Taylor Swift is sharing the inspiration behind "I Knew It, I Knew You," her original song for Toy Story 5.

The Grammy-winning singer says an early screening of the Pixar film sparked the idea for the track, which was inspired by Jessie, the beloved cowgirl first introduced in 1999's Toy Story 2.

"We've seen her have her heart broken. Like, we've watched, you know, the car pull away," Swift said. "I get really emotional talking about this."

Jessie's backstory was memorably told through Randy Newman's Oscar-nominated song "When She Loved Me."

After seeing an early screening of the film, Swift called longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff with an idea for a song.

"I called him up and I just really quickly blurted out, like, I got to see the new Toy Story. I have to tell you all about the film, but we need to write this song. We need to write this song," Swift said. "It was just, I was so excited. It was such a frenetic form of excitement." 

The country-leaning ballad explores friendship, memories and reconnecting with people from different chapters of life.

"What means a lot to me about this song is that in life you have friendships, you have memories with people, you form bonds, and then sometimes a path takes you a different way," Swift said. "Sometimes you see somebody again down the road and you're just like, 'Man, it's been a while.' Like, but you're the same person that I had all these memories with."

Toy Story 5 follows Woody, Buzz Lightyear and Jessie as they face a new challenge when Bonnie receives a frog-shaped tablet named Lilypad, whose ideas about play threaten to upend the toys' world.

Disney is the parent company of Pixar and ABC News. 

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Cole Swindell's "Girl Dad" is out now, continuing the story he started with 2015's "You Should Be Here." 

While his #1 dealt with losing his dad in 2013, the new song carries the story forward, imagining what he'd say to his father after getting married in 2024 and welcoming his daughter in 2025. 

"I’ve spent a lot of my life chasing dreams, milestones, and moments I thought would define me," Cole wrote on social media. "Then I became a father. Getting to share these real life moments with you through my music truly means the world to me and my family. I appreciate so many of you already sharing what this song means to you from the clips you’ve heard."

The "Girl Dad" music video dropped simultaneously, picking up where the "You Should Be Here" clip left off. Cole gave his fan club, The Down Home Crew, an exclusive preview during CMA Fest.

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Brothers Osborne are covering Tom Petty's 1989 classic "Runnin' Down a Dream" for the soundtrack of Bobby Rahal: True American Racer. 

Riley Green, Rascal Flatts, Greylan James, Danielle Bradbery, Mackenzie Carpenter, The Jack Wharff Band and others also contribute tracks to the Bobby Rahal: True American Racer (Inspired By) Soundtrack, which drops Aug. 21.

Billy Bob Thornton and Mark Collie offer the original "True American Racer (500 miles)" featuring Slash, from their newly formed duo The Backbeat Troubadours.

Big Machine founder Scott Borchetta is one of the directors of the film, which focuses on Rahal's relationship with team owner Jim Trueman and their fight to win the Indianapolis 500 as Trueman battled terminal cancer. 

You can watch Bobby Rahal: True American Racer on Tubi now.

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On June 19, 2006 — 20 years ago — a song named after a country superstar was released by a new artist. It was "Tim McGraw" by 16-year-old Taylor Swift, and the music industry would never be the same again.

Taylor started writing the song in math class, after pondering the impending end of her relationship with her boyfriend, who was a senior and would soon go off to college. She later finished it with songwriter Liz Rose. The head of her record company suggested that she rename it from "When You Think Tim McGraw" to simply "Tim McGraw," because he thought it would make Tim McGraw fans curious about her.

The song is about a girl who hopes her ex will remember her every time he thinks of her favorite song, which is by Tim McGraw. Thematically, it's somewhat of a blueprint for many of Taylor's future songs.

Tim McGraw revealed in 2025 that he was initially "a little apprehensive about" about the song, because he thought, "Have I gotten to that age now to where they’re singing songs about me? Does that mean I’ve jumped the shark a bit?" He eventually got on board with the song, though; the two became friends and have performed together many times.

"Tim McGraw" got good reviews; it hit the top 10 on the Billboard country chart and #40 on the Hot 100. It became the opening track on her self-titled debut album, which came out that October. It was a massive success, spawned four additional hit singles and set Taylor on the path to becoming the world-conquering superstar she is today.

And Taylor's new single, "I Knew It, I Knew You," is a full-circle moment, as it returns her to those country roots.

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Nashville will be Keepin' It Country on Broadway to make sure everybody can experience the last touring show of Alan Jackson's career.

While the sold-out Last Call: One More for the Road -- The Finale is taking place across the Cumberland River at Nissan Stadium, there'll be a stage and screen set up downtown so fans can watch a free livestream of the concert.

Gates open at 4 p.m. CT for the Saturday, June 27, event, followed by special performances at 5 p.m. by James Carothers and Cory Farley, who've both opened for Alan and play regularly at AJ's Good Time Bar. 

The livestream's set to start shortly after 6 p.m. It will feature Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, Thomas Rhett, George Strait, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson and Lee Ann Womack.

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Blake Shelton's just one of the many country superstars you'll see Thursday night on ABC's annual CMA Fest special. 

The "Let Him In Anyway" hitmaker traces his first CMA Fest appearance to 2001, and he has a significant CMA Fest memory he associates with one of his signature songs. 

"I remember standing on the stage here at Nissan Stadium and performing 'Ol' Red' for the first time, you know, after the song came out as a single," he said backstage. "I just felt like this reaction from the audience, you could hear it, and it was like, 'Oh my gosh, I think this song is gonna be a hit.'"

"It had been out, you know, for maybe two or three months, but you know it was still kinda new at radio," he explains. "And so that was the first time I thought, 'Man, we may have something here,' you know."

"And the audience was right," he adds. "You know, these are the hardcore fans. If they react to it, you've got something."

Stay tuned to see what Blake performs on Thursday, as Riley Green and GMA's Lara Spencer host the three-hour CMA Fest special starting at 8 p.m. ET. 

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If you've been meaning to check out the Lainey Wilson exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum but haven't done it yet, time is running out. Lainey Wilson: Tough as Nails is scheduled to finish its run Sunday, June 28, after its July 2025 opening. 

The first independent album from singer, songwriter and musician Charlie Worsham is set to arrive Aug. 7, titled Once Upon a Second Time Around. 

Niall Horan is set to make his Grand Ole Opry debut July 7, before he plays Nashville's Geodis Park July 9 with Thomas Rhett. 

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Summerfest is now officially underway along Milwaukee's Lake Michigan waterfront, after Garth Brooks' two sold-out shows Tuesday and Wednesday.

His 20-song set included “The Beaches of Cheyenne,” “Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House” and “The River,” plus a cover of Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page.” He also dedicated "Mom" to a mother and daughter in the audience. 

The two concerts at American Family Insurance Amphitheater are Garth's only U.S. shows this year. 

Thursday is the official opening day for the festival, with Megan Moroney, Nate Smith, Third Eye Blind, STYX, David Lee Roth, Tyrese, Christopher Cross and many more set to play through Saturday. 

Summerfest continues June 25-27 and July 2-4 with even more talent, like Cody Johnson, Post Malone, Jelly Roll and Ed Sheeran.

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If you've never thought of Koe Wetzel as a full-fledged fashion icon, it may be time to start. 

The "High Road" hitmaker is partnering with Rock & Roll Denim for his own summer menswear line. 

The limited-edition collection includes caps, T-shirts, polos and TEK Western shirts, plus short- and long-sleeve Pearl Snap shirts from the Fort Worth-based brand. 

Koe's collection even boasts a Texas-shaped camo pattern.

“It’s very important for us to be able to move around the way we do, and Rock & Roll Denim is what I want to be in whenever I’m on stage,” he says. “Moving around as much as we are, making sure we can do the splits if we need to. It’s very vital to what we do on stage. I don’t think we could just stand in place and play the music that we do. Acting crazy on stage kind of goes with the sound that we have.”

The pieces range from $35 to $73 and are available at RockAndRollDenim.com, Cavender's and Boot Barn. 

One extra bonus to shopping online? You can check out Koe doing his best "blue steel" as he models quite a few of the items. 

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If you couldn't get tickets to Eric Church's three sold-out concerts at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre in July, there's now a way for you to see the shows. 

All three nights will stream live on the concert platform nugs; each show is expected to be completely different, though they all celebrate the 20th anniversary of Eric's time as a recording artist. 

The July 6-8 livestreams are on sale now and are available individually or as a set. HD versions go for about $25 each or $60 for all three, while 4K quality will be $30 each or $75 for the package. Members of Eric's Church Choir fan club will get a $10 discount. 

You can find complete info at nugs.net.

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We're getting a better picture of what Luke Bryan's new album, Signs, will be like. 

The first taste of the record came in February with "Word on the Street," which doubles as the name of his summer tour. Luke's current top-20 hit, "Country and She Knows It," followed in March, before the arrival of "Fish Hunt Golf Drink" in May. 

On Wednesday, Luke teased a "new song coming soon" on his socials, following it up with a preview on Thursday. 

"When you lit up my phone/ Said you were coming a little later on/ I can't imagine a world where you don't," Luke sings in a clip that shows him standing in a field wearing khakis and a white T-shirt. "'Cause leaning on the side of my Chevy/ I was feeling like the luckiest guy/ Like the stars were falling just right."

"It could've been just me and the guys," he continues, "with that truck bed full of empties/ But you took the same old night I've lived a thousand times/ And made it a memory." 

While we don't know the date the romantic track will drop, it's called "Made It a Memory." 

The full Signs album arrives Sept. 18, with Luke's Spotify page seeming to indicate it has a dozen cuts. 

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Little Big Town's headed to Colorado to play the 40th anniversary of The Carousel Ball this fall. 

The Oct. 3 gala at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel raises money for the Colorado-based Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes.

“We are honored to welcome Little Big Town to this year’s Carousel Ball,” event chairs Dana Davis and Barbara Davis say in a news release. “For nearly five decades, the Carousel Ball has brought together an incredible community united by one goal—to improve the lives of people living with type 1 diabetes and help accelerate research toward better treatments, prevention, and ultimately a cure. We are deeply grateful to Little Big Town for joining us in support of this special evening."

Reba McEntire, Lionel Richie, Lenny Kravitz and the Goo Goo Dolls have provided The Carousel Ball entertainment in years past. 

Little Big Town's 12th album, It's a Dying Art, comes out Aug. 28. 

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"Beautiful Things" is Megan Moroney's latest hit to float down from Cloud 9 and ascend to the top five of the country radio charts. 

But if you look at the other end of the ranking, there's another track from her latest album that's just beginning its climb. 

"Medicine" comes with a bit of a warning: If you're a man who's ever treated a woman badly, Dr. Moroney will see you now. 

"'Medicine' is a song I wrote with some of my favorite people about giving a guy a taste of their own medicine," Megan explains. "I just find it hilarious that anytime I've ever treated a guy like 10 percent of how they've mistreated me, they freak out. And so this song is just kind of giving them a taste of their medicine."

"And it's a fun honky-tonk song, and I hope that I will see all of y'all line dancing to this one very soon," she adds.

Megan swings by Summerfest in Milwaukee on Thursday, before a Friday stop in Grand Rapids. On Saturday, she plays Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. 

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The visualizer for Maren Morris' "Hard Liquor and Soft Rock" drops Thursday at 9 a.m. CT. The newly recorded song was written during the sessions for her debut album and will be included in HERO: A Second Wind, which drops June 26.

The next preview track from Dan + Shay's new album, Young, is "Marry You Again." It drops June 26, ahead of the album's Aug. 21 release date. 

Former professional motocross racer Redferrin learned bull riding from PBR World Champion J.B. Mauney for his new "Crazy" video. 

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"According to my mother, I'm the next Tanya Tucker, I'm gonna be a star," Shania Twain sings in a sneak peek at the title track of her new album, Little Miss Twain. 

The pop/country icon shared the preview alongside a short video that shows her attaching an Ontario license plate to the front of the truck that appears on the album's cover. 

She also revealed the song will drop June 26. It includes a guest spot by the "Delta Dawn" superstar, who, like Shania, started singing when she was just a kid. 

"This one is really special," Shania writes. "I’m honored to say that @thetanyatucker features. This song is an homage to my mother, who believed with every ounce of her being that her daughter was destined to be the next Tanya Tucker."

Shania's seventh album, Little Miss Twain, arrives July 24. She's currently in the middle of an extended run of shows at London's Wembley Stadium. 

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Nashville Songwriters Association International will give Riley Green its Songwriter-Artist of the Year honor Sept. 22 during the ninth annual Nashville Songwriter Awards at the historic Ryman Auditorium.

The news comes on the heels of "Change My Mind" becoming Riley's seventh #1 earlier in June. 

Blake Pendergrass will pick up the Songwriter of the Year award. He notched his first chart-topper in July 2025 with Morgan Wallen's "Just in Case" and went on to grab three more. 

As previously announced, Vince Gill will get the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award, with Paul Williams picking up the NSAI President's Keystone Award.

Tickets go on sale July 17 for the night, which will also unveil Song of the Year winner(s), the much-anticipated Songs I Wish I'd Written and the 2026 Legendary Song honor.

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Blake Shelton, Shaboozey and Post Malone are all set to perform on NBC's Macy's 4th of July Fireworks special.

The lineup also includes Noah Kahan, Bebe Rexha and Salt-N-Pepa, alongside a fireworks display from New York City.

"This year's broadcast will be especially meaningful as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of America and the 50th anniversary of Macy's 4th of July Fireworks," says NBC and Peacock executive Jen Neal in a statement. "This beloved live event creates a shared moment for viewers across the country while showcasing the powerful reach of both NBC and Peacock."

Since Posty's collab'd with Blake on "Pour Me a Drink" and Noah on "Dial Drunk," it seems there could also be an opportunity for some special performances on July Fourth. 

Macy's 4th of July Fireworks will air Independence Day starting at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and will stream live on Peacock.

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What's Kelsea Ballerini been up to? Well, it seems she's been in the studio — and at the bar — with Marshmello. 

On Tuesday, the "half of my hometown" hitmaker posted a video lamenting the behavior of the opposite sex. 

"It's like every guy in the world just thinks every girl in the world goes to a bar to just like, what, like get hit on?" Kelsea says, making a gagging sound for effect. "If one more guy comes up to me and says that he has a truck parked outside, like that's like, good job," she continues, feigning applause this time. "Like, when's the last time you called your mom?"

"Do you want another drink?" she adds, as the next shot reveals she's been talking to 'Mello the whole time, who nods affirmatively. 

Wednesday's post reveals a snippet of Kelsea performing the song that seemed to be playing in the background of the previous clip.

"boy, you're outta luck, @marshmello," the caption reads, revealing the title is likely "Another Drink." 

Stay tuned to see what's next.  

In April, Marshmello released "Where We Go" with Thomas Rhett, following 2025 collabs with Hudson Westbrook and Jelly Roll. He previously claimed two country number ones with Kane Brown with 2024's "Miles on It" and 2019's "One Thing Right." 

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Chris Stapleton's set to perform at an upcoming America250 concert in Los Angeles celebrating the 250th birthday of the United States.

The show, dubbed America's Block Party, takes place on July 4 at the LA Memorial Coliseum. The lineup also includes Smashing Pumpkins and host Queen Latifah.

Tickets are on sale now and cost $17.76. Proceeds will benefit Feeding America, and 5,000 complimentary tickets will be donated to first responders, veterans and active-duty service members.

For more info, visit America250.org.

Established by Congress in 2016, America250 is described as "the only national, nonpartisan organization charged by Congress to help lead the celebration and commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence," according to the website.

A different organization, Freedom 250, previously announced the Great American State Fair concert series taking place in June and July in Washington, D.C., to similarly mark America's 250th anniversary. However, many of the announced artists have since dropped out, including Martina McBride, Poison's Bret Michaels and The Commodores.

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Newly crowned ACM entertainer of the year Cody Johnson laid the foundation for his win with life-affirming songs like "'Til You Can't," "The Painter," "Dirt Cheap" and "The Fall."

Now that he's clinched the coveted title, the Texas cowboy is ready to have some fun with his next album — and especially his new radio single.  

"'Horseback' was probably one of the most fun songs to cut on Banks of the Trinity, and it’s actually not about the horse," Cody says. "When I figured out that this is just about an old country boy that went through a divorce and she took his horse and he went and stole his horse back, I laughed until I cried, and it was so fun."

"[One of the song's writers] Wyatt McCubbin sang the demo and I fell in love with it," he adds.

Once his most recent hit peaked at #1, choosing "Horseback" to lead the way was a no-brainer.  

"It was an easy choice for me as the flagship single from Banks of the Trinity because we had just come out of 'The Fall,' and it was such a serious song that I kind of wanted to change the channel a little bit and show you guys a little bit of my humorous side," Cody says. "And it’s really freaking fun to sing."

He's set to perform "Horseback" June 24 on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, before the arrival of the 16-song album on June 26. 

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