At the Americana Honors & Awards ceremony at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium on Wednesday night (September 10), Sierra Ferrell won Artist of the Year for the second consecutive year, while Gillian Welch and David Rawlings were awarded Duo/Group of the Year, and MJ Lenderman earned Emerging Artist of the Year. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats claimed Album of the Year for South of Here, while I’m With Her – the Americana supergroup featuring Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins – won Song of the Year for “Ancient Light.”

Instrumentalist of the Year went to Billy Strings’ touring violinist Alex Hargreaves, while Lifetime Achievement Honors were bestowed on Old 97’s, Joe Henry, and Darrell Scott, with the McCrary Sisters receiving the Legacy of Americana Award. Emerging artist Jesse Welles was honored with the Spirit of Americana Free Speech in Music award, presented by John Fogerty. The event also featured appearances by Americana icons including presenters Brandi Carlile and Rosanne Cash, while Emmylou Harris and Fogerty both performed during the ceremony. (Variety)

On Wednesday (September 10), the Grand Ole Opry revealed that Mumford & Sons and Scottish folk group Breabach have been added to the star-studded lineup for the Grand Ole Opry’s Live in London 2025 show at Royal Albert Hall on September 26. They join an already stacked roster which will feature performances by country legends and Opry members Luke Combs, Carly Pearce, Ashley McBryde, Darius Rucker, and Marty Stuart in celebration of the Opry’s 100th anniversary. This special show will mark the first international live broadcast of the program, with the inclusion of Mumford & Sons and Breabach highlighting the growing fusion of folk, country, Americana, and roots music embraced by the Opry. A limited number of additional tickets are being made available starting on Friday (September 12). (Holler)

On her Instagram Stories on Sunday (September 7), Brittany Aldean reflected on her 2015 beach wedding to Jason Aldean in Mexico, and revealed how she would do things differently if  she could do it all over again. “If we were to renew our vows or if I were to get married to him today, I would do something mountainy, like I would go somewhere like Colorado or Wyoming or something,” Brittany said. “And it would definitely be more of a cowgirl, moody, just vibey [ceremony]. It would be completely different.” This represents quite a departure from their original easy-going ceremony driven by Jason’s wish for a casual beach wedding. Brittany admitted that she didn’t initially know if she even wanted to get married, but she adapted to the challenges of marrying a public figure with resilience. The couple share two children – son Memphis, 7, and daughter Navy, 6 – and Brittany is also stepmother to Jason’s two daughters from a previous marriage to Jessica Ussery. (People)

In a recent interview with E! News, LeAnn Rimes credits the strength of her 14-year marriage to Eddie Cibrian to being present with each other and embracing the changes they both undergo over time. The 43-year-old singer said of her 52-year-old husband, “You think you know someone, but in 15 years, you evolve so much. It's like learning every day when you wake up,” while emphasizing that each partner needs to stand by all versions of one another. The couple married in April 2011 after meeting on the set of the 2008 Lifetime movie, Northern Lights. After navigating past controversies surrounding their affair, Rimes reveals that they are "really so happy and we do laugh a lot, which is a good thing." Rimes is set to star in the upcoming procedural drama, 9-1-1: Nashville, which premieres on ABC on October 9, while her last studio album was 2022’s God’s Work. (People)

Tyler Nance, Billboard’s Country Rookie of the Month for September, has rapidly risen from a welder and cattle farmer in rural Missouri to a breakout country music artist with his viral hit, “Keeps Me Sane.” The track, which Nance co-wrote with Brent McCollough and Donnie Napier, was released in July 2024, and it has since amassed 17.9 million U.S. streams and propelled him to No. 32 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart. Written during a moment of personal reflection, the song’s relatable themes of anxiety and healing resonated widely, earning the 21-year-old rising country star millions of streams and a spot on Spotify’s Viral 50-Global list. Since debuting with “Bad News” last fall – which now has over 4 million streams on Spotify – the Wasserman-booked Nance has released two EPs and is working on a full-length project, while also preparing to open for Justin Moore on tour this month, following successful supporting stints for Bayker Blankenship and Kidd G. (Billboard)

Ty Herndon has just announced his upcoming memoir, What Mattered Most, which is set to be released on March 31, 2026, via Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. The book candidly chronicles the country singer’s 30-year journey through struggles with addiction, mental health, and coming out as the first openly gay male country superstar. Named after Herndon’s biggest hit – which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 1995 – the book was co-written with David Ritz, and offers an intimate, vulnerable account of the musician’s highs, heartbreaks, and resilience, while aiming to inspire readers to embrace their own stories with hope and authenticity. Reflecting on his past, Herndon describes the memoir as "my heart on the page" and a testament to survival, transformation, and the power of choosing love amid adversity. "For 30 years, I’ve told pieces of my story through my music and my words — but this book has given me the chance to tell the whole truth,” says Herndon. (People)

The 2025 IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards is set to take place on September 18 at Chattanooga’s Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium. The event will feature performances by cohosts Steve Martin and Alison Brown, alongside Entertainer of the Year nominees The Del McCoury Band, East Nash Grass, and Appalachian Road Show. Alison Krauss & Union Station and Billy Strings are also nominated for the coveted Entertainer of the Year award, with Brown, Martin, and Tim’ O’Brien up for Song of the Year, Collaborative Recording of the Year, and Music Video of the Year for “5 Days Out, 2 Days Back.” The show will also include a series of tributes, with Della Mae paying homage to Hazel Dickens, and Dom Flemons honoring Arnold Shultz. “Everyone is excited to be hosting the IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards in Chattanooga," said Jill Snider, executive producer of the awards show. “There will be some surprises for our attendees, and collaborations that fans will not be able to see on any other stage.” (Billboard)

Trisha Yearwood will release her new holiday album, Christmastime, on November 7 via Virgin Music Group and Gwendolyn Records. The 12-song project features a mix of seasonal favorites like “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” “My Favorite Things,” and a soulful rendition of Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas,” along with an original tune, “Merry Christmas, Valentine,” co-written with her husband, Garth Brooks. This is Yearwood’s first solo holiday album since 1994’s The Sweetest Gift, and follows her chart-topping 2016 seasonal collaboration with Brooks, Christmas Together. Yearwood will also embark on the Christmastime With Trisha Yearwood: 12 Days of Christmas Tour, starting December 2 in Nashville and including stops in Atlanta, Detroit, and Pittsburgh, which will feature the country superstar performing holiday classics alongside local symphonies. “Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of year, and these songs mean so much to me,” Yearwood said in a statement. “To be able to perform them with a full symphony brings the magic to another level.” Tickets go on sale September 12. (Billboard)

Renowned steel guitar player and producer Robby Turner, known affectionately as the “Man of Steel,” passed away on September 4 at the age of 63. Turner, who performed with legendary artists such as Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, The Highwaymen, and Chris Stapleton, was integral to country music’s evolution. Turner contributed to landmark projects like the platinum-certified Wanted! The Outlaws, and toured with The Highwaymen, the country music supergroup featuring Jennings, Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Johnny Cash. “That was the greatest band that you could ever ask to play with,” Turner said of performing with The Highwaymen, calling the experience “one of the highlights of my life.”

Serving as the primary steel guitarist for Jennings until his death in 2002, Turner also played on albums by Tanya Tucker, Randy Travis, John Prine, Marty Stuart, Loretta Lynn, Travis Tritt, The Oak Ridge Boys, and more recently, successful projects from Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson, and Colter Wall. Turner was featured on Stapleton’s CMA Album of the Year winners Traveller and From A Room: Volume 1, Simpson’s High Top Mountain, and Wall’s self-titled album. Honored in the Country Music Hall of Fame’s Nashville Cats series in 2019, Turner was celebrated for his exceptional talent and collaborative spirit. Waylon’s son Shooter Jennings paid a heartfelt tribute to his legacy by writing: “So sad to hear about Robby Turner. A once in a lifetime talent and the funniest guy I ever met. What a player. Was lucky to have toured and recorded with him many times. Rest in Peace, Robby.” (Billboard)

On Monday (September 8), Bailey Zimmerman announced the dates and details of his 2026 Different Night Same Rodeo Tour, which will mark the rising country star’s first time headlining arenas. The 30-date North American jaunt is in support of Zimmerman’s new album, Different Night Same Rodeo, which was released on August 8 and features high-profile collaborations with Luke Combs, The Kid LAROI, and Diplo. “MY FIRST TIME PLAYING ARENAS,” Zimmerman wrote of his new dates, while referring to his wildly successful New to Country Tour by adding, “This year’s tour has been nothing short of unbelievable y’all…LIKE THE CRAZIEST SHOWS OF MY LIFE…and I thought why would we stop now? LET’S KEEP IT GOINGGG.” The tour kicks off on February 19 in Estero, Florida, and concludes on June 20 in Ottawa, while hitting major music markets like Boston, Atlanta, Nashville, and Toronto along the way. Hudson Westbrook and Blake Whiten will open all dates on the tour, with tickets on sale on Friday (September 12) following an artist presale a day earlier. (Billboard)

On Monday (September 8), festival organizers announced that Garth Brooks will headline Milwaukee’s Summerfest 2026, with the country superstar launching the festival with an opening night concert on June 17 at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. This will mark Brooks’ first Milwaukee performance in over a decade. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Garth Brooks to Summerfest and cannot imagine a better way to kick off the festival in 2026,” said Sarah Pancheri, president and CEO, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “We’ve seen countless iconic performances over nearly six decades, and this promises to be one of the most memorable yet!” In addition to the concert, attendees can enjoy the Official Summerfest Garth Brooks Pre-Party inside the festival grounds, which will feature live entertainment, food, and specialty drinks. Summerfest 2026 runs over the course of three weekends from June 18 to July 4, with tickets for the show going on-sale on Friday (September 12). (Billboard)

The 2025 BMI Troubadour Award dinner took place in Nashville on Monday night (September 8), honoring John Fogerty’s influential career with high-energy performances of Creedence Clearwater Revival classics by Lainey Wilson, Jesse Welles, Z.Z. Top’s Billy Gibbons, and the War and Treaty. “I hope I’m worthy of all this attention,” Fogerty humbly said during the event. “I’m pretty overwhelmed.” Welles opened the festivities with a gentle version of “Have You Ever Seen the Rain,” while the War and Treaty delivered stirring covers of “I Put a Spell on You” and “Born on the Bayou.” Wilson, fresh off receiving six CMA Awards nominations, captivated the crowd with a soulful rendition of “Proud Mary.” Fogerty also took the stage himself for a lively set with his sons, performing CCR hits featured in his just released new album, Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years. The intimate, invitation-only event serves as the unofficial kickoff of AmericanaFest week in Nashville, which takes place throughout the city from September 9-13. (Rolling Stone)

Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson lead the 2025 CMA Awards nominations with six nods each, marking the first time three female solo artists top the list of nominees. Following them are Zach Top with five nominations, and Riley Green and Cody Johnson with four each. Morgan Wallen aims to defend his Entertainer of the Year title against past winners Wilson and Luke Combs, as well as Chris Stapleton (who is winless in the category despite nine nominations) and first-time nominee Johnson. Top’s album, Cold Beer & Country Music, is the first debut album nominated for Album of the Year since Stapleton’s Traveler in 2015.

The other Album of the Year nominees include Moroney’s Am I Okay?, Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion, Wallen’s I’m the Problem, and Wilson’s Whirlwind. The songs “You Look Like You Love Me” (Langley and Green) and “Am I Okay?” (Moroney) are the only works nominated across Single, Song, and Music Video of the Year categories. Miranda Lambert ties Reba McEntire for most Female Vocalist of the Year nominations with 18 nods, while Brooks & Dunn, Little Big Town, and Lady A add to their impressive total nominations for Duo and Group of the Year. New Artist of the Year nominees include Langley, Shaboozey, Top, Tucker Wetmore, and Stephen Wilson Jr., who is among the oldest nominees in the history of the category at the age of 46. The awards will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on November 19. (Billboard)

During an appearance on the September 4 episode of the House Guest podcast, HARDY’s wife, Caleigh Ryan Hardy, shared the hilarious highlight of her 2022 bachelorette party in New Orleans. One night, all of Caleigh’s bridesmaids dressed up as her country star fiancé, with some outfits so perfectly executed that strangers and even one of Hardy’s hometown friends mistook them for him. "We did one of the nights where everybody dressed up like Michael," she recalled, referring to her now husband’s full name, Michael Hardy. "And some of these outfits were so convincing. Seriously, people were taking pictures with my friends.” The playful theme, dubbed "Hardy Gras 2022" – and captured in this humorous TikTok video – featured the bridesmaids sporting drawn-on facial hair, Nine Inch Nails T-shirts, and gold chains while dancing, shotgunning beers, and singing along to HARDY’s music. The couple married in Nashville on October 29, 2022, and welcomed their first child, daughter Rosie, on March 7, 2025. (People)

On Sunday (September 7), country singer Drake White and his wife Alex announced the heartbreaking loss of their daughter, Della Elizabeth, who was born prematurely at 29 weeks on August 31 and passed away peacefully shortly after birth. Sharing their grief on Instagram, the couple expressed gratitude for the precious moments they had with her and leaned on their faith for strength. "We are heartbroken and soul tired, but we know we will get through this difficult time with the strength, peace, and joy that only our Heavenly Father can provide,” they wrote, while adding, “May Della be held in the arms of Jesus until we see her again someday." The couple, who are parents to their 2-year-old son William Hawk, confirmed that Della had been born at 8:52 a.m. local time on Aug. 31, before she "peacefully" died at 9:12 a.m. She weighed 3 lbs, 3.5 oz, and measured 13.5 inches when she was born. (People)

During a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Riley Green revealed that the very first song he ever wrote was called “Escalade,” and it was inspired by learning guitar from his grandfather. “It was about getting an Escalade,” Green said with a laugh, before disclosing, “It had a rap part in it.” Though far from country, this early attempt sparked Green’s passion for songwriting, which deepened after his first trip to Nashville, where the future country star said he experienced an inspirational writers’ round at Tootsie’s, which caused him to embrace storytelling rooted in his upbringing and family values. In addition to the interview, Green also performed a stirring rendition of “Make It Rain,” from the new deluxe edition of his 2024 album, Don’t Mind If I Do. He also promoted his sold-out U.K. leg of his Damn Country Music Tour, which kicks off on Wednesday (September 10) in London. (Holler)

HUNTR/X scores a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Golden,” which is featured on the soundtrack to the hit Netflix animated film, KPop Demon Hunters. The compilation also continues its history-making run as the first soundtrack to generate four simultaneous Hot 100 Top 10s over the chart’s 67-year history, placing the same songs in the top of the tally for a third week, with Saja Boys’ “Your Idol” and “Soda Pop” each dropping a spot to sit at No. 5 and No. 6, respectively, while HUNTR/X’s “How It’s Done” maintains its No. 9 peak.

Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter places two songs in the Top Five this week, as “Tears” debuts at No. 3 and former chart-topper “Manchild” jumps up three spots to No. 4, propelled by the release of her new album, Man’s Best Friend, which premiered at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming Carpenter’s second chart-topping album of her career. Elsewhere in this week’s Hot 100 Top 10, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” remains at No. 2, Morgan Wallen’s “What I Want,” featuring Tate McRae, falls four spots to No. 7, Ravyn Lenae’s “Love Me Not” drops two slots to No. 8, and Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” slides down two places to No. 10. (Billboard)

An amended lawsuit filed by Priscilla Presley’s former business advisers is accusing her of prematurely ending her daughter Lisa Marie Presley’s life support for financial gain, revealing new details from Priscilla’s upcoming memoir, Softly, As I Leave You. The memoir excerpts describe Priscilla’s emotional final moments with Lisa Marie, who died at 54 from complications linked to prior bariatric surgery, and her decision to remove life support after doctors reported minimal brain activity. The advisers previously claimed Priscilla violated Lisa Marie’s advance health care directive to maintain control over her daughter’s $25 million life insurance trust. Priscilla’s lawyers have dismissed the allegations as baseless and accused the advisers of elder abuse and fraud, while the advisers maintain Priscilla cut them off for financial reasons after benefiting from their services. The conflict unfolds alongside ongoing legal battles over control of the Presley estate and respective business interests. (Rolling Stone)

Shaboozey and Stephen Wilson Jr. have collaborated on the reflective new country ballad, “Took a Walk,” which was released on Friday (September 5). The track was written for Lionsgate’s upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s 1979 novel, The Long Walk, which is directed by Francis Lawrence and will be released on September 12. Shaboozey and Wilson Jr.  co-wrote the song with Stephen Musselman, Connor Sullivan, Sean Cook, and Nevin Sastry, with the track produced by Sullivan, Musselman, Cook, and Sastry. “I’m so thrilled that Francis thought of us to close out his film,” Shaboozey shared in a statement. “The movie feels timeless and soulful, so I thought Stephen’s guitar would be the perfect complement to leave fans with a song that feels timeless.” The movie follows 100 young men in a deadly walking contest set in dystopian America, and stars Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill. (Rolling Stone)

Luke Combs has secured his 24th Top 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Back in the Saddle” rose one spot to reach No. 10 this week. “Back in the Saddle” is the lead offering from Comb’s upcoming project, with the country superstar co-writing the track with Dan Isbell and Jonathan Singleton, while Combs and Singleton co-produced it with Chip Matthews. The track follows Combs’ string of recent hits, including “Backup Plan” with Bailey Zimmerman which reached No. 2 on Country Airplay last week, and past chart-toppers like “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma,” which led the tally for two weeks last fall and became his 18th No. 1 of his career. Combs’ 24 Top 10s since his Country Airplay chart debut in 1997 is the most during that span, with Morgan Wallen second with 21, followed by Thomas Rhett with 17. Meanwhile, Shaboozey’s “Good News” remains at No. 1 for a second week, following 32.4 million audience impressions, up 4% from its totals the previous week. (Billboard)