Country Is Hotter Than Ever

It’s not getting reported this way, but when was there a time when Country music was doing the concert business it did last weekend?

Yes, Garth Brooks has sold out stadiums before, Kenny Chesney too, maybe even on the same day. Then add Luke Combs at NFL Denver, Blake Shelton at the Texas Motor Speedway, and Carrie Underwood in the spotlight on the Vegas strip.

Then add all the other shows at amphitheaters: Brooks & Dunn, Tim McGraw and Vince Gill with the Eagles.

What other genre is doing anything close to this? This weekend Brad Paisley jumps in as Eric Church wraps up his huge tour. Morgan Wallen is getting huge numbers. So many others are ready to roll those tour busses out in June. Zac Brown has some stadiums coming. It’s an amazing time.

Maybe there are fewer and fewer traditional media outlets to report on things like that. Magazines are all but gone, and newspapers are online and you just don’t feel the power they used to have.

Seen the streaming stats on Zach Bryan? 1 BILLION global streams!

There is a lot to be proud of right now … just saying. And now, Miranda Lambert in the 100 most influential people in the world list from Time magazine. Now that list is pretty goofy if you read many of the names on it, but still, it is a cool recognition.

Miranda is Country music’s lone representative on the list. And you know what, she is in a class right now all by herself. She’s not doing cookie cutter material/radio candy, and the creativity is in full bloom. She is an original, the most original of her generation. Yes, others have made more money, but no one has grown like she has in so many areas. She’s the true singer/songwriter with a great screen presence, too. Her videos are true complements to her songs.

If you were around at the beginning of Jason Aldean’s and Miranda Lambert’s careers, did you see them doing what they have done? Jason just got his 27th #1. Another wow.

Summer is here. Lets pray that Covid stays in the background, that the gas prices don’t ruin the summer travel, and what is this Monkey Pox thing?

The fans obviously want to watch live music. Stars need to make sure that the security is tight and safety is job one.

Pretty scary thing in Mississippi last weekend, gunfire in sound range of a concert while Jameson Rodgers was onstage at the city’s SpringFest event. Fans get on the ground, and the crew rushed off stage. Rodgers did a video after that, saying it was terrifying. A fan wrote me the same.

Don’t let drunks and crazy people steal this great summer!