Garth Brooks withdraws from running for CMA ‘Entertainer of the Year,’ country music’s top prize – Garth Brooks won’t compete for “Entertainer of the Year” at the CMA Awards this year. Brooks — a seven-time winner of the lauded country music honor, considered by many to be a top prize in the format — said Wednesday that “it’s time for somebody else to hold that award.” He last won CMA “Entertainer of the Year” in 2019, when some in country music fandom argued passionately for Carrie Underwood or Eric Church be a first-time recipient of the award. “There’s one tweet in there that really stuck in my head,” Brooks said in a press conference Wednesday. “It said, ‘Hey, man. This guy, why doesn’t he just step down (and leave) the entertainer for the next generation?’ 100% agree.” He continued, “With all the love in the world, we are officially pulling ourselves out of ‘Entertainer of the Year.'” – Read more at Tennessean.com
Colton Dixon Inspires Fans Going Through ‘Season of Unknown’ During Pandemic on Billboard Live At-Home – Colton Dixon didn’t know if he would be able to host a Billboard Live At-Home performance Tuesday (July 28) in support of the American Red Cross, because his wife Annie is expecting twin girls “any day now.” “I’m actually really glad that I was able to be here with you all, because if we were at the hospital, it wouldn’t have worked out,” the American Idol alum said. “Be praying for us — it’s going to be awesome. Can’t wait to meet them.” – Read more at Billboard.com
Julia Gargano On Recording New Music, The St. George Theater Virtual Telethon – Staten Island’s own Julia Gargano has been hard at work on a new EP after making it to the top 7 (and the final night) of American Idol back in June! “If this is what I’m gonna do the rest of my life I’m gonna be very happy” she proudly tells us. Julia has been holed up at the communications center at the College of Saint Rose in Albany recording tracks for her upcoming EP. The college gave her permission to use the studios with a small group of her former classmates. When asked if she had a release date for the EP she says she’s taking her time. – WCBSFM
Derek Hough Says He Was ‘Shocked’ by Tom Bergeron’s Dancing with the Stars Exit – “I was pretty shocked,” Hough, 35, told Bevy Smith during an episode of Bevelations on SiriusXM’s Radio Andy. “I think Tom Bergeron is such a staple of Dancing with the Stars, and he’s a good friend of mine. He’s a good man,” added Hough, who left his position as a DWTS pro in 2016 to host World of Dance. “He’s been there from the beginning, and you know he’s just a great guy.” Though Hough was surprised by the news, he said it’s understandable” considering “nothing is certain” in the entertainment industry. “You know, there’s always efforts to sort of switch things up, and you look at that, and it’s also understandable,” he told Smith, 53. – Read more at People.com
Tyra Banks Admits She Feels ‘Pressure’ Taking Over ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ Teases Show Changes – “My goal is for a 12-year-old to be sitting on the couch with their parents and grandparents and everybody can relate personally to what they see on that screen,” the America’s Next Top Model creator who will also serve as an executive producer on the ABC show told Us. “That’s a hint. Not giving up the goods. You’ll have to tune in!” – Read more at US Magazine
One Direction’s Tenth Anniversary Prompts 468% YouTube Catalog Spike – The band’s music catalog experienced a 468% increase on YouTube Music in response to the band’s 10th anniversary on July 23, despite members going their own ways in 2015. “10 Years of One Direction,” the first video uploaded to the group’s YouTube channel since early 2016, has also garnered over 14 million views since its release. Days before the group’s actual anniversary, fans on Twitter managed to trend the hashtag #10YearsOfOneDirection to express their excitement and theories about whether anything would occur on the much-anticipated decennial. The band’s YouTube channel also uploaded a variety of other videos, including 4K-quality versions of old music videos and audios of songs from past albums. The “What Makes You Beautiful” 4K video alone gained more than five million streams. Over the week of celebrations, One Direction’s channel saw an influx of over a million new subscribers, as well. – Read more at Billboard
