A Benson Boone concert is a flipping fun time. Literally. 
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The pop artist who gained TikTok and brief “American Idol” fame brought his Wanted Man tour to Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark., Aug. 29, and it was nonstop joy from the moment he first flipped onto the stage. 

This was his fourth headlining tour, with two albums under his belt: Fireworks & Rollerblades (2024) and American Heart (2025). Wanted Man has 47 stops from July through November across three continents. His opener, Luna Li, was impressive, playing at least five instruments during her set, but, sadly, sound issues made it hard to decipher any of her songs. 

Thankfully, the sound was perfect for Boone, who packs so much energy into his hour-and-40-minute set; it’s honestly mystical and magical, if you will. 

I knew about three of his songs going into the night with my free concert ticket gifted by one of my best friends. I’ve had family and friends rave about his shows, but it’s really something entirely different to experience. 

One, there’s a lot of backflips — it’s his schtick. He’s been backflipping since he was a child, and his athleticism as a competitive diver certainly has helped his stamina. I lost track of how many flips he did, but it was captivating to watch him do it from start to finish, and not even seem the least bit tired, minus the sweat dripping off of him. I guess being just 24 helps. 

Two, he’s adorable. His fans range from daughters to moms, sons to dads, and it’s so cool to watch him interact with fans so genuinely. When he finished his set, he ran around all sides of the stage to sign autographs and give hugs to his swooning fanbase. During his set, he talked about how he locks eyes with fans while singing, and I believe it. Our seats were in a suite, but you could clearly see how immersed he was in his fans around the stage, without alienating the rest of us. He brought us into the chaos and quiet moments, making everyone feel like we were experiencing something so powerful together. 

Third, it’s not just about the backflips. It was the confetti cannons, Boone floating on a suspended platform singing “In The Stars” and his overall high-energy running and singing and just having fun. I’ve been to a lot of concerts, but it was a total surprise and delight when red, white and blue paper hearts burst out of confetti cannons lining the stage during his performance of “Young American Heart.” 
His setlist was packed with familiar favorites, kicking it off with “Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” and “Mr. Electric Blue.” He played around with fans, starting “Mystical Magical,” and stopping to ask if we knew that one. But besides the high-energy songs like “Wanted Man,” he snuck in powerful, slower ballads like “Drunk In My Mind,” “Slow It Down” and “Momma Song.” Boone also explained that the peak of his concert will always be “The Time of My Life,” so fans should choose another time to buy merch or make a bathroom stop. It was sweet to see a performer share that vulnerability and be honest that it wasn’t the high-charging performances that meant the most to him. It was instead this sad, slower song, with lyrics like “‘Cause now that every day is a party / Every night’s a nightmare / I can’t lay down my head / Without wishing you came along.” He wrapped it all up with his biggest hit, “Beautiful Things.” 

I couldn’t say I was a Boone fan before seeing him live, but I certainly am now. He has that ability — you can’t help but be sucked in by his energy and kindness to fans. Boone is a true performer; one music fans should take a chance on seeing if they ever get the chance. 

by Tyler Glover
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"You have to listen to 'Choosin' Texas!!!" 
"Have you heard Ella Langley's new song?" 
"Are you a fan of her?" 
"Are you an Ella Fella?"  

Around February, many friends asked if I had heard the record-breaking country song, "Choosin' Texas." Did I remember "You Look Like You Love Me?" It was the same singer. I finally found the time and became instantaneously hooked. I had to hear more from this talented country artist, Ella Langley. I dived into her former albums, Excuse the Mess and Hungover. I had found a new artist to be excited about … I am indeed an Ella Fella. 

Shortly after my fandom began, Langley announced a new album, Dandelion, set for release on April 10th. I pre-saved it on Spotify and counted down the days until the release. Dandelion is a no-skip country album. Every song could be a Billboard Hot 100 hit. The album draws you in from the first tune,
"Froggy Went A Courtin" and makes you never want to leave. If you love country music, you will simply love Langley.

Tickets went on sale for the Dandelion Tour. Affordability was an issue for me, but as the day drew near, I knew I simply had to go. On August 22nd, I went to see Ella Langley on her "Dandelion Tour" at the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, Ark. 

Her opening acts were country artists ERNEST and Laci Kaye Booth. Both feel like artists we will be seeing more of in the coming years. 

While they were great, the true excitement began at 9 p.m., when Langley took the stage. She came out singing the title track, "Dandelion," and immediately drew us in. The whole stage was filled with real dandelion flowers and the computer-generated background of a traditional Southern country home. We all immediately felt welcome and at home. The whole two hours of her set made us feel like we were all hanging out with an old friend, and neither one of us wanted the time together to end. Langley sang all of her hits, including "You Look Like You Love Me," her Morgan Wallen duet, "I Can't Love You Anymore," "Choosin' Texas," "Be Her" and "Bottom of My Boots." It is always exciting to hear these artists sing their hits live and in person for you. What truly makes concerts special, though, is what makes them exclusive. Langley did several covers throughout her set that made fans feel special because she isn't putting them out for everyone to see. She covered Toby Keith's hit, "I Wish I Didn't Know Now," "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac" and "Here For The Party" by Gretchen Wilson. While we love hearing the radio hits, it is exciting to hear new material.  

My absolute favorite cover of the evening was her singing "Comfortable When I'm Crazy" by ERNEST. ERNEST came out and joined her for this song. When introducing the song, Langley claimed that she is jealous that this is a song that she didn't write herself. I knew we were in for a treat. The song was so heartbreaking, beautiful and haunting. I had it on repeat for two days following the show.

Shortly after the concert was over, I started seeing negative posts from some concertgoers who said they couldn't believe they paid so much money and that was all the show was. I respectfully disagree. I think there are some concerts that focus on having a high production value, but it is perfectly OK to let the talent of the musician and their band shine through. As mentioned above, the set was beautiful and homely and made us feel at home. Langley focused on giving stellar powerhouse vocals, playing her guitar and highlighting all of her band members and their incredible skills as musicians. One thing I respected so much about Langley was that when she introduced her band, she had their names and pictures of them on the Jumbotron. They were getting their moment to have their names in lights as well.

As a Christian, one particular moment of the concert really stood out to me. I believe that God is the reason we have anything that we have in this life. Langley shares my faith in God, and she talked to us about how last year, she could never have imagined how her world would be so different now. She said that all the glory goes to God for making her dreams come true. It made my heart so happy to see people put credit where credit is due. God should be the main one we thank for any of our blessings. 
The "Dandelion Tour" concert was such a fun evening with a talented singer, songwriter, musician and artist that I feel we will be hearing about for many years to come. I personally cannot wait to see her again.

1. Jolene
Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” is one of those songs like “Sweet Caroline” or “Bohemian Rhapsody,” where if it comes on, everybody is going to know it and sing along, whether they like country music or not. It’s incredibly rare to have a song that universally beloved, but Parton really clicked on something with a song begging another woman not to take her man, inspired by a redheaded bank teller who flirted with her husband, Carl. There’s something so achingly torturous, yet beautiful, in her pleading with this woman to leave her man alone. That mixed with the beautiful melody of finger-picked acoustic guitar by Chip Young and the complementary steel-stringed guitar by Wayne Moss helped worm its way into our memories forever. Rolling Stone magazine named “Jolene” the 63rd greatest song of all time in 2021, the highest-rated country song on the list. JS

2. I Will Always Love You
“I Will Always Love You” is not only one of Dolly Parton’s best songs but one of the best songs ever written, in general. In 1973, Dolly Parton wrote this song as a farewell to her business and duet partner Porter Wagoner. Wagoner hosted a variety musical television program called “The Porter Wagoner Show,” and Dolly had been on the show for seven seasons. She decided to leave to pursue her own solo career. Wagoner was upset with her. Dolly went home and wrote this beautiful work of art to share her feelings with him. The song talks about how sometimes, even though we love each other, we cannot be together, but it does not stop the love you have for them. The love will always endure even though you don’t see each other as frequently. It is a beautiful ballad that still brings tears to my eyes. “I Will Always Love You” also became extremely popular in 1992 when Whitney Houston released it as a pop song for the film “The Bodyguard.” Houston went on to win Record of the Year, Female Pop Vocal Performance and Album of the Year for the soundtrack. “I Will Always Love You” is one of the most successful songs of Dolly’s career. TG

3. 9 to 5
“9 to 5” is one of those rare mixes of hopeful, rebellious and fun. Parton wrote the song for the 1980 movie of the same name, which became her film debut alongside her friends Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The song, off of her 1980 album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs, is so well-known because it’s simple and relatable. It’s centered around being stuck in a 9-to-5 job with little respect or compensation, but still being hopeful, knowing “you got dreams they’ll never take away.” The song’s lyrics and melody are so recognizable as an anthem for office workers, particularly women, from pouring “a cup of ambition” to the iconic typewriter clicking, inspired by the clacking of her acrylic nails. It won Best Country Song and Best Country Vocal Performance (Female) at the 24th Annual Grammy Awards. It’s my favorite Dolly song because I’ve lived it. I remember blaring it and singing along in my car on the way to one of my early journalism jobs, where respect and compensation were a rarity. The song is cathartic, a true gift from Dolly that gave us space to be frustrated while staying optimistic. AHS

4. Here You Come Again
There’s a softness and tender heartbreak in Dolly’s voice when she sings about love and longing. There are few better examples than on the 1977 single “Here You Come Again,” written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, off of her album of the same name. The song centers on an ex coming around again just as the narrator is finally getting over the heartbreak. The song showcases Dolly’s quiet vulnerability, while transitioning to her powerhouse vocals later in the song on the chorus, as she builds with the lyrics, “All you gotta do is smile that smile / And there go all my defenses / Just leave it up to you and in a little while / You're messing up my mind” and then belting out, “and filling up my senses.” It’s a vocal representation of the roller coaster love can be. It not only topped the U.S. country singles chart, but became a pop crossover, climbing to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. AHS

5. Coat of Many Colors
“Coat of Many Colors,” off the 1971 album of the same name, is one of Dolly Parton’s finest examples of taking a true-life story and making it into art. The song was inspired by Parton’s mother, who stitched together a coat for Dolly out of rags given to the poor family and told her the Biblical story of Joseph and his coat of many colors while doing so. It’s the kind of good Christian charity in lyrics like, “One is only poor, only if they choose to be/Now I know we had no money, but I was rich as I could be/In my coat of many colors my momma made for me” that Parton lived her life by, and as a result is remembered as much for her good will, as her legendary music. Parton called “Coat of Many Colors” her favorite song she wrote. JS

6. Why’d You Come in Here Looking Like That
Dolly’s sweet Southern twang was tailor-made for “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That,” written by Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas. The 1989 single off of her White Limozeen album marked her 22nd No. 1 song on the Billboard country chart. It’s a heartbreak song, but one that’s upbeat, in true Dolly fashion, pleading why an ex has to look that good walking into what I assume is a honky tonk. My favorite part of this song is Dolly’s almost twangy growl on the word “why’d” later in the chorus, upping the energy as the song progresses. It’s such a fun hit, one she performed for her hosting/music guest gig on Saturday Night Live on April 15, 1989. AHS

7. Two Doors Down
When you look through Dolly’s discography, one of the things that stands out is her impeccable talent for writing ballads. Dolly has so many inspirational songs. “Two Doors Down” is one example of how Dolly can do so much more than that, though. “Two Doors Down” is an upbeat country song that tells a story of a woman who has just been dumped by her boyfriend and is sad in her apartment. She hears a party going on two doors down and contemplates whether she should go or continue to wallow in her misery. She eventually goes and finds a man whom she eventually brings back to her apartment “two doors down.” This song really shows us all that when we are heartbroken, life still goes on, and we have to keep going. Eventually, everything will work out and what is meant to happen will happen.  The song was commercially successful as well. It peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 19. It is remembered by so many to be one of her best songs. I think that is because Dolly was such a fun person, and this song is one of the best examples in her discography that truly captures that aspect of her. TG

8. Islands in the Stream (with Kenny Rogers)
“Islands in the Stream” is one of Dolly’s most successful songs critically and commercially. The Bee Gees wrote the song, drawing inspiration from the 1970 Ernest Hemingway novel of the same name. It was eventually worked into a duet by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton in 1983. The song is a metaphor for the kind of love we all hope for: a love that lets us be ourselves while also creating an unbreakable connection with someone who loves us for who we are. The islands symbolize individuality, while the stream connects them, suggesting the meeting of two souls. The song is incredibly catchy, and it is impossible not to sing along if you know the words. The song went on to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2024, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it 104th on its 200 Greatest Country Songs of All Time list. There is not a list that is complete of Dolly’s best songs without this one. Borrowing from the lyrics, this song simply does something to us that we can’t explain. TG

9. The Bargain Store
"The Bargain Store,” off the 1975 album of the same name, finds Dolly Parton’s narrator hoping to find love again after being “used” before. Believe it or not, the song was controversial at first, back when folks were expected to stay in relationships, no matter how troubled they might be. Some radio stations even idiotically misread a lyric like “you can easily afford the price” as a reference to prostitution and refused to play the song. Parton knew her worth as a woman, and “The Bargain Store,” a No. 1 hit despite some radio backlash, shows it. JS

10. When I Get Where I’m Going (with Brad Paisley)
While Dolly has an impressive collection of solo songs, her relationships and mentorships with other artists make her more than just a country singer. She was a mentor and friend in an industry that could be the opposite. While “When I Get Where I’m Going” is a 2005 Brad Paisley song, I can’t imagine it having the impact it does without Dolly’s backing vocals and beautiful “Hallelujahs.” It’s a song about the hope for Heaven, and it’s one that I listened to so often after my mother died. Hearing Dolly’s voice on this song and knowing her deep Christian beliefs makes it so much more meaningful. I will cry every time I hear it. Since her passing, hearing her voice sing, “When I get where I’m going, don’t cry for me down here,” is especially poignant. AHS

This week marks Arkansas Music Week in northwest Arkansas – a celebration of the local artists who are defining their local music scene and showing out in concert halls and bars across the area. 

I was 16 years old when I attended my first real show. Calico System – a hardcore band based out of St. Louis – was in my small hometown of Mountain Home, Ark. (why they came to a retirement community of 12,000 people, I’ll never know – but shout-out to the organizers who made it happen). I don’t remember who opened for them – some local bands, likely one or two made of other kids at my school – but my love of live music was born that night in an American Legion Hall. 

That night at the Mountain Home American Legion was my christening into live music (it wasn’t technically my first concert – that was Alan Jackson, when I was 4 or 5 years old, blessed or cursed by the poor memory of youth to not remember much about it). I’ve seen hundreds of performances since then: I’ve watched big-name bands from the nosebleeds of giant arenas; from plastic seats in an amphitheater; and from the pits of sweltering festivals. But nothing compares to the shows I’ve seen in the VFWs, church rec rooms, dive bars and bingo halls. 

For me, I’ve always gravitated toward the heavy: punk, metal, hardcore. Grit. People doing weird dances and shoving each other in the middle of the floor. You might not expect to find too much of that in Arkansas, but last Saturday’s kick-off to Arkansas Music Week – which featured nine Arkansas punk, metal and shoegaze bands – proved the heavy music scene is alive and well in the Natural State. There were sick riffs, circle pits and crowd surfing. The Ozark Music Hall was alive with community.

2026 can be the year that we appreciate real art. Don’t sleep on local music. You might find your favorite band down the road at the American Legion. 

Suggested Listening: Jowls, Obliviate, Chrono Wizard

by Julian Spivey

Judging by the reaction from vocalist Evan Felker, the Turnpike Troubadours put on one of their most-attended shows yet at the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion in Rogers, Ark., on Saturday, July 25.
The sold-out crowd of dedicated Turnpike fans was entertained by 22 of the red dirt country group’s finest songs.

The band’s latest album, The Price of Admission, which came out last year, was heavily featured in the band’s set, which actually surprised me somewhat, as I’d last seen the band following its 2023 album Cat in the Rain, and they didn’t play many songs from that release. The Troubadours are kind of known for playing “the hits” in concert, which means a lot of songs from their first few albums. It was nice to see some new stuff on Saturday night.

Five songs from The Price of Admission, including my favorite songs from the album: “Heaven Passing Through” and “On the Red River.” Also featured were “A Lie Agreed Upon,” “Be Here” and “Ruby Ann,” which was co-written by Lance Roark, one of the show’s openers, who joined the band onstage for this performance.

“The Hits” were definitely featured on  Saturday night at the AMP, with “The Bird Hunters,” off The Turnpike Troubadours, kicking off the show. Potentially the band’s most popular song, it was the only selection from that album during the concert.

Diamonds & Gasoline, which is sort of the band’s de facto debut (they did have an album prior that is out of print), always features heavily during the band’s live shows, with six total tracks appearing at the AMP, including my all-time favorites “7&7,” “Kansas City Southern,” “Every Girl” and “Whole Damn Town,” songs I wouldn’t want to leave a Turnpike show without hearing.

Among my other favorite performances of the evening were “A Tornado Warning,” my favorite track off 2017’s A Long Way From Your Heart, “Mean Old Sun,” off Cat in the Rain, and “Good Lord Lorrie,” which is probably my second favorite Turnpike song after “7&7,” though the group did bring Arkansas native Waylon Wyatt, one of the show’s openers, out for the song, and honestly I’d have preferred a band-only performance.

The band finished the evening, tight on time, with an apparent curfew for the outdoor amphitheater of 11 p.m., with a rather lifeless cover of my favorite Robert Earl Keen song “Feelin’ Good Again,” the fan-favorite “Long Hot Summer Day” and the perfect show-ender of “Pay No Rent,” which, though initially written for Felker’s beloved Aunt Lou, doubles terrifically as a tribute to the group’s fan-base.

Turnpike Troubadours have come back from their few-year hiatus from around 2018-2022, while Felker was getting sober, bigger than ever with new listeners apparently finding their music while the band was away. This has led to the band going from small venues around the country to arena and amphitheater tours. The band’s intensity performing live seems to have lessened as it has gotten bigger, which is a little disappointing for me, who began my tenure as a fan of the group in the small venues, up close and with more raucous performances. It’s probably for the betterment of the group, especially Felker cleaning up, so it’s something I’ll need to learn to live with.

Roark was a fantastic opener, performing a short set of some of his finest songs like “Big Bad Heart” and “Oklahoma Blacktop,” both of which he co-wrote with Turnpike Troubadours bassist R.C. Edwards.
Wyatt, a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Hackett, Ark., has seen a meteoric rise in the independent country music scene after his song “Everything Under the Sun” went viral on TikTok (you know, the way it’s done these days). His debut album, Dustpiles, was just released this month. I don’t quite get the uproar about him yet, but maybe I’m too old for what he’s putting out. 

by Aprille Hanson-Spivey

Noah Kahan has built his brand around diving “heart” first into the depths of despair with deep and sad lyrics — after all, most artists do not have a tour shirt that says, “I went off my meds at Noah Kahan’s 2026 North American Tour.” But the vibes were pure adrenaline and joy on July 14 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. It was the first of two sold-out shows, drawing about 40,000 fans each night at the historic venue. 

It was the seventh stop on his 22-city tour, fresh off performing a four-night run at his favorite venue, Fenway Park in Boston. 

It was my first time seeing Kahan, an artist I fell in love with after hearing “Paul Revere,” an extra recording on his 2023 Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever), expanded from 2022’s breakout Stick Season.

What is fascinating about Kahan is his ability to command a crowd of 40,000, while still feeling like a small-venue artist. Because his songs are so personal and lyrical, I was curious how they would feel in a venue that large. It was entirely different from what feels like individual musical therapy sessions guided by his voice coming through the car speakers. 

While he said during the show that he’s not there to spread optimism, helping people feel heard and seen through music brings hope, and that’s exactly what fans felt at his concert. The crowd’s bright, flashing wristband lights mirrored the hopeful energy woven into his entire setlist. 

With little talking, he blazed through 24 songs, including the typical fan favorites like “Dial Drunk,” “Orange Juice,” “The View Between Villages” and new favorites from his latest album, The Great Divide, starting with “American Cars,” “Doors” and later “Downfall” and “Deny, Deny, Deny.” 

Aside from the iconic “Stick Season” to close out the show, “Dial Drunk” seemed to be the most fun for both the crowd and Kahan, as he was “thrown” into the back of an old police car on stage, singing directly into the camera inside the car for a bit of the song. It was electric singing what’s considered for Kahan to be a banger, along with everyone in the stadium. 

But the moments that truly lived up to one of his tour T-shirts, “Noah Kahan Made Me Cry,” were his surprise song of the set, “Call Your Mom.” ‘Mom’ was an extra song from his 2023 extended ‘Forever’ album, and centers around the desperate lengths someone will go to to save someone they love from succumbing to suicide. It’s a song I hadn’t really listened to much before this concert, and it was the only one that made me cry. It’s a pleading song, emphasizing, “All lights turned off can be turned on.”  For those who have lost someone to suicide or know someone who has attempted, it’s a song that taps into both helplessness and hopefulness. 

“Orbiter,” off of ‘Divide’, performed with Kahan lit up in a spotlight on a part of the stage extended into the crowd right before “Call Your Mom,” set the tone for a quieter part of the set, with “Dan” also added to the mix. 

His three-set encore included “End of August,” “Homesick” and “Stick Season.” 

While there’s only so many songs he can add in, “End of August” has consistently been a part of his encore on each stop, which is a bit surprising. It’s the first song off of ‘Divide,’ but it seems a little too slow and new to kick off the encore. I would have loved to hear “Paul Revere,” “Everywhere, Everything,” “Headed North” or “Growing Sideways” (his surprise song the next day in Chicago) instead. 

But truthfully, it’s hard to create a more perfect setlist than what Kahan fashioned for this tour. It was the little things, like the wristband lights, his name, tour dates in Chicago and “sold out” spelled out on the iconic Wrigley scoreboard, his openers, Annabelle Dinda and Gigi Perez, setting the right tone for his fans in the blazing heat, that made the experience special. 

Jason Eady brought his blend of Delta blues and Red Dirt country to Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack in Little Rock, Ark., on Tuesday, June 16, for his first performance in Arkansas in more than a decade, according to him.

Eady has been a singer-songwriter I’ve been paying attention to since his 2017 self-titled album, when I first heard his song “Barabbas,” about the murderer who was pardoned in place of Jesus of Nazareth. That song featured at No. 6 on this website’s list of the Best Americana and Country Music songs of 2017.

I’ve paid attention to his releases since then, finding particular favorites in terrific story songs like “French Summer Sun,” off 2021’s To the Passage of Time, which ranked No. 10 on this site’s end-of-year list.

Eady’s 2023 album, Mississippi, is where he was at his best, in my opinion, as he mingled that great Red Dirt country songwriting with the music of the Delta South, of his home state that shares the album’s name. Songs like “Once Upon a Time in New Orleans,” which ranked No. 82 on my yearly list (admittedly low), and “Burn It Down,” No. 10 on the yearly list.

Eady opened his show at Stickyz on Tuesday night with the terrific one-two punch of “Once Upon a Time in New Orleans” and “Burn It Down,” which wound up being my two favorite performances of the set. He played five of the 10 tracks from Mississippi at the show on Tuesday, with backing from the talented Midnight River Choir, including “Way Down in Mississippi” and “Wayside.”

Eady’s latest album, Tulsa Turnaround, which was released on June 5, is another terrific effort from the singer-songwriter and evident chameleon of musical sounds, as he melds the Delta sound of his previous album with the Tulsa Sound, popularized by artists such as J.J. Cale and Leon Russell in the ‘70s. The album’s title track, the first from the new album he performed on Tuesday night, is already high on my list of favorite Americana or Country music songs of the year. “Tulsa Turnaround” is a tribute to great musicians of Tulsa’s past, as well as its musical institutions, such as Cain’s Ballroom and Mercury Lounge.

Among the other great performances from Tulsa Turnaround during Eady’s set were “Angelene,” “Work No More,” “You Make It Easy,” “Mean Spirits,” a good tune for today’s world, and “Mississippi Blues Man,” a tribute to the late J.C. Cannon, an old blues picker who taught Eady how to play.

Eady performed seven of the new album’s 11 tracks on Tuesday night. It’s an album you should definitely check out and will probably wind up as one of the best of the year in the Americana and country genres.

Among the other memorable performances from Eady’s set were “Why I Left Atlanta,” from 2017’s self-titled album, “I Lost My Mind in Carolina, off 2018’s I Travel On, and “Back to Jackson,” from 2007’s Wild Eyed Serenade, the oldest song from his repertoire he performed at Stickyz.

Eady finished the night off with one more track from Tulsa Turnaround, with “Stay Up or Get Down,” a song he told the audience that he set out to write in the style of Cale. I think he succeeded.

Addison Johnson, a country singer-songwriter originally from North Carolina and based out of Nashville, opened the night at Stickyz, and he’s a performer you must look out for. He performed a handful of tracks off his upcoming album, The State I’m In, which releases on June 26, and songs like the title track and “Flames” are proof that it’s going to be a must-listen.

Jason Boland and the Stragglers at The Revolution Room in Little Rock, Ark. has become almost an annual tradition for me – I’ve seen the group many times at the venue (and a few times elsewhere). The band’s most recent Rev Room stop was Saturday, June 13, after being delayed a month following the death of Boland’s bulldog, Gary. One of the first things I noticed upon the band taking the stage on Saturday night was that Boland has Gary’s name tattooed on his knuckles.

Boland and the Stragglers opened their Saturday night show with “Take Me Back to Austin,” one of the highlights off the band’s latest album, The Last Kings of Babylon, which came out in March of 2025.

The band would play four songs from that album throughout the night, with “Drive,” “One Law at a Time,” and “Irish Goodbye,” which came during the encore, also on the setlist.

When you go to a Jason Boland and the Stragglers show, you know you’re going to get a lot of the fan-favorites you’ll always hear, but that’s A-OK because you love them so much. You honestly probably wouldn’t want to go to a Stragglers show that didn’t include songs such as “Pearl Snaps,” “Comal County Blue,” “Dark & Dirty Mile,” “Gallo del Cielo” and “Somewhere Down in Texas,” which Boland actually joked he’d recently left off a set by accident and polled the audience if it was a song they needed to hear, which was a resounding yes.  

You can always count on Boland to throw in some beloved stuff that you may have heard live before, but not always. On Saturday night, my favorite example of this was “Obsessed,” off the band’s 2011 album, Rancho Alto, which was my introduction to the group. He also performed the rocker “Pushing Luck” off that record on Saturday night.

Stragglers shows always seem to ramp up in intensity as they go on, with so many of the fan-favorites coming in the second half of the show. The band will go effortlessly from “Pearl Snaps” to “Somewhere Down in Texas” to “Gallo del Cielo” and just keep things rolling with the best of their best through the end of the show.

My favorite moment of Saturday’s show was unexpected, mostly because I could see the setlist on the stage from my vantage point in front of it, and this wasn’t on it. Following a raucous performance of “Fuck, Fight, and Rodeo,” off 2015’s excellent Squelch, Boland turned to the band and informed them he was adding a song, which turned out to be Bruce Springsteen’s “Tougher Than the Rest,” off The Boss’s 1987 album Tunnel of Love, which is one of his greatest deep cuts. It might be my favorite cover I’ve ever seen live from any artist I’ve ever seen.

The band’s encore began with the aforementioned “Irish Goodbye,” before going into “The Bourbon Legend,” another frequent Stragglers tune, before wrapping up with “Outlaw Band,” which I have on at least one occasion in a review called the greatest set ender I’ve ever heard. It’s just one of those performances that is electric every time you hear it, with its wonderful lyrics, from Bob Childers, Randy Crouch and Layle Stagner, about a group of loners who form a band out of their mutual love of music, and its wonderful musicianship, which includes mesmerizing fiddle and mandolin numbers, currently played by Nick Gedra.  

I never tire of seeing the Stragglers live, but there was one little difference this time, and I have to assume it's on the part of The Rev Room. I haven’t been to the venue, one of my favorites, in nearly a year, but the sound on the vocals was harder to hear on Saturday night than I’ve ever experienced in more than 20 shows over the last 15 years of attending concerts there. Hopefully, it was just an off night for the sound system.  

5. “Clint Eastwood” by Gorillaz
Typically, when musical guests appear on “Saturday Night Live,” it’s to promote their new music, but occasionally bands will perform a classic instead. That happened on two instances this season with Gorillaz performing their 2001 hit “Clint Eastwood” and Paul McCartney performing his 1974 classic “Band on the Run.” Now, I like “Band on the Run” better of the two, but McCartney has actually played the song twice on ‘SNL,’ and his 2010 performance was better. So, Gorillaz it is. The highlight of this performance was Del the Funky Homosapien, who was on the recording, joining the band and knocking his verses out of the park. 

4. “Dance No More” by Harry Styles
To be quite honest with you, Harry Styles’ “Dance No More,” from his latest album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally, is the type of song I might grow to dislike if I hear it too many times, but his performance of it on ‘SNL’ on an episode in which he pulled double duty as host and musical guest was a lot of fun. The song, written by Styles and his producer Kid Harpoon, is a fun dance track about how dance songs seem to be fading from radio play. When Styles is at his best, he reminds me a bit of David Bowie, and this is the “Let’s Dance”/”Modern Love” era. 

3. “The Man I Need” by Olivia Dean
Olivia Dean’s “The Man I Need” feels like a throwback, which I mean as a compliment. It’s the kind of R&B-influenced pop sound that Whitney Houston popularized in her heyday. The English singer-songwriter hit it big with “The Man I Need,” a song about “knowing how you deserve to be loved and not being afraid to ask for it,” according to Dean. It’s a bit of a peculiarity for me in that I enjoy it but also find myself a bit annoyed by the repeated “talk to me” lines. 

2. “The Great Divide” by Noah Kahan
Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan is a bit of a curiosity, as he’ll perform something like “The Great Divide,” about struggling with things like mental health and how religious trauma can play a role in it, but he’ll do it with a smile on his face like it’s a party song. It’s a bit weird, but the song itself is touching and, from a songwriting perspective, might be the best song (other than McCartney’s “Band on the Run”) performed on the show this season. 

1. “Manchild” by Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter should annoy me. Most pop stars do. But she doesn’t take herself seriously, and I find that cheekiness to be charming, so she can get away with a song about how men are stupid without completely offending this man. Her performance of “Manchild” was a combination of fun performance mixed with theatrical staging (as if she’s performing in front of a mirror while bopping around her bedroom in her underwear) – something that isn’t a stranger to ‘SNL’ these days, but it usually doesn’t do anything for me. Bubblegum pop at its finest.  

“Excuse me. You look like you love me.”  
 
These were the first words I ever heard sung by up-and-coming superstar Ella Langley in 2024. “You Look Like You Love Me,” a duet with Riley Green, became a smash hit for Langley. The single would go on to win the CMA Award for Musical Event of the Year and the ACM Award for Single, Visual Media and Music Event of the Year. I listened to country music all the time growing up, but as an adult, I gravitate more toward pop music. However, songs like this bring me back to the genre that was the soundtrack of my childhood. 

Unfortunately, I did not check out her debut album, Hungover. However, Langley made her next album, Dandelion, released on April 10, a must-listen with the release of the lead single, “Choosin’ Texas.”

“Choosin’ Texas” continues to break records, the most impressive being the country song with the most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song tells the story of a Tennessee girl who falls in love with a Texas boy and makes the mistake of taking him back home, where a former flame awaits. The love between them is undeniable, and she realizes she will lose him because he will choose the girl from Texas. The song has become one of my favorites of the last few years.

I am officially an “Ella Fella.” In today’s country music, there are two routes a female artist can take. It is the “Taylor Swift” way or “Miranda Lambert” way. Country music is either country-pop or sticking to traditional country music as much as possible. I personally like both routes. Examples of the “Taylor Swift way” are Kelsea Ballerini and Megan Moroney while examples of the “Miranda Lambert” way would be Kacey Musgraves and Ashley McBryde.  Langley is going the Miranda Lambert way. She sticks to traditional country storytelling, using traditional country instruments and arrangements, and does it brilliantly. 

One criticism I tend to have of country music is the lack of originality in its storytelling, or its unwillingness to tell stories that are not about drinking or falling in love. On Dandelion, Langley shows us that she has lots of stories to tell and we are going to want to hear every single one of them. She introduces us to her in the single, “Dandelion.” She gives us a love triangle in “Choosin’ Texas,” a look into her religious background in ”Speaking Terms,” tells a man to label their situationship in “Bottom Of Your Boots,” tells us she still likes her smalltown life in “Somethin’ Simple,” and how she is growing in “Butterfly Season,” featuring Miranda Lambert. The three songs that are the most similar are “We Know Us,” "Low Lights” and “Last Call For Us.” What Langley does, though, is give us different perspectives and more insight with each song.  

Growing up, when listening to country albums, I noticed that while there were hits, there were also songs that just felt like filler. It seemed like the singer just needed to fill more space and chose something of lower quality. This is something Langley does not do. Every song she wrote has a purpose, a fresh perspective, and deserves to be there, making this album a no-skip one. I felt every song was fresh, current and refreshing. It is difficult for this “Ella Fella” to choose a favorite, but my top picks would be ”Choosin’ Texas,” “Speaking Terms,” “Bottom Of Your Boots” and “Loving Life Again.” “Loving Life Again” is a song you must listen to on a difficult mental health day. It is very uplifting.

Dandelion has been almost on repeat for the past month. Langley has proven herself in a short time to be a country music powerhouse. As soon as I get over my obsession with Dandelion, I will be going back to give her debut album, Hungover, as well as her EP Excuse The Mess. I cannot wait to see where her career takes her.