The Boot News Roundup: Jason Aldean Raises Nearly $500,000 for Breast Cancer Research + More
Welcome to The Boot's News Roundup, a morning rundown of the news country music fans need to know. Read on to learn more about the latest goings-on in the country, Americana, bluegrass and folk genres.
Ending his 2018 High Noon Neon Tour on a charitable note, Jason Aldean presented a $459,509 check to the Susan G. Komen Foundation of Central Tennessee at his annual Concert for the Cure in Nashville on Wednesday night (Oct. 3). According to a press release, the funds represent a portion of Aldean's 2018 touring proceeds, and make for a combined $4.1 million that Aldean has raised for breast cancer charities. “All year long on the road, we hear stories from fans about how they’ve been affected by breast cancer,” Aldean says in a statement. “It’s crazy how just about everyone is close to someone who is or has fought this horrible disease.
Big change is in the works for the Grammy Awards. According to Billboard, the Recording Academy of America has added 900 new voters to the pool of music professionals that choose each year's winners. The move comes on the recommendation of the Academy's Task Force on Diversity & Inclusion, formed earlier this year to increase racial and gender diversity among nominees and winners of Grammy Awards.
Scotty McCreery is headed to Memphis for the holiday season. The American Idol alum will perform at Graceland's annual holiday lighting on Nov. 15, joining country legend Marty Stuart for the festivities. After the hundreds of lights that adorn Elvis Presley's former home start twinkling, a screening of the Hallmark Channel movie Christmas at Graceland, starring Kellie Pickler and filmed on location in Memphis, will take place at the Graceland Soundstage. The lighting ceremony and McCreery's and Stuart's performances are free and open to the public, and fans can score complimentary tickets to the premiere of Christmas at Graceland at the door.
Toby Keith, Luke Combs and Luke Bryan will headline the Country Thunder Music Festival in Kissimmee, Fla., in 2019. The newly launched festival is the fifth iteration of the Country Thunder festival, also held in Arizona, Wisconsin, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Set for March 22-24, 2019, the festival will also feature performances from an as-yet-unannounced lineup of supporting artists. Tickets for the festival are currently on sale.