Category: Entertainment

Jo Dee Messina Performs at Nashville’s Newest Venue, The Truth

Bethany Bowman
Jo Dee Messina

Jo Dee Messina closed out her 2026 Bridges Tour at Nashville’s newest venue, The Truth. After releasing her latest album, Bridges, in June, Messina has been touring across the US, promoting her newest project while still playing the number-ones she’s best known for.

Marking her first new album in 12 years, Bridges has earned widespread acclaim with praise from outlets including American Songwriter, Billboard, iHeart Radio, PEOPLE, US Weekly, SiriusXM, Taste of Country, The Bluegrass Situation, and Women’s World, along with national television appearances on NBC’s Today Show and The Kelly Clarkson Show.

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Trey Calloway Releases ‘Honky Tonk Generation’ EP

Bethany Bowman
Trey Calloway

Music Spotlight artist Trey Calloway released his latest EP, Honky Tonk Generation, on November 6th. Calloway is unapologetically as country as the Carolina clay. He knows who he is as an artist and has the talent to bring his vision to fruition.

While the title track, “Honky Tonk Generation,” sets the tone for the rest of the six-song EP, the whole collection is something that lovers of the traditional country sound will want to experience.

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Player Eligibility in Limbo as College Basketball Season Tips Off

Zachery Schmidt
college basketball

As the college basketball season starts, numerous player eligibility cases are still moving through the court system, creating uncertainty for players and coaches.

Last week, the Ohio Supreme Court and a Kentucky appeals court left the protections in place for dozens of athletes, including college basketball players, to compete while their legal cases work out. Neither ruling guarantees these athletes can play for their whole sport’s season.

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French Protests Postpone Professional Soccer Game as NFL Presses Ahead

Zachery Schmidt
PSG

As the NFL plans its first-ever game in France amid civil unrest, local authorities have postponed a professional soccer game due to concerns about the situation.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to play the New Orleans Saints on Sunday as the country of an estimated 70 million people is currently seeing massive protests against the rising cost of living and diminishing public services.

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Music Spotlight: Tyce Delk

Bethany Bowman
Tyce Delk

In July, when I went to the Opry to see another artist, Tyce Delk made his Opry debut. I was so blown away by his performance of his original song, “Adaline,” that I hunted down his PR team and pestered them until I got an interview.

Delk is a fourth-generation farmer, rancher, and musician from Eastern New Mexico. People in that area know the legacy of The Delk Band, which Delk’s great-grandfather started when he was 17. Over the band’s 92-year history, it has become a staple of the Southwest and Texas.

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Music Spotlight: Grace Humphries

Bethany Bowman
Grace Humphries

Many of the new artists I interview are current Belmont University students or alumni. However, very few can say that they were on John Legend’s team on Season 29 of NBC’s “The Voice.”

Nineteen-year-old Belmont student Grace Humphries is an emotive singer who knocked John Legend’s socks off by singing Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.” After hearing her beautiful rendition, I wanted to learn more about this young performer.

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Levi Foster Releases Sophomore Album ‘Appalachian Funk Tree’

Bethany Bowman
Levi Foster

Last year, when I featured Levi Foster and his debut album We Made Fire in my Music Spotlight column, I was drawn to him because he was different. His music pays tribute to his Appalachian upbringing, and Foster plays to the beat of his own drum without worrying about trends.

Another person drawn to his uniqueness was Shooter Jennings. Foster’s PR firm reached out to Jennings’ manager, and they sent him the debut album.

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Disney Seeks Hefty Sum from Backup Buyers for Super Bowl Ads

Zachery Schmidt
TV watch party

Disney is asking companies to pay an exorbitant amount to buy commercial ads for Super Bowl 61, even though the company has already sold out its ad inventory.

According to Variety, Disney, which will be televising the Super Bowl in February 2027, is seeking up to $12 million for a 30-second advertisement. The outlet reported that Disney hopes to use inventory a current advertiser returns to the company and resell it.

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Music Spotlight: Absolute Silence

Bethany Bowman
Absolute Silence

When I heard that the band Absolute Silence was doing a fundraising concert at Ocean Way Studios to benefit the Isaiah 117 House non-profit, I was all in to support them because I know how vitally important their work is. What I was not prepared for was what an otherworldly rock trio Absolute Silence was.

Absolute Silence is a piano-led rock trio from Nashville, Tennessee, combining explosive live performances, cinematic songwriting, and modern production influences.

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College Football Playoff Faces Possible Expansion

Zachery Schmidt
College Football Playoffs

The College Football Playoff (CFP) system may be going through another round of expansion.

This week, the College Football Playoff Management Committee (CFPMC) met at the Big Ten headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois, near Chicago, to discuss expanding the playoff system from 12 teams to 24. The CFP is in its third year of a 12-team playoff structure, after running a four-team playoff for 10 years.

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President Trump to Attend Tennessee-Texas Football Game at Neyland Stadium

Kaitlin Housler
Trump and football

President Donald Trump will be in Knoxville this Saturday to attend the Tennessee Volunteers’ SEC opener against the top-ranked Texas Longhorns at Neyland Stadium, according to multiple reports confirmed by the White House Press Office.

The Vols will face Texas at noon ET on Saturday, and the game will air on ABC. Trump’s attendance will coincide with ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast from the University of Tennessee campus.

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College GameDay Coming to Knoxville Saturday for Tennessee-Texas Football Game

Kaitlin Housler
UT football

ESPN College GameDay will return to Knoxville this Saturday as the Tennessee Volunteers host the top-ranked Texas Longhorns in the teams’ Southeastern Conference opener at Neyland Stadium.

The pregame show will originate from the lawn of Ayres Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. ET, followed by the final hour inside Neyland Stadium from 11 a.m. to noon. The game is scheduled to kick off at noon ET on ABC.

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As Gov. Bill Lee Courts Paramount and Company Scouts Nashville-Area Offices, Mayor Freddie O’Connell Says Metro Has No Direct Contact

Tom Pappert
Freddie O'Connell

Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell on Friday said his office has had no direct contact with Paramount Skydance Corporation, which is reportedly leaving California amid a breakdown in negotiations between Paramount and California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

TMZ reported Tuesday that Paramount officially told California officials it planned to leave, with earlier reporting that it would exit the state if a deal to complete its merger was not in place by October 1. The outlet later reported that negotiations between Paramount and Bonta had resumed.

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Commentary: Are the Titans the Worst Franchise in the NFL?

John Fredericks
Tennessee Titans

Let’s stop the nonsense. The Tennessee Titans are the worst franchise in the National Football League. Their total home humiliation at the hands of the New York Jets was not merely a loss. It was an organizational indictment—a televised autopsy of a franchise with no direction, no identity and apparently no clue. The clown car Robert Saleh and Brian Daboll rolled onto the Nissan Stadium turf Sunday was completely inept. Laurel and Hardy could have produced a better game plan. The Titans’ offense was practically nonexistent. Cam Ward spent the afternoon running for his life behind an offensive line that appeared incapable of blocking anybody wearing a different-colored jersey. When Ward finally escaped the pass rush and delivered a catchable football, his receivers frequently dropped it. Ward wasn’t playing quarterback. He was participating in an extended survival drill. The Titans managed only three points through three quarters. At that stage, they had been outgained 335–114, produced only six first downs and possessed the football for just 17 minutes. Ward was 11-of-20 for a microscopic 74 yards. Let that sink in. 74 yards. The Jets, meanwhile, had already rolled up 209 passing yards and 126 rushing yards. Those numbers aren’t merely…

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SEC Does Not Discipline LSU, School Remains in Conference

Zachery Schmidt
LSU Stadium

The SEC announced Louisiana State University (LSU) did not receive any discipline for their actions regarding player eligibility after the conference held a meeting with its members.

“The presidents and chancellors of the Southeastern Conference met Thursday by videoconference to discuss the recent matters involving conference expectations and responsibilities. Those discussions will continue as the conference and its member universities work toward an appropriate resolution,” the SEC said.

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