Welcome to The Boot’s News Roundup, a morning rundown of the news country music fans need to know. Read on to learn more about the latest goings-on in the country, Americana, bluegrass and folk genres.
Fresh off the news that they’ve got new music in the works, Sugarland have been added to the lineup for this year’s Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve TV special. The multi-platinum duo will join fellow country artist Kane Brown, as well as Nick Jonas, Camila Cabello, Ciara and more performers at the annual New Year’s Eve celebration in New York City’s Times Square. The broadcast, which is hosted by Ryan Seacrest, kicks off at 8PM ET on Dec. 31.
Guitar legend Leon Rhodes has died. The Texas-born musician made his mark playing alongside icons such as Ernest Tubb, Ray Price and Lefty Frizzell, as well as serving as a member of the house band at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Funeral services for Rhodes were held on Tuesday (Dec. 12) in Old Hickory, Tenn.
Mike Coppola, Getty Images for CMT
Reba McEntire will be presented with the 2018 Horatio Alger Award, which recognizes the success of “exceptional leaders who have succeeded despite facing adversities, and who have remained committed to higher education and charitable efforts in their local communities.” McEntire is joined by Rob Lowe, Jimmy John Liautaud (of Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches) and others in the 2018 class of recipients, and will be recognized at a ceremony in Washington, DC, scheduled for April 5-7, 2018. In a statement, McEntire says, “I always say that you need three things to succeed in life: a wishbone, a backbone and a funny bone. These qualities have served me well in every part of my life, and I have no doubt my fellow honorees would agree.”
Stephen Atkinson, The Boot
Up-and-coming artist Colter Wall is set to headline a massive, multi-country tour in 2018. The artist is coming off a year full of critical acclaim and will tour in support of his self-titled debut album, making stops in Dallas, Texas; New York City; San Francisco, Calif.; Seattle, Wash.; and more. Tickets for the tour go on sale on Friday (Dec. 15) in each city’s local time zone.
Gary Wilson, Getty Images
Next year, Texas troubadour Ray Wylie Hubbard will be inducted into the Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, an organization “dedicated to the cultural preservation of Texas songwriting and celebration of our exalted troubadours.” The definition of a road warrior, Hubbard has earned icon status in his home state of Texas. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Feb. 24.
Rick Diamond, Getty Images
On Dec. 15, country-fried rapper Colt Ford will hit the road on his Dynamite Tour, in support of his recently-released album Love Hope Faith. Named for a track on Love Hope Faith, the tour will stop in more than two dozen cities across the country, including San Bernardino, Calif.; Dallas, Texas; Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Tampa, Fla. The tour includes two 2017 dates and, following a break for the holidays, a run of shows throughout early 2018.
Rick Diamond, Getty Images
Charlie Worsham has released his first-ever book, complete with a foreword from country legend Marty Stuart, titled Follow Your Heart: A Guitar, a Tattoo, and One Man’s Country Music Journey. Worsham is donating proceeds from sales of the inspirational book to his Follow Your Heart Scholarship Fund, which benefits at-risk youth in Worsham’s hometown of Grenada, Miss.
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