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Country music's about real-life situations and people, and that's exactly the story foundation for Matt Stell's latest single, "Breakin' in Boots."
In a recent interview with ABC Audio, Matt recounted how a chance run-in, well, sort of, with an attractive girl inspired the heartbreak number.
"I wrote it because I was sitting in a bar here in Nashville, and I was watching the game, and I went to tab out, and I looked across the bar and I saw this girl that was really, really hot," Matt recalls. "I was like, 'OK, I got to say something. I got to at least hear a 'no, thank you.' I looked and she had some boots on."
"It took a little while and I tabbed out, walked to where she was over by the TouchTunes and couldn't find her," he shares. "I never saw her again."
That missed opportunity catalyzed the writing of "Breakin' in Boots."
"The next day I went to write some songs with my buddies and my buddy Ben [Stennis] goes, 'Hey, I got this song. It's like, she'll leave your heart breaking in boots, like breaking in your boots.' He was like, 'I'm not sure what that title means.' I was like, 'Bro, I know exactly what it means,'" Matt recalls.
"It's everything I love about a country song. It's true. It's about aggressive heartbreak, which is my favorite kind of country music," he says of "Breakin' in Boots." "We've been playing it live and, man, it's been going over great, so I'm excited about it."
"Breakin' in Boots" is currently in the top 40 of the country charts. You can find it on Matt's debut album, Born Lonely, arriving June 7.
Here's the track list for Born Lonely:
"Built by Broken Hearts"
"Breakin’ in Boots"
"Born Lonely"
"Girl Gets Gone"
"Into the Sunrise"
"Smooth"
"The Hard Stuff"
"What We Do Best"
"Take the Girl"
"One Cold Beer at a Time"
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read moreA "really, really hot" girl inspired Matt Stell's "Breakin' in Boots"
Wynonna Judd has announced the second leg of her Back to Wy Tour, which will run from September 5 to October 5. "Thank you for being the heartbeat of this tour, for allowing us a second chance to connect with you over these 2 albums, and for making every moment on stage feel like coming home...Back To Wy," Wynonna shares in a press release. The general sale begins Friday, May 17, at 10 a.m. local time at Wynonna.com.
Billy Currington has announced the forthcoming release of his greatest hits project, #1's Volume 1. Arriving July 5, the 11-track collection will include "People Are Crazy," "Good Directions," "That's How Country Boys Roll" and "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right." You can preorder a physical copy now at UMG Nashville's merch store.
Maddie & Tae have dropped a new acoustic performance video for their song "Every Night Every Morning." You can watch it now on YouTube.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read moreNashville notes: Back to Wy Tour + Billy Currington's '#1's Volume 1'
Conner Smith has announced his headlining The Storyteller Tour.
The 18-date trek kicks off October 6 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and will wrap up in Montreal, Quebec, on December 7.
Up-and-comers Jonathan Hutcherson and Zach John King are slated to open select shows.
"THE STORYTELLER TOUR - THIS FALL. This show will be like nothing we have ever done before. My best music yet is coming this year, and this show is gonna get to the heart of it all," Conner shares on Instagram.
Presale begins Tuesday at 10 a.m. CT, ahead of the general sale on Friday at 10 a.m. CT.
For a full list of dates and ticket information, visit Conner's website.
Conner's making his way up the country charts with the Hailey Whitters-assisted "Roulette on the Heart," the latest single from his debut album, Smoky Mountains.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read moreConner Smith's going to be a Storyteller
Morgan Wallen is returning to Europe this fall for an expanded leg of his One Night at a Time tour.
The additional six shows will take Morgan to Stockholm, Sweden; Oslo, Norway; Copenhagen, Denmark; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Glasgow, Scotland; and Dublin, Ireland, from August 28 to September 7.
"Where I Find God" singer Larry Fleet and country newcomer Lauren Watkins will open for Morgan.
Tickets go on sale Thursday, May 16, on Ticketmaster's website.
Coming up, Morgan will perform in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on May 17 and May 18 for the ongoing U.S. trek of his One Night at a Time tour. For the full schedule, head to morganwallen.com.
On the music front, Morgan's currently #13 and #18 on the country charts with his new collab with Post Malone, "I Had Some Help," and the ERNEST-assisted "Cowgirls."
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read moreMorgan Wallen plots six European shows for fall
When Reba McEntire steps onto the stage as host of the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards on May 16, she looks forward to hearing the "roar of the crowd."
The country music superstar isn't just emceeing the awards show for the 17th time — more than any other artist — she's doing so nearly 30 years after she took home the top prize of Entertainer of the Year in 1995.
"It was a wonderful night," Reba reminisced in a new interview with Good Morning America ahead of her hosting gig at the 59th ACM Awards. "I was shocked. Thrilled."
"You work so hard to put on the best show possible, and when I won that, it just gave [me] the enthusiasm and the [positivity to say], 'They like what I'm doing, so let's continue on and do more,'" she added.
The crowd will certainly be on its feet when the Grammy winner takes to the ACM Awards stage to perform her new single, "I Can't," which she teased as "a big production."
"I just saw my outfit yesterday. It's absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait to [wear] it," she said. "So, I'm really excited about it."
Reba described "I Can't" as "a very strong woman song" that has a lot of the "swampy-type minors" she loves to sing.
"It's a little different from anything I've done in a while," she said. "So I hope everybody enjoys it."
As for what she looks for when releasing new music, Reba said it's always "something different that will grab my heart, because if I love it and it touches my heart when I sing it and I do my job right, it'll touch your heart."
The 59th ACM Awards will stream live on Prime Video Thursday, May 16, at 8 p.m. ET.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read moreReba McEntire teases "big production" for her ACM Awards performance
The Academy of Country Music has unveiled its star-studded presenters list for the 2024 ACM Awards.
The lineup includes country stars, icons and rising artists, as well as television actors and hosts.
Here's the list of presenters: Little Big Town, Jordan Davis, Ashley McBryde, Alabama, Sara Evans, Randy Travis, Clay Walker, BRELAND, Carin León, the late Charley Pride's son Dion and wife Rozene Pride, The Bachelorette's Tyler Cameron, Schitt's Creek's Noah Reid, Thursday Night Football host Charissa Thompson and Super Bowl XLVIII champion and Thursday Night Football analyst Richard Sherman.
They'll be joined onstage by previously announced performers Jason Aldean, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, Parker McCollum, Thomas Rhett, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson and Reba McEntire.
Viewers will also be treated to collabs from Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan; Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani; and Nate Smith and Avril Lavigne.
The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire, will stream live May 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
Ahead of that, you can watch the Official ACM Awards Red Carpet Show beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read moreSee which country stars are presenting at the ACM Awards
Lainey Wilson's kicking off ACM Awards week with an anthemic new single, "Hang Tight Honey."
The upbeat track, which Lainey co-wrote, pays homage to hard workers and their unwaveringly strong work ethic — something that Lainey relates to.
"I’ve been runnin’ the roads nonstop for a few years now and I ain’t gonna lie to y’all, sometimes it can be tough being away from home that much," Lainey shares. "At the same time, remembering what 'home' is and the things that I get to do for the ones I love because of the work I put in, is what keeps me going and makes it all worthwhile."
She adds, "This one’s an anthem for the hard working men and women that get up every dang day and put in long hours to make a life worth living for the ones they love most."
"Hang Tight Honey" is the latest preview of Lainey's fifth album, Whirlwind, arriving August 23. The project will also feature "Country's Cool Again."
Lainey has earned five nods at this year's ACM Awards, including one for the coveted Entertainer of the Year. You can stream the show and catch her performance live May 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read moreHang tight honey: There's a new single from Lainey Wilson
If there's a song that stood the test of time for Mitchell Tenpenny, it's his latest release, "Not Today."
Originally titled "Just Not Today," Mitchell wrote the song himself during college, before presenting it to Chris DeStefano, Michael Whitworth and Claire Douglas at a co-writing session years later.
"I actually wrote a song called 'Not Today' by myself back in college. Through the years, I've always wanted that song to be more uptempo. And as I've grown and aged and changed in life, it meant something different to me," Mitchell tells ABC Audio.
"But I've always loved that title about, hey, you know, after a breakup or something happens, it's like, 'Yes, I'm going to get through it. I'm going to move on. But not today. Today I want to take it. I want to wear it. I want to own it. I want to feel it,'" he says.
Those sentiments are also aptly declared in the lyrics of "Not Today."
"I'll find a way to forget you/ With a bottle, a bible, or a mistake/ I know I'm gonna move on, I know I'll be ok/ I'll find a way to forget you/ I'm gonna give my broken heart a break/ Baby, gimme some time/ I'll get you off of my mind/ Just not today," Mitchell sings in the drum-heavy chorus.
"It's just coming to the thought process of it. It's okay to process things and heal," he explains, adding, "I think there's a lot of people that can relate to that."
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read moreMitchell Tenpenny was still in college when he wrote "Not Today"
Dolly Parton has teamed with Grammy-nominated Christian artist Blessing Offor on his song, "Somebody's Child." "I know it’s too easy to say it was a blessing singing with @blessingoffor but, it was. I love the song 'Somebody’s Child' and I am very proud to be a part of it," says Dolly.
The War And Treaty have dropped a new track, "Leads Me Home." "A lot of love went into creating this song and we’re so grateful to be able to finally share it with each and every one of you," the duo's Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter share on Instagram.
Lainey Wilson is giving her The Stable fan club members a chance to get their hands on an exclusive autographed Whirlwind vinyl. "I wanted to do something special for my @laineywldhorses so I've launched an exclusive members-only vinyl that'll be signed by yours truly!" Lainey shares on X, formerly known as Twitter. To join The Stable, head to Lainey's website.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Read moreNashville notes: Fresh tracks from The War And Treaty, Dolly + Blessing Offor