Boston Country Hub

  New Year, New Era: Hello 2026 The lights are flickering back on here at Boston Country Hub , and I’ll be honest — the spark that pulled me back wasn’t resolution season or a burst of productivity. It was the music . Something about all these new artists rolling through Boston, the fresh albums dropping, the surprise tour announcements, the way this city suddenly feels louder and twangier again… it made me want to come back here and write. It reminded me why I started this space in the first place. Country music has a way of waking up parts of you that go quiet for a while. So here I am, dusting off the porch, sweeping off the welcome mat, and stepping back into this little corner of the internet with a full heart and a fresh cup of coffee. As we head into 2026 , here’s what I’m looking forward to: • More live shows and new voices coming through town • Road trips, concerts, and the stories that happen in between • The everyday Boston moments that feel a little country if yo...

  Some legends stand under the spotlight. Others make sure the spotlight turns on at all. On April 27, 2025, Willie Nelson Presents: King of the Roadies will make its world premiere at the Dallas International Film Festival , telling the true story of one of country music’s most unsung heroes: Benjamin H. Dorcy III , better known as “Lovey.” Lovey wasn’t just a roadie. He was the roadie. Widely recognized as the world’s first, and oldest, roadie, Dorcy helped pioneer an entire profession that most fans never think about but every artist depends on. His life unfolded behind stages, on tour buses, and across endless highways, quietly holding the music together while history was being made onstage. Produced and presented by Willie Nelson , the documentary has been 16 years in the making and arrives as a heartfelt tribute to the people who keep the show on the road without asking for applause. “It’s one thing to have a bunch of good ideas,” Willie Nelson says in the film, “but to...

 If 2025 had a country duo quietly winning all year, it was LOCASH . Without making a huge fuss about it, the duo wrapped up the year with some genuinely solid wins. “Hometown Home” finished comfortably in Country Aircheck’s Top 5 songs of the year, while “Wrong Hearts” earned its own spot in the Top 100. Both tracks live on Bet The Farm , an album that also happens to be the first release from their own independent label, which feels very on brand for a group that’s been doing things their own way for a while now. Beyond radio success, LOCASH stayed busy where it really counts: onstage. Their year included packed tour stops, a surprisingly fun crossover with the Savannah Bananas, and a few “how did that happen?” moments like performing halftime at both the Banana Bowl and an Amazon Prime Thursday Night Football game at Gillette Stadium. Casual stuff. They also slipped in a little holiday spirit before the year wrapped, releasing the original “Snow Angel” and a stripped-down cov...

 Thirty years in, Trace Adkins isn’t slowing down. If anything, he’s leaning in. The country mainstay just announced his 30th Anniversary Tour , kicking off January 16 and stretching across much of 2026. The first leg alone hits 24 cities, with dates spread from the South and Midwest to the Mountain West and Mid-Atlantic. It’s a proper road run, not a nostalgia lap. The tour marks three decades since Dreamin’ Out Loud first arrived in 1996, the album that launched a career built on unmistakable vocals, big hooks, and songs that somehow manage to feel both larger-than-life and deeply familiar. Fans can expect a setlist that pulls generously from across the years. Think barn-burners, slower sing-alongs, and a few of those songs you didn’t realize you still know every word to until the chorus hits. Some stops feel especially fitting for an anniversary year. Two nights at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, a return to Billy Bob’s Texas, a Cheyenne Frontier Days appearance, and a mix of...

 Boston, you’re very much on the map for this one. Megan Moroney is taking her Cloud 9 Tour global in 2026, and New England gets a front-row moment with two nights at TD Garden on July 6 and 7 . Not a fly-by, not a random weekday drop-in. Two full Boston shows, added because demand said “try again.” The tour kicks off in late May and stretches well into the fall, winding through arenas across North America before hopping the Atlantic for dates in the UK and Europe. It’s Moroney’s biggest run yet, built around her upcoming album Cloud 9 , and it feels very much like the point where “fast rise” turns into “full-on era.” For local fans, the TD Garden stop stands out immediately. Big room, midsummer timing, and the kind of hometown energy Boston crowds tend to bring when they feel chosen. If you caught her on the Am I Okay? tour in smaller venues, this is the glow-up version. The tour announcement landed with enough momentum to add second nights in cities like Chicago, Atlanta,...

 If you missed it while getting buried under December chaos, here’s the festive catch-up. Gabby Barrett took a very East Coast kind of spotlight this year, co-hosting and performing at the National Christmas Tree Lighting in Washington, D.C. The annual holiday tradition aired earlier this month and featured Barrett stepping into full holiday-moment mode right outside the White House. She shared hosting duties with Matthew West and joined a stacked lineup that included The Beach Boys, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, and more. Barrett’s performance leaned classic and understated, delivering “Mary, Did You Know?” backed by the U.S. Navy Band Commodores Jazz Ensemble. It was polished, reverent, and exactly the right energy for a cold-night-in-December broadcast. The performance spotlights her Carols and Candlelight (Deluxe) project, which quietly expanded her holiday catalog without trying to reinvent Christmas. If you’re the type who likes your seasonal music sincere rather than sparkly...

 If winter starts feeling long around February, here’s your reminder that April exists. Country Thunder Arizona is officially gearing up for 2026, and the lineup reveal makes a pretty convincing case for trading New England layers for desert sun. The festival returns to Canyon Moon Ranch in Florence, Arizona, April 9–12, with a bill that mixes current heavy-hitters, legacy names, and artists very much having a moment. At the top: Lainey Wilson , Brooks & Dunn , Zach Top , and Gavin Adcock headline the weekend. It’s a lineup that manages to feel balanced instead of chaotic. A little throwback, a little right-now, and plenty in between. Beyond the headliners, the festival fills out nicely with names like Scotty McCreery, Dasha, Jackson Dean, Lanie Gardner, Ian Munsick, and Lonestar, plus a deep bench of rising artists scattered across multiple stages. It’s the kind of schedule where you circle a few must-sees and then end up discovering someone new because you wandered over ...

The Show: Chappell Roan Edition Photo: USA Today There are few places in the world like a cool September day in New York, and few venues as historic as Forest Hills Stadium . This was my first Chappell Roan show, and I already can’t wait for the encore. These tickets were nearly impossible to get, unless you happen to have a Canadian cousin outside Ottawa who somehow wins every Ticketmaster war. The show was a thing of dreams, one of those rare nights where you’re fully in the moment. No one was keeping it casual. Everyone was dancing, singing, and jumping the night away. The performance itself was pure pop perfection, effortless vocals, full commitment, and Chappell playing her entire debut album with a few fun covers mixed in. Heart, anyone? Chappell Roan turned Forest Hills Stadium into a full-blown pop spectacle, equal parts theater and release. It wasn’t just a concert. It was one of those nights that reminds you why you plan trips around music in the first place. Getting to New ...

 Drake White is having one of those quietly powerful moments that sneaks up on you and then sticks. Drake White just rolled out a new single, “Nights on Fire,” and it’s exactly the kind of song that feels better the louder you play it. The track leans warm and nostalgic, built on piano, slide guitar, and lyrics that glow with late-summer Southern imagery. It’s reflective without being heavy, soulful without trying too hard. Very Drake White. The song made its international debut this week on BBC Radio 2, which feels fitting for an artist whose music tends to travel well beyond borders. “Nights on Fire” follows “Nuthin’ But a Smile,” continuing a stretch of releases that feel optimistic, lived-in, and rooted in joy. Away from the studio, White has also been sharing a more personal project. Earlier this fall, he hosted an intimate premiere for his new documentary The Hunts the Healing at The Duck Blind in Nashville. The film explores healing, the outdoors, and mental wellness, ...

The Show: Kenny Chesney at the Sphere Kenny Chesney at the Sphere was everything you’d hope for and then some. I was incredibly close, the setlist was stacked from start to finish, and Kenny’s genuine connection with his fans came through in every moment. The visuals don’t just complement the music — they completely surround you, shifting the scale of the room and rocking your sense of space in the best way. It’s the kind of show that reminds you how powerful live music can be when the venue itself becomes part of the performance. Getting to Vegas Traveling from Boston to Las Vegas is a breeze, with several nonstop flights daily on JetBlue and Delta. Once you land, taxis and rideshares are readily available to take you straight to the Strip. Getting to the Sphere The Sphere is located behind The Venetian Resort and can be accessed directly from the street or by walking through the hotel. Be warned: like most of Vegas, there is a lot of walking, so choose your footwear wisely or opt...

The Show: Zayn Edition This was a show I never truly thought would happen. Like many “mature” fans who discovered Zayn Malik through TikTok and quarantine, I quickly grew to appreciate the depth and individuality of all five former One Direction members. Zayn, in particular, has often chosen a quieter life away from the spotlight, so the idea of a full tour once felt unlikely. When he announced a tour for Room Under the Stairs , it became a can’t-miss moment. Hearing his vocals live is an exercise in restraint and control — precise, emotional, and effortless. The setlist spanned his solo catalog, and while there were no One Direction songs, the focus stayed exactly where it should: on the music he’s making now. Paired with the intimacy of the venue and understated lighting and staging, it was the perfect setting to experience this show, and one I’m genuinely grateful to have witnessed live. Zayn concluded the night with a tribute to his former bandmate, the late Liam Payne, performing...