TAYLOR HICKS DEBUTED “PORCH SWING LIVE ON “THE BOBBY BONE SHOW”

GRAMMY®-winning American Idol Taylor Hicks celebrated the release of his new single “Porch Swing” with a live debut on “The Bobby Bones Show”  Monday, Feb. 20 at 7/6 a.m. CT.

While Hicks has embarked on entertainment ventures and remained a fan-favorite in the industry following “American Idol’s” fifth season, “Porch Swing” marks his first official single release in 14 years.

“Porch Swing,” written by Hicks, Runaway June’s Jennifer Wayne and Jason Deere (Little Big Town, Lady A and LeAnn Rimes), was recorded at Zac Brown’s Southern Ground studio in Nashville. Released via Epochal Artists / TLG / INgrooves, the ballad marries the sounds of country and soul, drawing comparisons to artists like Jackson Browne, Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers. The release will bring Hicks back on the road for extensive touring, including an Armed Forces Entertainment tour next month.

Hicks appeared as himself and performed “Porch Swing” in Samuel Goldwyn Films’ 2021 romantic comedy “Stars Fell on Alabama.” His acting roles also include starring in Serenbe Playhouse’s 2019 production of “Shenandoah,” touring as Teen Angel in “Grease,” appearing on “Law & Order: SVU” and hosting the INSP series “State Plate,” which won the Cynopsis TV Award for Best Reality Series (Travel) and is available now to watch on Amazon Prime and Peacock.

Since winning “American Idol’s” record-breaking season five finale, Hicks has gone on to achieve RIAA®-certified platinum status and make history as both the first male Idol champion featured on a GRAMMY®-winning record (Jimmy Fallon’s Blow Your Pants Off) and the first to land a prestigious Las Vegas residency. He also co-owns Saw’s Juke Joint in his hometown of Birmingham, crowned one of the “25 Best Barbecue Spots in America” by Men’s Journal.

JD SHELBURNE RELEASES NEW SINGLE “NEON HALLELUJAH”

Chart-topping country music singer-songwriter JD Shelburne is proud to announce his upcoming album, Neon Hallelujah will be released Summer of 2023, with the title track single available Friday, February 17th. Crescendoing the momentum he’s gained since 2021, Shelburne is excited to share his 6th studio album, boasting 14 new songs, with a jam-packed schedule of live performances leading up to the summer album launch. The new album was co-produced by JD Shelburne and Mike Proctor, and also features tracks produced by Maks Gabriel and Bart Busch. Neon Hallelujah was premiered by The Boot and is available on all streaming platforms now!

“I am thrilled to announce that I will release my 6th studio album in 2023 called “Neon Hallelujah”! I worked in-studio through the summer & fall of 2022 writing, recording, and co-producing songs in preparation for my new project that I am thrilled to announce,” shares Shelburne “The title track “Neon Hallelujah” is the first song release off the upcoming album that I recorded with one of my producers Maks (co-writer of the track). This song was pitched by Maks, and I instantly fell in love with the melody and story of the song – it already has that mainstream radio feel. It hit me like a ton of bricks the first time I heard it and the more I listened, the more I connected with it. I knew I just had to record it because it’s one of those rare songs you hear every now and then that just sounds like a smash hit. You know those kinds of songs the second you hear them. I am grateful to get this out to the fans and name it one of the leading songs off my 2023 album. It’s one of the tracks I am most excited about on my album, so I want to share it with my fans first before the actual album release. I believe this record will take me to new heights and I’ve worked my craft for over a decade in preparation for this.”

Shelburne has come a long way from growing up on his family’s century-old Kentucky farm; where after discovering his late grandmother’s guitar, he found his passion, nay calling, for creating country music. In recent years, he has continued to make positive impressions in the music industry with his most recent album Straight From Kentucky reaching #9 on the iTunes charts and reaching #57 on the All Genre’s iTunes chart in 2021 and has been featured in outlets such as CMT, Great American Family Radio (GAC), People Magazine, Newsmax, and NBC. In 2022, Bandsintown named JD within their TOP 500 bands in the world, where on their platform they have over 50 million acts registered.

His single “Hometown in My Headlights” climbed to #2 on the Country Music Television 12 Pack Countdown and reached #46 on the Music Row Country Breakout Chart. The fan-favorite song was written and produced by Phil O’Donnell. A previous single, “The Road I Grew Up On” was premiered by Heartland TV and CMT.com and continues to be an audience-rousing hit at every live show. Shelburne has a multitude of tour dates listed below that you will not want to miss!

Shelburne’s inclusion in the Kentucky Farm Bureau’s recent “Voices” series gave fans and new ears alike, a deeper perspective on the man behind the music. He continues his membership and support for the KFB by headlining their events and bringing needed awareness to Kentucky’s voice of agriculture. The “Voice” series profiles 12 dynamic and active members of the KFB, with unexpected stories to share. The KFB “Voices” showcase, has featured Ketuckians ranging in industries like sports, culinary arts, and of course, country music with a thread line of each being deeply rooted in rural Kentucky.

Bucking the norm and “doing something a little different,” he is headed back home to Kentucky and hosting a pre-album listening party on February 25th where tickets have already sold out!! Presented by Texas Roadhouse, the hometown concert will take place at The Loft at Biscuit Lounge in Louisville, KY and we welcome local media presence. Please let us know if you are interested in attending.

JELLY ROLL ANNOUNCES NORTH AMERICAN BACKROAD BAPTISM TOUR

After dominating Billboard’s Emerging Artist Chart for a record-breaking 25 consecutive weeks – ultimately breaking the record of most weeks spent at No. 1 – with his single, “Son Of A Sinner,” multi-genre hitmaker Jelly Roll today announced his Backroad Baptism Tour. Produced by Live Nation, the 44-city arena tour kicks off on Friday, July 28th at Bank Plus Amphitheater in Southaven making stops across the U.S. in Milwaukee, Kansas City, Cincinnati and more before wrapping up in Tampa at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheater on Saturday, October 14th. Tour openers include Ashley McBryde, Caitlynne Curtis, Chase Rice, Elle King, Merkules, Struggle Jennings, Three 6 Mafia, Yelawolf and Josh Adam Meyers. As previously announced, Jelly Roll will also open on several dates as direct support for Eric Church.

The Backroad Baptism Tour comes after a momentous year for Jelly Roll. The chart-topping, multi-genre phenomenon scored his first No. 1 on Country radio with his debut Country single “Son Of A Sinner” and earned a two-week Rock No. 1, “cemented his rising mainstream stardom” (Tennessean). More recently, he released “she” as well as his current radio hit, “NEED A FAVOR” — both from his highly anticipated forthcoming album. Having independently amassed more than 4 Billion career streams to date, Jelly Roll made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 2022 and continues to sell-out venues across the United States-recently playing to more than 16,000 fans at his sold-out show hometown venue at Bridgestone Arena. His 2020 single “Save Me” — a confessional, vulnerable expression of self-doubt set the stage for his new season of life and took him to new heights- has earned more than 155 million views on YouTube and Platinum certification from the RIAA- and continues to resonate with fans and tap into Jelly’s uniquely-connective ability to bring fans “therapeutic music.”

JELLY ROLL BACKROAD BAPTISM TOUR DATES:

Fri Jul 28 — Southaven, MS — BankPlus Amphitheater*
Sat Jul 29 — Alpharetta, GA — Ameris Bank Amphitheater*
Sun Jul 30 — Orange Beach, AL — The Wharf Amphitheater*
Tue Aug 01 — Huntsville, AL — Orion Amphitheater*
Thu Aug 03 — Darien Center, NY — Darien Lake Amphitheater+
Fri Aug 04 — Mansfield, MA — Xfinity Center!
Sat Aug 05 — Bangor, ME — Maine Savings Amphitheater!
Tue Aug 08 — Gilford, NH — Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion!
Wed Aug 09 — Bridgeport, CT — Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater*
Fri Aug 11 — Bristow, VA — Jiffy Lube Live>
Sat Aug 12 — Virginia Beach, VA — Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach>
Tue Aug 15 — Burgettstown, PA — The Pavilion at Star Lake<
Thu Aug 17 — Clarkston, MI — Pine Knob Music Theater<
Fri Aug 18 — Milwaukee, WI — American Family Insurance Amphitheater<
Sat Aug 19 — St. Louis, MO — Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre>
Tue Aug 22 — Evansville, IN — Ford Center*
Thu Aug 24 — Rogers, AR — Walmart AMP*
Fri Aug 25 — Omaha, NE — CHI Health Center>
Sat Aug 26 — Kansas City, MO — T-Mobile Center>
Tue Aug 29 — Lubbock, TX — United Supermarket Arena#
Wed Aug 30 — Albuquerque, NM — Isleta Amphitheater#
Fri Sep 01 — Las Vegas, NV — MGM Grand Garden Arena#
Sat Sep 02 — Salt Lake City, UT — USANA Amphitheatre#
Sun Sep 03 — Greenwood Village, CO — Fiddler’s Green<~
Tue Sep 05 —Rapid City, SD — Summit Arena at The Monument*
Wed Sep 06 — Bozeman, MT — Brick Breeden Fieldhouse*
Tue Sep 12 — Bend, OR — Hayden Homes Amphitheater *
Thu Sep 14 — Concord, CA — Concord Pavilion$
Fri Sep 15 — Bakersfield, CA — Mechanics Bank Arena$
Tue Sept 19 — Oklahoma City, OK — Paycom Center>
Thu Sep 21 — Austin, TX — Germania Insurance Amphitheater>
Fri Sep 22 — Houston, TX — The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion^$
Sat Sep 23 — Dallas, TX — Dos Equis Pavilion$
Tue Sep 26 — Tupelo, MS — Cadence Bank Arena*
Thu Sep 28 — Cincinnati, OH — Riverbend Music Center!
Fri Sep 29 — Indianapolis, IN — Ruoff Music Center!
Sat Sep 30 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH — Blossom Music Center&
Tue Oct 03 — Charleston, WV — Charleston Coliseum*
Thu Oct 05 — Wilmington, NC — Live Oak Bank Pavilion*
Fri Oct 06 — Greensboro, NC — Greensboro Coliseum<
Tue Oct 10 — Lexington, KY — Rupp Arena<
Thu Oct 12 Greenville, SC — Bon Secours Wellness Arena#
Fri Oct 13 — Jacksonville, FL — VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena#

BIG MACHINE MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX ANNOUNCES NEW ADRENALINE FUELED FAN EXPERIENCES

NTT INDYCAR Series Hits Nashville Streets August 4-6, 2023
The third annual Big Machine Music City Grand Prix announces the addition of a Saturday night race under the lights of downtown Nashville in addition to an earlier start time on Sunday for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES weekend August 4-6, 2023.  The Saturday night race will showcase the new SRO GR Cup and the returning SRO GT America Series, featuring super car manufacturers Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche, and more.
After a late afternoon start time the first two years, race executives and INDYCAR worked together with NBC to move the green flag for the NTT INDYCAR Series Sunday race start time to 11:30am so fans will enjoy cooler temperatures and a full day of thrilling race action.
3-Day Ticket Packages, Clubs and Suites are now available to watch the best INDYCAR drivers race for the Big Machine Music City Cup.  Fans can choose their optimal grandstand seat to watch as the drivers compete in the 80-lap, 2.1-mile, 11-turn course which races around Nissan Stadium, over the Cumberland River, and curves around downtown Nashville.  The adrenaline-fueled event will feature live music each day and culminate with a headline concert Friday and Saturday night.
“We are thrilled to bring back one of Nashville’s premier sporting events this summer,” said Jason RittenberryPresident & COOBig Machine Music City Grand Prix.  “We listened to our fans and have made some exciting changes that will enhance the overall festival experience. This will be our best race yet.”
Due to popular demand, the NetJets Club RPM presented by Flatrock Motorclub tickets, the most premium experience, will accommodate more guests in 2023.  Located on Turn 3, it has dynamic views, air conditioning, and all-day premium food and beverages. Club RPM has sold out quickly in the past.  A limited number of tickets are available now during the initial ticket on-sale.  In addition, the event added Turn 9 Club, a new experience with incredible views of the most action-packed corner and its own private grandstand, an air-conditioned tented area with all-inclusive food and beverages featuring Edley’s Bar-B-Que and Pancho and Lefty’s Cantina.
 “What’s New” at the Race in 2023:  
  • GT America and GR Cup Saturday Night Race experience for fans. Don’t miss the great views as the cars race under the bright city lights.
  • New start time at 11:30am on Sunday for the NTT INDYCAR Series main event.
  • Turn 9 Club –  the most action-packed corner in INDYCAR.
  • Increased capacity in NetJets Club RPM presented by Flatrock Motorclub.
  • Cumberland Stage moved to the Fan Zone with live music throughout the day.
  • Added additional free Water Stations throughout event grounds.
  • New Family Fun Zone with Shade Tent and Misting Fans.
“Fan Favorites” Returning in 2023:
  • The Super Trucks are back!  A crowd favorite, the high-flying trucks are back for three days of on-track action.
  • The return of Wesley Mortgage Freedom Friday, our All-Star Concert honoring the men and women of our military.
  • The return of our Saturday Night Concert under the stars with a top headliner.

CANYON STAR TV COMES TO LIFE AS NEW FAMILY-FRIENDLY STREAMING PLATFORM

Available on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Play, Android, and More!

 Canyon Star TV is excited to announce its new streaming platform, making it the ultimate “go-to” service for classic movies, documentaries, musical programs, and thousands of hours of wholesome family entertainment that can’t be found anywhere else. With exclusive content including Cheri Lucas (The Dog Expert), Victory Road with Lee Benton, and thirty-nine episodes of The Joey Canyon Show, thirteen of which have never been aired before, along with new music performances and over twenty-five, original television shows that will soon begin production. Canyon Star TV offers documentaries on Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, ABBA, and The Beatles, and cooking shows that include Paula Dean’s Positively Paula, Justin Wilson Cajun Cookin’, Jill’s Inspiration Kitchen, Cookin’ with BUTTER as well as popular shows such as Live at Billy Bob’s Texas, Shotgun Red Variety Show, My Life My Songs with Jimmy Fortune, Jimmy Bowen & Friends, The Penny Gilley Show, TruCountry with Heather Myles, Today’s Nashville, Hidden Heritage, and more.

To sign up for free and for further information, visit CanyonStar.TV.

“A little over 5 years ago, I had the vision of creating a streaming wholesome family network,” shares Joey Canyon, Founder of Canyon Star TV. “A safe haven where parents could watch television with the whole family without fear of questionable language, improper sexual situations, horror, gore, or violence. On January 27th of 2023, Canyon Star TV became a global reality, and a true blessing for me and Kelly Kantz, my Co-Founder, and President. We will continue to provide the very best in quality family entertainment.”

“After years of discussing and planning Canyon Star TV with the owner and Founder Joey Canyon, I am beyond excited to see all of our hard work come to fruition,” explains Kelly Kantz, President, and Co-Founder of Canyon Star TV. “With the help of the wonderful producers and programmers, we have added fantastic programming and will continue to grow the outlet moving forward. I am very excited to share wonderful family-friendly programming with the world.”

While focusing on the right content for Canyon Star TV, it was imperative to have shows that not only fit the criteria with wholesome entertainment, but it was also important to include programming that came from the heart. One show, in particular, is Hidden Heritage. A member of the Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota, host Paul LaRoche tells his story of learning of his adoption after the loss of his parents and his reunion back to his tribe years later. As part of Canyon Star TV’s free streaming platform, viewers will also have access to live music videos, kids programming, talk shows, outdoor living, and a growing amount of new faith-based programming just to name a few, proving Canyon Star TV is the most diverse, family-friendly streaming platform available today!

SCOTTY McCREERY’S DAMN STRAIT TOUR SELLS OUT SHOWS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

 Triple Tigers recording artist Scotty McCreery recently launched his Damn Strait Tour and already has five sold out shows under his belt with full capacity audiences in Joliet, IL; Charlotte, NC; Greenville, SC; The Villages, FL; and Sarasota, FL. With an average attendance of more than 2,000 fans at those concerts, the in-demand entertainer has also sold out four additional shows in advance on March 18 in Shipshewana, IN; Mar. 19 in Nashville, IN; April 28 in Lancaster, PA; and April 30 in Hagerstown, MD. Minimal tickets remain at many of the other upcoming concerts on the tour.

“McCreery captivates with hit songs and personal stories on Damn Strait Tour,” headlined Country Now in its review of his sold-out Joliet, IL show at the Rialto Square Theatre on Jan. 27. When describing the opening of the show, they wrote “an overwhelming feeling of anticipation soared throughout the entire room as he sang the opening verse to his 2018 fan-favorite, ‘In Between.’ The energy suddenly shifted as the stage lit up and his five-piece band members joined in… A roar of applause bounced off the walls….”

“We’ve just started the Damn Strait Tour, but we’re already having a great time on the road,” said McCreery. “The audiences have been packed, singing along with every song. It’s been a blast.”

The tour is named after McCreery’s fifth consecutive No. 1 hit “Damn Strait,” written by Trent Tomlinson and Jim Collins, which spent three weeks at the top of both the Mediabase and Billboard charts. One of the highlights of McCreery’s concerts is his performance of his current single “It Matters to Her,” which he co-wrote with Rhett Akins and Lee Thomas Miller. “It Matters to Her” is the singer/songwriter’s fastest rising single of his career, currently at No. 20 on the Mediabase chart.

McCreery brought his three-month-old son Avery out on stage in Knoxville, TN on Feb. 2, introducing him to the crowd. Safe in his father’s arms and wearing his noise reduction headphones, young Avery seemed completely at ease as the audience cheered and snapped photos with their phones.

McCreery will guest-host the nationally syndicated radio program “American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks” this weekend, airing in markets across the nation on Feb. 18-19. As previously announced, McCreery will join Brooks & Ronnie Dunn for their Brooks & Dunn REBOOT Tour 2023 in May and June, with Megan Moroney as opening act.

McCreery will be one of the artists featured in the new “American Currents: State of the Music” exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, opening on March 8, 2023, and remaining on display through Feb. 4, 2024.

McCreery will perform on the Grand Ole Opry tonight (Feb. 14) and again on Thursday, March 9 for their “Opry Country Classics Show.” Tickets for both shows are available at Opry.com.

GARY ALLAN AND TRACY LAWRENCE ANNOUNCE FIRST EVER CO-HEADLINING TOUR

Country superstars Gary Allan and Tracy Lawrence have announced a co-headlining tour spanning eight states in two weeks kicking off in May. The upcoming tour from the two hitmakers recalls 30 years of some of Country’s greatest era-defining hits. Though Allan and Lawrence have both shared radio waves and immense respect for each other throughout their careers, this upcoming multi-state tour represents the first time fans will get to see both do full sets on the same stage. Tickets will be available for presale on Thursday, Feb. 16 with public on sale Feb. 17 at 10 a.m. local venue time on garyallan.com.

“I’m really looking forward to doing these shows with Gary Allan,” shares Lawrence. “We’ve been talking every day and we’re really excited to hit the road together. What he brings to the table is unmatched and is going to elevate an already great night of music.”

Gary Allan is on the heels of his recent album Ruthless and the critically acclaimed tour spanning his 25 years of outside-the-lines Country hits. Allan’s 10th studio album won praise from critics and marked his eighth straight Top 10 Country album. Allan has also recently appeared on Tracy Lawrence’s “Honky Tonkin’” radio show and supported Lawrence’s Mission:Possible charity, including a set at 2022’s 17th annual Turkey Fry — which raised more than $250,000 to help combat homelessness.

“Tracy Lawrence is one of the iconic artists of the 90s Country sound,” says Gary Allan. “It’s going to be fun to hit the road with him and hear those great songs every night.”

Lawrence’s impressive resume includes more than 13M albums sold and 18 No. 1 singles on the radio charts. He just wrapped the rollout of a three-part album series dubbed Hindsight 2020, which featured a collection of new songs and re-recordings of some of his biggest hits. In addition to releasing new music and touring the country, Lawrence continues his award-nominated radio show “Honky Tonkin’ With Tracy Lawrence” and recently launched a new podcast right from his tour bus called “TL’s Road House” which has featured guests including HARDY, Jason Aldean and Jelly Roll to name a few.

Chris Shiflett’s New Single “Black Top White Lines” Puts A Righteous Rock And Roll Spin On Country’s Long-Beloved Murder-Ballad Format

Those who’ve been following the trajectory of modern-day guitar hero Chris Shiflett—outside of his role in Foo Fighters—will already know of his musical mission to unite his SoCal rock roots and Nashville influences to create a fresh new sound altogether. In his latest installment, the longtime country-influenced-rocker called upon a couple of Nashville’s finest practitioners of rock-influenced-country, Jaren Johnston (The Cadillac Three) and John Osborne (Brothers Osborne), to join in on his brand new single, “Black Top White Lines.” In their initial writing session, the trio kept throwing in line after line until the story was mapped out. Without spoiling the ending for anybody, Shiflett hints, “Thematically it felt like it turned a classic Country trope on its head a little.”

Arriving on the heels of 2022’s “Born & Raised” and “Long Long Year,” “Black Top White Lines” picks up right where Shiflett left off; albeit a bit more amplified. The quick-tempo song opens with a wall of unison guitars and doesn’t once let up. Thick stacks of different guitar tones (some of which are provided by legendary session man Tom Bukovac and uber-talented multi-instrumentalist Charlie Worsham) ride the pulsing groove provided by drums and bass with lead licks punctuating the bars between each verse. Written with Johnston and Osborne via Zoom in the middle of 2020, it wasn’t until Shiflett and Johnston were working out which songs to record that they realized just how rad “Black Top White Lines” could be. “Jaren and I were going over song ideas, and it’d been a minute since we wrote it, so when we re-visited the track he was like, ‘Dude you gotta record this one…It’s a banger!’,” remembers Shiflett. “Right away in the studio I could tell it was a bit of a left turn for me musically but that’s also what I like about it.”

“Black Top White Lines” is the first listen from a brand new Chris Shiflett album due out in 2023 via his new label home at Blue Élan Records, the Los Angeles-based independent label celebrating its 9th anniversary this year. Fans will hear more about the Jaren Johnston-produced LP in the coming months but can count on hearing an album that represents Shiflett’s fully-realized vision of connecting L.A. to Nashville. “A big part of my inspiration to work with Jaren on this record was because I knew he’d push me out of my comfort zone into new territory,” Shiflett says.

CHARLIE FARLEY ANNOUNCES NEW EP Once In A Blue Moon DUE MARCH 3RD

SHARES TITLE TRACK WITH OFFICIAL VIDEO
“Once In A Blue Moon”
LISTEN | WATCH

Country music recording artist Charlie Farley has announced the scheduled release of his new EP, Once In A Blue Moon, due out on March 3rd, 2023 via Farley Entertainment/Average Joes Entertainment. The five-track project showcases Farley’s unique style and draws upon his traditional country roots to create a memorable collection of tracks with a modern twist. In conjunction with the announcement, Charlie shares the title track along with an official music video that depicts the happily married life that he speaks about in the track. “Once In A Blue Moon” is now available for download and stream on all major platforms!

“I poured my heart and soul into this project and I hope it takes listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions,” shares Farley. “From love, heartbreak, to hope and perseverance, these songs represent where I’ve been and where I’m headed as an artist.”

About Charlie Farley:
Charlie Farley is a prominent figure in the country music scene, renowned for his powerful voice and emotionally charged songwriting. Hailing from the Natural State of Arkansas, Farley has been captivating audiences and earning critical acclaim since the release of his debut album, Hog Heaven, in 2014. His songs tell stories of heartache, hope, and perseverance, and his live performances are known for their energy and authenticity. With nearly 200 million cumulative streams across his five albums, Charlie Farley has solidified his status as a top-tier country artist and a streaming powerhouse. His highly anticipated EP, Once In A Blue Moon, Farley plans to continue to be one of the brightest stars in the country music world.

CHASE RICE EARNS CRITICAL PRAISE FOR NEW ALBUM I HATE COWBOYS & ALL DOGS GO TO HELL

With tomorrow’s release of his fourth studio album, I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell, multi-Platinum singer/songwriter Chase Rice re-introduced himself to fans and critics alike, earning early praise for the standout project which he will bring to television audiences nationwide via a performance on “Fox & Friends” this Friday, Feb. 17 as well as “Tamron Hall” this coming Monday, Feb. 20.

With Rice having turned inward for inspiration and motivation on the project, that process of “chasing self-respect developed his latest, best album yet,” declares the Tennessean, noting that despite “a glass ceiling both he and the industry had imposed on his career, he’s clearly blasted through that impediment” and even remarking of standout track “Bench Seat,” “the touching country ballad could be, by the end of 2023, one of the surprise candidates for Song of the Year.”

Cowboys & Indians further celebrates I Hate Cowboys & All Dogs Go To Hell for its “risk-taking and rule breaking approach,” proclaiming, “that gamble has paid off handsomely, resulting in vulnerable and personal music.” Billboard agrees, noting the album “refines his artistic voice,” creating an offering that is “still propulsive with arena-ready moments, but is laced with deeper, more introspective themes.”

PopCulture asserts that the project is already “the best country album of the year… and everybody’s got to live up to it,” remarking that instead of following the traditional “if it’s not broke don’t fix it” approach, “Rice and his team, somehow, simultaneously broke it AND fixed it — both on purpose.” Leading U.K. music publication Entertainment Focus also has high praise for the “absolute triumph” of an album, labeling it with the first five star review of the year – an honor that took the outlet until September to award in 2022 – and remarking that “it’s a songwriter’s album and a lyricist’s album but it also does all sorts of wonderful things with melodies that are both clever and yet infectious at the same time.”

In celebration of the critically acclaimed release, Rice treated fans across the country to stripped-back, and acoustic live performances of the album, beginning on release day itself. Starting in Golden, Colo. on Friday, Feb. 10, Rice stopped by Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, to perform atop the dugout before visiting the Coors Brewery for a special performance in honor of the album’s cover photo featuring his late father, Daniel Rice, with two Coors Banquets in hand. Rice then traveled to Phoenix, Ariz. to take part in the Super Bowl festivities with an album release show for football fans on Saturday, Feb. 11, before returning home to Nashville to grace the Grand Ole Opry stage last night, Feb. 14.

In addition to treating the full Opry audience to new songs “Bench Seat,” “Way Down Yonder” and recent No. 1 hit “Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.,” Rice also performed a post-Opry show for purchasers of the album, treating those fans to live renditions of album cuts “If I Were Rock & Roll,” “All Dogs Go To Hell,” “Life Part Of Livin’” and “I Hate Cowboys,” plus his triple-Platinum No. 1 “Eyes On You” and the Diamond-certified smash hit “Cruise,” which Rice co-wrote.

Soon, fans will get to hear even more of the new music live on Rice’s Way Down Yonder Tour, set to visit iconic venues such as Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Boston’s House of Blues and Athens’ Georgia Theatre beginning March 3.