Music News Archives

Country music legend Willie Nelson abruptly ended a concert in San Diego after barely making it through one song. The 84-year-old performer subsequently canceled several additional shows in order to recuperate from an apparent illness. According to reports, Nelson did not make it through the opening rendition of “Whiskey River” during his appearance last Saturday at Harrah’s Resort SoCal, and he “was coughing and apparently experiencing some difficulty breathing as he left the stage.” Nelson has since canceled all shows through Sunday, January 14. A representative for Nelson said that the singer returned to his home in Texas to recover from “a bad cold or the flu.” Nelson’s next scheduled performance is currently planned for February 7 at the Macon Auditorium in Macon, Georgia.

Kalie Shorr is giving fans the new music they’ve been waiting for with an EP called Awake, set for release on Jan. 26. The seven-track project features “Two Hands,” the first single, plus a title track and songs called “Candy” and “Cool Kids.”  Awake follows the rising star’s 2017 EP Slingshot and the release of her debut single “Fight Like a Girl.” She’s also made waves with her cover of Taylor Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do” in collaboration with Lindsay Ell and Kelleigh Bannen. Shorr was recently appointed to CMT’s Next Women of Country class for 2018. She’ll embark on the CMT Next Women of Country Tour alongside RaeLynn and headliner Sara Evans starting Feb. 12.

Country legend Loretta Lynn fell last week and broke her hip, according to a Jan. 8 Twitter post from her sister, Crystal Gayle. “My birthday wish is for everyone to send love and prayers to my sister, Loretta Lynn, who fell and broke her hip last week,” Gayle said in a statement on Twitter. The broken hip is just the latest medical setback for Lynn. Last May, she suffered a stroke that forced her to cancel most of her concert appearances. Since then, she has made a few limited appearances, including a stop at the Country Music Hall of Fame’s annual Medallion Ceremony to induct Alan Jackson. Lynn’s Twitter page confirmed Gayle’s statement, adding that she is recovering at home: “Loretta Lynn is recovering from a fractured hip after a fall while at home. She is doing well and thanks all her fans for their thoughts and prayers.”

Rascal Flatts singer Gary LeVox escaped injury when his bus caught fire on Saturday morning, Jan. 6. The singer and his brother were traveling on the singer’s bus to Louisiana, where they planned to go hunting, when the blaze started. LeVox posted the above video on Instagram Saturday, showing thick white smoke billowing from inside the bus. LeVox provides a short narration in the background of the video, and the singer later shared a pic of his hunting gear lying on the ground outside the bus, making it look as if the fire was contained to the interior.

Football fans tuning into the NFL wild-card match-up between the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Rams Saturday night (Jan. 6) were treating during halftime to a sneak preview of Carrie Underwood’s new, highly anticipated football anthem, “The Champion.”  The song, which Underwood was asked to write for upcoming Super Bowl LII, was scheduled to be released before the big game in February. Underwood readied her fans for the surprise by re-posted a tease from on NBC’s Instagram account, which pictured her in the 2017 season opener. The post noted, “Tune in tonight and you might hear a little something new.”