Shelton to headline celebration of music service
HEADLINING: Blake Shelton will headline the 20th anniversary celebration for Musicians On Call, a nonprofit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in hospitals across the country. The celebration will take place at Nashville’s CMA Theater on May 31. Cale Dodds will open the show before Blake takes the stage. In addition, Musicians On Call will recognize three individuals for their service: Shane Tarleton (Lifetime Achievement Award), Charlie Cook (Leadership in Music Award) and Lauren Alaina (Music Heals Award). The celebration will begin with an exclusive VIP reception at the CMA Theater, followed by performances from Cale and a fullband set from Blake. A limited number of tickets will be available to the public starting on Friday at 11 a.m.
STADIUM TOUR STOP: Garth Brooks is bringing his Stadium Tour to Autzen Stadium at the University of Oregon in Eugene on June 29. The upcoming stop marks Garth’s first performance in Eugene. Garth’s Stadium Tour, which features in-the-round staging, has already visited St. Louis and Glendale, with upcoming stops in Minneapolis (May 3 and 4), Pittsburgh (May 18) and Denver (June 8). Tickets for the show in Eugene will go on sale on Friday at 1 p.m. for $94.95.
JOINING TOUR: Maddie & Tae’s Maddie Marlow and Tae Dye have been a part of some big tours over the last few years, including Dierks Bentley’s Sounds of Summer Tour in 2015 and Brad Paisley’s Life Amplified World Tour in 2016 — but the duo’s upcoming tour takes the cake. On May 1, the duo will join Carrie Underwood’s Cry Pretty Tour 360 for more than 50 dates across the U.S. and Canada, including arenas in Las Vegas, Toronto, Denver, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, Boston, Atlanta and more.
NEW BOOK: Tim McGraw teamed with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham to pen a new book, “Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest and the Music That Made a Nation,” which will be released on June 11. According to the book description, “Jon and Tim take readers on a moving and insightful journey through eras in American history and the songs and performers that inspired us. Jon chronicles our history, exploring the stories behind the songs, and Tim reflects on them as an artist and performer.” In conjunction with the book’s release, Tim and Jon will be hitting the road for a seven-date book tour, which kicks off on June 10 in New York and makes additional stops in Washington, D.C., Atlanta and more.
Julie Reeves is the midday host on Big Buck Country 101.5. Also contributing is Bill Cornwell.