Brad Paisley may be a big country star these days, but like a lot of his peers in the music business, he got his start as a young kid playing in bars before he was even old enough to drink.
Brad was 13, but his bandmates were on the opposite end of the age spectrum, he said during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show this week. “I was this little guy that had a band of senior citizens,” he said.
“We were named the C-Notes, because that was our fee, $100,” Brad explains. “And my friends called them The Seniles. They were all Korean War veterans that were playing with me. It was an amazing experience.”
While the music was incredible, Brad admits that the onstage fashion left a lot to be desired. “They dressed me, too, which was kind of the problem. I sort of dressed like them,” he said.
Brad is one of several country stars making one final visit to the Ellen stage before the show ends at the conclusion of this season. For Brad, it’s a sentimental visit: He’s been going on the talk show ever since its first season.
(NEW YORK) — Brandon Woodruff had appeared to live the normal life of a 19-year-old, small-town Texas kid – but that changed in 2005, when both of his parents were brutally murdered. After an investigation, Woodruff was charged with capital murder, found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
Now, Woodruff has served 13 years of his life sentence and said he’s finally ready to share his story in the first interview after his conviction.
“I’m innocent. I did not kill my parents at all,” Woodruff told “20/20” in an interview. “I think that you should look at the totality of the evidence.”
Woodruff grew up in a community outside of Dallas with his mother Norma Woodruff, father Dennis Woodruff and older sister Charla Woodruff.
Watch the full story on “20/20” FRIDAY at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
Growing up, former high school classmates said they remember Woodruff as a popular, outgoing, animal lover who was the president of the Future Farmers of America. The teen was voted most school spirit and had a steady girlfriend.
But during the investigation of his parents’ murders, authorities discovered that while Woodruff attended Abilene Christian University, he would go dancing at gay clubs, was dating men and had even traveled out of state to participate in adult movies.
On Sunday October 16, 2005, Woodruff visited his parents at their new home in Royse City, Texas. The couple was downsizing to help pay college tuition for their two children. He told police he left after the family enjoyed a pizza dinner together. Woodruff was the last known person to see both of them alive.
Two days later, Dennis and Norma Woodruff were found murdered in their new home. According to authorities, Dennis Woodruff was found shot once and stabbed nine times. Norma Woodruff sustained multiple gunshot wounds and had her neck slashed, investigators said.
Police concluded that Norma and Dennis Woodruff must have likely been killed sometime between 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday night. However, the medical examiner was not able to confirm the time of death. Norma Woodruff’s last phone conversation was with her mother around 9 p.m. and the next person to try and contact the couple was Charla Woodruff, who was at college in Arkansas, just after 11 p.m. Charla Woodruff was unable to reach them. When Woodruff was questioned by police about his whereabouts that night, there were inconsistencies in his timeline.
Michelle Lee, the mother of Woodruff’s girlfriend, also contacted law enforcement to report that a gun and bullets were missing from her home. Woodruff had been in her home the weekend before his parents were found dead. Investigators compared a bullet found at the crime scene with a bullet from the Lee home and said they believed they were consistent. The Lee’s gun was never found, but investigators believe it was the same caliber as the weapon used in the crime. A murder weapon was never recovered and Woodruff denies stealing the gun.
Woodruff was arrested and charged with capital murder.
In June 2008, a family member found a dagger in the barn of the Woodruff’s old house in Heath, Texas. Dennis Woodruff’s blood was on this weapon. Brandon Woodruff’s former college roommate testified that dagger was the same one Woodruff had in his dorm room. Authorities could not conclude if the dagger found was the murder weapon and Woodruff denies that the weapon is his.
Woodruff’s grandmother Bonnie Woodruff has supported Woodruff from the beginning and still maintains her grandson is innocent.
“I know Brandon was wrongfully judged. And murder? Now I know Brandon didn’t do that. Someone else is letting him take the blame for it,” said Bonnie Woodruff.
Over the past decade, advocates for Woodruff say there are red flags surrounding the investigation and his subsequent trial. Woodruff claims his sexuality played a role in his arrest and conviction.
“I do believe that that’s a major factor. I felt like the investigators were able to use that. They would say, well, ‘Did you know that he was dancing in gay bars? Did you know he had a boyfriend, did you know?’” said Woodruff.
During the investigation, police told friends and family of Woodruff that they “don’t care” if he is gay.
During jury selection, eight out of twelve jurors told the court that they believed homosexuality was morally wrong, but they were still allowed to serve on the jury after promising the court they could be fair toward Woodruff.
“Guess what? In 2005 people still felt that homosexuality was immoral because eight of the 12 jurors on Brandon’s case specifically said it was immoral,” said Philip Crawford, the author of a book called “Railroaded” about Woodruff’s case.
ABC News spoke with several jurors who said Woodruff’s sexuality wasn’t a factor in the jury’s decision.
While in prison, supporters have started a movement to free Brandon and now the Innocence Project of Texas has taken his case.
Allison Clayton, the deputy director with the Innocence Project of Texas claims that the prosecution’s case against Woodruff relied heavily on a timeline because they say Woodruff’s whereabouts were not accounted for at the time that authorities estimate the couple was killed. Clayton points to cell phone records that would further compress the window of opportunity to commit the murders.
“Brandon kills his parents in, what? the most, 19 minutes? He has to act fast or he is taking calls during the course of committing these murders,” said Clayton. “That’s the only way the timeline makes sense, that he does something to one of his parents, and then takes a call and chats with [a friend] like nothing’s wrong.”
In addition to the timeline, Clayton said one of the other biggest potential breakthroughs for this case would be taking DNA evidence from hair found in Norma Woodruff’s hand.
“In Norma’s hand, police found a clump of longer blonde hairs. Now, that would normally be an indicator that she had somehow grabbed her attacker and that she pulled his or her hair,” said Clayton. “Law enforcement never tested that hair. And one of the things that we’ve been fighting for in the case is trying to figure out who has that hair because we want it tested.”
In 2000, Woodruff’s direct appeal to the state was denied. In order for Woodruff to be released, he needs to prove to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals that he is innocent.
“As it stands right now, if we don’t have a break in the case, then there’s nothing we can do for Brandon,” said Clayton. “He is going to be in prison for the rest of his life, but maybe there will be evidence that can help him, maybe someone is out there, who knows something, who’s willing to step forward.”
Bonnie Woodruff said that she still hopes that one day she can hug her grandson again and tell him “he’s home now.”
”We are all still a family unit and we all love one another. People can live with what they think, I can live with what I think because I know the truth and the truth’s gonna come out,” said Bonnie Woodruff.
Woodruff said he won’t stop fighting to prove his innocence.
“I’m not gonna stop. I’m gonna keep fighting and I’m gonna keep fighting to prove my innocence,” he said. “I do believe in my heart that it will happen.”
The NBA should probably keep its eye out for someone who could be the next big basketball star. And sure, Lebron James‘ son Bronny may just be one of them, but a younger, much shorter contender is also to be considered. And that is Drake‘s 4-year-old son, Adonis, who seems to also be following in Lebron’s footsteps.
Taking to Instagram Wednesday to share a video of the young star practicing his hoop skills, Drake is heard shouting from the sidelines supporting his son and motivating him to keep going.
“Reset, reset, reset. Good stuff,” says Drake after Adonis dropped the ball but restarted his moves down the court. The 35-year-old dad offered encouraging words to his boy, who eventually attempted a second shot that made it into the hoop.
“Let’s go, 1, 2 and we out to the crib,” Drake said calmly before again shouting, “To the crib!” Adonis had hit nothing but net.
The best part of it all — the toddler’s mannerisms throughout his workout. He’d give himself double-pats on the chest, just as the professional ballers do. He’d adjust his yellow and grey jersey, while also adjusting his posture on the court. He even yelled “Ball!” before approaching to catch the rock.
His dad found it funny but also questioned the source of the young boy’s gestures. “where is he getting the mannerisms from @kingjames,” he asked of the basketball legend.
Reposting the cute video on IG Stories, Lebron returned the love to Drake and his son, saying, “my nephew really love the game!!”
Last year, Olivia Rodrigo and Alanis Morissette interviewed each other for Rolling Stone, and when Olivia mentioned she was going to launch her first headline tour, Alanis said, “I’ll send you a kit. A survive-on-the-road kit for the sensitive soul.” Well, Olivia’s nearly done with the North American leg of her tour, and Alanis admits she hasn’t sent Olivia a darn thing.
While appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Thursday, Alanis was asked about her “survival kit.” The “Ironic” singer explained, “You’re either kind of a road dog or you’re not, and those of us who are road dogs, we have little tricks up our sleeve of what to bring to survive, for self-care. So for me, it’s about bringing the equivalent of my ‘blankie’ everywhere I go.”
“I think I mentioned in our conversation that I would send her a care package,” Alanis continued. “And I really should get on that! Thanks for reminding me, Kelly!”
It’s a good bet Alanis will include a copy of her upcoming meditation album, the storm before the calm, in the package — what better way for Olivia to unwind after a stressful day of traveling and rehearsing?
Switchfoot has shared a new song called “Interrobang.”
If that word sounds familiar, that may be because the “Meant to Live” rockers dropped a new album titled Interrobang last year. Indeed, “Interrobang” the song was recorded to be the title track for Interrobang the album, but didn’t end up making the record.
Now, “Interrobang” has finally been released as a B-side.
“‘Interrobang’ is a song that lives up to its title, raising up more questions than answers,” says frontman Jon Foreman. “Rather than fighting against the chaos, ‘Interrobang’ embraces the unknown. The uncomfortable. The dissonance. The tension. Abandoning the illusion of control.”
L-R: Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer — Netflix/Jackson Lee Davis
Matt and Ross Duffer, the sibling creators of Netflix’s hit Stranger Things, reportedly had a “total meltdown” when they found out a Monopoly game set in their fictional world spoiled some major surprises.
According to a Reddit thread, a copy of Stranger Things: Monopoly that was bought “fair and square” from Target contained “massive spoilers” for the supernatural show’s forthcoming fourth season. “Nobody stole it; nobody leaked a sample,” the Redditor clarified, but explained it was likely mistakenly put out for sale ahead of time.
The Hollywood Reporter noted the thread turned Netflix and the Duffer bros, well, upside down. The pair had a “total meltdown” at the news, a source explained, adding, “Lessons have been learned and, I expect, there will be more cohesion going into season 5.”
Because toys take longer to create, they’re often a source of secrets for upcoming movies and TV shows for sharp-eyed sleuths out there.
This is the main reason there were no “Baby Yoda” toys out there when The Mandalorian‘s first season debuted — creator Jon Favreau knew toys would spoil Grogu’s surprise appearance.
“I have to thank Disney and Lucasfilm, because the way the cat usually gets out of the bag with that stuff is merchandising and toy catalogs and things like that,” Favreau said at the time.
“We really wanted to have it be that you had to watch it yourself.”
Pantera has once again teamed up with the Dallas-based Texas Ale Project craft brewery to create a new signature beer.
The latest creation is called Becoming Bock — presumably named after the Far Beyond Driven cut “Becoming” — and is described as an “easy-drinking amber lager.” It follows Pantera’s first Texas Ale Project collaboration, Pantera Golden Ale, which was first announced in 2020.
Becoming Bock will be available this summer and fall. Additionally, a third Pantera beer, Electric Blonde Ale, will be released by the Texas Ale Project later this year.
“Pantera Golden Ale has been a huge success, and we’re excited to continue this partnership with Pantera to expand the distribution across Texas and launch new limited edition Pantera beers,” says Texas Ale Project founder Kat Thompson. “Thank you to all the Pantera fans out there. Keep rockin’ and keep enjoying our beers!”
Rod Stewart has announced that six of his upcoming North American concerts with Cheap Trick that were scheduled for June have been postponed until August 2023 because of “production delays,” while six more shows scheduled for September have also been pushed back to next year.
The affected June concerts, which were to have been part of the beginning of Stewart’s summer 2022 trek with Cheap Trick, were scheduled for June 10 in Vancouver, Canada; June 11 in Seattle; June 17 in Mountain View, California; June 18 in Santa Barbara, California; June 24 in Phoenix; and June 26 in Denver.
Two June 2022 dates are not being postponed — a June 14 concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and a June 21 performance in Chula Vista, California. Also, all of Stewart’s shows with Cheap Trick plotted out from July 1 through September 3 will go on as planned.
The affected September 2022 gigs include a September 7 concert in Pittsburgh, as well as five concerts in Canada — September 9 in Montreal, September 10 in Ottawa, September 14 in Saskatoon, September 16 in Calgary and September 17 in Edmonton.
Rod’s tour with Cheap Trick initially was scheduled to take place in 2020, but it’s been delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stewart currently is winding down his latest Las Vegas residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace with performances this Friday, May 20, and Saturday, May 21. Rod will also play a five-show engagement at The Colosseum in late September and early October, and will finish off his 2022 schedule with a U.K. tour mapped out from November 16 to December 20.
Check out Stewart’s full concert schedule at RodStewart.com.
Gwen Stefani’s known for her sharp fashion sense, but one of her favorite recent looks is a little more silly than it is runway. That’s Blake Shelton’s unforgettable Easter bunny costume, which he donned this Easter season in order to become “The Easter Blakey.”
Sure, Blake probably isn’t going to be walking any high-fashion runways anytime soon, but when you feel good, you look good, right? The superstar pair have gotten plenty of laughs from — and made plenty of memories with — Blake’s unforgettable pink rabbit onesie.
Gwen posted Blake’s Easter look in a social media slideshow, which also featured several recent outfits that she’s loved over the past few weeks. Among them is her two-piece neon ballgown, which she wore to the Met Gala earlier this month.
Eagle-eyed fans might notice a couple more Blake appearances in Gwen’s photo montage. A black-and-white portrait of the pop singer’s country star husband is hanging on the wall in the background of another snapshot, which shows Gwen rocking a ball cap, ripped jeans and a Blake Shelton tour T-shirt.
Sheryl Crow may be a musician, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to let her sons listen to whatever kind of music they want.
In a snippet of her new interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, the singer says she polices what kind of music her kids — 12-year-old Levi and 15-year-old Wyatt — are exposed to.
“I police what my kids listen to — isn’t that sick? And I’m a musician!” Sheryl says. “I’m just like, ‘What am I doing?’”
“I signed up to be the protector of their innocence and I don’t want to have to explain what W-A-P [is],” she adds, referencing the hit Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion song.
She admits her 15-year-old probably hears things anyway. “My older one is 15 now and I’m sure he’s seen a lot more than I know about,” she says. “In fact, I’m very positive, but he’s gotten over the fact that he doesn’t have social media. He sees plenty of stuff that he wants to see. I’m sure he goes around, but I look at their phones and stuff.”
Back when “WAP” came out in 2020 and people criticized its explicit lyrics, Cardi took to Twitter and said, “I don’t make music for kids; I make music for adults. Parents are responsible on what their children listen to or see.”
