Taste of Country Staff hasn't taken a day off since he/she was born in December 2010. Staff is an avid fan of country music and country music only although he/she has a soft spot for artists like Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson. Other interests include live music, cold beer, pizza at midnight and photos of country music babies.
Taste of Country Staff
Album Spotlight: Jerrod Niemann, ‘High Noon’
Fans will get to know Jerrod Niemann well by listening to his ‘High Noon’ album. While the project is covered in good time, groovy, party tracks, there are a few speckled in between that cast the 34-year-old as a romantic.
Album Spotlight: Jo Dee Messina ‘Me’
Country fans who like their women weak and their music vanilla will not care for what Jo Dee Messina offers on the 12 songs that make up ‘Me.’ The album — funded by a Kickstarter campaign — is full of attitude.
Win an Exclusive, Autographed Jerrod Niemann High Noon Saloon Prize Pack!
Kick open the doors of the High Noon Saloon and stir up trouble with Jerrod Niemann with his new interactive bar fight game and a sweet prize pack. Enter here to win an autographed prize from the 'Drink to That All Night' hitmaker.
Win a Guitar Signed by Sara Evans and Copy of ‘Slow Me Down’
The new album from Sara Evans is available right now, and the singer wants to upgrade your 'Slow Me Down' experience. Enter here to win a signed guitar, and a signed copy of the new album.
Kacey Musgraves, ‘Keep It to Yourself’ [Listen]
The fourth single from Kacey Musgraves’ ‘Same Trailer Different Park’ album isn’t nearly as risky as her last, or the two before it. ‘Keep It to Yourself’ is a straight-forward country heartbreak song that finds the singer turning the corner on the depression that often comes after a bad breakup.
Album Spotlight: Luke Bryan, ‘Spring Break 6 … Like We Ain’t Ever’
Luke Bryan’s sixth spring break EP isn’t so much a party album as it is a project for short-term lovers. Bryan explores the romantic side of spring break during ‘Like We Ain’t Ever.’ In many ways it’s an extension of the songs on ‘Crash My Party.’
Album Spotlight: Eli Young Band, ‘10,000 Towns’
The Eli Young Band set out to make their best album ever, and many fans will agree they succeeded. ’10,000 Towns’ is a very even project, with no letdowns or skip-ahead tracks and the best moments spread throughout.
The Band Perry, ‘Chainsaw’ [Listen]
The Band Perry’s ‘Chainsaw’ finds singer Kimberly Perry playing the role of unstable ex-girlfriend. Until now she’d mostly kept a lid on her crazy, only giving glimpses in songs like ‘Better Dig Two’ and ‘Done.’ There’s nothing stable about a girl swinging around a Stihl, however.
Eli Young Band Open Up About How St. Jude ‘Changes Your Perspective’
Mike Eli and his Eli Young Band bandmates don't have to look far for reasons why St. Jude is important. The longtime college buddies now have wives and kids, as well as a greater understanding for how precious life is.
Chase Rice for St. Jude: Singer Carries Forth Late Father’s Love of Children
Chase Rice watched his dad go out of his way to bring smiles to the faces of kids in children's hospitals, and now he wants to do the same. The 'Ready Set Roll' singer talked to Taste of Country in support of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and in memory of his father, Daniel, who died of a heart attack while battling malignant melanoma.
Lee Brice Reveals St. Jude Means Even More to Him Following Birth of His Boys
Lee Brice is a longtime supporter of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The ‘I Don’t Dance’ singer lit up when asked to talk about what the Memphis-based medical campus means to him. He admits it means something different now that he has two little boys at home.
ABCs of Cancer Help Young St. Jude Patients Understand What’s Happening to Them
At the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, one will find a wall filled with a long row of letters and notes from kids receiving treatment.
Miranda Lambert: St. Jude ‘Feeds Your Soul’
For Miranda Lambert, the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is a place of hope. She's certainly not alone in that belief. The millions of people who've been touched by the world famous medical research facility will agree, as will dozens of other country stars. For 25 years, country artists have led the fundraising charge for this world-class facility.
Sheryl Crow Recalls Almost Adopting a St. Jude Patient [Watch]
When asked if she had a St. Jude moment, Sheryl Crow didn’t hesitate. The internationally-known singer has been working with the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for almost 20 years, but remembers one little girl who stole her heart at a time when she was exhausted.
Bid on a Signed Rascal Flatts Guitar to Benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital
Jay, Joe Don and Gary of Rascal Flatts have stepped up to help the kids at the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. During a two-day Taste of Country webathon, fans can bid on this autographed electric guitar, with all proceeds going to St. Jude.
ToC Encore: Turning Personal Tragedy Into Hit Records
Turning a personal tragedy into a hit record is tricky, and not just for all the normal reasons that it's difficult to make a song into a hit. Artists who write a great personal song may be hesitant to record it for months or years. Taste of Country writer Billy Dukes considers three powerful songs and three artists who dealt with the personal tragedies that inspired them in very different ways.