Billy Dukes

Canadian country trio High Valley put a scare into Alan Jackson fans yesterday, but their song ‘Love You for a Long Time’ fell just short, losing to ‘You Go Your Way’ by 10 percentage points. Phone voting on Taste of Country Nights radio helped put the superstar into the driver’s seat once again. Today, he’ll face another feisty newcomer in Jason Cassidy.

Happy birthday to Shania Twain today, August 28! The singer has offered cutting-edge country music and fashion in the 18 years since releasing ‘The Woman With Me’ in 1995. While this wasn’t her debut album, its success (over 12 million copies sold in the U.S. alone) changed the landscape of country music forever.

Fans responded passionately to Alan Jackson‘s new single, ‘You Go Your Way,’ yesterday and last night in the Taste of Country Nights Showdown. The song easily ousted ‘Ex-Old Man’ by Kristen Kelly, meaning the country legend will move on to face a new challenger. Today, that’s another act new to American country music fans.

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

Thomas Rhett joined a select group of artists with songs in the Taste of Country Showdown Hall of Fame on Monday when ‘Beer With Jesus’ became a five-time winner. The song will now be retired, meaning today’s Showdown will feature two new artists. Remember, you can also vote tonight on Taste of Country Nights radio, our syndicated radio show available on air and online.

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.

By 1997, Martina McBride was beginning to assert herself as the premiere female vocalist in country music, but she wouldn’t begin to take home awards until after she released ‘Evolution’ on August 26 of that year. Songs from her fourth studio album won her the Female Vocalist of the Year CMA in 1999. Many of her biggest hits, like ‘Happy Girl,’ ‘A Broken Wing’ and ‘Whatever You Say,’ come from thi

Thomas Rhett moved his song ‘Beer With Jesus’ within one win of becoming a rare Taste of Country Showdown Hall of Famer. The singer’s fans outvoted fans of Jaida Dreyer’s ‘Confessions’ by a two-to-one-margin on Friday and Friday night on Taste of Country Nights radio. Today, Rhett will have to battle a singer with a little more star power in Randy Houser.

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.