The numbers are in at the midway pole of 2019, and “King” George Strait has the best selling album in all of country music so far this calendar year.Honky Tonk Time Machine has moved more copies than any other offering, speaking to the honky tonk resurgence country music has been experiencing across the board that has put a boost behind twang in 2019.
Released on March 29th,Honky Tonk Time Machine debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart with 51,000 equivalent albums sold, and 44,000 in pure album sales. This was good enough to give Strait the best-selling album sales week in country so far in 2019, and also put him at #4 on the all-genre Billboard 200. It also extended Strait’s already historic marker for the most #1 albums in country music history with 27 under his belt, putting Strait 10 albums ahead of the nearest competition. Both Garth Brooks and Willie Nelson have 17 #1 albums to their name.
Got to love Miranda Lambert’s sense of humor!
The 35-year-old star has been returning to work following an eight-month hiatus, recently performing at Chicago’s Country Lake Shake festival. And, she says it will be the last big break she takes.
"They're not going to let me have eight months off ever again because I get married and do weird sh**," Lambert joked about her team during an interview with radio station US*99. "I had the longest break I've ever had in 17 years.”
Indeed, the singer’s break was hugely productive on a personal front -- she found love with NYPD officer Brendan McLoughlin and the pair tied the knot in February, after two months of dating.
Hank Williams Jr. was scheduled to be one of the headliners at this weekend’s Peckfest at the Kanawha River Campground in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, but has cancelled after the promoters could not fulfill their financial obligations. Subsequently, the talent on a side stage meant to highlight local and up-and-coming bands was also cancelled last minute, leaving multiple acts in the lurch.
Hank Jr. was scheduled to be the Saturday night (7-6) headliner of Peckfest, but said in a statement on July 3rd,“We regret to inform you that Hank Williams Jr will not be at the July 6th date in Point Pleasant, WV (Peck Fest 2019) due to contractual obligations not being met by the promoter of the concert. We regret having to cancel and are sorry for any inconvenience. Please contact the promoter for any further information and his refund policy.”