Luke Bryan photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Father’s Day is Sunday and some of your favorite country stars including Tim McGraw, Trace Adkins, Luke Bryan and Darius Rucker are sharing their best Father’s Day memories. For Luke, his favorite gift is featured on the cover of one of his albums!

Top 20 Country Songs About Dad >>

“One of my best Father’s Day memories is my wife surprised me with my yellow bronco,” he said. “It’s on the cover of the new spring break album. I remember getting home and she had it hidden out back behind the house. That was a fun memory for us. We love the bronco. It’s still in our lives.” Continue Reading

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Becoming a father doesn’t necessarily take a lot of talent. But being a good dad – well, that is a tough undertaking. And just when Pop gets it figured out, the kid gets a little older and treats him differently. Or another one comes along and changes up the family dynamics.

Parenthood is actually a rich vein for songwriters to tap, and with Father’s Day upon us, it’s a perfect time to run through some of the best songs that deal with the old man. Some of your favorites might be missing. You could argue, for example, that the Mac Davis song “Watching Scotty Grow” belongs here or that “I Saw God Today” is a better fatherly entry from George Strait than “The Breath You Take.” But hey, that’s what lists are for: starting up a conversation. If you don’t see your favorite on here, let us know what’s missing!

In no particular order, here are 20 country songs for dads everywhere:

“Love Without End, Amen,” George Strait (1990) – The father/son relationship is often used by the church to explain God. George makes those allusions here, portraying Dad – and the guy upstairs – as someone who’s strict, loving and ultimately forgiving.

“That’s My Job,” Conway Twitty (1987) – Dad as protector, Dad as financier, Dad as inspiration from the grave. It sounds heavy, and it is. Beautifully so, with Vince Gill on supporting vocals.

“Drive (For Daddy Gene),” Alan Jackson (2002) – If your dad spent a lot of time under the hood of the car in the driveway, then Alan likely hit the nail on the head for you. There are plenty of car and boat parts in the song, but they’re just a vehicle to show how Dad steered you right.

“Seein’ My Father In Me,” Paul Overstreet (1990) – “I notice I walk the way he walks / I notice I talk the way he talks.” Get used to it, guys. Unless you work really hard at it, you’re going to be more like dear old dad than you ever expected.

“Daddy What If,” Bobby Bare (1973) – There’s something distinctly schmaltzy about this quasi-lullaby that Bobby recorded with his son, Bobby Bare Jr., who was all of seven years old when it was released. That schmaltzy quality, coupled with the obvious affection between Sr. and Jr., is exactly why it works. Continue Reading

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GAC host Nan Kelley with Trace Adkins on the set of Top 20 Country Countdown. Photo by GAC Staff.

GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown welcomes Trace Adkins to the studio this week! Trace and host Nan Kelley chat about Trace’s new album, Love Will…, and his appearance on NBC’s All-Star Celebrity Apprentice.

Top 20 Photo Gallery »

On the countdown, will Blake Shelton make it two weeks in a row at No. 1 with “Boys ‘Round Here” or will someone new find themselves in the top spot? Tune in tonight at 8/7c for Trace and this week’s Top 20 videos, chosen by you!

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Darius Rucker’s 2013 album True Believers. Photo courtesy of Capitol Records Nashville.

As his current single, “Wagon Wheel,” takes its place at the top of the country music charts, singer/songwriter Darius Rucker is releasing his third solo album for Capitol Records Nashville. True Believers, the follow up to his 2010 gold-certified record, Charleston, SC 1966, is a 12-song set once again showing that this man can craft and deliver a hook.

Darius catapulted to stardom in 1994 with the release of Cracked Rear View, the 16-times platinum debut by his first band Hootie & the Blowfish. Nearly 20 years later, Darius still maintains a prominent position in popular music, a feat nearly impossible without the ability to consistently grow as well as give fans what they want. On True Believers, in stores May 21, Darius manages to do both.

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Trace Adkins’ 2013 album, Love Will… Photo courtesy of Show Dog-Universal Music.

Trace Adkins found himself in need of a duet partner for his appearances on the Today Show and Fox & Friends this week — and instead of calling one of his famous friends, he picked Maureen Maltez, an unknown singer he’d heard at a junior college fundraiser. He surprised her with a copy of the song during a jazz dance class two weeks ago and after a few short rehearsals the pair boarded a plane to New York on Tuesday.

Trace is GAC’s Artist of the Month! Check out exclusive interviews, videos, photos and more and read our review of his new album here.

“There were any number of seasoned professionals here in town that of course I could have gone with and they would have done a beautiful job,” Trace said. “But I saw her sing … and I remembered her and I just thought, ‘I bet it would really mean something if she were to do it.’ I know what I would have thought if I was (young) and somebody would have come in and said, `Hey, you want to go to New York City and sing on the “Today” show?’” Continue Reading

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George Strait’s 2013 album, Love Is Everything. Photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Country legend George Strait may be turning 61-years-old the same week his brand new project, Love Is Everything, hits stores, but make no mistake – age certainly isn’t slowing down the prolific King of Country. Love Is Everything, George’s 40^thstudio album available May 14, revels in the expressive, emotional energy we’ve come to expect from the Country Music Hall of Famer.

Playing like a classic Strait record through and through, Love Is Everything makes its mark by being earnest, thoughtful and very country. George wrote or co-wrote four of the album’s 13 songs, and tracks like the youthful “The Night Is Young” (co-written with his son Bubba and longtime writing partner Dean Dillon) show that George’s energy and passion haven’t changed. Though his smooth Texas twang sounds a bit older, George’s timing on songs like the full circle, “I Got A Car” and his ability to convey a song’s true essence are that of an expert storyteller. The crumbling loneliness of the countrypolitan-influenced, “I Just Can’t Go On Dying Like This,” which references Hank Sr.’s “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” or the upbeat strut of “I Thought I Heard My Heart Sing” both carry a sound you can feel. And when he sings, I know it’s real ‘cause my heart don’t lie, on the latter, it’s hard not to imagine listeners thinking the same thing.

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Trace Adkins’ 2013 album, Love Will… Photo courtesy of Show Dog-Universal Music.

Trace Adkins’ 11^th studio album, Love Will… is now available. To celebrate, Trace has lined up a week of live performances and appearances. He kicked things off Sunday, May 12 with an album release party and All-Star Celebrity Apprentice viewing party for family and friends at the Hard Rock Café Nashville.

Trace is GAC’s Artist of the Month! Check out exclusive interviews, videos, photos and more and read our review of his new album here.

On Wednesday, May 15, Trace will perform on The Today Show and later that night, he’ll perform a SiriusXM Sounds of Summer concert at Hard Rock Café New York, which will be broadcast live on The Highway, channel 59, at 8/7c. He will also perform on Fox & Friends on May 17. Continue Reading

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The perfect country song, according to David Allan Coe’s hilarious classic “You Never Even Called Me By My Name,” requires that you refer to trains, trucks, prison, gettin’ drunk and – of course – mama. By those standards, none of these songs are perfect, but they’re all at least very good at paying homage to Mom as we slide into Mother’s Day.

It’s probably not the definitive list – you could argue that others, such as Merle Haggard’s “Mama’s Hungry Eyes” – belong here, but it’s good enough to give you a full-bodied picture of your mom, my mom, somebody’s mom.

In no particular order, here are 20 country songs – and one bonus title – for moms everywhere:

“Mama’s Song,” Carrie Underwood (2010) – A rolling music bed and Carrie’s own romantic storyline with hockey player Mike Fisher form the backdrop for a song that shows a mother just what a great job she’s done. She parented a daughter who picks the right kind of partner.

“The Hand That Rocks The Cradle,” Glen Campbell with Steve Wariner (1987) – “There ought to be a hall of fame for mamas.” Well, there’s not, but there is this nifty little duet built around the psychologies of birth, breast feeding and teaching life lessons.

“Mama Don’t Forget To Pray For Me,” Diamond Rio (1991) – In many families, Mom is the one who provides the strongest moral compass. In this case, she gets a phone call from her adult son, looking for advice from his best-loved guidance counselor.

“So Much Like My Dad,” George Strait (1992) – “Mom, can we talk?” George is as good at anyone at delivering a song that’s essentially a conversation set to music. In this case, it’s a mother/son chat as he tries to figure out exactly why his own household is falling apart.

“Mama Tried,” Merle Haggard (1968) – Perhaps the hardest part of the job for mothers: You can do everything right, and the kid insists on messing up anyway. In this mostly autobiographical account, the adult Merle takes responsibility for ignoring Flossie Haggard’s wisdom and ending up in prison by age 21. Continue Reading

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Trace Adkins’ 2013 album, Love Will… Photo courtesy of Show Dog-Universal Music.

As if working to craft a response to the open ended title, Trace Adkins reaches deep on his 11^th studio album to explore life’s most passionate emotion. Love Will…, due in stores May 14, captures scenes and feelings as different as desperation and security over the course of 11 songs looking to offer some insight on a very complicated subject.

Stretching out to incorporate new sounds, Trace worked with five different producers on the project, including Frank Rogers (Josh Turner, Darius Rucker) and Mark Wright (producer of Trace’s 2011 album Proud To Be Here). The result is a varied collection that sounds fresh at each new turn while still concentrating on one theme. The bluesy, “So What If I Do” flashes darker shades over B-3 keys and a bass-driven rhythm section as Trace pushes himself to express inescapable feelings. The slicing guitars and rising melodies of “Right Now” hint at the dynamic approach of Lady Antebellum while the fireplace-ready “Come See Me” shows off the upper reaches of Trace’s voice in a pristine, fluid chorus. There’s a modern edge to these songs, but it’s done subtly and offers a new element to Trace’s deep baritone and traditional roots.

Songs like the truck stop drama, “When I Stop Loving You,” and the acoustic based ballad, “If The Sun Comes Up” carry a more traditional sound that fans will recognize. The former is a deceptively easygoing tune about a marriage proposal that seems on the verge of going very bad. Though the chorus is smart and engaging, Trace sets the scene by first describing “a lovesick, desperate man” to build the drama. The heartfelt “If The Sun Comes Up” was included on last year’s Act of Valor Soundtrack. Surrounded here by love songs, however, seemingly gives voice to a completely different set of characters to reaffirm those universal feelings.

While the album generally keeps its PG-rating on songs like “Say No To A Woman” and the standout cut “Every One of You,” Trace does take opportunities to show off his more seductive side. “The Altar Of Your Love” is a hard country, electric rocker barely held back by palm-muted power chords. On the country disco “Kiss You All Over,” Trace is joined by Exile (who had a No. 1 hit with the song in 1978) for one of the album’s biggest highlights. Harmonies flow and keyboards rejoice as they sing, I want to kiss you all over/and over again, on a song that really needs to be heard on dance floors this summer.

Grammy winning pop singer Colbie Caillat joins in for the melodrama of “Watch the World End,” and the Harlem Gospel Chorus helps out on the uplifting Southern Gospel title track. Trace has always had fantastic range, but Love Will… features many dynamic performances where simple inflections and nuances add whole new dimensions. An emotion as rich and complicated as love can certainly mean something different from one person to the next, but on Love Will…, Trace succeeds in giving listeners an insightful and personal look at what it means to him.

Key Tracks – “Love Will,” “Kiss You All Over,” “Every One Of You,” “If The Sun Comes Up”

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NASHVILLE, TN – APRIL 16: Vince Gill and Keith Urban perform during Keith Urban’s Fourth annual We’re All For The Hall benefit concert at Bridgestone Arena on April 16, 2013 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon IV/Getty Images for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum)

Keith Urban and Vince Gill’s We’re All For The Hall 2013 benefit concert held April 16 raised nearly $650,000 for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, bringing the event’s four-year total to more than $2 million. Nearly 14,000 fans turned out to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for the show that included performances from Keith, Vince, Jason Aldean, Eric Church, Tim McGraw, Brantley Gilbert and more.

See photos from We’re All For The Hall! >>

“This year’s All 4 the Hall show was the biggest and best ever,” Museum Director Kyle Young said. “Keith’s theme for the concert, ‘Rebels and Renegades,’ was an inspired celebration of artistic freedom; to have Country Music Hall of Famers Vince, Kris and Willie; legends Rosanne, Jessi, Billy Joe and Hank; and current superstars Keith, Jason, Eric, Tim, Trace, Brantley, Montgomery Gentry, Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock sharing one stage on this museum’s behalf is inspiring and humbling. Continue Reading

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