Billy Dukes

Jake Owen celebrates his birthday today (Aug. 30), and as the singer looks back on many years of life and steps toward 31, he will find reason to argue it was his best ever. Two No. 1 hits, a marriage, a baby on the way and a spot on the biggest summer tour of the year with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw? It doesn’t get better. The ‘Barefoot Blue Jean Night’ singer has set a high bar, releasing some

Last week, Randy Travis was cited with a Class C assault after a physical confrontation with his girlfriend’s estranged husband in the parking lot of a Texas church. The husband, Dr. Ritchie Beougher, claims the country superstar did much worse than inflict an “unwanted touch” upon him.

Darius Rucker takes a simple story of two lovers who defy odds and skeptics and places it gently on a cloud in the stratosphere — a place few others can reach. ‘True Believers’ begins as a mild and unremarkable pop-country song before clever production and Rucker’s unforgettable voice find one soaring in the euphoria.

Keith Urban has accepted an offer from Fox producer’s to judge ‘American Idol‘ next season, less than one day after being named the frontrunner for an open seat on the panel. The Country Vibe reports that Urban has agreed to take the job, making him the second country superstar on a major network reality show.

Have you ever been inside a radio studio? Taste of Country Nights host Jeremy Robinson shows fans around his home away from home. We meet engineer Chris and producer Todd. OK, we only hear Todd, but that’s close enough. See where all the fun happens in the video below.

Randy Travis is in trouble with police once again following a fight in a Texas church parking lot, which broke out early Friday morning. The country legend was cited for simple assault and taken to the hospital after getting involved in a disagreement between a husband and wife.

EPs are often like movie sequels in that they often feel like a ploy to make a few dollars instead of a chance for an artist to expand upon a theme. Much like ‘Empire Strikes Back,’ and more recently, ‘Toy Story 2′, Dierks Bentley‘s ‘Country and Cold Cans’ proves to be an exception.

Little Big Town is celebrating their first No. 1 song. ‘Pontoon’ hit the mark, but the band doesn’t sound very excited about it. Jeremy shows everyone how the celebratory press conference should be handled.

Fans have been as supportive of Thomas Rhett‘s second single as they were his debut effort, ‘Something to Do With My Hands.’ ‘Beer With Jesus’ sets a different tone than the fun Top 20 hit, but it strikes a deep chord with fans of country music. With two Showdown wins behind him, the singer will take on another newcomer in Greg Bates and ‘Did It for the Girl.’

At his best, Dustin Lynch falls in line with the George Strait tradition of good, solid country music sung with enviable ease. The newcomer doesn’t have a dynamic voice, but he’s certainly not a hum-drum bore. Highlights from his self-titled debut album are melodic and in control.

A game called Sing the Rest is becoming a favorite of Taste of Country Nights‘ listeners. However it might not be if host Jeremy Robinson keeps adding his own version of hit songs at the end.

To celebrate National Senior Citizens Day, which is August 21, we thought we’d look ahead to how country music’s top stars will look when they get closer to becoming AARP members. Many — like Blake Shelton and Jana Kramer — promise to age gracefully. Others… well, not so much. Sorry about that, Taylor Swift!