Hillbilly Live!

Russell Dickerson played Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater last Friday and he had a surprise opener.

Thomas Rhett showed up and surprised fans by opening for Russell at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater on May 8, 2026. He had a really good reason for opening the show too. He performed an acoustic set before Russell’s headlining show and he explained why.

”I lost a bet to Russel about six months ago and the loss he said I had to open for him tonight. So, this is me opening for him.”

The appearance was the result of a lost bet made six months prior, and result was that Thomas lost that bet. And since Thomas lost, the deal was that he opened for Russell’s show in Nashville. “Die a Happy Man” sounded great too.

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Mother’s Day is today y’all (5/10/26). Please don’t forget to tell you mama how much you love her too.

To get the celebration going, here’s a playlist of country songs that are all about mamas.

1. “Mama’s Song”,  Carrie Underwood

2. “A Letter to My Mama”,  Vince Gill

3. “Mom”,  Garth Brooks

4. “Coat of Many Colors”,  Dolly Parton

5. “I Called Mama”,  Tim McGraw

6. “I’m a Survivor”,  Reba McEntire

7. “Hot Mama”,  Trace Adkins

8. “Mama’s Broken Heart”,  Miranda Lambert

9. “Mother”,  Kacey Musgraves

10. “Sweet DeAnn”,  Zach Bryan (my mom past away in 2007…and that verse that says, “I don’t want the stage…I don’t want the girls…I want back the days…You were breathin’ in this world”, hits hard)

11. “The Baby”, Blake Shelton (and I can’t listen to this song without crying)

12. “Mama Tried”, Merle Haggard

County people having been using crisco for a long time. It’s what cooking with love is based on.

Miranda Lambert knows exactly what she’s doing here. Miranda released a teaser for her next single that mixes country and disco. It’s called “Crisco”, like the kind you cook with, and it’s coming out May 15th.

Watching this reminds of some 70s and 80s classic tv. Miranda’s hair is flawless in this video teaser too.

Ella Langley has become quite popular lately, and not just with the girlies. 

Not sure if you’re familiar with this, but her male fanbase has their own nickname. They’re called “Ella’s Fellas”. Yes, she even sells merch for them.

Women are sharing online how the men in their life have been crushing on Ella too. One person said, “I’ll take hearing about Ella Langley over Sydney Sweeney any day.”

I mean the hate for Sydney Sweeney is really unnecessary. We can crush on multiple women at once and God bless them all out there. Even the ones who have blue hair and vote wrong in every election.

This man’s bar had a big grand opening thanks to Morgan Wallen.

Eric Church opened his bar “Chief’s” in downtown Nashvillle in 2024. If you’ve never visited, there’s about 40 bars in just a five-block stretch. So, what makes his special?

During a recent interview with Peter Zarzour on his “Hometown Titans” podcast, Eric talked about why it was so important to him to allow artists to showcase their original music in his bar.

He said, “we have a venue that brings in people 5, 6 nights a week, and we put ’em on stage and we don’t make ’em play other people’s songs. It’s about people being discovered.”

Morgan Wallen quietly paid for the funeral of a young fan last August. 

He met this boy two months prior and gave him the VIP treatment at his show, including limo transportation. The boy’s mom shared Morgan’s kindness in an update.

She said, “going to see your favorite artist this summer and even though you’re in Heaven I know you have the best seat in the house and just know we are taking you with us. I’m very blessed and thankful that you were able to meet him…

I will forever be a Morgan Wallen fan! The fact that he quietly paid for your funeral there just are no words to how amazing that is. You listened to his music to get through fighting cancer and now Mama listens to it to get through each day.”

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Welcome to the first Friday in May 8, 2026. And we do in fact have some new country music here.

Now be sure to do your part in visiting your neighbor liquor store to pair your favorite alcohol with your new favorite country music, because it’s how country music is supposed be enjoyed. Don’t let anyone judge you for it neither.

Projects (Albums & EPs):

Ashley McBryde – “Wild”

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Josiah and the Bonnevilles – “As Is”

Coleman Jennings – “Lead You Home”

Singles:

Koe Wetzel – “Hurts Like You, Dollar and a Bottle”

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Kenny Chesney – “Carry On”

49 Winchester – “Oh Savannah”

Buffalo Traffic Jam – “Pictures of You”

Kameron Marlowe – “Running”

Midland – “Shooting Memories With Tequila”

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Conner Smith – “Easy on the Eyes”

Gabriella Rose feat. Cameron Whitcomb – “Think About Me”

Greylan James – “Small Town”

Ashley Cooke – “High School Sweetheart”

Sons of Habit feat. Ava Hall – “Keep Comin’ Back”

Jason Scott & The High Heat – “Highway Robbery”

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Max Alan – “Jericho”

Ben Chapman – “Baby Blue”

Fox N’ Vead – “Waiting”

Redferrin – “Straight to the Chapel”

Ashland Craft & Dillon Carmichael – “Hangin’ Up the Honkytonk”

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The War and Treaty – “Don’t Say Goodbye”

Rachel Laren feat. Josh Abbott Band – “Who’s Gonna Love You Like Me”

Bryan Andrews – “Yeehaw”

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Wesko – “I’m on Fire”

Logan Crosby – “R.I.P. My Idea of You”

Rich O’Toole – “Baby We’re Both Right”

Jake Banfield – “Country Girl”

Russell Dickerson feat. Fetty Wap – “Boots”

Emily Woodhull – “Runnin’ With the Devil”

Andrew Martinez – “Fragile Man”

Waylon Payne – “Holding Onto Lonely”

CJ Solar and The Old Souls – “Dizzy”

DELTONA – “Party’s in the Back”

Emma Ogier – “Believing”

Sheyna Gee – “Seventeen”

Belle Frantz – “First Assembly of God”

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Alica Blue – “Kentucky Cowboy”

Charlie Worsham – “Family Man”

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This man had a legitimate question.

Of course this the perfect car to parked next to a Dollar General sign. I completely agree with this man’s question about this car’s rims too.

He asked, “since when was ferris wheel a f*cking option when ordering rims?”

This dog gets an A for effort.

I feel this has happened before in this house, because dogs never give up in trying to steal a well cooked steak. That little dog has some height in their jump too.

They really need a bigger dog friend in their life to help them reach for those just out of reach meals on the counter.

If you’re going to rob a place called the “Half Ass Bar”…you aren’t going to get away with doing it half-assed.

Two women have been charged after stealing more than $3,500 from the “Half Ass Bar” in Bland, Missouri. I mean this town could probably do a better job at hyping itself up.

They broke into the safe…a “cash-to-coin exchange machine” was taken…and they attempted to break into an ATM on the site. They were also caught on security cameras, along with their vehicle.

Turns out, one of the women was the daughter of the owners…and the motivation was probably financing a drug habit, because one of them had fentanyl and meth on them when they were caught. Remember. Illegal drugs will make you literally stupid kids.

The owners even called out their daughter on social media when they found out she was responsible. The police asked them to take down her actual name while the legal system sorts it all out. As their parent…they had every right to call their daughter out.

(KRCG-TV / Facebook)