Country Music Hall of Fame group Alabama has just announced the initial dates on their upcoming ‘Live in Concert 25 Tour.’ The series of 14 headlining shows will feature founding members Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry, with the tour set to kick off in Phoenix on April 17, hitting various cities throughout the US and Canada, before finishing in Allentown, Pennsylvania on August 28. Opening acts on select dates of the tour will be Lorrie Morgan, Pat Green, Eddie Montgomery, Lee Greenwood, Jamey Johnson, Ned LeDoux, BlackHawk, and Alex Miller. “There’s nothing I look forward to any more than performing the songs our great fans have made hits,” Owen said in a statement. While Gentry added, “We are eager to get back on the road and make more cherished memories with each of you,” Gentry added. “We can’t wait to reconnect and share the music that brought us all together.”

In a new interview with Billboard, Alison Krauss shares the motivation behind reuniting with Union Station for their first album together in nearly 14 years, Arcadia, which is released on Friday (March 28) via Down the Road Records. Krauss – a 27-time Grammy winner – admits that it was never their intention to take such a long hiatus. “We didn’t mean for it to take so long, but it did,” Krauss said of the group, which has won 14 Grammys of their own. While the departure of vocalist/mandolin player Dan Tyminski was an initial blow to their reunion plans, Russell Moore of IIIrd Tyme Out stepped in to breathe new life into the project. “I can’t even believe we got to play with Dan for 30 years and now we get to play with Russell, too,” Krauss says. “It’s just amazing, the fortune of this band.” This spring, the group will hit the road together for the first time in a decade, embarking on a sprawling 75-date North American tour to support Arcadia. 

Hailey Whitters recently shared a TikTok video that documents her frightening ordeal of finding a bat in her toilet. The scary encounter eventually caused the 35-year-old country star to receive a series of rabies shots, after she unknowing used the toilet where the bat was hiding. Whitters wrote over the video clip, "She doesn't know it yet, but she's about to get five rabies shots from peeing in this toilet before she knew there was a bat in there." The singer-songwriter's video has since gone viral while amassing over 400,000 views, with a fan commenting, "this is a nightmare I don’t wanna have." As to how the bat got there, Whitters shared, "The pest removal guy said it came through the chimney in the middle of the night, not sure how it found the toilet." Despite the bizarre encounter, Whitters reassured her followers that she received the necessary treatment and is doing well. 

On March 27, the Academy of Country Music unveiled the full list of 2025 ACM Awards nominations, led by singer Ella Langley with eight total nods. Six of her nominations are for “you look like you love me,” her hit collaboration with Riley Green, which is up for both Single and Song of the Year. Langley is also up for Female Artist and New Female Artist of the Year. Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen, and Lainey Wilson are close behind with seven nods, while Chris Stapleton has six, Green and Post Malone each have five, and Kelsea Ballerini has four, including her first nod for Entertainer of the Year. Other nominees for Entertainer of the Year include Luke Combs, Johnson, Jelly Roll, Stapleton, Wallen, and Wilson, who took home the honor last year.

Billy Ray Cyrus took to Instagram on Tuesday (March 25) to express his immense pride in his daughters Miley and Noah as they enter new phases in their music careers. The 63-year-old "Achy Breaky Heart" singer shared an emotional outpouring of admiration and support for his two girls, praising Miley's upcoming album, Something Beautiful, and commending Noah's recent release of "Don't Put It All on Me," celebrating both of his daughters’ artistic growth and achievements. “Flesh and blood … completely taking their art to a whole new level,” he captioned his post, which featured promotional photos from both Miley and Noah’s new projects. “Congratulations girls! Well done. I’m so damn proud of both of you. I’m actually crying as I write this. Have fun now and be happy ! 😊 Love Dad.” Last month, Noah celebrated the release of Billy Ray's recent single, "Lost," voicing public support for her dad after her brother, Trace Cyrus, suggested estrangement within their family. 

While on tour in New Zealand and Australia earlier this year, Luke Combs debuted a series of new songs at his shows. The country superstar is now offering fans an enticing update about his next project with a post on X on Tuesday (March 25). “I’ve been spending the last couple of weeks working on what my next record looks like and as it begins to take shape I can honestly say I’ve never felt better about one at this stage,” Combs wrote. “It’s early on but I really do think it could wind up being the best record I’ve ever made.” At the end of January, Combs gave fans a taste of what his new record might sound like, sharing a full live performance of an unreleased track, “Wish Upon a Whiskey,” while revealing that he has “Been playing a new one in each city overseas.” The 2021 and 2022 CMA Entertainer of the Year released his latest record, Fathers & Sons, on Father's Day (June 14th) of 2024.

On Wednesday (March 26), CMA Fest organizers announced over 200 performers for its 2025 lineup, led by Kelsea Ballerini, Shaboozey, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, and Cody Johnson. The festival takes place at six stages located throughout downtown Nashville from June 5-8, with various ticketing options available. Other notable artists scheduled to perform at Nissan Stadium include Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Jordan Davis, Riley Green, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Rascal Flatts, Red Clay Strays, Darius Rucker, Zach Top, and Bailey Zimmerman, with more artists to be revealed in the weeks ahead. Young country sensations Megan Moroney and Ella Langley are set to perform at both Nissan Stadium and on the Chevy Riverfront Stage, which will also feature sets by Dasha, Jackson Dean, Dylan Marlowe, RaeLynn, Austin Snell, Alana Springsteen, Tigirlily Gold, the War And Treaty, and Tucker Wetmore. The nightly stadium shows will be filmed for a network special that will air on ABC and Hulu this summer, overseen by Robert Deaton and Alan Carter. Complete lineup and ticket info can be found at cmafest.com. 

Chappell Roan makes a big splash in the country genre as her new single, "The Giver," debuts at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart this week. The track garnered impressive numbers with 22.3 million official U.S. streams, 2.2 million audience impressions, and 6,000 units sold in its debut week. Notably, this marks Roan's first No. 1 on the country charts, as well as her first time topping the Country Streaming Songs and Country Digital Song Sales charts. Additionally, "The Giver" lands at No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the third Top 10 hit of the Best New Artist Grammy-winner’s career. Roan becomes just the third woman to debut her first Hot Country Songs entry at No. 1, after Beyoncé’s 2024 hit, “Texas Hold ‘Em,” and Bebe Rexha’s 2017 chart-topper with Florida Georgia Line, “Meant To Be,” which went on to reign for a record 50 weeks. 

Photo: Morgan Foitle

Josh Brasted/CMA

John Russell/CMA

After making surprising appearances at Nashville's iconic Tootsie's Bar and the Bluebird Café last weekend, Ed Sheeran's deep ties to Music City have come into focus. The English pop superstar has a decade-long history of songwriting for country music icons including Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Kelsea Ballerini. An unreleased collaboration with Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, as well as Nashville star Ross Copperman, called “Blue Mustang” will hopefully surface someday. “I love Ed Sheeran,” Hubbard said before his C2C Festival 2025 performance in London. “He spent some time in Nashville making music, writing songs, and I was fortunate enough to get in a room with him and write a couple of songs. He's obviously one of the greats, and somebody I admire for many reasons. His creativity and his songwriting skill is next to none.” As Sheeran gears up for his new music project, Play, hopefully he includes these unreleased country-infused tracks. 

Mick Fleetwood and Lindsey Buckingham have reunited in the studio for the first time since Buckingham’s departure from Fleetwood Mac in 2018. Swedish producer Carl Falk recently shared photos of the duo working on Fleetwood’s upcoming solo album. Falk captioned his post: “Slightly unreal moment to sit with Lindsey Buckingham and Mick Fleetwood to play Lindsey the album we have been working on. And to see his genuine happiness for Mick to finally do his own album and offering to play guitar and to sing on it.” Falk also shared photos of Fleetwood in the studio with Philadelphia indie rock band the War on Drugs, with no official word on when these projects will be released. Despite Mick and Lindsey rekindling their friendship, a Fleetwood Mac reunion is unlikely, following Christine McVie’s death in 2022, and the strained relationship between Stevie Nicks and Buckingham. Fleetwood's most recent album was 2024’s Blues Experience, a collaboration with Jake Shimabukuro, while his last solo album was 2004’s Something Big.

A new documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, will premiere on HBO this summer before eventually streaming on Max. The two-part film is directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, with Tom Hanks serving as executive producer. The rock doc promises to take an in-depth look at the iconic songwriter's life, music, and personal struggles, through “unprecedented access to never-before-seen performances, home movies, and personal photographs, along with extensive, in-depth one-on-one interviews.” “For those who think they know Joel’s story, as well as those who are not as familiar, I believe this two-part film is both a revelation and a surprise,” says Lacy. “We are gratified that Bill trusted us with his story, which we have told as honestly as possible.” Meanwhile, due to a recent surgery and subsequent recovery, the 75-year-old Joel has been forced to reschedule his 2025 tour – featuring special guests Stevie Nicks, Sting, and Rod Stewart – which will now begin in July. 

Donna Summer, dubbed the “Queen of Disco”, Summer’s powerful voice, electrifying stage presence, and genre-defining hits made her one of the most successful artists of the 1970s and beyond. With five Grammy Awards, four No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, and a career that spanned four decades, Summer was far more than a disco icon—she was a true music pioneer.

In a new interview with MOJO, Queen's Brian May expressed the possibility of the celebrated rock band releasing their first new single in 30 years. “I think it could happen,” May said. “Both Roger [Taylor] and I are constantly writing and coming up with ideas and doing things in our studios. I could have the beginnings of a Queen song right there in front of me now. It’s just whether the idea reaches maturity or not.” Speaking with Uncut in 2024, Taylor said, “Brian and myself were talking the other day, and we both said that if we feel we have some good material, why not? We can still play. We can still sing. So I don’t see why not.” Queen’s last album, Made in Heaven, was released in 1995 after the passing of frontman Freddie Mercury. In 2022, the band shared a rediscovered track called “Face It Alone” that featured Mercury’s vocals. In 2011, Queen began performing live again with Adam Lambert as their lead vocalist. (

Jesse Colin Young, frontman and co-founder of the influential Sixties group the Youngbloods, has died at the age of 83. The musician’s death was confirmed by his wife and manager, Connie Young, who disclosed that he passed away at his home in Aiken, South Carolina, though she did not reveal a cause of death. Young is best known as the vocalist for 1969 counterculture anthem, “Get Together,” which peaked at Number Five on the Billboard Hot 100. The song’s unforgettable hook, “Come on, people now/Smile on your brother/Everybody get together/Try to love one another right now,” was even quoted on Nirvana's “Territorial Pissings,” a track on their legendary 1991 album, Nevermind. Young's artistic versatility extended to folk, blues, jazz, country, and rock & roll across a series of solo albums following the Youngbloods’ dissolution in 1972. He released his last album, Dreamers, in 2019, following a Lyme’s disease diagnosis in 2012. (Rolling Stone)

On Tuesday (March 18), the Eagles took to Instagram to announce four additional 2025 dates for their ongoing Las Vegas Sphere residency. The newly added shows are scheduled to take place over the course of two weekends this fall: on Friday and Saturday, September 5-6; and Friday and Saturday, September 12-13. The Eagles began their initial Sphere residency back in September 2024, and these new dates now push their total overall Sphere shows to 36, which have been spread out over 18 weekends during the course of one full year. Ticket prices start at $175, with a presale for these newly announced shows beginning on March 25 at 10 a.m. PT. The Eagles' lengthy Sphere residency follows Dead & Company, Phish, Anyma, and U2's historic runs at the state-of-the-art, 18,000 seat venue, with upcoming residencies scheduled for Kenny Chesney and Backstreet Boys. (Billboard)

Fire & Rain, a jukebox-style musical based on the songs of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor, is currently in development. The project will feature a story written by Tony-winning playwright/actor Tracy Letts, and direction by Tony-winner David Cromer. The musical is set to feature Taylor's 1970 hit, "Fire & Rain," which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and was included on the singer’s 1970 album, Sweet Baby James, which was nominated for Album of the Year at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards. The debut date for the musical and the theatre location for the production have yet to be announced. The 77-year-old singer is also preparing to embark on his 2025 summer tour, which is scheduled to start on May 5 in Phoenix and will conclude on July 1 in Gilford, New Hampshire. (Billboard)

Captain & Tennille

Longtime ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard is taking a temporary leave from the band's current tour due to health issues. While no specific details were provided about the nature of his ailment, ZZ Top's management released a statement revealing that Beard has to undergo an unnamed health procedure that requires his immediate attention, but they anticipate a speedy recovery. The band, which includes guitarist/vocalist Billy Gibbons and bassist Elwood Francis, will continue their ongoing Elevation Tour with drum tech John Douglas filling in for Beard. Douglas has been a part of the band’s live crew for over 20 years, and previously subbed in for Beard when the drummer underwent an emergency appendectomy back in 2002. The 75-year-old Beard has served as ZZ Top’s drummer for over 55 years, from their debut album in 1971 through 2012’s La Futura, and has co-written hits like “Legs,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” and “Tush.” (Rolling Stone)

In a post on his NY Archives site on Saturday (March 15), Neil Young vowed to eliminate the sale of high-priced "Platinum" tickets during his future tours. The move is inspired by the Cure's Robert Smith, who openly criticized Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing model while fighting to keep ticket prices low on his band’s recent tours. Despite initially using "Platinum" pricing on his upcoming Love Earth Tour to deter scalpers, Young declared that such tickets are detrimental and will not be featured in his upcoming concerts. “Ticketmaster’s high priced Platinum tickets were introduced to the areas where scalpers were buying the most tickets for resale,” Young wrote. “The money went to me. That did not feel right. Very soon, Platinum tickets will no longer be available for my shows.” While Young's tickets will still be available for resale at face value through Ticketmaster, he writes, “I have decided to let the people work this out. Buy aggressively when the tickets come out or tickets will cost a lot more in a secondary market.” (Rolling Stone)

Raydio may not be the first name that comes to mind when discussing late-‘70s and early-‘80s R&B, but their impact on the era was undeniable. Led by the talented Ray Parker Jr., the band blended funk, soul, and pop to create a unique sound that dominated the airwaves. With hits like "Jack and Jill", "You Can't Change That", and "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)", Raydio cemented its place in music history before evolving into Parker’s successful solo career.

The Doobie Brothers were founded in San Jose, California, in 1970, by guitarist Tom Johnston and drummer John Hartman. Initially, the band played small clubs around Northern California, developing a sound influenced by blues, folk, and rock. They recruited bassist Dave Shogren and guitarist Patrick Simmons, the latter becoming a key songwriter alongside Johnston.