Welcome to Friday September 11, 2026 (never forget).
We have some new country music for your playlist. So, please do your part and visit your neighborhood liquor store to pair your whiskey with this new country music as well. Its country music is meant to be enjoyed.
PROJECTS: Smithfield – “Country With Heart, Part 2” Nicholas Jamerson– “Rabbit Holes (Vol 1)”
SINGLES: Treaty Oak Revival, Wade Forster – “Can of Worms” Luke Bryan – “I Liked Loving You” Eric Church – “On The Road” Darius Rucker – “I Believe” Sierra Ferrell – “Pair of Dice” Tyce Delk – “Up There Down Here” Kenny Whitmire – “Woman To Blame” Tyla Rodrigues, The Kruse Brothers – “What’s Left To Hold Onto” Erin Kirby – “Cross My Mind” Christian Parker – “Three Months Long” Olivia Wolf – “Drag It Back” Jay Tyndall – “Rock A Bye” Niklas Juritsch – “Could’ve Been Us” Corey Parsons – “Headed South” Thomason – “Something In The Whiskey” Trevor Snider – “Holy Hell”
The final nominees for the 60th annual CMA Awards have been revealed y’all.
This is no surprise considering the year this woman is having. Ella Langley leads the group of nominees with nine nods total, including her first for Entertainer of the Year. Other top nominees include Miranda Lambert who has seven nominations, Kacey Musgraves and Ben West with five nominations each, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Stephen Wilson Jr. landed four nominations each…and Dave Clauss, Luke Combs and Lainey Wilson earned three nominations each.
There are 13 first-time nominees too, which include Smith Ahnquist, Avery Anna, Jack Antonoff, Tim Cofield, Carter Faith, Austin Goodloe, Muscadine Bloodline, Emily Ann Roberts, Caylee Robillard, Laura Sisk, Joybeth Taylor, Thelma & James and Ben West.
Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer said, “for six decades, the CMA Awards have celebrated excellence in Country Music. We’re grateful to CMA’s Professional members, whose collective voice determines every nomination, bringing real expertise to the balloting process each year. Congratulations to all of this year’s deserving nominees. We cannot wait to celebrate our milestone anniversary together in November.”
The CMA Awards will broadcasts live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 18 (8:00 – 11:00 PM/EST) on ABC, Disney+ and next day on Hulu.
And the 2026 CMA Awards final nominees by ballot category order are:
ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR – Luke Combs – Cody Johnson – Ella Langley – Chris Stapleton – Lainey Wilson
SINGLE OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s) – “Be Her” – Ella Langley Producers: Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Ben West Mix Engineer: Dave Clauss – “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley Producers: Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Ben West Mix Engineer: Dave Clauss – “I Knew It, I Knew You” – Taylor Swift Producers: Jack Antonoff, Taylor Swift\ Mix Engineer: Laura Sisk – “Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson Producer: Jay Joyce Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce – “The Fall” – Cody Johnson Producer: Trent Willmon Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke
ALBUM OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s) – Ain’t In It For My Health – Zach Top Producer: Carson Chamberlain Mix Engineer: Matt Rovey – Dandelion – Ella Langley Producers: Devin Dawson, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Ben West Mix Engineer: Dave Clauss – Middle of Nowhere – Kacey Musgraves Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Luke Laird, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian Mix Engineers: Serban Ghenea, Konrad Snyder – Parker McCollum – Parker McCollum Producers: Frank Liddell, Eric Masse Mix Engineer: Eric Masse – The Way I Am – Luke Combs Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
SONG OF THE YEAR Award goes to Songwriter(s) – “Be Her” Songwriters: Smith Ahnquist, Michael Hardy, Ella Langley, Jordan Schmidt – “Beautiful Things” Songwriters: Jessi Alexander, Jessie Jo Dillon, Connie Harrington, Megan Moroney – “Choosin’ Texas” Songwriters: Luke Dick, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Joybeth Taylor – “Dry Spell” Songwriters: Luke Laird, Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne – “Gary” Songwriter: Stephen Wilson Jr.
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR – Miranda Lambert – Ella Langley – Megan Moroney – Kacey Musgraves – Lainey Wilson
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR – Luke Combs – Cody Johnson – Chris Stapleton – Zach Top – Stephen Wilson Jr.
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR – Lady A – Little Big Town – Midland – Old Dominion – The Red Clay Strays
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR – Brooks & Dunn – Brothers Osborne – Dan + Shay – Muscadine Bloodline – Thelma & James
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artists and Producer(s) – “A Song To Sing” – Miranda Lambert (with Chris Stapleton) Producer: Dave Cobb – “Horses and Divorces” – Kacey Musgraves (feat. Miranda Lambert) Producers: Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian – “I Can’t Love You Anymore” – Ella Langley & Morgan Wallen Producers: Austin Goodloe, Ella Langley, Ben West – “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay” – Carly Pearce & Riley Green Producers: Carly Pearce, Ben West – “McArthur” – HARDY, Eric Church, Morgan Wallen & Tim McGraw Producer: Jay Joyce
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR – Tom Bukovac – Guitar – Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle – Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar – Rob McNelley – Guitar – Charlie Worsham – Guitar
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s) – “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley Directors: Ella Langley, Caylee Robillard, Wales Toney – “Dry Spell” – Kacey Musgraves Directors: Hannah Lux Davis, Kacey Musgraves – “Gary” – Stephen Wilson Jr. Directors: Tim Cofield, Stephen Wilson Jr. – “The Fall” – Cody Johnson Director: Dustin Haney – “White Horse” – Chris Stapleton Director: Running Bear
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR – Avery Anna – Carter Faith – Emily Ann Roberts – Tucker Wetmore – Stephen Wilson Jr.
Dierks Bentley will headline an inaugural show called “Justice Jam” on October 27th in Nashville. He partnered with the Tennessee Innocence Project, which provides legal services to free the wrongfully convicted.
If you are to visit the official website of the Tennessee Innocence Project, the organization describes their mission as the following…
“The Tennessee Innocence Project frees innocent people through legal advocacy, strengthens the justice system through policy reform, supports re-entry, and educates the public to prevent wrongful convictions.”
There will also be a performance from Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. An executive said, “this concert is about channeling the power of Nashville’s music community into real freedom for people who have run out of options.
“We are honored to bring this stage together with our partners at the Washington Innocence Project and to show what’s possible when artists lend their voice to justice.”
Tickets are set to go on sale on today, September 10th, and can be purchased from justicejam.com… once the website goes live (they are evidently still working on that).
Country music has to come from somewhere…and something usually causes it.
Megan Moroney’s music career was born out of heartbreak. She said when she was 16, she injured her knee in cheerleading, and had nothing else to do, but sit and learn guitar.
She also had her first heartbreak and said she wouldn’t stop crying so her dad took her to Guitar Center. Megan said, “I remember looking at my dad. And I was like, ‘I’ve had my heart broken once this week. I can handle it again…
If you don’t want to get it for me.’ And that’s how I ended up with my first Taylor.”
We have another tour stop on Garth’s arena tour now.
Garth Brooksannounced that the sixth city on his upcoming arena tour, which is Salt Lake City, UT. He’ll perform at the Delta Center on October 9th and 10th. Tickets go on sale Friday, September 18th. He’s still pricing every ticket at $154.50.
The “Blame It All On My Roots Arena Tour” 2026 are as follows…
Indianapolis, IN (Gainbridge Fieldhouse): August 20, 21, 22, and 23, 2026
Denver, CO (Ball Arena): September 4, 5, and 6, 2026
Rosemont/Chicago, IL (Allstate Arena): September 10, 11, and 12, 2026
I literally grew up with this song. “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” was written and recorded by Hank Williams Jr. And it was originally released October 1984 as the second single from Hank’s album, “Major Moves”.
It unfortunately peaked at number ten on the country music charts. Which is a f*cking crime in itself. From 1989 to 2011, Hank performed a version of the song (reworked as “All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night”) as the opening theme to Monday Night Football. It was America’s song y’all.
Chris Stapleton was in Toronto at Rogers Stadium on September 1, 2026, as part of his “All-American Road Show”. He went ahead and showed Canada how good country music really is with a cover of “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight” with the help of Ashley McBryde.
I’m also going to need a recorded version of this for our HILLBILLY LIVE playlist ASAP please.
He may have some douchebag tendencies…but seeing a baby can make anyone’s heart shine.
Zach Bryan continued his tradition of gifting his acoustic guitar to a fan that catches his eye. I mean…he’s still a man of the people. Even if he telling a fourteen year old girl to“get off my d*ck”. At his show on Saturday (9/5/26) night in Arizona, he spotted a father holding his baby boy at the barricade in the pit.
He told the father, “when he’s older, you’ll give him this?…You swear?” and handed it to him.
American Airlinesrenumbered their daily flight from Dallas to Nashville in honor of Dolly Parton. It’s currently known as flight 1396 and will be changed to flight 925.
When asked about the flight number change, American Airlines acknowledged that it was made in honor of the the country icon. They said…
“American’s scheduling team puts their creative hats on to find flight numbers that are meaningful to travelers.”
The change will take effect on March 28th of next year. And hopefully by then the Nashville International Airport will be renamed so fans can take flight 925 to Dolly International.
George Strait will be honored with the Career Maker Award at the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame on October 26th.
The award recognizes his decades-long impact on the careers of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame members. It also honors individuals outside of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame membership whose work has helped songwriters with their induction into the Hall’s membership.
George said in a press statement, “I’m so honored to be receiving the Career Maker Award from the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. I look forward to being there with some of the most talented Hall of Fame songwriters I’ve been so lucky to be associated with throughout my career.”
George has actually helped more than 40 different songwriters achieve induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. I mean his not called the King of country music for nothing.
He added saying, “you folks definitely make the world a better place through your amazing abilities as songwriters and artists. See you there.”
The only other artist to receive the award is Reba McEntire back in 2018.
Ella Langley’s“Choosin’ Texas” is #1 for a 21st week on the Billboard Hot 100. She’s only one week away from tying Mariah Carey for the longest-leading song in chart history.
So it comes as no surprise that Ella’s hit also tops Billboard’s official Songs of the Summer chart. Country music actually snagged the Top 3 spots.
Here are the Top 10:
1. “Choosin’ Texas”, Ella Langley
2. “I Knew It, I Knew You”, Taylor Swift
3. “Be Her”, Ella Langley
4. “hate that i made you love me”, Ariana Grande
5. “Janice STFU”, Drake
6. “I Can’t Love You Anymore”, Ella Langley and Morgan Wallen
7. “Boston”, Stella Lefty
8. “So Easy (To Fall in Love)”, Olivia Dean
9. “Man I Need”, Olivia Dean
10. “Dracula”, Tame Impala and JENNIE from Blackpink
