Darius Rucker Finds Love Again With Emily Deahl Former Hootie & the Blowfish frontman and country star Darius Rucker is opening a new chapter in his personal life — and he’s sharing it with fans. On Instagram, Rucker revealed that he’s now seeing Emily Deahl, a South Carolina native who wears many hats as a singer, songwriter, and content creator. In his post, he affectionately referred to her as “my love” — a heartfelt phrase that left followers buzzing with excitement. A Fresh Start in London The news comes not long after Rucker revealed he had moved to London, a…
Author: Kelly Whitewood
Ella Langley & Riley Green’s Retro Duet: “You Look Like You Love Me” A New Classic in the Making In June 2024, while on the road for Riley Green’s Ain’t My Last Rodeo Tour, rising country powerhouse Ella Langley teased a brand-new duet, “You Look Like You Love Me.” Any new music from Langley gets fans buzzing, but this one carried extra weight: a traditional-leaning collaboration with Green that immediately drew comparisons to Johnny & June and George & Tammy. Released on June 21, 2024, the track quickly became a fan favorite and was confirmed as part of Langley’s sophomore…
We’d been planning his eighteenth since the day he passed his driving test—quietly, like a surprise party you build one receipt at a time. Alex isn’t my son by blood, but I’ve been in the bleachers and at the kitchen table and in the school pickup line long enough to know love doesn’t care about biology. He’s mine in all the ways that count. So my husband, Bill, and I decided to give him a car. Not a showroom rocket, but something safe and sharp that wouldn’t die on the shoulder of the freeway. Something that said: you’re ready. Bill’s…
Cyd Charisse could do everything—sing, act, and dance like music made flesh—and those impossibly long legs became legend. But the woman who looked born for the spotlight began as a skinny, sickly Texas kid named Tula Ellice Finklea. After a bout of polio, her parents put her in ballet “to build me up,” she’d say later. It did more than that: it gave her a life. Her brother’s mispronounced “Sis” became “Sid,” and when Hollywood finally came calling, producer Arthur Freed burnished it into the name the world remembers—Cyd. She grew up in Amarillo, where dust and wind were more…
In fifth grade, Amy was the kid everyone picked on. Too-short sleeves, taped-up shoes, nothing in her lunchbox. The first time I saw her pretend to chew during lunch, I packed an extra cheese sandwich the next day and slid it across the table. She said she wasn’t hungry; I said I wasn’t either. We both lied. After that, I started bringing more—half a PB&J, an apple, whatever I could smuggle past my mom. Kids snickered. I sat with Amy anyway. She was quiet until she wasn’t—funny, sharp, an artist with a pencil. She drew us on the playground swings…
🎶 59th Annual CMA Awards: Full List of Nominees The Country Music Association has unveiled the nominees for the 59th Annual CMA Awards, broadcasting live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025 (8–11 PM EST on ABC, next day on Hulu). This year, the spotlight is on three powerhouse women — Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson — who lead with six nominations each. Rising star Zach Top follows closely with five, while Riley Green and Cody Johnson snag four apiece. CMA CEO Sarah Trahern praised the lineup: “The nominees announced today represent some of the most…
Willie Nelson’s Emotional Farewell: Singing “Always On My Mind” for Graham Greene The farewell ceremony for Dances with Wolves star Graham Greene, who passed away at 73, was already steeped in reverence—a chapel glowing with candlelight, stained glass casting soft colors across bowed heads, friends and family carrying grief too heavy for words. But then came a moment that will live forever in memory. Willie Nelson, frail with age yet still radiating quiet strength, was gently wheeled to the front. Across his lap rested Trigger, the scarred guitar that had walked every road with him. Adjusting the strap with trembling…
George Strait Lights Up ACM Last Rodeo with “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” When George Strait stepped onto the stage at Brooks & Dunn’s ACM Last Rodeo in 2010, fans knew they were in for something special. The King of Country didn’t reach for one of his own chart-toppers. Instead, he tipped his hat to Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn by performing one of their most iconic hits: “Boot Scootin’ Boogie.” A Farewell to Remember The ACM Last Rodeo was billed as Brooks & Dunn’s farewell celebration (at the time), closing out nearly two decades of hit-making as a duo. The night…
A Goodbye That Sounded Like a Thank You: The CMA’s Jimmy Buffett Tribute At the 57th Annual CMA Awards, country music paused its celebrations to honor a man who never fit neatly into Nashville’s mold, yet whose songs carried the same heart: Jimmy Buffett. His blend of humor, escapism, and quiet wisdom had always transcended genre, and two months after his passing at 76, four artists who knew him as more than a legend gathered to sing his story back to him. The tribute opened with “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” one of Buffett’s most reflective ballads. Kenny Chesney and…
The Hidden Risks of Kissing a Loved One After Death Grief often stirs powerful emotions, and in the intensity of loss, some may feel the urge to give their loved one a final kiss as a goodbye. While deeply human, this gesture carries health risks that are rarely considered in the moment. Understanding these risks can help families choose safer ways to honor the departed while protecting their own well-being. The Risk of Bacterial Infections After death, the body’s immune system ceases to function. Natural bacteria that once lived harmlessly in the body multiply rapidly, and direct contact — such…