COUNTRY MUSIC NEWS

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Blake And Gwen Surprise Houston Rodeo With "Purple Irises": While they've performed iit on TV and at a pre-Super Bowl gig, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani hadn't performed "Purple Irises" in front of a full concert crowd until this week. Blake was performing at the Houston Rodeo on Night One Tuesday night when he lit up the crowd by bringing out wife Gwen. The two performed a number of songs together before launching into their latest, "Purple Irises." 

Kenny Chesney Gifts Fans With Another New Track: At this rate, will there be anything left of his new album to release when "Born" drops later this month? Kenny Chesney released yet another new track from his upcoming new album last night. "Guilty Pleasure" follows the release earlier this week of "Thinkin''Bout." With the latest song, that makes four tracks that have been released ahead of the 15-song album coming out March 22. 

Grand Ole Opry To Celebrate Women's History Month: March is Women's History Month, and to mark the occasion, the Grand Ole Opry will feature legendary ladies of country performing all month long, including Lauren Alaina, Crystal Gayle, Kathy Mattea, Ashley McBryde, Lorrie Morgan, Jeannie Seely, Connie Smith and more. In addition, on Wednesday, March 13, Trisha Yearwood will celebrate her 25th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member. The special celebration will feature Yearwood collaborating with an all-female cast including Suzy Bogguss, Terri Clark, Jeannie Seely, Pam Tillis and more. And on March 8 at 6 pm CT, Opry host Kelly Sutton will host a Women of Country panel in the Opry House’s Studio A, featuring legendary Opry member Jeannie Seely as well as special guests Mickey Guyton, Anne Wilson and more chatting about their milestones, mentors, and favorite career moments. Fans who purchase tickets to the Daytime or Women of Country backstage tours on March 8 will receive a free admission to the Women of Country panel event in Studio A. Fans can tune in for the event livestream on the Opry’s Facebook page. 

Craig Campbell Announces Covers Album: Craig Campbell is a traditionalist; he loves and honors older country music and to that end, fans will find out just how much when he releases his upcoming covers album, "Class Of '89." "I have been dreaming of recording this album for as long as I can remember," Campbell says. "These songs are some of the reasons I fell in love with country music in the first place. Every song on this album has a story, and each one of those stories shaped me into the country singer I am today. There will never be anyone that can do these songs as good as the originals, but at the very least I hope I made them proud." Tracks reimagined by Campbell include classics like Clint Black's "Killin' Time," March Chesnutt's "Too Cold At Home," Travis Tritt's "Anymore" and many others.  The album comes out April 19. 

Kacey Musgraves Announces "Deeper Well" World Tour: Kacey Musgraves dropped two new pieces of news for fans yesterday: she's launching a world tour, and a new song from her upcoming "Deeper Well" album was released. First: the "Deeper Well" world tour will criss-cross the globe starting in Dublin, Ireland on April 28, with stops in Europe and the UK, followed by the North American leg commencing on September 4 in State College, Pennsylvania, and concluding with a special two-night stand at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on December 6-7. Support artists for the tour include Madi Diaz, Father John Misty, Lord Huron and Nickel Creek. Tour dates can be found on Kacey's website;