Ashley Cooke Breaks Down Her New Album, the Exes Hotline, and the World Tour

Ashley Cooke Breaks Down Her New Album, the Exes Hotline, and the World Tour

Ashley Cooke stopped by Country Minute at CMA Fest right in the middle of what she calls a shift, a stretch where the momentum just keeps building and she cannot quite explain why. In this conversation she opens up about leaning all the way into the personal on her new self-titled album, the idea that getting more specific somehow makes a song more universal, and the breakthrough that led to the emotional closer The Girl Who Cried Wolf. We talk through the singles already out, the full 15-track range from sassy to pissed off to heartbroken, the Exes Hotline moment she created to keep every live show different, and the World Tour lineup she is bringing along for the ride. The self-titled record Ashley Cooke is out August 14th. Listen, follow, and tell us which track you are most looking forward to.

Shane McAnally: Writing the Songs You Shouldn't Hear | Country Minute

James sat down with Shane McAnally at CMA Fest, and somehow captured lightning in a bottle. We chased this interview for nearly a full year, and Shane did not disappoint. This is, by far, one of the most personal conversations we've had on this show. Shane was just named the second greatest living country songwriter by Rolling Stone. But we start where it all began that week: his brand new one-man show, Hits & Giggles, which we caught at Zanies in Nashville. Shane talks about how the show came together, the nerves of hitting the road without a padded crowd, and why he insists on that piano being on stage. From there it's pure songwriting. Learning to navigate Sam Hunt's train of thought writing style. How Kacey Musgraves showed him it was okay not to give a damn. The quiet sadness inside "American Kids" that most people miss until someone points it out. And what song he'd play for his 2008 self if he could. Shane also gets honest about losing the joy in his career chasing commercial success, and why he's fighting to get it back. That part, honestly, might be my personal favorite. Follow us on Instagram @country_minute and subscribe wherever you listen for new episodes.

Why Colby Acuff Is Doing Everything Opposite in Country Music

Colby Acuff is the country outsider leading a revolution that is anything but quiet. We sat down with the Idahoan singer-songwriter in the basement of The Intersection in Grand Rapids, Michigan to talk about his headlining tour, his upcoming record, and why he is doing everything opposite this year. Colby just wrapped up a Whiskey Riff March Madness run where he beat Chris Stapleton and Turnpike Troubadours to take the whole thing. He is playing a ton of unreleased music on this tour, leaning into a Southern rock and country rock sound that pulls from CCR, Waylon, Willie, and Bob Seger. The new record was solo written, recorded raw with no vocal tuning, and Colby calls the next single his favorite song on the entire project. We also got into the art direction behind the new era, why he packages serious messages in comedy, the iPhone he passes into the crowd every night so fans can shoot the show, and what it means to find your own measurements of success when you are not chasing the mainstream. New music drops at the end of April. Presented by Country Minute.

Zach John King: New Music, Big Tours, and the One Thing He Still Hasn't Figured Out

James sits down with 2025 Country Minute Rookie of the Year Zach John King backstage at the Blue Gate in Shipshewana, Indiana. Zach opens up about joining Thomas Rhett on the road this fall, the headlining run he's been low-key teasing, and why ticket sales are the only metric that really matters to him. He also breaks news on back-to-back releases coming in just a few weeks, including a Harry Styles cover that was previously Amazon-exclusive. Plus, his honest take on TikTok, balancing the grind with keeping his band's morale intact, and what it looks like to build a catalog that doesn't put fans in a box.Subscribe for more country music interviews, festival coverage, and artist stories every week.#ZachJohnKing #countrymusic #CountryMinute

Gavin Adcock on Opening for Morgan Wallen, New Album, and That Caddy Suit Story

Gavin Adcock joins Country Minute backstage at US Bank Stadium before night two of Morgan Wallen's Still The Problem tour. Gavin walks us through the debut of his new song Wannabe, his plan to release new music every three weeks, and the next album taking shape. He previews his first arena headlining tour with a 25-foot longhorn stage piece and a drum riser that puts his drummer 15 feet in the air, teases Country Never Dies II, recaps his sold-out Australian run at CMC Rocks, and tells the story behind the caddy suits he and Vincent Mason wore on stage in Minneapolis. Recorded on location in Minneapolis.