Jimmie Allen celebrated his newest No. 1 hits – “Make Me Want To” and “Freedom Was A Highway” –on Tuesday at SESAC with family, friends, and the songs’ writers Matthew J Rogers, Ash Bowers, Paul Sikes and Jennifer Denmark.

“I’m thankful for the amount of success that I’ve been able to receive so far,” Allen said before the music industry event. “It’s definitely a testament to a lot of people I have working with me, whether it’s my record label, my radio team, management, PR, booking agency, even my band because they’re the ones that get on stage with me every night and help me deliver the show that makes people wanna come back and see it or make people wanna go listen to music. The same thing with my crew because they’re the ones that make me and my band like what we’re doing. It feels great. Hopefully, it’s motivation for people not to be afraid to chase things, even when it’s different.”

Allen said he was motivated to write the vulnerable “Make Me Want To” to show what happens when men fall first in a romantic relationship.

“I just wanted to write a song about a guy that caught feelings first,” he said. “It seemed like a fun thing to do because a lot of songs are about the female catches feelings, but the guy makes the move. I was like, ’No, let’s write a song about a sensitive dude that catches feelings after the first kiss, and he’s ready to risk it all.”

However, after he was finished recording it and it was released to country radio, Allen tried to stop thinking about the track. He said he tries not to pay attention to radio chart position because it’s not always indicative of a song’s success and diving into those numbers stresses him out.

“No matter where the song is on a chart, it’s not a real rep representation of what the song is doing for people because I know a lot of songs that were No. 1 but not hit songs,” he explained. “I know a lot of hit songs that never reach number one. For me, I just kind of grade the song based off when I play shows, how many people sing it back? How many messages do I get?”

For both “Make Me Want To” and “Freedom Was A Highway,” Allen said the fan reaction was immediate.

“There was a time when ’Freedom Was a Highway,’ when it was on the radio, it was in one position, but the sales on the song outsold six songs in front of it,” he said. “Even though it was back here on the radio, it showed that people were still hearing it through the radio, and they were going to purchase it because they liked it. That’s really how I judge stuff for me. It’s all about the people. It’s all about the listening because as an entertainer and as a musician, it’s my job to service them through my music.”

Allen’s fans can catch the singer this fall when he hits the road with Carrie Underwood for her THE DENIM & RHINESTONES TOUR.
Allen’s new album “Tulip Drive” will be available on June 24.

Kenny Chesney, country music’s favorite harbinger of summer, kicked off his stadium tour this weekend in Tampa, Florida, with a little help from Dan + Shay, Old Dominion, Carly Pearce and 58,369 fans.

“After four years, we were together again — and we were going to squeeze every last drop and bit of passion out of every single song,” Chesney said in a statement.

Chesney’s Here & Now 2022 tour stretches through Aug. 27 and includes 40 stadium concerts.

The Luttrell, Tennessee, native kicked off the night with a seven-minute version of his hit “Beer in Mexico” and followed it up with “Reality,” “Til It’s Gone” and “Here and Now.”

“It’s a tsunami of love and energy sweeping right over us…,” Chesney told the crowd.

His band, complete with new drummer Nick Buda and guitarist Danny Rader, backed him up on his cleaner stage with new, cutting-edge video, as he ripped through “Out Last Night,” “Knowing You,” “Somewhere with You” and “How Forever Feels.”

The audience helped him sing “Summertime,” “Pirate Flag” and “I Go Back,” but truly tookover “American Kids.”

“I knew it was going to be good,” Chesney said in a statement. “But this was other level stuff – the way they filled the stadium with light from the moment ‘Anything But Mine’ started, the way they pushed back ‘Noise’ like they were singing for their lives, the relief and reassurance,” Chesney marveled after the show, “I could hear it in their choruses of ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.’ If music holds people together, it also brings them together – and lets them release so much of what’s locked inside.”

Chesney’s set was two hours and 15 minutes of hit songs and memories made.

Other stops on his stadium tour are:

APR 28, 2022
AUSTIN, TX
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS LIVE

APR 30, 2022
CHARLOTTE, NC
BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM

MAY 5, 2022
NOBLESVILLE, IN
RUOFF HOME MORTGAGE CENTER

MAY 7, 2022
ST. LOUIS, MO
BUSCH STADIUM

MAY 14, 2022
MILWAUKEE, WI
AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD

MAY 19, 2022
ORANGE BEACH, AL
THE WHARF

MAY 21, 2022
ATLANTA, GA
MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM

MAY 25, 2022
CHARLESTON, SC
CREDIT ONE STADIUM

MAY 26, 2022
HUNTSVILLE, AL
ORION AMPHITHEATER

MAY 28, 2022
NASHVILLE, TN
NISSAN STADIUM

JUN 2, 2022
THE WOODLANDS, TX
CYNTHIA WOODS MITCHELL PAVILION

JUN 4, 2022
DALLAS, TX
AT&T STADIUM

JUN 8, 2022
CANANDAIGUA, NY
CMAC

JUN 9, 2022
CUYAHOGA FALLS, OH
BLOSSOM MUSIC CENTER

JUN 11, 2022
PITTSBURGH, PA
HEINZ FIELD

JUN 15, 2022
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA
VETERANS UNITED HOME LOANS AMPHITHEATER

JUN 16, 2022
BRISTOW, VA
JIFFY LUBE LIVE

JUN 18, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA
LINCOLN FINANCIAL FIELD

JUN 23, 2022
CINCINNATI, OH
RIVERBEND MUSIC CENTER

JUN 25, 2022
CHICAGO, IL
SOLDIER FIELD

JUN 29, 2022
BRANDON, MS
BRANDON AMPHITHEATER

JUN 30, 2022
ROGERS, AR
WALMART AMP

JUL 2, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO
GEHA FIELD AT ARROWHEAD

JUL 9, 2022
BOZEMAN, MT
BOBCAT STADIUM

JUL 12, 2022
STATELINE, NV
LAKE TAHOE OUTDOOR ARENA AT HARVEYS

JUL 13, 2022
STATELINE, NV
LAKE TAHOE OUTDOOR ARENA AT HARVEYS

JUL 16, 2022
SEATTLE, WA
LUMEN FIELD

JUL 19, 2022
BEND, OR
HAYDEN HOMES AMPHITHEATER

JUL 20, 2022
BEND, OR
HAYDEN HOMES AMPHITHEATER

JUL 23, 2022
INGLEWOOD, CA
SOFI STADIUM

JUL 27, 2022
BOISE, ID
FORD IDAHO CENTER AMPHITHEATER

JUL 28, 2022
SALT LAKE CITY, UT
USANA AMPHITHEATER

JUL 30, 2022
DENVER, CO
EMPOWER FIELD AT MILE HIGH

AUG 6, 2022
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
US BANK STADIUM

AUG 10, 2022
COLUMBIA, MD
MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION

AUG 11, 2022
SYRACUSE, NY
ST. JOSEPH’S AMPHITHEATER AT LAKEVIEW

AUG 13, 2022
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ
METLIFE STADIUM

AUG 18, 2022
COLUMBUS, OH
HISTORIC CREW STADIUM

AUG 20, 2022
DETROIT, MI
FORD FIELD

AUG 26, 2022
FOXBORO, MA
GILLETTE STADIUM

AUG 27, 2022
FOXBORO, MA
GILLETTE STADIUM

Blake Shelton knows what it’s like to lose a loved one in a car accident. His brother Richie was killed in a car crash in 1990. So when six teenage girls died in a tiny Chevrolet on Tuesday near Shelton’s farm in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, his heart went out to their families.

“In the wake of yesterday’s unthinkable crash in our small town of Tishomingo, we as a community have all been in shock and broken-hearted,” Shelton said in a statement obtained by People. “I personally know the devastation of suddenly losing a loved one in a car accident. But our community is strong and has come together to support and wrap our arms around the families and friends that are hurting the most.”

The girls, who were between the ages of 15 and 17 years old, wedged themselves in a car only designed for four people and left their high school to eat lunch off-campus. The car collided with a tractor-trailer.

“There’s no question it will take a long time to heal from this tragedy. Keep the prayers coming,” Shelton’s statement said.

The Oklahoman reports that there was a 16-year-old driver, three 15-year-olds, and two 17-year-olds, in the 2015 Chevrolet Spark. Only the driver and a front-seat passenger were wearing seat belts, according to an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper’s report.

“It’s rough,” Sheriff Gary Dodd told the newspaper. “In 22 years, I’ve seen a lot of stuff — critical incidents, shootings. We do see a lot of death, unfortunately, but to see children that have suffered that type of trauma, it’s raw. It hurts, no matter who you are. To lose six in one scene is an absolute travesty.”

Following allegations of “inappropriate marital conduct” and “adultery” by wife Hannah Lee Fowler in February, the country music star Sam Hunt stepped back into the limelight and brought NFL friend Rob Gronkowski along for moral support.

On Sunday, March 13, the multi-platinum artist headlined the Strawberry Festival in Plant City, Fla.

While wrapping up his set with “Body Like a Back Road” from the fan-favorite 2020 record “SOUTHSIDE,” the country crooner called out Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski “Gronk” to the stage.

With a rowdy crowd cheering at the top of their lungs, the legendary athlete joined the hitmaker on stage to sing the chart-topping track. Hunt offered Gronk the microphone in a short video captured by a content creator, but he kindly declineed to show off his dance moves.

As Hunt thanked fans for coming out and partying, the professional athlete interacted with excited ticket-holders.

“LET’S GO BUCKS!!!❤️☠️ #Brady #Gronk #Tampa #Bucs #LFG,” the fan captioned the viral concert footage on social media. The video that showcases Hunt’s bromance with the legendary NFL player garnered over 17K views.

The friendship does not come as a surprise, as Hunt attempted to pursue a career in football before honing in on his artistry. Hunt grew up in Cedartown, Georgia, and was his high school’s quarterback. After a successful run, he went on to play at the collegiate level at Middle Tennessee State University in 2003. Hunt later transferred to Alabama Birmingham in 2005 to receive more playtime.

Shortly after his last college game, he tried out for the Kansas City Chiefs. In 2008, the Grammy-nominated artist was not selected for the NFL draft – which encouraged him to build his country music career.

In early February, Sam Hunt kick-started his 15-city trek in Scottsdale, AZ, and is set to wrap up his party-like tour in August.