Country Daypop Archives

Trent Harmon is back, and he’s better than ever. The Season 15 winner of American Idol released his self-titled debut album in 2016, which included the two singles, “Falling” and “There’s a Girl,” but remained largely silent last year.  But this week, Harmon took the stage at his record label, Big Machine’s, annual luncheon at the Country Radio Seminar to perform his new single, “You Got ‘Em All.” “This past year has been tough,” Harmon says in a statement. “I have had a few highs and many lows. The reaction to this song has made it all worth it, and I am so excited to get out there and share it with fans. Harmon is working on an upcoming sophomore record, which he hopes to release later this year. Details will be posted on his website: www.trentharmon.com.

Johnny Cash was a prolific writer and now some of the icon’s unreleased poems and letters will see the light of day thanks to a new album, Johnny Cash: Forever Words. Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, and Steve Berkowitz serve as producers for the project. The group sifted through many of the country legend’s handwritten letters, poems and documents penned throughout his lifetime and then reached out to several artists inspired by the late singer to reinterpret what they found.  Artists featured on the project include Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, Ruston Kelly, Kacey Musgraves, and Alison Krauss, among others. The album was recorded at the Cash Cabin Studio in Hendersonville, Tenn., and serves as the musical companion to “Forever Words: The Unknown Poems,” a volume of Cash’s unpublished writing. The album will be available on April 6.

Tennessee native and rising country singer Brandon Lay has much to look forward to in 2018. In addition to landing an opening spot on Kenny Chesney’s Trip Around the Sun Tour, the singer announced that he and his wife Nicole will soon become parents.  Lay took part in his label Universal Music Group’s annual Team UMG Luncheon earlier this week, where many of the artists signed to the label perform their new music for radio programmers. Ahead of performing, Lay expressed his excitement and let listeners know that he’d just learned that his wife was pregnant. Lay and his wife met after he was asked to perform during the intermission of the Miss Lexington beauty pageant. The couple married in 2012. Fans can catch Lay when he opens for Kenny Chesney’s Trip Around the Sun Tour. He’s also currently out on the road with Old Dominion as part of their Happy Endings World Tour.

Willie Nelson is battling the flu, and his publicist released a statement saying he’s canceling all of his February concert dates on doctor’s orders. His publicist says he looks “healthy as ever” but needs to rest his voice for the next few weeks. You may remember Nelson canceled most of his January tour dates due to a breathing problems.  Nelson’s next scheduled tour date is March 5 in Greenville, South Carolina. The 84-year-old Nelson has been keeping up a rigorous touring and recording schedule. His latest album, “Willie Nelson and the Boys: Willie’s Stash Vol. 2” featuring his sons Lukas and Micah was released last year.

Jon Pardi plays the classic role of a broken-hearted cowboy in the new video for his current single, “She Ain’t in It.”  Written by Clint Daniels and Wynn Varble, “She Ain’t in It” is the fourth single from Pardi’s acclaimed sophomore album California Sunrise, which came out in 2016. The first two singles “Head Over Boots” and “Dirt on My Boots” hit Number One on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, while the follow up “Heartache on the Dance Floor” reached the top five. Pardi is currently performing for audiences on Miranda Lambert’s Livin’ Like Hippies Tour, and will join Luke Bryan for the What Makes You Country Tourbeginning May 31st in Toronto, Canada.  Check out Pardi’s new video below!