Country music’s hottest new releases and tour news! It’s October’s Inside Track on Music Row

By Preshias Harris

October’s Inside Track on Music Row is a ‘goody bag’ of must-read news about new singles and albums from Country music’s biggest acts and artists-on-the rise. Scroll down for tour and show updates and much more… right here in the longest continuously-published monthly country music column in the USA! 

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “When you’re playing the Opry, before every song, tell the crowd you wrote it, or else they’ll just think that you’re a bad singer on karaoke night.” – Vince Gill’s advice to Don Schlitz (“The Gambler”), reported in The Tennessean, 8/28/22

BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. – Psalm 46:1

LUKE BRYAN

LUKE BRYAN: Five-time Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan has released his ninth studio album, Signs. The 12-track album, produced by Jeff Stevens and Jody Stevens, features Luke’s Top 10 hit “Country And She Knows It.”  Listen to Signs on Deezer here; find vinyl and CD versions here. Listen/play “Country And She Knows It” here.

In its 17th year, Luke’s Farm Tour has mobilized thousands of concertgoers to donate to local food banks, helping thousands of families. Through on-site collections, generous fans have contributed more than 16,000 pounds of nonperishable food so far, which will directly provide meals to regional hunger-relief organizations. The project has provided more than 11 million meals through presenting sponsor Bayer’s #HerestotheFarmer. Luke’s work with these programs has been critical to raising awareness, educating communities, and expanding access to nutritious food, vitamins, and minerals.

During his career, Luke has amassed 27.2 billion global streams, 12 million global album sales, and more than 48 million track sales worldwide. Find tour and show info at LukeBryan.com; follow Luke on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

BRAD PAISLEY

BRAD PAISLEY: ‍Global country music superstar Brad Paisley recently released Tacklebox – Disc 1, a digital-only project “full of hooks, country music hooks.” Some of the songs on Tacklebox come from his extensive catalog of unreleased and unrecorded songs dating back to the 90s, when his career began. Other songs were recently written and inspired by that style and by the unmistakable 90s sound of Alan Jackson, Brooks and Dunn, and Alabama, as well as 80s-influenced productions reminiscent of those by George Strait, Garth Brooks, and others. Tacklebox – Disc 1 is available here.

Brad also co-produced William Shatner‘s new spoken-word album, Love & Other Mysteries (listen here). Brad, Taylor Goldsmith, the lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Dawes, and three-time Academy of Country Music Piano Player of the Year Gordon Mote collaborated on the album’s musical arrangements. 

Find Brad Paisley’s social/digital platforms here.

LAUREN WATKINS

LAUREN WATKINS: Big Loud Records / Songs & Daughters singer-songwriter Lauren Watkins releases her third album If I’m Being Honest, produced by Will Bundy with co-production on select tracks from Joey Moi, available everywhere here. Across 12 unguarded tracks, the Nashville native captures an eye-opening chapter of her life, pairing her signature lyrical imagery with a plainspoken look at love, life and the everyday truths most people won’t say out loud. If I’m Being Honest leans further into the honesty that has long defined Watkins’ songwriting.

“If I’m being honest — no pun intended — this is the most ‘me’ I’ve ever felt making a record,” shares Watkins. “While much of the album comes from my own story, it was also inspired by the life unfolding around me…from conversations with friends over margaritas to everything I observed from the van window on the way to a show. At this age, some of my friends are going on first dates while others are getting divorced. Some are getting promotions and others are having babies. I wanted to capture all of it and make a record where, wherever you are in life, there’s a song for you.”

Continue reading “Country music’s hottest new releases and tour news! It’s October’s Inside Track on Music Row”

Here’s your September Inside Track on Music Row!

By Preshias Harris

September’s Need-to-Know news about albums, singles, tours and videos from Lauren Alaina, Big and Rich, Luke Combs, Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, American Blonde, Donna Fargo, George Strait plus many others, along with info on rising stars, emerging artists and more… including DollyFest!  

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “I saw this ad that said, ‘You too can look like Dolly Parton for only $500.’  Boy, I sure wish I’d seen that ad before I spent millions of dollars to look like Dolly Parton.” – Dolly Parton (01/19/1946 – 08/25/2026), spoken during a televised interview.

BIBLE VERSE OF THE MONTH: With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. – Matthew 19:26

LAUREN ALAINA

LAUREN ALAINA: Country superstar Lauren Alaina has released her highly anticipated album, Stages, out now via Big Loud Records (listen/play here). The 17-song collection was co-produced by hitmakers Joey Moi, Ben Johnson, Jacob Durrett, Mikey Reaves and Adam James. Stages chronicles the defining chapters of Alaina’s life, with her signature lyrical candor and powerhouse vocals. Over the course of the album, she explores coming of age to starting a family and more, marked by three Stages – Stage One: The Dreaming, Stage Two: The Breaking, Stage Three: The Becoming.

Following the 08/28 release of Stages, Lauren played Rock The Country in Ocala, Florida, then the Grand Ole Opry Sept 01, with additional festival dates to close out the summer. Beginning in October, Alaina will head out on her headlining The Stages Tour spotlighting every era of her career, blending new music with the fan-favorite anthems that have defined her rise. Support across select dates will include rising artists Shane Profitt, Ashley Kutcher, and fellow American Idol alum Hannah Harper. Find tour/ticket information and more at Lauren Alaina’s Official Website; follow her on Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube.

AMERICAN BLONDE

AMERICAN BLONDE’s long-awaited October 2 release, Delta Home, opens with the gritty, revenge-filled “Mississippi Moonshine,” and instantly sets a high bar for this six-song collection. It’s one that this tight-knit five-piece unit of Mississippi natives tops effortlessly. Fronted by sisters Nata and Tinka Morris, the group features Nata (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Tinka (vocals, drums, percussion), Pete Horne (lead and rhythm guitar), Zach Dickerson (lead and rhythm guitar), and Will Garrett (bass, background vocals). Collectively, the players bring together diverse influences (The Eagles, Paul Gilbert, Carole King, Dave Grohl, Lynyrd Skynyrd) and varied life experiences to create a unique sonic tapestry of Delta Blues-infused Southern Country Rock. Pre-save now.

American Blonde joins multi-Platinum rockers Candlebox for select October shows on their Can’t Quit You Tour. More at www.AmericanBlondeMusic.com, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. 

Continue reading “Here’s your September Inside Track on Music Row!”