It’s a big day for Riley Green, who is not only celebrating his 36th birthday, but the release of his third studio album, Don’t Mind If I Do.

“It feels fitting that this album is out on my birthday because this project feels very true to who I am, where I come from and what I’ve learned along the way,” Green shared of the project, available now. “I learned to play guitar to my granddaddy’s favorite Country songs from back in the day and this new album is a throwback to the era when I first became a fan.”

Don’t Mind If I Do delivers more of the Alabama-native’s signature sound fans have fallen in love with including featured songs like “Damn Good Day to Leave,” which is just one of two current singles Green has climbing the charts at Country radio.

“A break-up song that was fun I thought was a good idea,” Green told Audacy’s Rob + Holly of the track during an interview earlier this year at Faster Horses Festival. “I loved the Brad Paisley, ‘I’m Gonna Miss Her’ — I love that thought of, ‘it doesn’t sting as much when she leaves if the fish are bitin’ and I’m listening and you’ve got a cooler of beer,’ you know?”

“Obviously ‘You Look Like You Love Me,’ the song I have with Ella Langley is doing really well,” he said before sharing he didn’t initially plan on having another duet with her so soon, but it was meant to be. “She was on tour with me and I wanted a female voice on [this song]. I asked her to come by and sing on it, just to get somebody there, then I was going to figure out who I was going to get and she just crushed it,” he shared. “So, we may have another song together.”

Hear additional details about the album, Green’s athletic abilities, past Halloween costumes and more by checking out his entire interview with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.

Hear more about the new music, the tour and his bar checking out the Friday Night Takeover With Rob + Holly and Riley Green this Friday at 7PM! 

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

It’s a big day for Riley Green, who is not only celebrating his 36th birthday, but the release of his third studio album, Don’t Mind If I Do.
“It feels fitting that this album is out on my birthday because this project feels very true to who I am, where I come from and what I’ve learned along the way,” Green shared of the project, available now. “I learned to play guitar to my granddaddy’s favorite Country songs from back in the day and this new album is a throwback to the era when I first became a fan.”
Don’t Mind If I Do delivers more of the Alabama-native’s signature sound fans have fallen in love with including featured songs like “Damn Good Day to Leave,” which is just one of two current singles Green has climbing the charts at Country radio.
“A break-up song that was fun I thought was a good idea,” Green told Audacy’s Rob + Holly of the track during an interview earlier this year at Faster Horses Festival. “I loved the Brad Paisley, ‘I’m Gonna Miss Her’ — I love that thought of, ‘it doesn’t sting as much when she leaves if the fish are bitin’ and I’m listening and you’ve got a cooler of beer,’ you know?”
“Obviously ‘You Look Like You Love Me,’ the song I have with Ella Langley is doing really well,” he said before sharing he didn’t initially plan on having another duet with her so soon, but it was meant to be. “She was on tour with me and I wanted a female voice on [this song]. I asked her to come by and sing on it, just to get somebody there, then I was going to figure out who I was going to get and she just crushed it,” he shared. “So, we may have another song together.”
Hear additional details about the album, Green’s athletic abilities, past Halloween costumes and more by checking out his entire interview with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.
Hear more about the new music, the tour and his bar checking out the Friday Night Takeover With Rob + Holly and Riley Green this Friday at 7PM! 
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Riley Green | Friday Night Takeover

The Country music door is wide open these days with several cross-genre artists stepping through to immerse themselves in the family-like fanbase. In turn, established Country artists have had their own fun with cross-genre collabs and trying on new sounds, but if you ask JonPardi — there is a limit.

“You’re missin’ out if you’re not going to take advantage of all this influence coming in from everyone,” he said of welcoming new influences.” You’ve got HARDY screamin’ and playing out crazy amphitheaters, then you got Post Malone here — he actually cut a really great, pretty Country, Country record — so it’s just like everybody is kind of having fun and I feel like you’ve gotta experiment a little bit.”

He continued, “It’s fun, but you don’t wanna go too crazy… I’m not gonna do nothin crazy.”

Pardi shared traditional Country will always be at the root of his music as he recalled listening to the greats in the ‘80s alongside his grandmother. He loved it so much, in preschool his teacher shared he came to class each week claiming his name was a different Country artist.

“I was told I came to preschool with a different Country singer’s name every other week or so,” he shared. “One week I was Randy Travis one week I was Merle Haggard. I was George Strait one time.”

While childhood was all about Country for Pardi, he ventured out to some Pop/Punk music in his high school years, which he still enjoys today. While the Alternative sound isn’t something he plans to incorporate into his music, the lyrics and overall feel is something that he says helped him with songwriting.

“In high school I was really into Rock and Punk Rock… If we’re going to throw it out — I’d really love to meet Blink-182,” he shared. “I’ve pretty much X’d out [met] all the Country heroes, so I’m moving on.” He continued, “It was fun music, it was happy and it pumps you up. I took a lot of that kind of style of writing and energy to bring it to Country music.”

Some of that songwriting will be featured on Pardi’s forthcoming album, which is expected to be announced in the coming months. Fans got their first taste of what’s to come with the brand new single, “Friday Night Heartbreaker,” available now.

“We went a little more Rock ’N Roll, it’s still got fiddle and steel [guitar],” he said of the record. “There’s just a little more of Soul and Rock in this next record. Even in 'Friday Night Heartbreaker,' you kind of hear it.”

Find out more about the album, Pardi’s greatest influences and additional info by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

The Country music door is wide open these days with several cross-genre artists stepping through to immerse themselves in the family-like fanbase. In turn, established Country artists have had their own fun with cross-genre collabs and trying on new sounds, but if you ask Jon Pardi — there is a limit.
“You’re missin’ out if you’re not going to take advantage of all this influence coming in from everyone,” he said of welcoming new influences.” You’ve got HARDY screamin’ and playing out crazy amphitheaters, then you got Post Malone here — he actually cut a really great, pretty Country, Country record — so it’s just like everybody is kind of having fun and I feel like you’ve gotta experiment a little bit.”
He continued, “It’s fun, but you don’t wanna go too crazy… I’m not gonna do nothin crazy.”
Pardi shared traditional Country will always be at the root of his music as he recalled listening to the greats in the ‘80s alongside his grandmother. He loved it so much, in preschool his teacher shared he came to class each week claiming his name was a different Country artist.
“I was told I came to preschool with a different Country singer’s name every other week or so,” he shared. “One week I was Randy Travis one week I was Merle Haggard. I was George Strait one time.”
While childhood was all about Country for Pardi, he ventured out to some Pop/Punk music in his high school years, which he still enjoys today. While the Alternative sound isn’t something he plans to incorporate into his music, the lyrics and overall feel is something that he says helped him with songwriting.
“In high school I was really into Rock and Punk Rock… If we’re going to throw it out — I’d really love to meet Blink-182,” he shared. “I’ve pretty much X’d out [met] all the Country heroes, so I’m moving on.” He continued, “It was fun music, it was happy and it pumps you up. I took a lot of that kind of style of writing and energy to bring it to Country music.”
Some of that songwriting will be featured on Pardi’s forthcoming album, which is expected to be announced in the coming months. Fans got their first taste of what’s to come with the brand new single, “Friday Night Heartbreaker,” available now.
“We went a little more Rock ’N Roll, it’s still got fiddle and steel [guitar],” he said of the record. “There’s just a little more of Soul and Rock in this next record. Even in 'Friday Night Heartbreaker,' you kind of hear it.”
Find out more about the album, Pardi’s greatest influences and additional info by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Jon Pardi | Friday Night Takeover

RascalFlatts is back and couldn’t be more excited to hit the road in 2025 with the recently announced Life Is A Highway Tour to reconnect with the fans, their music, and each other after a five year break as a band.

After being forced to cancel their originally scheduled farewell tour in 2020 due to the global pandemic Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney are making good on their promise for tour dates with one noticeable change — this tour is not labeled “farewell.”

“I feel like in a lot of ways, we have a greater appreciation for what we had,” said bassist, Jay DeMarcus. “I think we needed to go through some personal growth individually — go through some seasons in our lives and try some other things. I think it’s allowed all of us to get away, get fresh perspective and come back with a renewed energy and appreciation for what we have.”

Added frontman, Gary LeVox, “In 2020, who would’ve thought that something called COVID would start the whole entire world shutting down? That really put life in perspective and how fragile it is. Not just what we’ve been able to accomplish together… it just put everything in perspective.”

The 21-city trek will celebrate 25 years of music for the trio who racked up 17 Number One hits, over 23.4 million albums sold, 35 million digital downloads and countless awards. Joined by special guests Lauren Alaina and Chris Lane, the tour will include stops in Green Bay, Toledo, Huntsville, Fort Worth, Orlando and more.

“We’re anxious to put the show together and give the people something that they’re gonna be really pumped about,” said DeMarcus.

“It’s just been awesome to read the comments and see the love - the outpouring of love and enthusiasm,” said Rooney of announcing the tour this week. “They put us here, so we’re gonna go back out and celebrate with them. We love our fans — the Flattheads!”

Tickets for Rascal Flatts' 2025 Life Is A Highway Tour go on sale October 4 at 10am local time and can be found here. See a full list of tour dates below.

LIFE IS A HIGHWAY TOUR Official Dates:
2/13 Evansville, IN- Ford Center
2/14 Charleston, WV- Charleston Coliseum
2/15 Grand Rapids, MI- Van Andel Arena
2/22 Durant, OK- Choctaw Grand Theater
2/27 Sioux Falls, SD- Denny Sanford Premier Center
2/28 Green Bay, WI- Resch Center
3/1 Moline, IL- Vibrant Arena
3/6 Columbus, OH- Nationwide Arena
3/7 Toledo, OH- Huntington Center
3/8 Youngstown, OH- Covelli Centre
3/13 Manchester, NH- SNHU Arena
3/14 Uncasville, CT- Mohegan Sun Arena
3/15 Allentown, PA- PPL Center
3/20 Huntsville, AL- Von Braun Center Propst Arena*
3/22 Savannah, GA- Enmarket Arena
3/27 Ft. Worth, TX- Dickies Arena
3/28 Lafayette, LA- CAJUNDOME
3/29 Little Rock, AR- Simmons Bank Arena
4/3 Estero, FL- Hertz Arena
4/4 Orlando, FL- Kia Center
4/5 Jacksonville, FL- Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena
* Tickets will be on sale starting Oct. 11 at 10 am local time

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Rascal Flatts is back and couldn’t be more excited to hit the road in 2025 with the recently announced Life Is A Highway Tour to reconnect with the fans, their music, and each other after a five year break as a band.
After being forced to cancel their originally scheduled farewell tour in 2020 due to the global pandemic Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney are making good on their promise for tour dates with one noticeable change — this tour is not labeled “farewell.”
“I feel like in a lot of ways, we have a greater appreciation for what we had,” said bassist, Jay DeMarcus. “I think we needed to go through some personal growth individually — go through some seasons in our lives and try some other things. I think it’s allowed all of us to get away, get fresh perspective and come back with a renewed energy and appreciation for what we have.”
Added frontman, Gary LeVox, “In 2020, who would’ve thought that something called COVID would start the whole entire world shutting down? That really put life in perspective and how fragile it is. Not just what we’ve been able to accomplish together… it just put everything in perspective.”
The 21-city trek will celebrate 25 years of music for the trio who racked up 17 Number One hits, over 23.4 million albums sold, 35 million digital downloads and countless awards. Joined by special guests Lauren Alaina and Chris Lane, the tour will include stops in Green Bay, Toledo, Huntsville, Fort Worth, Orlando and more.
“We’re anxious to put the show together and give the people something that they’re gonna be really pumped about,” said DeMarcus.
“It’s just been awesome to read the comments and see the love - the outpouring of love and enthusiasm,” said Rooney of announcing the tour this week. “They put us here, so we’re gonna go back out and celebrate with them. We love our fans — the Flattheads!”
Tickets for Rascal Flatts' 2025 Life Is A Highway Tour go on sale October 4 at 10am local time and can be found <a href="https://www.livenation.com/artist/K8vZ9171nF7/rascal-flatts-events">here</a>. See a full list of tour dates below.
LIFE IS A HIGHWAY TOUR Official Dates: 2/13 Evansville, IN- Ford Center 2/14 Charleston, WV- Charleston Coliseum 2/15 Grand Rapids, MI- Van Andel Arena 2/22 Durant, OK- Choctaw Grand Theater 2/27 Sioux Falls, SD- Denny Sanford Premier Center 2/28 Green Bay, WI- Resch Center 3/1 Moline, IL- Vibrant Arena 3/6 Columbus, OH- Nationwide Arena 3/7 Toledo, OH- Huntington Center 3/8 Youngstown, OH- Covelli Centre 3/13 Manchester, NH- SNHU Arena 3/14 Uncasville, CT- Mohegan Sun Arena 3/15 Allentown, PA- PPL Center 3/20 Huntsville, AL- Von Braun Center Propst Arena* 3/22 Savannah, GA- Enmarket Arena 3/27 Ft. Worth, TX- Dickies Arena 3/28 Lafayette, LA- CAJUNDOME 3/29 Little Rock, AR- Simmons Bank Arena 4/3 Estero, FL- Hertz Arena 4/4 Orlando, FL- Kia Center 4/5 Jacksonville, FL- Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena * Tickets will be on sale starting Oct. 11 at 10 am local time
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Rascal Flatts with Rob + Holly

RussellDickerson has found Country music success, but memories of the path he took to get there are never far away — especially when he plays one specific guitar.

During his recent appearance on Audacy’s Fridays Night Takeover with Rob + Holly, Dickerson reflected on his early days as a musician and buying equipment via Craigslist to try and save money. While he’s been able to upgrade much of that equipment following all his success — there’s still one guitar that he holds near and dear.

“I bought guitars, amps, pedals… especially back in the day when I was tryna… get this thing goin’,” he reflected. “I bought like a $400 Epiphone, which is like a lower version of a Gibson and it was his [the sellers] baby that he was lettin’ go and he was like, ‘Man, I hope to see you. I hope you get to be somebody one day and you play this thing on stage all over.’”

Russell continued, “Every time I play this guitar, I think about that guy and I’m like, ‘I wonder if he has still followed me or whatever and sees his guitar up on stage at all these crazy shows.’”

Surely, the Craigslist seller would be thrilled to see his “baby” living its best life and getting attention on stages worldwide — including Dickerson’s current stops in the UK as part of Sam Hunt’s Locked Up Tour. Dickersonis excited to bring the new music of his latest release, Bones The EP across the pond where he says the fans are next level.

“This is our eighth time going over to the UK,” Russell shared before detailing some of the things he looks forward to most when playing shows there. “They’re very engaged,” he shared. “If they’re a Russell Dickerson fan, they know every album, every song on that album front-to-back — they’re very dedicated in that way… at the same time — probably later in the evening after a few more pints have been flown’ — they’ll literally take over the show with a soccer stadium chant… they were louder than the PA, they were louder than the band and we just let ‘em go. They’re very respectful, but they’re also very, they’ll go soccer stadium on you!”

Hear more about Russell’s time as support on Sam Hunt’s tour, as well as stories surrounding the writing of “Bones,” fixing up his dream car, first kiss with his wife and more by checking out his entire interview on the Friday Night Takeover with Rob + Holly above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Russell Dickerson has found Country music success, but memories of the path he took to get there are never far away — especially when he plays one specific guitar.
During his recent appearance on Audacy’s Fridays Night Takeover with Rob + Holly, Dickerson reflected on his early days as a musician and buying equipment via Craigslist to try and save money. While he’s been able to upgrade much of that equipment following all his success — there’s still one guitar that he holds near and dear.
“I bought guitars, amps, pedals… especially back in the day when I was tryna… get this thing goin’,” he reflected. “I bought like a $400 Epiphone, which is like a lower version of a Gibson and it was his [the sellers] baby that he was lettin’ go and he was like, ‘Man, I hope to see you. I hope you get to be somebody one day and you play this thing on stage all over.’”
Russell continued, “Every time I play this guitar, I think about that guy and I’m like, ‘I wonder if he has still followed me or whatever and sees his guitar up on stage at all these crazy shows.’”
Surely, the Craigslist seller would be thrilled to see his “baby” living its best life and getting attention on stages worldwide — including Dickerson’s current stops in the UK as part of Sam Hunt’s Locked Up Tour. Dickerson is excited to bring the new music of his latest release, Bones The EP across the pond where he says the fans are next level.
“This is our eighth time going over to the UK,” Russell shared before detailing some of the things he looks forward to most when playing shows there. “They’re very engaged,” he shared. “If they’re a Russell Dickerson fan, they know every album, every song on that album front-to-back — they’re very dedicated in that way… at the same time — probably later in the evening after a few more pints have been flown’ — they’ll literally take over the show with a soccer stadium chant… they were louder than the PA, they were louder than the band and we just let ‘em go. They’re very respectful, but they’re also very, they’ll go soccer stadium on you!”
Hear more about Russell’s time as support on Sam Hunt’s tour, as well as stories surrounding the writing of “Bones,” fixing up his dream car, first kiss with his wife and more by checking out his entire interview on the Friday Night Takeover with Rob + Holly above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Russell Dickerson | Friday Night Takeover

ThomasRhett and his wife, Lauren, are #couplegoals for so many who see the fun-loving couple tackle life together with their four daughters and lots of laughs on social media. While the childhood friends have a dreamy love story now, TR says it’s all thanks to being best friends for so many years.

“We did everything together,” Thomas said after sharing he and Lauren initially met in first grade but didn’t have a “real conversation” until around 5th grade. “We were in the same classes, we walked the same hallways, we went to Sonic together after school — we did all the things.”

Despite all the time they spent together — including going on double dates while seeing other people — Rhett says he was “definitely just a friend” to Lauren, although as time went on, he hoped for more.

“Even though I loved her, the feeling was not mutual in return in high school,” he stated boldly. While we all know how the story ends with true love displayed in many of Rhett’s biggest hits including, “Die A Happy Man,” “Look What God Gave Her” and “Unforgettable,” there’s one song on his new album that tells the story of exactly how he escaped the friend zone.

“The song, ‘What Could Go Right,’ that is the story, verbatim, of the night I literally was just like, ‘Hey, we either kiss and date, or I gotta like, not see you for five years,’” Thomas shared. The song, which Rhett says is his favorite on the album, is one the 34-year-old says he’s tried to write for some time now, but didn’t see success with the concept until recently.

“I’ve tried to write that song in many different ways and it wasn’t until last year when I got together with a few guys - I was word vomiting the story and how this happened - and my buddy JohnByron was like… ‘Check out this verse and chorus,’ and I was like [claps his hands]  ‘Bravo!’”

The song sits at number 11 on the track list of his brand new album, About a Woman, which also features 13 other songs about the past, present, and future of he and Lauren’s love story.

“A lot of these songs are definitely geared towards love… they are geared towards love in all different phases,” he explained. “A high school flame and then there’s like a young love flame and there’s growing old together. [I’m] just a big proponent of love and wanted to write about all the different variations that I’ve experienced and hopefully will experience as my life goes [on].”

With a relationship so many are invested in, Rhett made clear he and Lauren’s marriage isn’t always a picture-perfect Country love song, and shared the effort they both put forth to keep their love alive.

“Today, it’s making sure that obviously the love and the flame is alive, but also just remembering how to have fun with each other,” he said. “At the end of the day, if you and your wife are not healthy, then the whole system kind of fails. We really make sure date night is a big priority, we work out together now, we just recently started playing pickleball together. I think anything that we can do together that unites us, just ends up making us better parents.”

Hear more about Thomas and Lauren’s love story as well as the new album, About a Woman, by checking out Thomas Rhett’s full conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Thomas Rhett and his wife, Lauren, are #couplegoals for so many who see the fun-loving couple tackle life together with their four daughters and lots of laughs on social media. While the childhood friends have a dreamy love story now, TR says it’s all thanks to being best friends for so many years.
“We did everything together,” Thomas said after sharing he and Lauren initially met in first grade but didn’t have a “real conversation” until around 5th grade. “We were in the same classes, we walked the same hallways, we went to Sonic together after school — we did all the things.”
Despite all the time they spent together — including going on double dates while seeing other people — Rhett says he was “definitely just a friend” to Lauren, although as time went on, he hoped for more.
“Even though I loved her, the feeling was not mutual in return in high school,” he stated boldly. While we all know how the story ends with true love displayed in many of Rhett’s biggest hits including, “Die A Happy Man,” “Look What God Gave Her” and “Unforgettable,” there’s one song on his new album that tells the story of exactly how he escaped the friend zone.
“The song, ‘What Could Go Right,’ that is the story, verbatim, of the night I literally was just like, ‘Hey, we either kiss and date, or I gotta like, not see you for five years,’” Thomas shared. The song, which Rhett says is his favorite on the album, is one the 34-year-old says he’s tried to write for some time now, but didn’t see success with the concept until recently.
“I’ve tried to write that song in many different ways and it wasn’t until last year when I got together with a few guys - I was word vomiting the story and how this happened - and my buddy John Byron was like… ‘Check out this verse and chorus,’ and I was like [claps his hands]  ‘Bravo!’”
The song sits at number 11 on the track list of his brand new album, About a Woman, which also features 13 other songs about the past, present, and future of he and Lauren’s love story.
“A lot of these songs are definitely geared towards love… they are geared towards love in all different phases,” he explained. “A high school flame and then there’s like a young love flame and there’s growing old together. [I’m] just a big proponent of love and wanted to write about all the different variations that I’ve experienced and hopefully will experience as my life goes [on].”
With a relationship so many are invested in, Rhett made clear he and Lauren’s marriage isn’t always a picture-perfect Country love song, and shared the effort they both put forth to keep their love alive.
“Today, it’s making sure that obviously the love and the flame is alive, but also just remembering how to have fun with each other,” he said. “At the end of the day, if you and your wife are not healthy, then the whole system kind of fails. We really make sure date night is a big priority, we work out together now, we just recently started playing pickleball together. I think anything that we can do together that unites us, just ends up making us better parents.”
Hear more about Thomas and Lauren’s love story as well as the new album, About a Woman, by checking out Thomas Rhett’s full conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Thomas Rhett | Friday Night Takeover

Looking back on our talk with Lainey Wilson at Faster Horses 2024, as we celebrate the GRAMMY winner's new album, 'Whirlwind.'

Looking back on our talk with Lainey Wilson at Faster Horses 2024, as we celebrate the GRAMMY winner's new album, 'Whirlwind.'

Lainey Wilson at Faster Horses 2024

HARDY went hard for his first official Rock album, QUIT!!, which released last month, and now, the Philadelphia, MS native is taking time to reflect on how it all panned out.

With features including Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, and Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, the record definitely fits the Rock category, but also invites HARDY’s established Country fan base in as the lyrics lean towards the redneck side.

“I will never, ever be able to escape the Country lyrics because it’s really the only thing I know how to do and whatever kind of music is behind that,” the 33-year-old told Audacy’s Rob + Holly during the Friday Night Takeover. Moving forward, the singer-songwriter says he’ll be making more of an effort not to label his music with a genre when possible and just focus on continuing to stay true to his unique style.

“For the sake of charts and stuff you have to put a genre behind it, but I’m going to try and do a better job or just sayin’, ‘It’s just me, it’s just my music,'” he shared. Whatever genre you want to call it, QUIT!! includes 13 tracks that each stand-out in their own way, with one in particular that has captured the emotions, attention, and love of fans everywhere titled, “Six Feet Under (Caleigh’s Song).”

The reflective, deeply personal tune closes out the album as track 13 and is dedicated to HARDY’s wife, Caleigh, who is well-known by his fans for her support, love, and good time personality.

“I’m not usually a method writer where I feel like everything I go through I have to write, but I just needed to get that emotion out,” HARDY shared of the song that details the highest and lowest moments of his life. “Basically… the month of October in 2023 started off as the worst month of my life and ended as the best,” he shared of the inspiration behind the song. “It started off with the bus accident, which was the first, second maybe third of October… and the 29th was the day I got married. That was such a difficult emotional roller coaster because all the stuff goin’ on.”

He continued, “The best moment of my life — and I can still say that to this day — was Caleigh and I did private vows and hearing her give those vows and I’m sitting there listening to them, and I’m like, ‘I thought I was going to f**king die three weeks ago, I thought I was dead,” he shared. “I owed her that song, I owed her that emotion because sometimes it’s hard for me to put into words all of that.”

The song shows a new side of the couple’s deeply rooted relationship which brings a smile to so many fans as HARDY and Caleigh are well known to be the life of any party. Their own wedding had beer burros, a tattoo parlor, and a 90s Country cover band.

“When I met my wife, I was afraid of her,” HARDY said of his wife’s love for a good time. “She was an animal, dude. She went to Ole Miss [University of Mississippi], which is very — especially in the South — it’s a huge party school and dude, that girl was like, scary.”

He continued, “The first few times I would go down and hang out with her, I would be like, ‘Don’t kill me tonight,’ she was a pretty animal and she could go forever... she’s got that killer instinct in her and I love that about her.”

Hear more about Caleigh’s song, the QUIT!! album and exactly when HARDY plans on attending a Limp Bizkit show by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly for the Friday Night Takeover above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

HARDY went hard for his first official Rock album, QUIT!!, which released last month, and now, the Philadelphia, MS native is taking time to reflect on how it all panned out.
With features including Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith, and Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, the record definitely fits the Rock category, but also invites HARDY’s established Country fan base in as the lyrics lean towards the redneck side.
“I will never, ever be able to escape the Country lyrics because it’s really the only thing I know how to do and whatever kind of music is behind that,” the 33-year-old told Audacy’s Rob + Holly during the Friday Night Takeover. Moving forward, the singer-songwriter says he’ll be making more of an effort not to label his music with a genre when possible and just focus on continuing to stay true to his unique style.
“For the sake of charts and stuff you have to put a genre behind it, but I’m going to try and do a better job or just sayin’, ‘It’s just me, it’s just my music,'” he shared. Whatever genre you want to call it, QUIT!! includes 13 tracks that each stand-out in their own way, with one in particular that has captured the emotions, attention, and love of fans everywhere titled, “Six Feet Under (Caleigh’s Song).”
The reflective, deeply personal tune closes out the album as track 13 and is dedicated to HARDY’s wife, Caleigh, who is well-known by his fans for her support, love, and good time personality.
“I’m not usually a method writer where I feel like everything I go through I have to write, but I just needed to get that emotion out,” HARDY shared of the song that details the highest and lowest moments of his life. “Basically… the month of October in 2023 started off as the worst month of my life and ended as the best,” he shared of the inspiration behind the song. “It started off with the bus accident, which was the first, second maybe third of October… and the 29th was the day I got married. That was such a difficult emotional roller coaster because all the stuff goin’ on.”
He continued, “The best moment of my life — and I can still say that to this day — was Caleigh and I did private vows and hearing her give those vows and I’m sitting there listening to them, and I’m like, ‘I thought I was going to f**king die three weeks ago, I thought I was dead,” he shared. “I owed her that song, I owed her that emotion because sometimes it’s hard for me to put into words all of that.”
The song shows a new side of the couple’s deeply rooted relationship which brings a smile to so many fans as HARDY and Caleigh are well known to be the life of any party. Their own wedding had beer burros, a tattoo parlor, and a 90s Country cover band.
“When I met my wife, I was afraid of her,” HARDY said of his wife’s love for a good time. “She was an animal, dude. She went to Ole Miss [University of Mississippi], which is very — especially in the South — it’s a huge party school and dude, that girl was like, scary.”
He continued, “The first few times I would go down and hang out with her, I would be like, ‘Don’t kill me tonight,’ she was a pretty animal and she could go forever... she’s got that killer instinct in her and I love that about her.”
Hear more about Caleigh’s song, the QUIT!! album and exactly when HARDY plans on attending a Limp Bizkit show by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly for the Friday Night Takeover above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

HARDY | Friday Night Takeover

Being in the spotlight himself, MichaelRay has a lot of famous friends, but there’s one in particular that really drops jaws when they hang out together.

During his recent appearance on Audacy’s Friday Night Takeover with Rob + Holly, Ray shared his unlikely friendship with legendary Rocker, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Ray shared the two spend quite a bit of time together as they both hang out with mutual friend, singer-songwriter TimMontana. They even all released a song together in 2021 titled, “Higher Education,” featuring the three of them in addition to LeeBrice and Kid Rock. 

“I met Billy through Tim Montana and they’re like, father-son. I’m pretty sure Billy might’ve adopted him,” he laughed. “I always tell everyone, If I have a friend who wants to meet somebody famous and you never have to worry about them getting let down… he’s the guy that you want to introduce them to.”

Ray went on to detail Gibbons’ down-to-earth, personable ways that many find surprising given his iconic status. “Just put it this way,” Michael said. “If you’re flying coach in an airport… and you’re going to Vegas or somewhere else, there’s a high chance that Billy Gibbons might be just sitting right next to you in coach hangin’ out, dressed just like he looks on stage.”

Flying coach on your next flight isn’t the only less-than-glamorous place you might find Gibbons. Ray also shared a story about him sitting shotgun in the school pick-up line. “We were at Tim’s house and he had to pick his kids up from school and so I was gonna just chill at the house and Billy was like, ‘I wanna go pick them kids up with ya.’” Ray recalled. “So here we are at the pick-up line at Tim’s kid’s elementary school. We’re pullin’ up and Billy’s just in the passenger seat like a cool grandpa pickin’ up his grandkids.”

He continued, “He loves Tim’s kids like they’re his grandkids so he’s playing with them and I’m sitting here like… ‘This is the most Nashville moment.’ These kids, it’s just Billy to them…. And I’m sitting there watching like, ‘this is my dad’s favorite band of all time and I’m watching them in pajamas, so silly grandpa jokes with Tim’s kids.’”

Switching gears, Ray shared he’s currently working on new music that he plans on releasing over the next several months. “I’ve been writing a lot,” he said before also sharing that he is never afraid to take outside cuts for his projects.

“I love writing songs, but I also love that process of listening to songs that people wrote for you,” he explained. “We tour all the time, so these writers are writing a couple times a day — sometimes even more than that — and that whole process of it, it inspires me as a writer listening to a lot of these songs.”

He concluded, “I think as an artist, you do yourself a disservice by not listening to outside songs and at least hearing what people are doing.”

Listening to all options is exactly what Ray is doing in preparation for his next project. Currently in the studio recording, Ray says he’s more focused on releasing one or two songs every 30 days for the next several months as opposed to focusing on an album release date.

“It’s not the album days anymore, which is kind of sad to see” Ray said of his singles strategy. “We’ll release music, maybe a song a month through the next 4, 5, 6 months or whatever. It’ll probably be more on a singles-driven thing than [as opposed to] a full album release type of thing.”

Hear more about the new music in the works, his friendship with Billy Gibbons and so much more including his after-hours visit to an old insane asylum by checking out Michael Ray’s full conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Being in the spotlight himself, Michael Ray has a lot of famous friends, but there’s one in particular that really drops jaws when they hang out together.
During his recent appearance on Audacy’s Friday Night Takeover with Rob + Holly, Ray shared his unlikely friendship with legendary Rocker, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Ray shared the two spend quite a bit of time together as they both hang out with mutual friend, singer-songwriter Tim Montana. They even all released a song together in 2021 titled, “Higher Education,” featuring the three of them in addition to Lee Brice and Kid Rock. 
“I met Billy through Tim Montana and they’re like, father-son. I’m pretty sure Billy might’ve adopted him,” he laughed. “I always tell everyone, If I have a friend who wants to meet somebody famous and you never have to worry about them getting let down… he’s the guy that you want to introduce them to.”
Ray went on to detail Gibbons’ down-to-earth, personable ways that many find surprising given his iconic status. “Just put it this way,” Michael said. “If you’re flying coach in an airport… and you’re going to Vegas or somewhere else, there’s a high chance that Billy Gibbons might be just sitting right next to you in coach hangin’ out, dressed just like he looks on stage.”
Flying coach on your next flight isn’t the only less-than-glamorous place you might find Gibbons. Ray also shared a story about him sitting shotgun in the school pick-up line. “We were at Tim’s house and he had to pick his kids up from school and so I was gonna just chill at the house and Billy was like, ‘I wanna go pick them kids up with ya.’” Ray recalled. “So here we are at the pick-up line at Tim’s kid’s elementary school. We’re pullin’ up and Billy’s just in the passenger seat like a cool grandpa pickin’ up his grandkids.”
He continued, “He loves Tim’s kids like they’re his grandkids so he’s playing with them and I’m sitting here like… ‘This is the most Nashville moment.’ These kids, it’s just Billy to them…. And I’m sitting there watching like, ‘this is my dad’s favorite band of all time and I’m watching them in pajamas, so silly grandpa jokes with Tim’s kids.’”
Switching gears, Ray shared he’s currently working on new music that he plans on releasing over the next several months. “I’ve been writing a lot,” he said before also sharing that he is never afraid to take outside cuts for his projects.
“I love writing songs, but I also love that process of listening to songs that people wrote for you,” he explained. “We tour all the time, so these writers are writing a couple times a day — sometimes even more than that — and that whole process of it, it inspires me as a writer listening to a lot of these songs.”
He concluded, “I think as an artist, you do yourself a disservice by not listening to outside songs and at least hearing what people are doing.”
Listening to all options is exactly what Ray is doing in preparation for his next project. Currently in the studio recording, Ray says he’s more focused on releasing one or two songs every 30 days for the next several months as opposed to focusing on an album release date.
“It’s not the album days anymore, which is kind of sad to see” Ray said of his singles strategy. “We’ll release music, maybe a song a month through the next 4, 5, 6 months or whatever. It’ll probably be more on a singles-driven thing than [as opposed to] a full album release type of thing.”
Hear more about the new music in the works, his friendship with Billy Gibbons and so much more including his after-hours visit to an old insane asylum by checking out Michael Ray’s full conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Michael Ray | Friday Night Takeover

It doesn’t get more Country than real-life cowboy, CodyJohnson, so it’s no surprise he’s been in talks with Yellowstone creator, TaylorSheridan, about his acting debut. So when exactly might we see Johnson on the big screen?

After having to turn down a role in the upcoming fifth season of Yellowstone due to scheduling conflicts, Johnson says he and Sheridan have been in talks about having him appear in one of his upcoming cowboy movies instead.

“We’ve tried a couple of times [for Yellowstone] and my schedule is too busy to put aside the time,” Johnson told Audacy’s Rob + Holly during his recent appearance on the Friday Night Takeover. “We’re looking ahead to the future. There’s a few movie things where I’m like, ‘Look, if you guys give me the notice I can make this happen.’”

While Johnson works on making his acting debut a reality, he’s still giving fans plenty to be excited about as his current single, “Dirt Cheap,” continues to climbs the charts.

“It doesn’t matter what you have, if it’s something that’s valuable to you that you have memories of, you can’t buy that cheap because it has so much value to you,” he said, referring to the meaning of the song. “It doesn’t have to be a big piece of land for you to feel that way.”

Fans couldn’t agree more and are making it clear as they continue to  connect with the song more than ever on Johnson’s recently-extended, Leather Tour. Showing up for his fanswith meaningful messages, top-notch performances and unbreakable connection is something that means a great deal to Johnson, who says he doesn’t take his role in the spotlight lightly.

“It’s not lost on me that these kids, these young men will come to the shows… 8 and 9 year old kids and say ‘Mr. Cody, when I grow up I want to be just like you’ and I’m like, ‘Alright, Johnson, you better make sure you’re putting forth a good example… don’t screw this up, because then you’re letting that kid down.’”

“Screwing it up,” would not only let his young admirers down, Cody admits, but himself as well as he feels he’s been blessed with a lot and never wants to take it for granted. “In my younger years I was pretty wild. I’ve been blessed with an opportunity to have a career that I never thought was possible, to have a marriage that I never thought was possible, and to have two little kids that I couldn’t have dreamed of in my wildest dreams. I think you either screw it up or you man up.”

Hear more about Cody’s messages through music, live shows and more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

It doesn’t get more Country than real-life cowboy, Cody Johnson, so it’s no surprise he’s been in talks with Yellowstone creator, Taylor Sheridan, about his acting debut. So when exactly might we see Johnson on the big screen?
After having to turn down a role in the upcoming fifth season of Yellowstone due to scheduling conflicts, Johnson says he and Sheridan have been in talks about having him appear in one of his upcoming cowboy movies instead.
“We’ve tried a couple of times [for Yellowstone] and my schedule is too busy to put aside the time,” Johnson told Audacy’s Rob + Holly during his recent appearance on the Friday Night Takeover. “We’re looking ahead to the future. There’s a few movie things where I’m like, ‘Look, if you guys give me the notice I can make this happen.’”
While Johnson works on making his acting debut a reality, he’s still giving fans plenty to be excited about as his current single, “Dirt Cheap,” continues to climbs the charts.
“It doesn’t matter what you have, if it’s something that’s valuable to you that you have memories of, you can’t buy that cheap because it has so much value to you,” he said, referring to the meaning of the song. “It doesn’t have to be a big piece of land for you to feel that way.”
Fans couldn’t agree more and are making it clear as they continue to  connect with the song more than ever on Johnson’s recently-extended, Leather Tour. Showing up for his fans with meaningful messages, top-notch performances and unbreakable connection is something that means a great deal to Johnson, who says he doesn’t take his role in the spotlight lightly.
“It’s not lost on me that these kids, these young men will come to the shows… 8 and 9 year old kids and say ‘Mr. Cody, when I grow up I want to be just like you’ and I’m like, ‘Alright, Johnson, you better make sure you’re putting forth a good example… don’t screw this up, because then you’re letting that kid down.’”
“Screwing it up,” would not only let his young admirers down, Cody admits, but himself as well as he feels he’s been blessed with a lot and never wants to take it for granted. “In my younger years I was pretty wild. I’ve been blessed with an opportunity to have a career that I never thought was possible, to have a marriage that I never thought was possible, and to have two little kids that I couldn’t have dreamed of in my wildest dreams. I think you either screw it up or you man up.”
Hear more about Cody’s messages through music, live shows and more by checking out his entire conversation with Audacy’s Rob + Holly above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Cody Johnson | Friday Night Takeover

Jason Aldean’s wildly successful career has led him to meet millions of people around the world including his newest pal, HulkHogan.

The pair’s new friendship was on full display at Rock The Country music festival in Ocala, FL where Hogan served as Aldean’s hype man before going on stage and even joined him during the set. “In this business, I’ve learned you never know what’s going to happen the next day,” Aldean told Audacy’s Rob + Holly before sharing, “I had no idea I’d be buddies with Hulk Hogan, but here we are.”

He continued on to share how the two became friends after an interaction a few years ago when Hogan’s daughter was looking to try her luck at Country music. “I kinda talked to him on the phone a few years ago — his daughter was in town doing the Country thing, trying to be an artist or whatever and he had contacted me about seeing if I had any interest in working with her or producing her. At the time, I was busy, I couldn’t do it, I was kind of wrapped with my own stuff; making records and touring and stuff.”

He added, “Fast forward, DJSilver got a house down in Florida close to where Hulk is and they start hittin’ it off, hanging out — next thing I know, Hulk’s coming out to our shows, hanging out and I got to be friends with this guy that I grew up thinking was a superhero. It’s been really cool.”

As Jason embraces a new friendship with Hulk, his childhood hero, he’s mourning the loss of another as he grieves the death of good pal and legendary Country artist, TobyKeith. Jason recently paid tribute to Toby at the ACM Award with a stripped down version of Keith’s hit from 1993, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy.”

“The ACMs asked if I’d come do a tribute for Toby… I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m down.’” Jason explained. ”They told me what they wanted to do — show some pictures of him from throughout his career and his life. We wanted to make sure we did something that was equally as epic as his career was.”

He continued, “Me and a couple of my guitar players just sat around one day in rehearsals and just came up with the slower version… where it just felt a little moodier and set the tone a little bit more for what the performance and what the moment was going to be.”

Knowing it was a risk to switch up a classic, Jason said he felt confident going into the performance after receiving a blessing from Toby’s wife and family after they heard the new rendition. “It’s always tough when you change up a song like that so drastically. Obviously, I’ve sang that song the way he did a million times, but we wanted to do something different for the show,” he shared.

“His wife called me that night and thanked me, kind of gave it her stamp of approval from her and the family, which was the icing on the cake for me. I was glad I got a chance to be a part of it and honor him and I’m glad that his family and everybody approved.”

While approval from Keith’s family meant everything to Jason, he admitted he had to avoid eye contact with them during the show to make sure he could keep his composure.

“It was cool to be able to do it, but it was equally sad t the same time sort of saying goodbye to somebody who was that legendary in our business,” he explained. “His family was sitting’ in front of me and I looked down at his family I think once and I was like, ‘Nope! Can’t do that.’ You can tell they’re still hurtin’ and it’s something they may never get over. It was tough to see, but I’m glad they liked the way we honored him and approved of it. That meant everything.”

Hear more about Aldean’s moving performance, new pal Hulk Hogan and whether or not he’d encourage his kids to pursue a music career by checking out Jason’s full conversation with Rob + Holly on Audacy’s Friday Night Takeover above.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Jason Aldean’s wildly successful career has led him to meet millions of people around the world including his newest pal, Hulk Hogan.
The pair’s new friendship was on full display at Rock The Country music festival in Ocala, FL where Hogan served as Aldean’s hype man before going on stage and even joined him during the set. “In this business, I’ve learned you never know what’s going to happen the next day,” Aldean told Audacy’s Rob + Holly before sharing, “I had no idea I’d be buddies with Hulk Hogan, but here we are.”
He continued on to share how the two became friends after an interaction a few years ago when Hogan’s daughter was looking to try her luck at Country music. “I kinda talked to him on the phone a few years ago — his daughter was in town doing the Country thing, trying to be an artist or whatever and he had contacted me about seeing if I had any interest in working with her or producing her. At the time, I was busy, I couldn’t do it, I was kind of wrapped with my own stuff; making records and touring and stuff.”
He added, “Fast forward, DJ Silver got a house down in Florida close to where Hulk is and they start hittin’ it off, hanging out — next thing I know, Hulk’s coming out to our shows, hanging out and I got to be friends with this guy that I grew up thinking was a superhero. It’s been really cool.”
As Jason embraces a new friendship with Hulk, his childhood hero, he’s mourning the loss of another as he grieves the death of good pal and legendary Country artist, Toby Keith. Jason recently paid tribute to Toby at the ACM Award with a stripped down version of Keith’s hit from 1993, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy.”
“The ACMs asked if I’d come do a tribute for Toby… I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m down.’” Jason explained. ”They told me what they wanted to do — show some pictures of him from throughout his career and his life. We wanted to make sure we did something that was equally as epic as his career was.”
He continued, “Me and a couple of my guitar players just sat around one day in rehearsals and just came up with the slower version… where it just felt a little moodier and set the tone a little bit more for what the performance and what the moment was going to be.”
Knowing it was a risk to switch up a classic, Jason said he felt confident going into the performance after receiving a blessing from Toby’s wife and family after they heard the new rendition. “It’s always tough when you change up a song like that so drastically. Obviously, I’ve sang that song the way he did a million times, but we wanted to do something different for the show,” he shared.
“His wife called me that night and thanked me, kind of gave it her stamp of approval from her and the family, which was the icing on the cake for me. I was glad I got a chance to be a part of it and honor him and I’m glad that his family and everybody approved.”
While approval from Keith’s family meant everything to Jason, he admitted he had to avoid eye contact with them during the show to make sure he could keep his composure.
“It was cool to be able to do it, but it was equally sad t the same time sort of saying goodbye to somebody who was that legendary in our business,” he explained. “His family was sitting’ in front of me and I looked down at his family I think once and I was like, ‘Nope! Can’t do that.’ You can tell they’re still hurtin’ and it’s something they may never get over. It was tough to see, but I’m glad they liked the way we honored him and approved of it. That meant everything.”
Hear more about Aldean’s moving performance, new pal Hulk Hogan and whether or not he’d encourage his kids to pursue a music career by checking out Jason’s full conversation with Rob + Holly on Audacy’s Friday Night Takeover above.
Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Rob + Holly

Jason Aldean | Friday Night Takeover

Rob Stone and Holly Hutton give you the VIP treatment as ACM Award-winning personalities, connecting you with your favorite Country artists every weeknight on Audacy radio stations nationwide. Join the high-energy duo as they keep your nights interesting with one-of-a-kind artist interviews, the latest Country news and real-life anecdotes from their own eventful lives. When not on your airwaves, you can catch Rob Stone on-stage as a singer-songwriter and Holly Hutton on her farm, rescuing horses. What are you waiting for? Listen now!

Rob Stone and Holly Hutton give you the VIP treatment as ACM Award-winning personalities, connecting you with your favorite Country artists every weeknight on Audacy radio stations nationwide. Join the high-energy duo as they keep your nights interesting with one-of-a-kind artist interviews, the latest Country news and real-life anecdotes from their own eventful lives. When not on your airwaves, you can catch Rob Stone on-stage as a singer-songwriter and Holly Hutton on her farm, rescuing horses. What are you waiting for? Listen now!

Rob Stone and Holly Hutton give you the VIP treatment as ACM Award-winning personalities, connecting you with your favorite Country artists every weeknight on Audacy radio stations nationwide.

Rob + Holly

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