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• A little digging has proven Ed Sheeran not only writes hits for himself, but he writes them for other artists as well
• His name is credited across multiple genres, ranging from K-Pop to country. 
• Turns out he's written on songs for Alicia Keys, Halsey, Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and BTS
• Source: American Songwriter

• LinkedIn asked people to share the top 20 lessons they wish they had known when starting their careers.
• It’s probably not surprising that number one is “knowing that work-life balance is important.”
• “Knowing when it’s okay to say ‘no’” is second, followed by “Be yourself at work.”
• Source: Metro

• He's played it live, and fans have been hoping for an "official" version - but with that not yet a thing, Zach Bryan did respond to fans' wishes 
• The unreleased "Hey Driver," a fan favorite in concert, now has an acoustic version that should tide them over
• The video hit YouTube Friday, with no word yet if a proper studio version will be on Bryan's upcoming album
• Source: WhiskeyRiff

• Cody Johnson was playing a gig in Fairfax, Virginia recently when a fight broke out in front of the stage
• Cody was not having it - stopping down to inform those getting rowdy that he'll have them thrown out
• Going a step further, he warned that "If you wanna fight, take it somewhere else because y’all bump into one of these kids you’ll have me jumping off the stage at your a**"
• Source: WhiskeyRiff

• Dierks Bentley's side hustle, as lead singer for the mullet-favoring band known as Hot Country Knights, is teasing new music
• On the band's Twitter account, they posted a clip of a song with Darla McFarland called "Herrassmeant"
• Interestingly, "Darla" sounds an awful lot like - no, exactly like - Lainey Wilson, who it was teased would be working with the band on their upcoming album
• Source: WhiskeyRiff

• We all have bad habits, but some of them can really drain your bank account over time.
• Cigarettes cost anywhere from $6 to $12 a pack these days, and if you smoke a pack a day, that could add up to more than $4-thousand a year.
• Some people spend between $2,400 and $10,000 on fast food a year, and people who drink alcohol could spend anywhere from around $68,000 to more than $120,000 over their lifetime, depending on where they live.
• Source: Lifehacker

• It's been four years since Jake Owen has released a new album, but the wait for fans is about to end
• Jake jumped on Instagram yesterday to announce his seventh studio album is on the way June 23
• Called "Loose Cannon," Jake even played an acoustic version of the title track to give fans a hint as to what the new project will sound like
• Source: TasteOfCountry

• Blake Shelton closed out his "The Voice" career last night as the series aired its Season 23 finale
• Prior to the show, Blake explained to an interviewer that it's an emotional night
• But, he added, don't misunderstand - the tears he may or may not cry were bound to be tears of joy
• Source: ExtraTV

• Zach Bryan continues to prove he's one of the hottest newcomers in country music
• Still lacking a radio hit, the singer just broke an attendance record set by Billy Joel
• Zach brought 17K fans into the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans over the weekend, shattering the previous record of 16K set by the Piano Man in 2017
• Source: WhiskeyRiff

• The trailer for the Hulu documentary "Jelly Roll: Save Me" dropped yesterday and at first look, they're definitely going for the heart strings
• The emotional trailer gives an unvarnished look at the down-and-up life of the rising country star, from being a street kid to prison to his redemptive career in music
• The documentary drops May 30, so you have time to stock up on tissues
• Source: TasteOfCountry

• This Sunday PBS is broadcasting their annual "National Memorial Day Concert" and several country stars are will be performing
• Along with appearances by celebrities Gary Sinise, Joe Mantegna, Dulé Hill and more, music will be provided by Trace Adkins, Jo Dee Messina, War And Treaty and many others
• The Memorial Day celebration happens this Sunday evening with most stations airing it at 8p EDT - so check your listings
• Source: PBS

• The Jonas Brothers were on the "Armchair Expert" podcast with Dax Shepard when Nick Jonas talked about the live performance that sent his straight to therapy
• Relaying the story, he says his 2016 ACM performance with Kelsea Ballerini was traumatic - not because of Kelsea, but he screwed up a guitar solo on live television
• “In retrospect, I can kind of laugh about how big I thought it was. But it did travel more than I wish it would have, and it did cause me to go to therapy"
• Source: Billboard

• Back in 2019, Riley Green released his debut album, "Different 'Round Here" - and while three singles were released off the album and two were hits, the title track remained an album track. Perhaps it was missing something?
• Riley's testing that theory as he's reimagined the song - adding one crucial new element: Luke Combs
• The touring partners took a few free moments late last year to take a second swing at the track
• Source: WhiskeyRiff

• Last Thursday, Ed Sheeran and Luke Combs thrilled the ACM Awards crowd with a surprise duet of Ed's new song, "Life Goes On"
• In the wake of overwhelming positive response to the tune, Sheeran has officially released the song as a single
• Sheeran is no stranger to country - his wife is a huge country fan, and he moved to Nashville several years ago; he also toured with one-time country star Taylor Swift
• Source: Good Morning America

• BuzzFeed asked readers to share what universally beloved thing would be an instant red flag if someone said they hated it.
• The answers are all over the place, from “Hugh Jackman” to “pizza.”
• “Going on vacation,” “Betty White” and “The Muppets” also make the list.
• Source: Buzzfeed

• Dolly Parton is releasing her first rock album "Rockstar" on November 17
• The album includes 30 tracks, including nine original songs and 21 rock covers
• The album features collaborations with music legends such as Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, and Stevie Nicks
• The first single from the album, "World on Fire," is out now
• Parton will debut the single when she co-hosts the 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards
• The album is said to include iconic songs and was a joy to create
• Parton says "World on Fire" speaks to the current state of the world and encourages positive change
• Source: Hollywood Reporter

• Jelly Roll's life has had more ups and downs than a roller coaster - and would make a great movie
• While he hasn't had a film in theaters yet, the new country star is getting a documentary about his life: "Jelly Roll: Save Me"
• The doc hits Hulu May 30
• Source: CountryNow

• Garth Brooks is starting his Las Vegas residency at Caesars Palace
• The event will be a "phone free experience"
• Fans will have to give up their phones upon arrival and they will be locked in secure cases until the concert is over
• The “no phones” policy has become increasingly popular among artists who want to prevent their performances from being recorded and posted online
• Garth Brooks will use the “Yondr” cases for this purpose
• The Las Vegas residency starts on May 18th at Caesars Palace
• Source: Whisky Riff