Music

It’s quite possible Thomas Rhett gave his wife, Lauren Akins, the best Valentine’s Day gift ever when he wrote “Die a Happy Man,” going on to capture their romance in the accompanying music video. 

The appeal was undeniable, as the song went on to spend six weeks atop the country chart in 2015. 

The couple would soon start their burgeoning family with the arrival of Willa Gray Akins in 2017, which led to an evolution of how they express their love. 

“It’s definitely changed a lot over the years,” Thomas says. “Before we had kids, it was like, ‘Let’s make sure we go to a nice dinner, let’s maybe watch a movie, let’s pour a glass of wine.’ And I think that those things still obviously happen when we do plan super in advance for a date night. But now me being romantic is really just helping.”

For anybody who might need a little inspiration, TR offers some examples. 

“It’s like, if something is out of place, put it up. If the kids need to go take a nap, [help with that]. I’d make lunches in the morning before the kids get up to go to school, and all that kinda stuff,” he says. “And so, when I’m off the road, being super present with my kids has turned into the new romanticism.”

“And it definitely took me a minute to figure out,” he admits, “but four kids later, I think we’re rockin’ and rollin’.”

Make that five, as their latest offspring is expected any day now. Lauren and TR recently revealed the due date is March 2, and their doctor told them the baby’s on track to weigh 11 pounds.

So far, there’s no word on whether it might be their first son.  

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If you’ve heard the song “Doubletake” by Edgehill, you may have had to double-check what decade you’re living in.

The track, which currently sits in the top 15 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart, definitely has a distinct ’90s alternative rock feel.

“We’d been listening to a lot of Weezer, obviously,” frontman Chris Kelly tells ABC Audio. “We’d been listening to Pavement a good amount. Just really cool ’90s bands that have dry vocals, distorted guitar.”

“Doubletake” appears on Edgehill’s new album, Ode to the Greyhouse, which is out now. To paraphrase a movie from the ’90s, Kelly and his bandmates felt that “Doubletake” really tied the record together.

“After we wrote that, we were like, ‘OK, this feels like the album’s cohesive now,'” Kelly says. “It felt like just that song existing kind of tied a couple things together.”

Overall, Kelly feels that “Doubletake” is a good representation of what else you’ll hear in Ode to the Greyhouse.

“I kind of feel like you can find parts of every song on the record in ‘Doubletake,'” Kelly says.

In addition to sounding like the ’90s, lyrics on Ode to the Greyhouse reflect that feeling of ironic detachment often associated with the decade.

“A lot of it’s about cognitive dissonance and the ways that we all think improperly, you could say,” Kelly says. “The things that we do that don’t line up with what we actually believe.”

Edgehill will play an album release show in New York City on Feb. 18. They’ll launch a U.S. tour in March.

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Bands including Halestorm, Judas Priest and Volbeat have contributed signed guitars to a charity auction in support of Gibson Gives, the philanthropic division of the Gibson guitar company.

The auction, which will be hosted by Julien’s Auctions on March 5, will also include signed guitars by Alice Cooper, Daughtry, Rise Against, Live, Papa Roach, Collective Soul and Underoath.

Funds raised will specifically benefit the Gibson Gives & FirstBank Amphitheater Music Education Program.

“We are proud to help support the musicians of tomorrow, with help from the musicians of today,” says Martin Nolan, co‑founder and executive director of Julien’s Auctions. “This auction of nearly two dozen guitars features some incredible instruments, all signed by renowned artists and bands.”

For more info, visit JuliensAuctions.com.

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Barring any last-minute extension announcements, Backstreet Boys are scheduled to wrap up their super-successful Into the Millennium residency show at Sphere Las Vegas on Sunday. And now it can be told: AJ McLean says we owe the entire concept for the residency to his wife.

“You know, she threw this out in a dinner conversation … about how none of the biggest acts in the world have ever recreated their biggest tour,” AJ told ABC Audio. “She was talking about, you know, if Janet Jackson were to redo the Velvet Rope Tour, because she didn’t get to see it, she would be like, ‘I’m gonna use all my adult money to pay whatever I have to, to go see Janet Jackson.'”

“And same with Madonna and other acts,” he continued. “And she’s like, ‘What if you guys did that?'”

Specifically, she wanted them to recreate their 1999 Into the Millennium tour, complete with all the bells and whistles that made it their biggest ever. AJ liked the idea, but it took him a while to get the rest of the group onboard.

“So I kept bringing it up to the boys and they kept saying, no, no, no, because we’re in a different mindset, different albums, da-da-da,” AJ continued. “And finally they were like, ‘Y’know what? Let’s do it.'”

AJ then pitched the idea to their concert promoter, but then, he said, “I didn’t hear a peep.” Finally, the group’s management revealed that Sphere Las Vegas was offering to host the show.

“We were overjoyed, but then immediately panic set in,” AJ recalled. “Like, how are we gonna do this?” 

But after going to see the Eagles’ show for some inspo, Backstreet figured it out, and have played to sold-out crowds ever since.

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Here’s your chance to learn drumming from Chad Smith.

The man behind the Red Hot Chili Peppers kit is teaching his own drumming course in partnership with the platform Drumeo.

The class is called Legends of the ’70s and focuses on four of Smith’s biggest influences from the 1970s: Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham, Black Sabbath’s Bill Ward, The Who’s Keith Moon and Deep Purple’s Ian Paice.

The course begins March 2 and will be available on the app Musora. If you sign up by March 1, you’ll get access to a livestream event with Smith.

For more info, visit Musora.com.

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Debbie Harry has paid tribute to late Television bassist Fred Smith, who played in an early incarnation of the band that went on to become Blondie.

Smith passed away Feb. 5 at the age of 77.

Sharing a black-and-white photo of the early band playing at New York’s CBGB in 1975, Harry wrote, “Rest in peace, Fred Smith. Thank you for your dedication to music — your contributions will not be forgotten.”

The post notes that the photo features Harry, Smith, and backup singers Tish Bellomo and Snooky Bellomo.

In 1974, current Blondie members Harry and guitarist Chris Stein, along with Smith and drummer Billy O’Connor, who were previously in the band Stillettoes together, formed a new band, originally named Angel and the Snake. The band name was eventually changed to Blondie and the Banzai Babies, and then became just Blondie.

Smith left the group in 1975 to replace Richard Hell in Television.

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As part of the promotion for their new album ARIRANG, BTS is coming to a theater near you this spring.

BTS WORLD TOUR ‘ARIRANG’ LIVE VIEWING will allow fans to watch the BTS tour kickoff in Goyang, South Korea, on April 11 and their show in Tokyo on April 18, live. Starting Feb. 25 at 8 a.m. ET, you can purchase tickets at btsliveviewing.com. To accommodate the time difference between Asia and other parts of the world, each concert will be screened twice.

The tour, which will visit 34 cities worldwide, will feature a 360-degree, in-the-round stage design. More live screenings are planned for later in the year.

As previously reported, Netflix will screen a live performance by the group from Seoul, South Korea, on March 21, as well as a documentary about their comeback on March 27.

ARIRANG arrives March 20.

In other BTS, news, Jung Kook has been named the new global brand ambassador for the luxury watch brand Hublot. In a statement, he says of Hublot, “I’ve always admired the brand’s confidence, its craftsmanship, its way of creating its own path.”

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Piano-playing pop stars Sara Bareilles and John Legend both have good news about musicals they’re involved in composing.

John has written the music and lyrics for Imitation of Life, a new musical based on the 1933 novel of the same name and its two film adaptations, which came out in 1934 and 1959. It tells the story of two single mothers, one Black and one white, and their daughters, who build a life together while facing divisions of class and race. It was announced on Thursday that the musical will begin performances this fall at the New York City performance space The Shed.

Meanwhile, Sara’s next musical, The Interestings, will premiere next year on the West Coast, Playbill reports. Sara, who wrote the music for the long-running musical Waitress, has penned the score for the show, which is based on Meg Wolitzer’s 2013 bestselling novel. It starts previews Jan. 31, 2027, at Berkley Rep in Berkley, California, with an opening night set for Feb. 17, 2027.

If you think Emmy, Oscar and Grammy winner John might be trying for an EGOT by writing a musical, think again: he already is an EGOT winner. He got his Tony Award as a co-producer for the revival of Jitney in 2017.

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Gorillaz is set to perform on Saturday Night Live for the first time.

The Damon Albarn-led animated band — which consists of cartoon members Murdoc, Noodle, Russel and 2D — will make their SNL debut on March 6. The episode will be hosted by actor Ryan Gosling, who’s starring in the upcoming movie Project Hail Mary.

Gorillaz will release a new album, The Mountain, on Feb. 27. They’re performing the record in full during two shows in Los Angeles on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23.

The Gorillaz exhibit House of Kong will also be open in LA from Feb. 26 to March 19.

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