Katie & Company

Bailey Zimmerman is ready to show the world what he's been working on, and this week he joined Katie Neal for the 'Superstar Power Hour' to offer fans a peek into his next project. "I really wanna show people that I'm a real artist," Zimmerman explains, visibly stoked about his upcoming project. "I can do anything. I'm doing everything and I wanna show my growth and how hard I've been working to get my voice better, and my production better, and knowing what production is and how to do it. This whole record I helped do almost everything in the studio and I just want people to see my growth as an artist, and I want people to see, like, yo, I'm here to stay. I'm here to like put my name here. I've got a lot to say." After two years of learning and meticulously sorting through songs, Bailey can't wait to show you where he's at. "This new album is just the last two years of my life and the album itself is where I'm at now, but it also jumps back to how I used to feel, some of the feelings that I didn't get to say on 'Religiously. The Album' are on this album. There's a couple of stories from back in like 2018 that I wrote about that I always wanted to say, but can never do it. And then I finally wrote the song that I loved. So it's a new era of me." Filled with a few experimental songs and emotional moments that mean a lot to him, Bailey admits it's something new for the new era. "I've got this new sound that I'm really going after that's just something I haven't done quite before, I guess. I haven't done it like I'm doing it on this new record" Bailey also gave us some insight into his two big collabs, "All The Way" with BigXthaPlug and "Backup Plan" with Luke Combs. The latter with Luke finally coming after months of waiting from a return text from the "Fast Car" singer to jump on the track. "It's like the testament of the song, you know, the testimony is like, 'Man, there's so many times that I've had in the last 4 years of my being a Country artist, like falling on my face in front of a lot of people and disappointing a lot of people a lot, and learning from that is like the testament of 'Backup Plan,' is like, yo, I could have quit. There's a lot of people that are telling me you should, but I didn't. And I'd have never known. I'd have never had the song with Big X. I'd never had the song with Luke. You gotta keep going, and when people are telling you that you should quit, that's more of a reason to not quit. Don't quit, keep freaking going." To hear more from Bailey Zimmerman, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.

The 60th ACM Awards are starting in style with an epic 12 minute performance and tribute to 80s and 90s Country. "We're bringing it back," Wynonna tells Katie Neal backstage at the ACMs. "I've been here 42 years, and I'm still here." Judd is just one of the many set to celebrate the 60 years of the ACM Awards, and she's looking forward to seeing old friends from every era. It's a can't miss start to a huge night for Country music. The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Brothers, sisters, everybody sing! The Backstreet Boys and Rascal Flatts are joining forces at the 60th ACM Awards to bring you... Flattsreet Boys, as the two iconic groups will take the stage together for a performance of "What Hurts The Most." Before they take the stage on Thursday night, Katie Neal caught up with members of each to preview the performance, talk about how they first connected before the pandemic, and more. The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Hang tight honey, we're making way for 'Entertainer of the Year' nominee Lainey Wilson, backstage at the 60th ACM Awards. The singer sat in with Katie Neal to talk about the big show, the new music she's been teasing on socials, and her amazing feature film debut. The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Backstage at the 60th ACM Awards, Eric Church checked in to talk about his performance on the big show, his new album, 'Evangeline vs. The Machine,' and his upcoming tour. The Chief also told Katie Neal about his spot on Morgan Wallen's upcoming album, due out next Friday. The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Throughout his career, there's been a few songs that really struck Cody Johnson, but he wasn't sure if they should be singles. Thankfully the fans have the final vote, and have pushed tracks like "'Til You Can't" and the latest single, "The Fall," into the spotlight. Backstage at the 2025 ACM Awards, Cody explained why it's always up to the fans, and shared his excited with Katie Neal for this week's award show. The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Backstage at the 2025 ACM Awards, Tucker Wetmore talks with Katie Neal about the reaction from fans after releasing his debut album, and how it feels to be collaborating with Thomas Rhett. The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Our Audacy 'LAUNCH' artist, Hudson Westbrook, is making the most of first ACM Awards, dipping in and back out immediately to continue life on the road. It's not something he planned for at the beginning of the year, but the success has been "insane" and amazing for the Texas native. The "House Again" singer caught up with Katie Neal backstage to talk about being able to drive his truck to the award show, the things he always forgets at home, and more. The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Blake Shelton has a lot to celebrate this week, including his 30th number one single and being back on stage at the 2025 ACM Awards. Backstage he told Katie Neal how "unbelievable" it is to notch his 30th chart-topper, and shared who he won't lock eyes with when performing at the ACMs. "Those Dan + Shay guys, they're pretty idiotic," he joked. "Shay is always doing something stupid." The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Backstage at the 2025 ACM Awards, Katie Neal caught up with 'Entertainer of the Year' nominee, Kelsea Ballerini, who shared how proud she is of her nomination and also detailed her day out with Noah Kahan at Dollywood. The 60th Academy of Country Music Awards show is taking place on May 8 from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Hosted by 16-time ACM Award–winning entertainment icon Reba McEntire, the ceremony will stream live on Prime Video at 8PM ET / 5PM PT. Don't miss our continuing coverage backstage at audacy.com/acm.

Just a few days away from the release of his 13th studio album, and potentially on the cusp of his 30th number one song, Blake Shelton shared with Katie Neal the moment that inspired him to jump back into the album arena. "I've been so excited and grateful to see the reception that it's gotten because, man, I hadn't even made an album in years," Blake says of the success of "Texas" which continues to climb the charts. "I was kind of OK with that because, I just kind of been in the grind with 'The Voice,' and just my career over the last, you know, now quarter century." "It wasn't until Post Malone called and asked if I would sing 'Pour Me A Drink' with him for his record, and then it came out as a single, and then we made a video, and just being around him and his excitement for Country music and how much he loves it," shares Shelton. "It truly did. I credit Post all the time. It was the wake up call I needed to realize, 'what am I doing?' I get to be a Country singer and a handful of people in the world get to do what I do, and I need to get back in there and make another record." First up with his new lit fire was "Texas," which Blake says is a "once in a lifetime" song. "It's just when you hear it, it's it for me anyway, it was impossible to get it out of my mind. I'd wake up in the middle of the night just singing my own song. Like normally if I make a record and by the time I get a mixed version of it, I'm so sick of it. I never want to hear it again, you know, when you work on something like that. And I just still sitting here right now, it's so much fun, that song. I love the George Strait references in there, and 'All My Ex's.' It's just been a blast." After his collab with Post Malone marked Shelton's 29th number one, could "Texas" be lucky number 30? "if we're able to get to 30, I may lose my mind," smiles Blake. "That might be the thing that sends me over the edge." To hear more from Blake Shelton about his show, 'The Road,' the title of his upcoming album, 'For Recreational Use Only,' and being mixed up with Luke Bryan, check out the full 'Superstar Power Interview' with Katie Neal above.

It's been a big week for Tucker Wetmore, who just released his album, 'What Not To,' thrilled the Country crowd at Stagecoach, and now is gearing up for a summer tour with Thomas Rhett. Before the whirlwind of the past few days, Katie Neal had a chance to talk with Tucker, sharing some of the stories behind the songs on his latest effort, and how he has felt about his rapid rise over the past year and a half. "I'm ready to get it out in the world, it's been a long time coming," Tucker shared about his official debut album. "Nothing in my life for the past year and a half has felt real, but yeah, I'm just blessed." "There's a couple different themes to the album, but I actually wrote 'Goodbye Whiskey' as the outro track, originally when I first wrote it, and that's why it's produced out the way it is and that's why it's set up and it kind of feels like an outro," says Wetmore about one of the three "Whiskey" songs on the nineteen track album. "But it felt like the perfect medium to the next step of the album. So I was like, 'that has to go right there.' It feels like I'm closing a chapter and then opening up a new one and then boom, 'Whiskey Again,'" which closes out the album for Tucker. "I'm right back to square one." Check out the full interview with Tucker Wetmore above.

It's a coin toss once again when it comes to Cole Swindell. With a big 2025 ahead of the "Forever To Me" singer, we can't decide if we're more excited about his upcoming album, 'Spanish Moss,' or that upcoming baby he's expecting with his wife, Courtney. "That's kind of taking over everything in our lives, and I'm totally cool with that," Cole tells Katie Neal during this week's 'Superstar Power Hour.' "It's been awesome." "I think the first trimester was a little rough. She didn't have much energy and I was like, 'wow this is a lot different,' you know. I noticed she does a lot around here," the soon-to-be "girl dad" explains. "But she's feeling good and everything has gone great so far, so we're just, really thankful." Swindell is also expecting a new album, with 'Spanish Moss' set to be released this June. It took over 2 and half years for Cole to create the album, working with numerous writers and producers, and doing a lot of living that influenced the music. "It's literally different seasons of life happen in between albums and I've always tried to do that," he reveals. "I said, 'you know, the best song wins,' but when you're working on something for over 2 and a half years, I think you build up stuff that you love." To hear much more from Cole Swindell about the meaning behind 'Spanish Moss' and the stories behind some of its songs, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.

Jon Pardi is back with his new album, 'Honkytonk Hollywood,' and he joins Katie Neal this week on the 'Superstar Power Hour' to talk all about it. Packed with 17 new songs and produced by Jay Joyce, Pardi returns with his signature blend of soaring guitars and tear-inducing tenderness on 'Honkytonk Hollywood,' an album named for the glitzy glow up that Music City has seen over several years. "This is not the Hollywood you think about, this is boots and rhinestones and glitz and glamour and every artist has got a bar downtown, and TV and film and the music business, and like 5 star hotels," explains Pardi. "I mean how many fancy restaurants does Nashville have now? We are spoiled. This is the new booming town and it's all a bunch of glamorous rednecks, Honkytonk Hollywood." The driving force behind the record, Jon co-wrote half the album and was the one who reached out to Joyce to produce, thanks to a sign from Tom Petty. "Tom Petty helped out because at the time I was really like, 'what do I do with the next record?'" "Tom Petty, they just released last year, the 'Wildflowers' documentary and it was like hidden footage, but it was old footage from when they did the record with Rick Rubin. He was talking about how he likes to switch up producers every 3 or 4 records because it made him a better songwriter, better artist, and a better musician. I was like, 'Tom Petty's doing it!' I think it was a sign from Tom Petty, and I was like, 'I gotta do it, Tom.' Call Jay later that week and he had open the same time that I had opened, and it was like meant to be." Pardi brings the party per usual on 'Honkytonk Hollywood,' but also hits the heartstrings with a few family songs, "He Went To Work," and "She Drives Away." "I went on TikTok and I'm like, man, the amount of videos that 'She Drives Away' has been used. I mean like fresh newborn girls, and like it's just kind of sets that mood, and it's really fun to watch that," gushes Pardi. "Just to see everybody being human beings and relating to music. I feel like this is a really emotional and soulful record, it's fun but it's also, sexy and family. I mean, it's got a little bit of everything." To hear much more from Jon Pardi including tour plans and beyond, check out the full 'Superstar Power Hour' interview above.

Keith Urban invited us into his new Nashville studio space, to talk about the path to his latest single, "STRAIGHT LINE," and his anxiousness to hit the road for his upcoming tour. Describing it as a bit of a "fixer upper," Urban welcomed Katie Neal into his new studio with a lot of history for the hitmaker. "So I've got a lot of history in this place and can't believe it's now mine," he shares. Joking that he's learned "too much about mold remediation" during the renovation process, Keith explains that he's been looking for a studio for a long time and that the timing was right for this space. "I feel like I bought the school I went to. That's what it feels like." The lead track from his latest LP, 'HIGH,' Keith explains that his new song "STRAIGHT LINE" was "really born of a spark of energy." "It was written really from the music outwards, and it just sounded like a song that was breaking out of the monotony and claiming your life back again." But Urban admits that the origin of the song wasn't quite the straight line that you would think, explaining that it actually came from a misheard lyric. "One of the guys was singing so quietly that when he said 'late night lover,' it sounded like 'straight line lover,' and we're like, oh, 'straight line lover's interesting, what's that? And then we just got rid of the lover and it became straight line." Next up for Urban is his 'High and Alive Tour,' which the GRAMMY winner can't wait for. "I'm super impatient right now. I wish I was touring this tomorrow." Don't miss so much more from Keith Urban on touring, TV, and Australia on this week's 'Superstar Power Hour' with Katie Neal.

Lainey Wilson stopped by the 'Terra Origin Interview Lounge' on her way to bringing the house down at Audacy's 'Leading Ladies' last week, taking the stage alongside a group of amazing women while sharing songs, stories, and so much mutual appreciation. "I cannot believe I'm getting to sit on the stage," Lainey gushed about getting to spend time with fellow Leading Lady, Gwen Stefani. The two had only met in passing previously, but were quick to praise each other on stage at the Kings Theatre. But before the two icons connected in the spotlight, Katie Neal caught up with Lainey about her recent ACM Awards nomination, and her plans for an upcoming wedding to fiancé Devlin 'Duck' Hodges. "I think it's going to be small," Wilson shared, admitting not much planning has taken place quite yet. "We have said everything else is a big old to do. We just want this to be about what it's supposed to be about and have our friends and family there and just really enjoy that moment." "I definitely, probably will have like a jazz band from New Orleans, something like that. We'll definitely, probably ride off on horses, or ride in on a horse, maybe in on a carriage off on a horse." As for that ACM Awards nomination, "Oh, my gosh. Girl. I don't think that will ever get old," Lainey exclaimed. "I know that they're not going to always be calling my name like forever, you know? So I soak up those moments. I really do. I have to." To hear more from Lainey Wilson check out her full interview from the 'Terra Origin Interview Lounge' above and visit audacy.com/leadingladies for more.

Just a few short weeks before walking down the aisle, Kassi Ashton walked onto our 'Leading Ladies' stage at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn, NY. But first she stopped by the 'Terra Origin Interview Lounge' to talk with Katie Neal about sharing the stage with a few remarkable women, her upcoming deluxe album, and how plans are coming together for the big day. In addition to being an amazing singer, Ashton is known for her amazing seamstress skills. That's why she's handmaking all the dresses for her wedding later this month. "All the bridesmaids dresses are done," Kassi shared, admitting her dress isn't quite finished yet. "Most everything else is done. I'm currently doing the bustle on my bridesmaids dress." "I got it. Even if I have to pull all-nighters, I signed up for this. It's not like someone else gave me these jobs or these ideas. I did this to myself. So I can't I can't complain because I know it's gonna be great." Also happening later this month is the deluxe edition release of Ashton's debut album, 'Made From The Dirt.' "I'm putting out a deluxe because the first album wasn't supposed to be 10 songs. They told me I could put as many songs as I wanted to. So I picked 13 songs. And then they were like, 'just kidding, you have to do 10.' And I was like, 'but these songs are so important to me.' So when I got the option to make a deluxe, I was like, obviously that three, and I want two more." "The movement of the first album was, 'Hey, I was made from crap. and from struggle.' This was not a silver spoon type of situation. This was not an easy breezy A to B straight line. And look, it's been fruitful. And we're going to keep going, and we're going to keep growing, but we're also not going to forget, you know, how to pivot and where we came from." To hear more from Kassi Ashton check out her full interview from the Terra Origin Interview Lounge above and visit audacy.com/leadingladies for more.

Between rocking the stage and shuttling kids around on Spring Break, LOCASH tapped in to talk with Katie Neal for this week's 'Superstar Power Hour.' Before tackling the topic of their biggest hits, we had to get a Dad update from Chris Lucas and Preston Brust. While Chris is playing defense between his teenager and a new girlfriend, Preston has things a little different with kids the age of 9, 6, and 1. "The one year old's throwing me for a loop, you know, she's fun though," laughs Preston. "It's wild and chaotic, but I try to embrace the chaos." "My daughter's got the daddy daughter dance coming up, so she's gonna make her own dress this year. So she's got her own little dress design going and she's making sure that I see the exact color so that I can go get my suit to match her dress perfectly. So it'll be fun." "I'm really soaking it up, but you know it does go by fast." While looking back at some of their biggest hits, LOCASH also admits they are beyond excited for their new album, 'Bet The Farm,' due out on April 18. "I think every song on this album is a hit," notes Chris. "It takes a lot for me to say that because we go through so many songs and, you know, we picked the best songs. Not all of these songs were written by us. Kane Brown has a couple on there without us, and we just picked the best song and I think." "We've always been those positive guys. So the music where it brings you up, makes you smile, makes you relate, and we try to do that with every song."