CMA Fest 2024: Gretchen Wilson talks country music, CMA Fest history
The Country star talks about CMA Fest’s evolution since she’s been a part of it, the “party energy” and her hit “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy).”
- “The Road” is a new CBS music competition series executive produced by Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, and Taylor Sheridan.
- The show follows 12 emerging musicians as they open for headliner Keith Urban across seven venues.
- Two Oklahoma performers, Blaine Bailey and Cody Hibbard, are among the contestants competing on the show.
With an Oklahoma superstar among the executive producers, two Oklahoma emerging performers among the contestants and two Oklahoma venues as filming locations, Sooner State country music fans have plenty of reasons to tune in to CBS’ new series “The Road.”
Premiering Sunday, Oct. 19, the new televised music competition series is executive produced by Tishomingo-based hitmaker Blake Shelton, fellow country music superstar Keith Urban,”Yellowstone” mastermind Taylor Sheridan, Lee Metzger and David Glasser.
The show will follow Urban and Shelton’s journey to discover the next big musician, with Urban, a four-time Grammy Award winner, acting as the headliner on “The Road.” The 12 emerging talents who are the series’ contestants will be opening for Urban as he plays at seven different music venues across three states.
Here’s what to know about the new show “The Road:”
What country music stars will appear on ‘The Road’ alongside Blake Shelton and Keith Urban?
“The Road” uses what CBS is calling a “docu-follow” format to capture the high-stakes, unfiltered musical journeys of the 12 triple-threat contenders, who are all singers, songwriters and instrumentalists.
“I know a thing or two about singing competitions and what it’s like to chase a music dream and live life on tour. I’m looking forward to discovering new talent and giving them this platform,” Shelton said in a statement.
The Ada native, who released his 13th album, “For Recreational Use Only,” in May, left his longtime TV gig as a coach on NBC’s hit music competition series “The Voice” in 2022.
Shelton told “CBS Mornings” that he helped hand-pick the contestants and venues for “The Road” and appears on several episodes of the new show.
“The Road” is produced by Paramount Television Studios, Sheridan (Bosque Ranch Productions), Shelton (Lucky Horseshoe Productions), Glasser (101 Studios), Metzger (Lucky Horseshoe Productions) and Urban.
“There is a revolution taking place in country music. Building a platform with Blake for the next leaders of that revolution is an incredibly exciting venture,” Sheridan said in a statement. “No more shiny floors and studio audiences. This is where the rubber meets the road — literally. Get in the van, go to the next town and win the crowd. Do it enough, and you become the next leader. Simple as that.”
The new show is billed as offering a backstage pass into the gritty and unforgiving life of a touring musician. It is providing exclusive access to the behind-the-scenes workings of the music industry, letting viewers see what happens when some of the best emerging musicians pile into a tour bus and tackle a grueling schedule in pursuit of their dreams.
Grammy winner Gretchen Wilson is serving as the “tour manager” for the series, providing support and guidance to the emerging musicians while they make their way across America. She’s tasked with ensuring the tour’s success, while sharing her own expertise and experiences on the road as a touring artist.
Country music stars Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Brothers Osborne and Karen Fairchild, of Little Big Town, will join as special guest advisers throughout the season.
Who are the 12 musicians who will be competing on ‘The Road,’ including two Oklahomans?
“The Road” will follow 12 emerging musicians, including two Oklahomans:
- Blaine Bailey, 23, Tahlequah
- Cody Hibbard, 32, Adair
- Adam Sanders, 36, Lake City, Florida
- Billie Jo Jones, 34, Emory, Texas
- Briana Adams, 30, Winchester, Texas
- Britnee Kellogg, 40, Anthem, Arizona
- Cassidy Daniels, 25, Marion, North Carolina
- Channing Wilson, 49, Lafayette, Georgia
- Forrest McCurren, 35, Jefferson City, Missouri
- Jenny Tolman, 29, Nashville, Tennessee
- Jon Wood, 28, Wake Forest, North Carolina
- Olivia Harms, 29, Canby, Oregon
A Native American singer-songwriter, Bailey, who is part of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma, had his song “Cigarettes and Roses” featured on the third and final season of Sterlin Harjo’s groundbreaking made-in-Oklahoma show “Reservation Dogs.”
Bailey just released his new album, “Indian Country,” on Oct. 13.
While he considers Adair his hometown, Hibbard was born in Seoul, South Korea, before coming to the Sooner State.
He attended the U.S. Naval Academy before launching his music career five years ago. In 2024, he released the album “Long Ride in a Short Bed.”
Where did ‘The Road’ film in Oklahoma, Texas and Tennessee?
The special performances featured in “The Road” were filmed in March and April at music venues in Texas, Tennessee and Oklahoma, including at Oklahoma Ranch in Oklahoma City and Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa.
“The Road” will begin in Texas, and here are the venues that the series is playing in its debut season:
- Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall in Fort Worth, Texas
- The Factory in Deep Ellum in Dallas
- Oklahoma Ranch in Oklahoma City
- Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa
- Minglewood Hall in Memphis, Tennessee
- Marathon Music Works in Nashville, Tennessee
- Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee
How can country music fans watch the new CBS competition series ‘The Road?’
“The Road” will bow with an extended 90-minute premiere episode airing from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, on the CBS Television Network and and streaming on Paramount+.
The show will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+ Premium plan subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs.
The grand-prize winner on “The Road” will receive a $250,000 cash award, a recording contract and a coveted performance slot on the iconic Mane Stage at Stagecoach Country Music Festival 2026 in Indio, California. The recording contract will be with Country Road Records, a division of 101 Studios, in partnership with Thirty Tigers.
Plus, Red Bull will provide the winner of the competition the opportunity to perform live at Red Bull Jukebox.
Additionally, the two runners-up will receive five recording sessions at Red Bull Studio Los Angeles, a state-of-the-art recording space that includes a full range of instruments and cutting-edge equipment.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.oklahoman.com ’
