Jeff Giles

In a study that may come as a stunning New Age challenge to artists like Yanni and Enya, a group of UK scientists have gotten together and clinically determined the most relaxing song ever made. The track, titled ‘Weightless’ and performed by a Manchester-based band named Marconi Union, was described as “even more relaxing than a massage, walk or cup of tea.”

Neal McCoy is busier than ever as he nears the quarter-century mark of his recording career. The next few months will see a flurry of activity from the veteran country star, including a live CD/DVD project and his 12th studio album, ‘XII,’ which was co-produced by his famous friends Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert.

A year ago, the Band Perry was just another young country trio with a brand new album and a bunch of big dreams to its name. Things have certainly changed for the Perry siblings — not only do they stand to win as many as five CMA Awards next month, but they’ve sold nearly a million copies of their full-length debut. And the numbers for their signature hit single, ‘If I Die Young,’ are even more im

Half a century of anything is usually a milestone people take pride in — unless you’re Trace Adkins and you’re about to reach your 50th birthday, in which case it’s an occasion worth snarling at. Yes, the ‘Just Fishin” singer will become eligible for full membership in the AARP on January 13. And while he isn’t normally much of a birthday person, he knows he can’t completely ignore the upcoming bi

Christmas is a time that reminds us of home and family traditions — two things that have always been celebrated in country music — so it’s only natural that so many country artists have contributed classic songs to the holiday season. This year, Colonial Candle is extending that tradition with the help of Big Machine Records and an all-star roster of artists that includes Reba McEntire, Martina Mc

Her recording career spans 15 years and eight albums, but Terri Clark might just now be hitting her stride. Clark’s latest album ‘Roots and Wings’ finds her tapping into her own experiences for a largely self-written batch of original tunes — and earning some of the best reviews of her career along the way. According to Clark, who enjoyed a string of platinum success in the 90s, recent turmoil in

When Glen Campbell announced his Alzheimer’s diagnosis earlier this year, it served for many as a poignant reminder of the fragility of the human condition and the fleeting nature of our time on Earth. His honesty regarding his condition, and his decision to bid farewell to his fans with a final album and tour, have been an inspiration to countless fans. Campbell stopped by the Sirius XM studios r

It’s arriving a year too late to commemorate the true anniversary of the occasion, but a new double-disc collection has brought together some of country and rock’s biggest names to honor Mark Twain 100 years after his death. The set, titled ‘Mark Twain: Words & Music,’ features contributions from Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow, Ricky Skaggs, Joe Diffie, Clint Eastwood, a

David Nail’s career took plenty of twists and turns before he finally found his audience — including a busted deal at Mercury Nashville and a stint as a baseball coach. But when he finally released his debut album in 2009, its title ‘I’m About to Come Alive,’ proved prophetic. Now, Nail is one of country’s hottest freshman acts, and he’s looking to build on that success with the release of his sec

We like to think of the recording artist’s life as a glamorous one, but the truth is, it’s often full of monotonous travel, industry politics and the like. Sometimes, though, a country star’s life really is everything it’s cracked up to be. Just ask Justin Moore, who recently spent a beautiful fall day lounging on a lake … for work. It was all in the name of filming a fishing-themed video for his

LeAnn Rimes ends a four-year hiatus this week and returns to record store shelves with her 13th studio album, ‘Lady & Gentlemen.’ As with her platinum-selling self-titled release from 1999, ‘Gentlemen’ is a collection of covers — but this time around, she decided to give things a new twist. The idea, as Rimes explained during a recent Taste of Country interview, was to put a feminine spin on s

When you’ve been doing something as long as Kenny Rogers has been making music, the milestones are bound to pile up — and sure enough, this holiday season will mark an auspicious anniversary for the country legend. When Rogers embarks on his annual Christmas and Hits tour this November 25, it’ll mark his 30th straight year of heading out on the road to bring holiday cheer to fans. Billy Dean will