Category: Entertainment

Music Spotlight: Ashland Craft

Bethany Bowman
Ashland Craft

An unapologetically country-to-the-core artist I have wanted to feature for some time is Ashland Craft. The South Carolina native cut her teeth in dive bars and honky-tonks, creating a work ethic and swagger that defines her sound. By age 18, she was even the lead singer for the house band at Wendell’s Dippin’ Branch.

While working on her craft (no pun intended), Craft did all kinds of odd jobs, from working at McDonald’s to being a receptionist at a beauty salon. But it was her Top 10 finish on season 13 of NBC’s The Voice, where she proudly competed on Miley Cyrus’ team, that she saw the tide start to turn.

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Music Spotlight: Brit Taylor

Bethany Bowman
Brit Taylor

Brit Taylor proudly hails from the Appalachian Foothills of Eastern Kentucky, like many of her musical heroes, including Keith Whitley, The Judds, Tyler Childers, and, of course, country queen Loretta Lynn.

Although the songwriter and recording artist has lived in Nashville for 18 years, she says she’s always homesick. She sees a resilience in her fellow Kentuckians that has helped her chase her dream, even when times were tough.

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Music Spotlight: Travis Bolt

Bethany Bowman
Travis Bolt

When I heard Travis Bolt’s latest single, “Blues At My Funeral,” I knew instantly that this was an artist I wanted to feature. Not only are the lyrics clever, but his voice hits that musical sweet spot; the perfect culmination of blues, country, and southern rock. But his path to the music industry is almost as interesting as his music.

Bolt’s father was a Texas barbecue chef. Because of that, he was asked to cook at events like Larry Joe Taylor’s music festival in Stephenville. Bolt, who has Tourette’s syndrome, got his first guitar at 11. He was backstage at the festival, and as he said it, he got “the bug.”

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The Gatlin Brothers Celebrate 70 Years Together

Bethany Bowman
Gatlin Brothers

The Gatlin Brothers’ 70th Anniversary Tribute concert was held at the historic Ryman Auditorium on Monday.

Known for their incomparable family harmonies, Larry Gatlin, Steve Gatlin, and Rudy Gatlin began singing at a very young age. WSM Opry host Bill Cody stated, “They got their start when they were in single digits: Larry Gatlin was 6, Steve Gatlin was 4, and Rudy Gatlin was 2 1/2.”

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United States Wins Men’s Hockey Gold in Overtime Thriller Against Canada at 2026 Winter Olympics

Christina Botteri
US Men's Hockey Gold in 2026

The United States men’s ice hockey team captured its first Olympic gold medal in 46 years on Sunday, defeating archrival Canada 2-1 in overtime on the final day of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Jack Hughes scored the game-winning goal just 1:41min. into the extra period, sealing the victory and sparking wild celebrations on the ice at the PalaItalia arena.

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Music Spotlight: Ward Davis

Bethany Bowman

When I interviewed Cody Jinks last year, I became aware of his good friend, Ward Davis, who often toured with Jinks. Davis is most known for writing Willie and Merle’s song “Unfair Weather Friend,” which was later performed at Merle’s funeral.

I initially thought Davis was a songwriter-turned-performer, but that was not the case. Davis hails from Arkansas and started taking piano at age seven. But his hero was George Strait, and that’s who he wanted to be like. He was musical and creative, writing songs, but he really didn’t know much about songwriting.

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EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert Movie Coming Soon

Bethany Bowman
Elvis

During the week of Elvis’ birthday this year, I was fortunate to tour Graceland and attend the US premiere of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert. This is what is learned.

The upcoming EPiC Movie: Elvis Presley in Concert was created by Baz Luhrmann, featuring long-lost footage from Presley’s legendary Vegas residency in the 1970s, woven together with rare 16mm footage from Elvis on Tour and treasured 8mm film from the Graceland archive, along with rediscovered recordings of Elvis telling “his side of the story.”

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Rock Band ‘Heart’ Going Strong in 2026

Bethany Bowman
Heart

Those of us of a certain age grew up listening to the iconic rock band Heart, comprised of sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson and their incredible band. Naturally, when they came to Nashville in 2019, I wanted to see them perform, and they were outstanding despite being in their 60s.

We later learned that Ann had experienced some health issues, so I was surprised to hear about their Royal Flush tour in 2025. This news rekindled my excitement, especially ahead of their last show of 2025 in Nashville, when I was privileged to speak with Nancy Wilson about their forthcoming show and promote their 2026 tour.

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Music Spotlight: Joe Hermes

Bethany Bowman
Joe Hermes

Joe Hermes’ music hits that perfect sweet spot between classic rock and traditional country music. He is a seasoned entertainer whose values are rooted in faith, family, and the American Dream.

I met him a few years back at CRS and was instantly drawn to edgy vocals and devil-may-care attitude. With songs like “Stronger Than Whiskey” and “Baptized By The South,” I was instantly drawn to his music.

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Music Spotlight: Marcus Hummon

Bethany Bowman
Marcus Hummon

Marcus Hummon is a renowned, respected, and much-loved songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. When I learned that he composed an entire album dedicated to the famous American poet Emily Dickinson, I was intrigued.

Born in Washington, D.C., in 1960, he has diverse talents, including composing, scoring films, writing musicals, and releasing his own critically acclaimed albums, always infusing worldly experiences with profound emotional depth. After college, he initially moved to L.A. Still, on the advice of an entertainment attorney, he moved to Nashville in 1986 because he heard it was “exploding.”

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The Grand Ole Opry Celebrates 100th Birthday

Bethany Bowman
Grand Ole Opry

On November 28,  100 years to the date of the premiere, a star-studded tribute was held at the Grand Ole Opry House.

Included in the event were Opry members from all age groups, including Scotty McCreery (32), one of the youngest members, and Bill Anderson (88), the oldest and longest member of the Opry (64 years a member). Retired member Stu Phillips (96) was also in attendance.

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Music Spotlight: The Dugger Band

Bethany Bowman
The Dugger Band

When I heard the Dugger Band and its hit song “True Colors,” I knew I wanted to feature them as soon as time allowed. Jordan and Seth Dugger are from Greeneville, Tennessee. They are known for their energetic, high-velocity country sound that emphasizes family harmony and faith-driven storytelling.

They come from a musical family: their father and his siblings were part of a Southern Gospel band, and their mother was raised singing in church. Growing up, they were always around a touring bus. So, it was no surprise when the pair chose music as their career path.

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Music Spotlight: Cody Hibbard

Bethany Bowman
Cody Hibbard

Cody Hibbard is the fifth artist I have interviewed this season on The Road, and, in my humble opinion, he is the most country-sounding of them all. Fortunately, he took that as the compliment it was meant to be.

Hibbard is Korean but was adopted by an American family from Oklahoma when he was 13 months old. He grew up on a farm and still lives there today. Like many ranchers/farmers, he would get up early and do his chores before heading off to school.

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Red Bull Jukebox Takes over Nashville’s Pinnacle

Bethany Bowman
Red Bull Jukebox

Red Bull Jukebox made its highly anticipated return to Nashville on last weekend at Nashville’s newest venue, the Pinnacle. With its unique live-music experience, the Jukebox gives the audience control over the setlist, including how artists reimagine favorite tunes and which special guests step into the spotlight.

In the capital of country music, the next generation of country stars lit up the stage: Treaty Oak Revival, Ashley Cooke, Kashus Culpepper, Carter Faith, and more. In the months leading up to the event, fans were invited to cast their votes for setlist selections online and on-site via interactive voting mechanisms and light-up wristbands.

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Music Spotlight: Atlus

Bethany Bowman

As is often the case with songwriting, one’s upbringing influences one’s lyrics. Raised in a single-parent home marked by poverty and addiction, Sean Haywood, who goes by the stage name Atlus, had to grow up fast, building resilience and a lifelong commitment to authenticity in his music. Phonetically named after the mythological Titan who held up the heavens, he began writing while working long hours as a commercial truck driver, crafting lyrics and melodies behind the wheel to help support his family and fund studio time.

Atlus explained, “My first two albums, I wrote everything from behind the wheel of a semi. I would drive five hours one way and then drive five hours back. And it was basically a 10-hour drive a day, and I would crank up some instrumentals, just freestyle melodies, and just write songs from there.”

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Save the Music Foundation Honors Lee Ann Womack, Cameo Carlson, and Old Dominion

Bethany Bowman

Save The Music  (STM) brought together Nashville’s music community last week for its 6th annual “Hometown to Hometown” event, raising over $250,000 to support music education programs in under-resourced public high schools. Co-hosted by Leslie Fram and Dasha, the evening featured incredible performances, heartfelt speeches, and a shared commitment to ensuring that more students, schools, and communities have access to music education.

Old Dominion, Lee Ann Womack, and mtheory’s Cameo Carlson were honored as the 2025 “Champions of the Year” for their contributions to the music industry and their commitment to supporting the next generation of creators through music education.

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Liz Rose, Charley Pride, and Old Dominion Added to Music City’s Walk of Fame

Bethany Bowman
Walk of Fame

Three more names were added to Music City’s iconic Walk of Fame Park this week: prolific songwriter Liz Rose, the legendary Charley Pride (posthumously), and country music’s sensational band and songwriting gurus, Old Dominion.

The ceremony recognized the 110th, 111th, and 112th stars on the Music City Walk of Fame, which are honored for their significant work of preserving Nashville’s musical heritage and for their contributions to the world through song.

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Music Spotlight: Calamity Jane

Bethany Bowman

Since joining the country music bandwagon over 20 years ago, I quickly learned that a lot of country music evolved from bluegrass. I also learned that bluegrass musicians are some of the most talented instrumentalists in the world. Calamity Jane also hails from that genre with a more modern twist affectionately labeled “Newgrass.” 

Violinist Lucy Cantley and powerhouse vocalist Camille Rae founded Calamity Jane. They fuse Cantley’s classical roots and Rae’s strong vocals with a bold, boundary-pushing take on bluegrass/newgrass, crafting a sound that is both timeless and daringly modern. Their artistry has redefined the newgrass space, blending precision musicianship with unshakable authenticity.

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Music Spotlight: Billie Jo Jones

Bethany Bowman
Billie Jo Jones

When I met Billie Jo Jones earlier this year at CRS, I learned that she would be on a TV show and that her sophomore album would be released this fall. I promised her I would do a full feature on her when the album came out.

Jones is from Texas and was born to a mother who had and still has an addiction, so her grandparents raised her. Because they raised her, she grew up listening to all the great country singers like Ray Price, Tammy Wynette, and Patsy Cline.

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Music Spotlight: Harper Grace

Bethany Bowman

Harper Grace is a 24-year-old Texas native who has been coming to Nashville since she was 14 years old.

The rising country star’s initial experience in the spotlight came at just 11 years old when her first public performance of the National Anthem didn’t go as planned, eliciting widespread criticism from an array of online observers and media outlets. But that didn’t deter her.

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Jake and Shelby Release Debut Album, Learning to Love

Bethany Bowman
Jake & Shelby

I featured Jake Lawson and Shelby Haim in January 2024, when they released their Just Us EP.  At that time, they were both teenagers who met while attending Cedarstone Music School in Hendersonville.

Fast forward 20 months, and the pair have released their debut album, Learning to Love. And while that doesn’t seem like the right time for us older folks, the growth the duo has made is evident in their new music. No longer teenagers in high school, the duo is navigating life and love just like many their age. The only difference is they have narrated their journey with a soundtrack that tells the story of love in all its forms—falling in, falling out, chasing, questioning, and surrendering to it.

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John Carter Cash Releases Pineapple John

Bethany Bowman
John Carter Cash

Renowned singer-songwriter and producer John Carter Cash unveils his long-awaited full-length album, Pineapple John, released digitally via Avondale Records and distributed through The Orchard.

With a slight nod to Jimmy Buffett, Pineapple John is a thematic album that unfolds like a film, featuring its own narrative arc about a fictional beach bum who loved and lost, then fell into obscurity. Produced by John Carter Cash and Trey Call, the album follows the story of a weathered troubadour navigating redemption, reflection, and the healing power of imagination.

Cash explained, “I’ve written a story around it. It’s a journey, but in my mind, it’s a character.”

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Annie Bosko Releases Debut Album ‘California Cowgirl’

Bethany Bowman

Even though she has been in the music business for a while, Music Spotlight artist Annie Bosko is just now releasing her debut album, California Cowgirl. And in typical Bosko style, she is giving us a whopping 19 songs, 10 of which have never been released until now.

Often, when newer artists release their debut albums, they struggle to find enough material to fill our 9 or 10 slots. Not so with Bosko. She had the opposite problem of having too many great songs and had to narrow it down to 19.

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Music Spotlight: Tracielynn

Bethany Bowman
Tracielynn

Tracielynn hails from the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Her dad was in a band, so she was surrounded by music and music performance from an early age. Her dad could play multiple instruments, including sax and banjo. When friends came over, they would ask, “Is that your dad? That’s insane.”

Tracielynn began singing at a very early age, and it became her passion as well. She said, “I love all kinds of music, but where my heart resonates, it’s with country. I love the storytelling aspect of it.”

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Watch: Trump Impressionist Drops Hilarious ‘Row, Row, Row Your Boat’ Parody After Cartel Strike

Kaitlin Housler
Trump impression

Impressionist Shawn Farash, a conservative commentator who has gone viral for his impersonation of President Donald Trump, debuted a comedic, Trump-inspired twist on the classic nursery rhyme “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” on Wednesday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show in response to the strike the U.S. conducted on members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

On Tuesday, Trump announced that, under his orders, the U.S. military conducted a successful strike against members of the Tren de Aragua, which, under the Trump administration, has been designated a foreign terrorist group.

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Music Spotlight: Levi Foster

Bethany Bowman

After interviewing over 500 artists, I have met some incredibly talented musicians. However, sometimes it can be overwhelming. Besides being a notable vocalist, you need to be unique, different, and especially memorable. Levi Foster fits that bill to a T.

While I am grateful that pop-country is fading a bit and 90s country has made a considerable comeback, there is still something about the music that built the Grand Ole Opry and the country music genre. Music that wasn’t autotuned or slickly produced, but songs made the heart ache. Foster’s debut album, We Made Fire, is such an album.
While I am grateful that pop-country is fading a bit and 90s country has made a considerable comeback, there is still something about the music that built the Grand Ole Opry and the country music genre. Music that wasn’t autotuned or slickly produced, but songs made the heart ache. Foster’s debut album, We Made Fire, is such an album.

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