand new record, and much more.

“Music was always present growing up,” begins Wright. “My mom was a music education major and her mom sang professionally back in the 40s or 50s.” The singer recalls singing at a 9/11 memorial, when he was five years old and picking up the trumpet in 6th grade. Besides that though, the artist admits that his musical journey did not really take off until college, besides being an avid fan throughout his life.

“Growing up, when I was younger, it was definitely a lot of different things,” shared Wright. “I was listening to 3 Doors Down, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Goo Goo Dolls, Matchbox Twenty, Usher.” The singer adds later, “There were so many different things growing up that I was listening to, but when I got to college, it was pretty much only country.”

College was really, when Wright started to chase the music dream. “I went to college at a small school in Indiana called DePauw University and studied economics,” shared the singer. “I mentioned to my dad how I wanted to learn how to play guitar, so he brought me a guitar he bought at garage sale. […] He said if you learn how to play on this and you really want to do it, we can get you one nicer.”

The Turning Point:

Following the footsteps of a new artist at the time, Sam Hunt, the singer started dabbling in playing shows and learning guitar. During his junior year of college, the singer worked in the corporate world, and quickly realized that corporate life was not for him.

“I didn’t really see my life going in that direction, so I really dove into music in 2017, which was my junior year in college.”

Upon graduating college, Wright set his sights on playing gigs and developing a social media presence. The singer recalls posting everyday and playing covers of songs both in person and online. “After about 5-6 months in doing that, that was when my now manager reached out and he wanted to get me to come to Nashville to do this songwriting workshop for ASCAP.” Taking a leap of faith, Wright went to the workshop and the rest was history.

Now a Nashville resident, Wright dedicates his time to his artistry. Over the years, the singer has crafted his talent as a songwriter and learned to infuse his eclectic influences throughout his music.“Country music has changed sonically so much, but what has held through, through all of those changes is really the meaningful lyrics.”

Today:

Fans can rejoice in Wright’s growth, as his debut record Interwined was just released in early November. The record features ten enticing songs that all showcase the incredible talent the singer has, truly laying the groundwork for what’s to come next.

“I just want to make music that I love and I genuinely love it and will listen to it on repeat,” shared Wright, talking about the album. “I really hope that fans and people listening will feel the same about it.”

Despite the fact that the singer would cut songs by other songwriters, all, but one song on the record were co-written by Wright. When discussing the song he did not write, the singer shared, “‘Missing You’ was exactly the song I was looking for and what I wanted to say.”

Similarly, one of his favorite songs off the project, “Wish You’d Miss Me,” was just as vulnerable.“The one that I have the most emotional attachment to is probably “Wish You’d Miss Me,” for a number of reasons. “One, it was just the first time I felt like I was truly honest when I was writing something where I needed to say something and I said it the way I wanted to say it,” shared Wright.

When asked about the title track collaboration with Canadian-Pop artist, Delaney Jane, Wright cannot say enough good things about the process.“We wrote half of it in January and then came back a couple of months later and I was like guys, what if this was a duet,” shared Wright, adding later, how extremely talented Jane truly is.

As fans immerse themselves into Intertwined, Wright predicts more music and more shows on the horizon in 2022. He makes no promises, but one thing is for certain, the singer is here to stay!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Chase Wright releases.

To keep up with Chase Wright, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Chase Wright’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Chayce Beckham & Lindsay Ell Team Up for New Song “Can’t Do Without Me”

Chayce Beckham and Lindsay Ell team up for new Song “Can’t Do Without Me,” out now on all streaming platforms. Learn more about the brand new track here.

American Idol winner Chayce Beckham released his debut song “23” during the finale. Since then, he has been honing his craft as a singer-songwriter, continuing to take the country music industry by storm. Beckham teams up with songstress Lindsay Ell for his newest release, their collaborative track, “Can’t Do Without Me.”

The new song is sultry and steamy – perfect for a duet. Ell brings the soulful component to the song, while Beckham’s gravely vocals are the perfect complement. “Can’t Do Without Me” is both romantic and sexy, a combination that is often hard to master. Moreover, the song draws listeners in to the story and the magic of the duet.

“Baby I’m dying to catch that lighting I only find from your fingertips // I’ve been missing and wishing to feel your kiss // And your hands all on my skin // It won’t be long ’til we are burning up them sheets // And doing all those things that you can’t do without me”

We love a good collaboration! It is exciting to see a new artist like Beckham and a rising artist like Ell bring their voices together for an epic duet.

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Chayce Beckham and Lindsay Ell collaborate on their new song “Can’t Do Without Me,” out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Chayce Beckham and Lindsay ell releases.

To keep up with Chayce Beckham, follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

To keep up with Lindsay Ell, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Can’t Do Without Me” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Carrie Underwood Releases Surprise Song, “Stretchy Pants”

Carrie Underwood is giving a gift to fans this holiday season, releasing a surprise digital holiday track called “Stretchy Pants,” out now. Learn about the song below.

Christmas came early this year when Carrie Underwood released a special edition of her acclaimed 2020 holiday album, My Gift, which featured three new tracks. The holiday cheer continued when the superstar dropped a surprise digital track.
“Stretchy Pants”, an upbeat, catchy bop about wearing loose clothing to accommodate eating during the holidays. The comedic song was released on streaming platforms with an accompanying cartoon music video.
In addition to being an earworm, the song is also giving back to the community. A portion of proceeds from streams and downloads of ‘Stretchy Pants’ will benefit The Store, a Nashville-based organization started by Brad Paisley and Kimberly Williams-Paisley to provide nutritious and varied food options to families in need.
It’s likely ‘Stretchy Pants’ will not make the setlist when Underwood heads to Vegas next month to headline her first residency, Reflection, but it certainly gives fans a different side of the country queen to enjoy as the holiday season begins.
Fans can listen to ‘Stretchy Pants’ and watch the music video at stretchypantssong.com
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Carrie Underwoods releases brand new surprise track, “Stretchy Pants,” out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Carrie Underwood releases.

To keep up with Carrie Underwood, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Stretchy Pants” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Taylor Swift: ‘Red (Taylor’s Version)’ – Album Review

Taylor Swift released her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor’s Version). Listen to reimagined new record here. 

Known for being one of the best “breakup” albums, Red (Taylor’s Version) is 30 tracks filled with heartbreak. Similar to Fearless (Taylor’s Version), this album includes the original tracks as well as nine songs from the vault. While the vocals may be more mature, the emotion and heartache you feel when listening is the same if not stronger.

The vault songs this time around include a track with CMA male vocalist of the year, Chris Stapleton, Swift’s version of “Better Man”, and “Babe”.  Up first is “Better Man”. You may recognize the song from Little Big Town who released the single in 2017 as part of their album The Breaker.  Since it was left off the original Red album in 2012, Swift decided it should be heard and gave it to Little Big Town. Written by the Pennsylvania native, it won song of the year at the 2017 CMA Awards as well as a GRAMMY for Best County Duo\Group Performance.  From adding the London Contemporary Orchestra to the acoustics and the emotional vocals, Swift put her own spin on it and certainly reminded us why it’s award-winning.

Next up is “Babe” which you know from Sugarland’s recording in 2018 where Swift accompanied the duo with her background vocals. Written by Swift and Pat Monahan, the singer-songwriter again made the version unique. Speeding up the tempo, adding the line “what about your promises” before the first verse, and handling the vocals all on her own without backup, she showcases her talent of seamlessly mixing genres. 

Bringing it back to her country roots with an acoustic guitar and harmonica, “I Bet You Think About Me” features award-winning artist Chris Stapleton. Written by Lori McKenna and Swift, it fits the breakup theme as it’s filled with shade towards an ex. Stapleton’s role may be minor as he comes in on the chorus but it is certainly impactful. The two vocals blend together flawlessly making the perfect duo.

Overall, Red (Taylor’s Version) may have been her album transitioning away from country music, but she reminded us where she started.  We can’t wait to see what other country collaborations she may have in store!

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Taylor Swift’s reimagined version of her album ‘Red’ is out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Taylor Swift releases.

To keep up with Taylor Swift follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Red (Taylor’s Version) is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix

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Who Is Troy Cartwright? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

Who is Troy Cartwright? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

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The Beginning:

This week, our spotlight is shining on an artist that was born to be a musician. Warner Music Nashville recording artist, Troy Cartwright is one to look out for. Growing up in Dallas, Texas, he recalls always loving music. “I’ve always been into music. I always joke that writing songs is the only thing that nobody told me to do.”

At just twelve years old, Cartwright started playing guitar and writing songs.”Once I could play, I just kind of stopped practicing, and just started writing songs,” shared Cartwright. “I always sort of had a knack for that part of it.” Despite loving music, interestingly he tried to avoid the country genre at first because it was his older sister’s favorite.

“When I was kid, it was just sort of whatever was popular at the time like Simple Plan and New Found Glory and stuff like that […] There was some singer-songwriter stuff that I fell in love with like Pete Yorn.”

Cartwright loved music so much that he took a leap of faith. He headed to Boston for college to pursue a degree in music business. Little did he know, this move would soon change the trajectory of his life.

The Turning Point:

In college, Cartwright rediscovered country music, after missing home and its familiarity. Artists like Eric Church and Chris Stapleton became his “North Star” later in life, as an artist.”I started missing home and that kind of was the start of it to country music and now it’s my career.”

During his junior year of college, Cartwright participated in an internship that became a major turning point for him. “I realized that was not the path that I wanted to go down,” shared the singer about the business-oriented job. “I realized through that process like ‘hey if you’re going to be an artist’ you just got to go for it.”

Upon graduating college, Cartwright headed back to Dallas to pursue his career as an artist.“ I was able to pretty quickly string together enough shows to pay the bills. […] That was kind of my start in country music, just playing the honky tonks and the bars that would have me.”

Eventually, Cartwright caught the ear of a publisher in Nashville.“I had a publisher here in Nashville say ‘hey why don’t you come write some songs here.’,” adding later, “After I came to Nashville for the first time and got to co-write, I was going to move to Nashville no matter what, I just had to figure out how to get there.”

Today:

Now, Cartwright is living his dream, as a signed recording artist. Most recently, the singer-songwriter released his debut major-label EP, Halfway To Houston. The five tracks all portray the rock influence from the singer’s childhood mixed with his love for the storytelling that country music does best.

“Most of these songs were written during the pandemic,” begins Cartwright. “I had a lot of time to think about what I really, really wanted to say as an artist.” Later, the singer shared, “I kind of had it in two buckets. It was what’s the real stuff that I want to say and then what’s the rock n roll part I want to get out.”

His songs “Hammer” and “Halfway To Houston” bring out the rock side of the collection, while “Break Every Heart In Texas” is one of the most emotive songs on the project. According to Cartwright, “It’s a song that I’ve always loved and I love the story and the picture that it paints about this guy watching the love of his life basically marry someone else. I think it’s a pretty powerful emotion.”

This is only the beginning for Cartwright. Fans can expect more music coming in 2022, as well as a tour with LANCO coming even sooner. Stay tuned and make sure to keep the singer on your radar!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Troy Cartwright releases.

To keep up with Troy Cartwright, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Troy Cartwright’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Country Artists to Perform During Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2021

The list of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade performers was just announced and several country acts are on the bill.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

After a tumultuous 2020, the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is returning to its in-person format. Country superstar, Carrie Underwood is among the star-studded performers slated to sing during the parade. Underwood will be getting us all in the holiday spirit with a song from her holiday project, My Gift.

Other country artists and friends, such as Jimmie Allen, Chris Lane, Mickey Guyton, and Nelly  will also be performing on some famous floats during the parade. The parade with air from 9AM to Noon in all time zones Nov. 25. There will also be theatrical performances to celebrate Broadway being back in NYC, including performances by the casts of Wicked, Moulin Rouge! and SIX.

Spectators can also anticipate a special performance by the infamous Radio City Rockettes and of course, a special visit from Santa to kick off the holiday season.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news.

Don’t forget to follow us Instagram too!