With 22 #1 singles, Dierks Bentley is no stranger to finding success with his music and now, he’s sharing one of his secret weapons.

During his recent appearance on the Superstar Power Hour with Katie Neal, Bentley said he plays his music for his kids before releasing it to see what they think. It’s a tried and true method for the 49-year-old, which he put to the test most-recently with his fresh single, “She Hates Me.”

“I played it for my kids, they’re always a good barometer. They know music really well,” he told Neal. “They have the shortest attention spans, right? They’re used to like, seven seconds of YouTube shorts and stuff,” he laughed.

After approval from daughters Evalyn and Jordan plus son, Knox, Dierks is feeling good about the tongue-and-cheek anti-love anthem that released on Valentine’s Day. “I’ve never liked Valentine’s Day,” he said of the Hallmark holiday that causes him to overthink. Bentley reminisced on the “anti-Valentine's Day" gigs he used to play as an up-and-comer and says releasing this single on the 14th was a “full circle moment” for him.

“I used to play a gig at the Station Inn just up the street [Nashville] on Valentine’s Day — I did it like three Valentine’s Days in a row, before I had a record deal,” he explained. “It was literally the Anti-Valentine’s Day Show. You had to wear all black to get in and it was all these people who didn’t like Valentine’s Day.”

While the song clearly stays true to Dierks’ dislike towards everything pink, red and heart-shaped, it’s also a song that will help him keep his high-energy engagement on stage with fans on tour.

“I’m always thinking about the live show and the tour,” he said. “Everyone has their own reasons for doing this [music] and for me… my whole dream was just to be on a tour bus, with a band. It was never about the GRAMMYs or any of the award shows or any of that. I just wanted to be the guy on the bus with a band… I’m still getting to do that.”

Dierks will embark on tour this year with his recently-revealed Broken Branches Tour. Kicking off May 29 at the Moody Center in Austin, the trek will travel through more than 30 U.S. cities nationwide. Joining him as support are Zach Top and duo The Band Loula.

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

After being forced to cancel their farewell tour in 2020 due to the global pandemic, Rascal Flatts is making good on their promise to make it up to fans with their 2025 'Life Is A Highway Tour' and it all comes with a revamped perspective and appreciation for their career.

During a recent appearance on 'Superstar Power Hour' with Audacy’s Katie Neal, Rascal Flatts guitarist, Joe Don Rooney, opened up about the five year break they took as a band and how it led to a perspective shift.

“We all kind of went our separate ways and did our own things,” Rooney said before addressing his own struggles throughout that time, which included a DUI in September of 2021. “Obviously, I had to do a lot of things on myself and I’m really grateful for that time.”

He continued, “It was time well spent… to rejuvenate, spend time with my kids, refocus my energy as a father and I’m super thankful for that time. My connection with my kids has never been better.”

Sharing he’s been sober for more than three years, Rooney says he’s grateful to be headed back on tour and experience the music like never before. “For me, now being sober for a little over three years and refocusing my attention to my health and fatherhood and all that, a song like ‘My Wish,’ it hits me different,” he shared when asked which song he is most excited to play. “I’ve got a lot of other reasons I connect with the song now.”

Three of those reasons are his kids — Jagger, Raquel and Devon — who Rooney says are excited to watch dad in his element. “They’re pretty hyped up to see us now since they’re a little older,” he shared, noting his kids were very young the last time he took the stage. “As teenagers they’re like, ‘Let’s see what Dad does for a living now.’ They really want to see what he does on stage. It’s so cool to be able to give this to them.”

While a large part of his heart will be standing side stage, Rooney’s attention will be out to the crowd as he’s excited to reconnect with the fans who he says “don’t get enough appreciation.”

Thankful for their patience, love, and support through a rocky five years, Joe Don is grateful the fans are still excited to come see them and hopes to spread a lot of love to every one of them each night. “It’s incredible to have people that are almost magnetized to the music we’ve been able to create,” he shared. “I don’t think they get enough appreciation and we definitely have always tried to spread love all over as much as we can because they’re the reason that we’re where we’re at and been successful.”

He concluded, “I’m so thankful to be part of Rascal Flatts and so grateful we’re going on tour again — I can’t wait to see the fans. It’s definitely like a second chance.”

According to JD, the tour is just the beginning of an exciting year for the guys who are celebrating their 25th anniversary as a band. Just last week, they released a brand new single with the Jonas Brothers, “I Dare You,” and there also appears to be more collaborations to come.

“I’m not supposed to say much, but I can say this,” Joe Don said when asked about a forthcoming project still under wraps. “I can say there [is] an amazing roster of artists that we have coming in and singing with us. While I can’t tell you the song or songs or who is on it — let me tell you, it is a heavy-hitter project.”

You’ve got our attention!

Words by Monica Rivera Interview by Katie Neal

Zach Top’s name says it all as he continues to rise to the top of the Country charts with his single, “I Never Lie,” off his debut album, 'Cold Beer & Country Music.' With that, Top has also been tapped as the next Audacy LAUNCH artist, presented by Macy’s.

As a LAUNCH artist, Top and his music will be featured on Audacy Country stations across the nation that are committed to shining a light on his talents.

The Sunnyside, Washington native has captured fans with his distinct, traditional Country sound that’s offered a breath of fresh air in a genre currently overwhelmed by crossover artists and blurred genre lines. While other emerging artists search endlessly for new ways to stand out, Top has done it by standing firm in tradition.

The 27-year-old is the first to admit he’s been surprised by the warm welcome of his conventional sound, especially with current single, “I Never Lie.” With a lyrically sarcastic approach modeled after songs like George Strait’s “She Told Me So,” Top says it was immediately one of his favorites on the album, but he never expected it to take on a life of its own.

“It’s one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written and definitely one of my favorites on the record,” he said before admitting he never saw it being a single or even a fan favorite. “It doesn’t sound like anything that’s working right now. It’s just so hardcore Country compared to even other things on my album and so, I would not have picked that one out to be the big 'hit' off the record, but I was tickled to death when it was.”

Top had the opportunity to see just how much of an impact the song had on Country music fans as he took it on the road — along with the rest of his 'Cold Beer & Country Music' album — opening for Lainey Wilson on her 'Country's Cool Again Tour' in 2024.

“It’s such a blast to play every night,” he said of the single. “People lose their mind at the first little *mimics guitar lick* It’s so fun!” Fans who didn’t get the chance to catch Zach live on Wilson’s trek will have the opportunity to catch him this spring as he opens four of the five shows on Alan Jackson’s Last Call: One More for the Road tour in 2025.

Kicking off February 15 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, the tour will begin just weeks after social media exploded following a satire-style video that claimed Alan Jackson is Top’s father. Clearly a joke, Top still showcased his great sense of humor playing along with it and even putting his parents on the spot.

“It’s funny as crap, the timing is quite suspicious,” Zach laughed when asked about the claims tracing Jackson back to a show in Top’s hometown nine months before Top was born. “I texted it to my mom and my dad in the group chat and I can’t remember what I said. Something like, ‘Can I get an explanation here?’ My mom’s like ‘That’s ridiculous!’ And I texted her back, ‘Is it so ridiculous?’”

While Mama Top was quick to call fake news, Zach’s dad joked he has questions for Jackson, which he plans on getting answered while visiting Top on tour. “My dad texted… ‘If you didn’t already have it planned, I’m going to need a backstage pass for that show because I’m going to need some things explained.'”

The Top family clearly has a great sense of humor about it all and Zach is hoping Alan does as well. “I hope he’s getting a kick out of it too,” he said of Jackson. “It’s fun that we’ll be on tour together, hopefully we can make a little joke out of that and have some fun with it.”

All jokes aside, Zach is honored to share the stage with one of his musical heroes and takes great pride that he could be inspiring the next generation of traditional Country stars. “It’s pretty weird and crazy and cool to think that I’m that for some other little kid out there,” he said, recalling stars like George Strait, Keith Whitley and Alan Jackson who were role models for him. “Hopefully I can set a good example like a George Strait type ...