Wake Up With The Wulff Show, Skip And Lisa a husband and wife team, brings their passion of country music together. They love up beat country music and their playlist shows their style. They have been apart of the 979 The Cowboy team since 2016, and will be with us for a long time, with their show being number one!
CONTACT: Skip Wulff
GRANGER SMITH SHARES HIS ROCK BOTTOM, SAYS GRIEF LED TO DRUG USE, SUICIDAL THOUGHTS
Date: Aug 08, 2023 Posted By: Skip Wulff
Four years have passed since Granger Smith and his wife Amber lost their four-year-old son, River, in a drowning accident in the family swimming pool.
The couple, who had two other children then, openly shared their grief on social media. Earlier this year, Smith revealed plans to step away from the country music business and focus on seminary – a decision he made after his devastation and dangerous coping mechanisms nearly led him to a suicide attempt.
He details his and his familys journey to healing in his new book Like a River thats out now.
Smith was using marijuana in various forms to help him sleep through the night. He developed a dependence, and he went downhill from there.
I would wake up in the middle of the night many times and … go, I lost my son, and then I couldnt go back to sleep, Smith told ET. It was every night, so I would take weed in some form so that hopefully I would sleep all night and it worked.
Marijuana made him feel so good he decided to use it in the morning, too, in case something happened at breakfast. Then he thought he might as use it at lunch, too.
And then I thought, If I dont have it, Im in trouble, and the slideshows gonna overtake me, he continued. And the slideshow was just random images of River, of losing him and whether hes face down in the pool or Im holding him, or were going to the hospital or the doctor saying, Were gonna lose him.
The singer recalled things got so bad that one night on his tour bus in Idaho, he was drunk with a gun in his hand. He called it as rock bottom as it got.
I just wanted to end it all when the weed wasnt working anymore, and the alcohol couldnt numb it, and self-help certainly couldnt help anymore cause it takes a level of strength to self-help, he said. And when you dont have any strength, what do you do? Maybe the only answer is to end it all because maybe thats where the peace is. Maybe thats when you can finally rest in that.
He saw the faces of his children Lincoln and London in his head and started praying.
I said, Jesus, save me, and suddenly I felt life sort of stop for the first time, Smith said. The slideshow stopped. I slid the gun out of my hand, and it hit the bank, and I fell down on the floor, and I was crying, and I was horrified at my shame and my guilt and the weakness I was and the lack of strength that I had and the weak man I that I was. It all hit me at once, and that was the beginning.
Smith threw himself into his faith earlier this year and revealed plans to leave country music for seminary. His last concert is on Aug. 26. He explained that giving music up is a huge sacrifice because he loves it and has long been passionate about it.
I just feel like now I have a more important message to give, and theres not enough time to do music, he told ET. This season of my life will be actually being with my family and going to our little local church and learning under our pastor and going to seminary and getting out and speaking occasionally and talking about this book and telling people about my darkest night and how I was saved from that, so thats where I am right now.
Smith and his wife Amber welcomed their son, Maverick, in August of 2021, two years after Rivers death. The singer said Maverick is the closest human being there ever was to River.
He looks like him, he talks like him, he likes the same things, he said. He has blond hair instead of red. He is so similar, and he looks at his picture, and he stares at his picture, and he says, River, the singer shared. Ill never understand that kind of chemistry and how that works, but Maverick will continue to carry on that legacy.
If you or someone you know has thoughts of suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text STRENGTH to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
JORDAN DAVIS AND WIFE KRISTEN WELCOME THIRD CHILD
Date: Jun 20, 2023 Posted By: Skip Wulff
Jordan Davis is a dad again.
Davis and his wife Kristen welcomed a baby boy, he revealed Thursday on Instagram.
God is good! My son Elijah Patrick is in the world…His momma did incredible in getting him here and we hope to get him home to his brother and sister soon, he wrote alongside a picture of the baby.
Elijah was born this week in Nashville, Tennessee, Davis’ rep confirmed to PEOPLE. The baby weighed in at 10 lbs., 1 oz., and was 22 inches long.
His brother, Locklan Joseph is 21 months and sister Eloise Larkin is 3˝.
Fellow country singer Jake Owen commented: “Congrats mom and daddy!!!”
The new mom recently shared a maternity photo on social media that she was nervous as the family waited on its smallest brother.
Over 38 weeks of carrying our sweet little mystery babe, and I’m starting to get those end of pregnancy jitters! 🖤” she said. “Who will you be, when will you arrive, what will juggling a newborn and 2 toddlers look like?
The same day she said they were painting the nursery and she planned to pack her hospital bag.
“Living life on the edge and patiently waiting 🖤, she added.
The couple announced the pregnancy in February when the singer announced his wife was “knocked up.”
Baby number three is coming, he said.
Then he asked his wife, Kristen: Is that the way were saying it, babe? You got knocked up?
Kristen had other ideas.
I think we can think of a better way to say that, she said, laughing.
Were pregnant, he added. Again. Next thing you know.
Davis played off the name of his song Next Thing You Know when he made the announcement, singing, Next thing you know, youve got a baby coming in June. Then he playfully rubbed his wifes baby bump.
Along with raising children, Davis is also raising No. 1 songs. Hes nabbed five chart-toppers to date, including his Luke Bryan collaboration Buy Dirt, which is from his 17-song album Bluebird Days.
Buy Dirt (opened) this new lane of being able to connect with fans, Davis told American Songwriter. I hope people can listen to my music and get something out of it the way that I did when I listened to a Kristofferson song or a Prine song. I hope that people can see that there is happiness in (this album) and even in some of the sadder songs. Those sad songs helped get me to where Im at now.
ALABAMA ANNOUNCES JUNE JAM PERFORMERS, JAKE OWEN, JAMEY JOHNSON, EXILE AND MORE
Date: Apr 18, 2023 Posted By: Skip Wulff
Country Music Hall of Famers Alabama recently revealed plans to revive their famous June Jam music festival on June 3 at the VFW Fairgrounds in Fort Payne, AL.
Now remaining members Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry have shared which friends will join them to help make the weekend even more memorable. The list includes Jamey Johnson, Jake Owen, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Frontmen (Richie McDonald, formerly of Lonestar; Tim Rushlow, formerly of Little Texas; Larry Stewart of Restless Heart), Exile, Mark Wills, Neal McCoy, Dailey & Vincent, Home Free, The Malpass Brothers, Dee Jay Silver and a special appearance by Randy Travis.
In addition to the performances, the event will also include a public Celebration of Life for the late Jeff Cook (Saturday, June 3 at noon at the VFW Fairgrounds), Teddy Gentrys Singing with the Stars Talent Contest (Thurs. June 1 at 6 PM at the Fort Payne City Hall Auditorium), the Fans Songwriter Showcase Spectacular (Friday, June 2 at 7 PM at the Fort Payne City Hall Auditorium) and a brunch at Cook Castle for the Jeff & Lisa Cook Foundation (Friday, June 2 at 11 AM). Each event is ticketed separately.
Im real thankful that the stars have lined up, and we can do it, Owen told People. Its sad that Jeff wont be part of it, but hell be part of it because his footprints are all over everything that we do.
More performers will be announced at a later date. The 2023 June Jam is the first since 1997 and is the 17th in the bands history. As in past years, the June Jam will benefit those in need and disaster relief around the state of Alabama.
Speaking for myself, I wanted to leave something for the city to continue on after were gone, Owen told People of why he wanted to bring June Jam back to life. Jeff passed away, and the one thing we can give is our name to the June Jam that they can continue to hold. As long as there are people there in the city after we pass on, they still have a great function, a great festival. It can be a real positive for the city, the state, and the Southeast or the nation.
Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.
Alabama founded June Jam in 1982, and more than 30,000 people attended. By 1991, attendance had swelled to 67,000, making it one of the most significant events in country music. Over the years, the June Jam Foundation has raised more than $15 million for charities. Artists including Garth Brooks, Charlie Daniels, Alan Jackson, The Judds, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Wayne Newton, Dolly Parton, Trisha Yearwood, Charley Pride, Willie Nelson, and more joined Alabama at the event.
LUKE COMBS REVEALS 18-SONG TRACKLIST FOR GETTIN OLD, INCLUDING 5 LEAF CLOVER
Date: Feb 07, 2023 Posted By: Skip Wulff
Luke Combs may not have won a Grammy Award Sunday night, but he’s celebrating the next chapter of his career anyway. Tuesday morning, he revealed the complete 18-song tracklist for his new album “Gettin’ Old,” which will be available March 24.
“This album is about the stage of life I’m in right now,” Combs said in a statement. “One that I’m sure a lot of us are in, have been through, or will go through. It’s about coming of age, loving where life is now but at the same time missing how it used to be, continuing to fall for the one you love and loving them no matter what, living in the moment but still wondering how much time you have left, family, friends, being thankful, and leaving a legacy. Me and so many others have poured their hearts and souls into this record, and I hope you love it as much as we do.”
Combs co-wrote 15 of the 18 songs, which include fan-favorite “5 Leaf Clover,” a cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” and “My Song Will Never Die,” which was written by Eric Church, Travis Meadows and Jonathan Singleton. Singleton and Chip Matthews produced the project.
“Gettin’ Old” is Combs’ fourth full-length studio album and is the follow-up to “Growin’ Up,” which he released last year. The first song on the album is “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old.” The North Carolina singer’s other albums include “What You See is What You Get” (2019) and his debut “This One’s For You.”
Combs will launch his world tour the day after the album’s release in Arlington, Texas. The trek includes 16 sold-out North American stadium shows, which are a part of 39 shows across three continents and 16 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, U.K., Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, France and Belgium.
While the album and tour are ambitious, this scale of success wasn’t something Combs dreamed or planned.
“I didn’t believe this would happen,” Combs said backstage at the Grammy Awards. “I believed my job would be music in some capacity. My job would be working with a band or singing background vocals on people’s records, or being a demo singer, or being a songwriter, or working at a publishing company. I just wanted to work in music. I just wanted to have a job that never felt like a job. That was the goal. It wasn’t to be famous or to be Garth Brooks or anything.”
TAYLOR SHERIDAN’S “YELLOWSTONE” RETURNS FOR SEASON 5 WITH DRAMA-FILLED TRAILER
Date: Sep 30, 2022 Posted By: Skip Wulff
The fifth season of Paramount Network’s hit drama series “Yellowstone” is just around the corner. The Taylor Sheridan universe released a sneak peek (Sept. 29) of the upcoming episodes in a new finger-biting trailer.
Following a record-breaking season and action-packed finale, fans receive a glimpse of the alarming politics that will take place weekly in the binge-worthy show. The short snippet opens with John Dutton, played by Oscar-winner Kevin Costner being sworn in as Governor of Montana. With authority and power, he promotes his daughter Beth Dutton [Kelly Reilly] as Chief of Staff to expand his family empire and save the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch.
“I John Dutton, do solemnly swear to uphold the constitution of the state of Montana,” said the cattle rancher with his hand placed on the Holy Bible. “Against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” he added.
Although Dutton scored a seat at an influential table, the former governor [Wendy Moniz] warned him to keep a close eye on his disloyal committee.
“You have no friend in this building, John,” she said. “You’re gonna have to bring your own,” she added.
In true Dutton fashion, he set the record straight by firing the committee of enemies. The impulsive decision led to chaos and “war.”
“I love Montana, but I’m doing this for our family,” Dutton uttered before signing off on a declaration that signifies war.
The trailer did not confirm whether the Dutton clan clashes with the Indian reservation or their vicious business rivalries that developed throughout the previous seasons. Complex conversations, murder, heated arguments, pure moments, and more are displayed in the captivating clip.
The award-winning Western Drama first premiered in the summer of 2018. The intriguing narrative chronicles the Dutton family, led by John Dutton. The cowboy owns the largest cattle ranch in the United States. The shifting alliances, mysterious murders, and continuous conflicts lured in TV enthusiasts. The Season 4 premiere was cable’s highest-rated show, raking in 14 million viewers.
The critically acclaimed cast includes – Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Brecken Merrill, Forrie Smith, Denim Richards, Ian Bohen, Finn Little, Ryan Bingham, and Gil Birmingham with Mo Brings Plenty, Wendy Moniz, Jen Landon, and Kathryn Kelly will return for season five. Meanwhile, fans will recognize several familiar faces like Josh Lucas as young John Dutton, Jacki Weaver, Kylie Rogers, and Kyle Red Silverstein.
Rob Kirklan, Kai Caster, Lilli Kay, Dawn Olivieri, and country music artist Lainey Wilson will join the star-studded roster for the forthcoming season. The “Things A Man Oughta Know” singer is set to appear in the popular Western production as a musician named “Abby.”
Season 5 of “Yellowstone” is slated to premiere on Sunday, November 13, with two all-new episodes at 8/7c on Paramount Network. Eager TV junkies now have the opportunity to subscribe to the official “Yellowstone Newsletter,” which will feature exclusive snapshots, episodes, never-before-seen clips, in-depth recaps, and giveaways. To join, visit @Yellowstone on Twitter.
