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Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The ACMs and country music are turning back the clock, on music and race
The 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, held on Thursday, May 8, was a celebration—of country artists and country music but also, and perhaps more importantly, country tradition. It was there in Alan Jackson's emotional performance of 'Remember When,' delivered before his acceptance of the ACM Lifetime Achievement Award, now named in his honor. 'Play that steel guitar boy,' he said to one of his musicians. 'That's real country music right there y'all.' It was there in the frequent feting of Ella Langley and her duet with Riley Green, 'you look like you love me.' Langley, an industry newcomer, was the most nominated act of the night, eventually taking home the New Female Artist of the Year, Single of the Year, Music Event of the Year, and Visual Media of the Year honors. During her acceptance speech for Single of the Year, Langley noted that she 'grew up on classic country with a lot of talking in it,' which served as the inspiration for the spoken verses of 'you look like you love me,' and that writing the song gave her the freedom to 'not care so much and write what you love and write what feels good.' Fans feel good about the track, too. Below the song's YouTube video (which has 37 million views since its release eight months ago), commenters gush about Langley's country bonafides and a return to a more traditional sound: 'my favorite country song, its [sic] been decades since they made good country songs like this!' wrote @hlgrmdr9556. 'This is the style of country music that I missed' wrote @kimmiek6295. And from @tosca-g8t: 'This takes me back to the good old days of country music—a sound we desperately need more of!' Lainey Wilson was the night's other big winner, collecting trophies for Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, and the highly coveted Entertainer of the Year. And with her thick country drawl and Louisiana roots—that 'sure don't grow out'— she, too, is emblematic of the industry's lean toward nostalgia. 'Must be something in the water flowing out of the holler/Blue collar must've caught a new wind,' she sings on a track from the Album of the Year-winning 'Whirlwind.' 'Doggone, dadgum it, didn't see that coming/Country's cool again.' The music industry, like fashion, is notoriously cyclical. Indeed, there are few new things under the sun, so this return to bygone stylings isn't completely surprising. But while there is nothing inherently wrong with a throwback, it's hard to miss country music's current MAGA vibes. This old-school era that everybody's hankering for? When Alan Jackson's idea of real country music dominated the charts? That period was, well.. white. Which is not to say that the modern industry is some bastion of diversity. There were only two Black artists nominated for ACM Awards—Shaboozey, for Male New Artist and Single of the Year, and War and Treaty for Duo of the Year. Both went home empty handed, despite the former's record-setting, 27-week stint atop the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart with 'A Bar Song (Tipsy).' Moreover, even Shaboozey's presence—he and Jelly Roll performed their duet 'Amen' during the show—felt like a last hurrah. Shaboozey's follow-ups have yet to achieve the virality of last year's song of the summer. At the same time, the industry appears to have hit the reverse button on recent racial gains. Opinion: Jelly Roll's success shows country music should embrace more unconventional artists Mickey Guyton, War and Treaty, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, Dalton Dover, and Willie Jones have all been dropped from their respective labels. Charlene Bryant lost her position as UMG's Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy. And that's to say nothing of the areas which never saw much improvement. You can count the Black, non-artist songwriters signed to Nashville publishing deals on a single hand, and Black guitarists and producers are about as rare as a Black Opry members and Country Music Hall of Fame inductees. Which is to say: Very It's been five years since the reckoning of 2020 that brought a flurry of panels and signings and promises of progress. Those five years sped by for the Black artists who now feel the last seconds of their 15 minutes ticking away. But I can imagine that it's gone so very slowly for the genre's white participants, folks who have likely been waiting for the moment when they could safely reclaim what they've always believed was theirs alone. And what better time to do so than after the reelection of President Donald Trump, the subsequent rollback of still-necessary DEI efforts, and the ongoing whitewashing of our collective history. Country music fans will tell you that their purist inclinations have nothing to do with politics. In doing so, they will, of course, divorce the country music industry from its historic love affair with conservative, and overtly racist, politicians. They'll also conveniently skip past the cultural realities of country's golden era, ignoring the racial lines that divided society and, as a result, music. Meanwhile, country music execs will say that their only concern is the bottom line—one that is no doubt boosted by America's hard right turn. Maybe all that's true. Maybe fans are just legitimately sick of trap beats in their country and label and publishing heads are simply following the crowd. But in cases like this, intentions matter far less than impact. And for the Black artists who will once again be relegated to the sidelines, despite their general love for country music in all its stylistic iterations, there's nothing great about this at all. Andrea Williams is an opinion columnist for The Tennessean and curator of the Black Tennessee Voices initiative. She has an extensive background covering country music, sports, race and society. Email her at adwilliams@ or follow her on X (formerly known as Twitter) at @AndreaWillWrite and BlueSky at @ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tradition is good for the ACMs, but not Black artists | Opinion
USA Today
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Here is every 2025 ACM Awards winner: Lainey Wilson, Ella Langley win big
Here is every 2025 ACM Awards winner: Lainey Wilson, Ella Langley win big Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley were big winners at the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, which were broadcast live from Frisco, Texas, on May 8. Wilson took home entertainer of the year for the second year in a row, and Langley took home four awards. Old Dominion won group of the year for the eighth consecutive time — something no other group has done. We have the winners' list below, with winners in each category listed in bold. The studio recording awards had not yet been announced as of 11 p.m. ET. List of 2024 ACM Award Winners Entertainer of the year Kelsea Ballerini Luke Combs Cody Johnson Jelly Roll Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen Lainey Wilson Female artist of the year Kelsea Ballerini Ella Langley Megan Moroney Kacey Musgraves Lainey Wilson Male artist of the year Luke Combs Cody Johnson Jelly Roll Chris Stapleton Morgan Wallen Duo of the year Brooks & Dunn Brothers Osborne Dan + Shay Muscadine Bloodline The War and Treaty Group of the year Flatland Cavalry Little Big Town Old Dominion Rascal Flatts The Red Clay Strays New female artist of the year Kassi Ashton Ashley Cooke Dasha Ella Langley Jessie Murph New male artist of the year Gavin Adcock Shaboozey Zach Top Tucker Wetmore Bailey Zimmerman New duo or group of the year Restless Road The Red Clay Strays Treaty Oak Revival Album of the year Awarded to artist(s)/producer(s)/record company–label(s) Am I Okay? (I'll Be Fine) – Megan Moroney; producer: Kristian Bush; Columbia Records / Sony Music Nashville Beautifully Broken – Jelly Roll; producers: BazeXX, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Devin Dawson, Charlie Handsome, Ben Johnson, mgk, The Monsters & Strangerz, Austin Nivarel, SlimXX, Ryan Tedder, Isaiah Tejada, Alysa Vanderheym; BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville / Republic Records Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top; producer: Carson Chamberlain; Leo33 F-1 Trillion – Post Malone; producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Mercury Records / Republic Records Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson; producer: Jay Joyce; BBR Music Group / BMG Nashville Single of the year Awarded to artist(s)/producer(s)/record company–label(s) 'A Bar Song (Tipsy)' – Shaboozey; producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry; American Dogwood / EMPIRE 'Dirt Cheap' – Cody Johnson; producer: Trent Willmon; CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville 'I Had Some Help' – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen; producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Mercury Records / Republic Records 'White Horse' – Chris Stapleton; producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton; Mercury Nashville 'you look like you love me' – Ella Langley, Riley Green; producer: Will Bundy; SAWGOD / Columbia Records Song of the year Awarded to songwriter(s)/publisher(s)/artist(s) '4x4xU' – Lainey Wilson; songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson; publishers: Louisiana Lady; One Tooth Productions; Reservoir 416; Songs of One Riot Music; Sony/ATV Accent 'The Architect' – Kacey Musgraves; songwriters: Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves, Josh Osborne; publishers: Songs for Indy and Owl; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing 'Dirt Cheap' – Cody Johnson; songwriter: Josh Phillips; publishers: Warner-Tamerlane Publishing; Write or Die Music; Write the Lightning Publishing 'I Had Some Help' – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen; songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters, Ryan Vojtesak; publishers: Bell Ear Publishing; Master of my Domain Music; Poppy's Picks; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Universal Music Corporation 'you look like you love me' – Ella Langley, Riley Green; songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere; publishers: Back 40 Publishing International; Langley Publishing; One Tooth Productions; Sony/ATV Tree; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp Music event of the year Awarded to artist(s)/producer(s)/record company–label(s) 'Cowboys Cry Too' – Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan; producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, Alysa Vanderheym; Black River Entertainment 'I Had Some Help' – Post Malone, Morgan Wallen; producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Mercury Records / Republic Records 'I'm Gonna Love You' – Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood; producer: Trent Willmon; CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville 'we don't fight anymore' – Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton; producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce; Big Machine Records 'you look like you love me' – Ella Langley, Riley Green; producer: Will Bundy; SAWGOD / Columbia Records Visual media of the year Awarded to producer(s)/director(s)/artist(s) '4x4xU' – Lainey Wilson; producer: Jennifer Ansell; director: Dano Cerny 'Dirt Cheap' – Cody Johnson; producer: Dustin Haney; director: Dustin Haney 'I'm Gonna Love You' – Cody Johnson, Carrie Underwood; producers: Christen Pinkston, Wesley Stebbins-Perry; director: Dustin Haney 'Think I'm In Love With You' – Chris Stapleton; producers: Wes Edwards, Angie Lorenz, Jamie Stratakis; director: Running Bear (Stephen Kinigopoulos, Alexa Stone) 'you look like you love me' – Ella Langley, Riley Green; producer: Alex Pescosta; directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney Artist-songwriter of the year Luke Combs ERNEST HARDY Morgan Wallen Lainey Wilson Songwriter of the year Jessi Alexander Jessie Jo Dillon Ashley Gorley Chase McGill Josh Osborne Studio recording awards Producer of the year Dave Cobb Ian Fitchuk Charlie Handsome Jon Randall Alysa Vanderheym Audio engineer of the year Brandon Bell Drew Bollman Josh Ditty Buckley Miller F. Reid Shippen Bass player of the year J.T. Cure Mark Hill Rachel Loy Tony Lucido Craig Young Drummer of the year Fred Eltringham Tommy Harden Evan Hutchings Aaron Sterling Nir Z Acoustic guitar player of the year Tim Galloway Todd Lombardo Mac McAnally Bryan Sutton Ilya Toshinskiy Piano/keyboards player of the year Dave Cohen Ian Fitchuk Billy Justineau Gordon Mote Alex Wright Specialty instrument player of the year Dan Dugmore Jenee Fleenor Josh Matheny Justin Schipper Kristin Wilkinson Electric guitar player of the year Kris Donegan Jedd Hughes Brent Mason Sol Philcox-Littlefield Derek Wells Industry awards Casino of the year – theater Deadwood Mountain Grand – Deadwood, S.D. Foxwoods Resort Casino – Mashantucket, Conn. Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort – Cherokee, N.C. The Theater at Virgin Hotels – Las Vegas, Nev. Yaamava' Theater – Highland, Calif. Casino of the year – arena Golden Nugget Lake Charles – Lake Charles, La. Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena – Atlantic City, N.J. Harveys Lake Tahoe – Stateline, Nev. Mystic Lake Casino Showroom – Prior Lake, Minn. Turning Stone Resort Casino – Verona, N.Y. Festival of the year C2C Country to Country – London CMC Rocks – Ipswich, Queensland Stagecoach Festival – Indio, Calif. Two Step Inn – Georgetown, Tex. Windy City Smokeout – Chicago Fair/rodeo of the year Calgary Stampede – Calgary, Alberta California Mid-State Fair – Paso Robles, Calif. Cheyenne Frontier Days – Cheyenne, Wy. Minnesota State Fair – Falcon Heights, Minn. Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo – Houston Club of the year Billy Bob's Texas – Fort Worth, Tex. Brooklyn Bowl – Nashville Cain's Ballroom – Tulsa, Okla. Georgia Theatre – Athens, Ga. Joe's on Weed St. – Chicago Theater of the year The Caverns – Pelham, Tenn. MGM Music Hall at Fenway – Boston The Met Philadelphia – Philadelphia The Rave/Eagles Club – Milwaukee, Wisc. Tennessee Theatre – Knoxville, Tenn. Outdoor venue of the year BankNH Pavilion – Gilford, N.H. CMAC – Constellation Brands Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center – Canandaigua, N.Y. Saint Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, Fla. The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, Ala. Whitewater Amphitheater – New Braunfels, Tex. Arena of the year Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, Tex. Moody Center – Austin, Tex. TD Garden – Boston Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center – Knoxville, Tenn. Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids, Mich. Don Romeo talent buyer of the year Deana Baker Bobby Clay Gil Cunningham Weston Hebert Stacy Vee Taylor Williamson Promoter of the year
CBS News
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
The War and Treaty reflect on their love story and journey in the music industry
Michael and Tanya Trotter, the powerhouse husband-and-wife duo known as The War and Treaty, are back with their fourth studio album, "Plus One," released on Valentine's Day. The couple's music blends country, R&B, and gospel influences. Last month, the Trotters took the stage in Nashville for their first-ever performances with an orchestra, playing three nights with the Nashville Symphony. "It's something supernatural," Tanya said about singing with Michael. "But before we start singing together, there's a prayer ... We grab hands and it's just Michael and I, and I say, 'God, please let people see you and not see us. Let them feel your love.'" The War and Treaty's road to success The duo's journey in music started at a music festival in Maryland, where Tanya was immediately captivated by Michael. "It was called the Love Fest. He performed, and I was smitten," Tanya said, although Michael remembers it differently. "Tanya ignored me," he joked. They married in 2011, but it wasn't until three years later that they started singing together. Their path to success wasn't easy as they faced challenges both in their personal lives and careers. Michael, a U.S. Army veteran who saw combat in Iraq, struggled with PTSD, while Tanya battled depression and suicide attempts. Despite these hardships, the couple found strength in their relationship and in their music. Tanya's own experience with the music industry wasn't without its challenges. Having had a promising career in music, she walked away from the industry due to its pressures. "Once you're 17, you're bright-eyed, and then you get into the business of music. And it becomes, 'Your little pantsuit isn't enough. Put on a mini skirt. Or, 'Let's do this kinda song because that's what's on the charts,"' she said. Even so, Tanya and Michael find strength in their music. Tanya admits that their challenges are part of what makes their sound so powerful. "It's the ups and downs. It's the suicide attempts. It's the depression. All that stuff that I know somebody in that audience is feeling or has felt," she said. Their unique blend of country, R&B, and gospel influences helped them find their place in the music world. Michael credits the blues as a guiding force, drawing inspiration from legends like James Brown and Ray Charles. "This is where the War and Treaty should exist," Michael said, reflecting on their musical journey. They struggled to find a home in R&B or gospel, but said the country music world embraced them. They toured with Chris Stapleton and sang with the Brothers Osborne on the CMA Awards. Now, The War and Treaty are focused on their legacy. "I want our story to end with being healing agents," Michael said. Tanya adds, "I want it to end with a legacy of love. I'm just foolish enough to believe that love is the answer."
New York Times
13-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The War and Treaty Are Writing Their Love Story Into Country Music History
There's a dressing room backstage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville called 'It Takes Two' that's filled with photos of some of country music's most famous duos. It's Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter's favorite spot to get ready before they perform there as the War and Treaty, which is so often, they've lost count. They hope to become members someday. (It's on Tanya's vision board.) And they don't want to just be inducted. They want to be the first Black artists on that wall. 'How about right over there, by Marty Stuart and Connie Smith?' Michael, 42, said last month while laying across his wife's lap in a pair of leather trousers, their bodies forming a plus sign. Tanya, 52, shook her head while patting the top of her husband's, the pair's offstage chemistry mirroring their onstage warmth. 'I like that big blank wall,' she replied, indicating a bare corner where they could pioneer their own space. This has long been the War and Treaty's approach in Nashville: working within the genre's traditions while building something new for people who have rarely seen themselves in country music. Blending blues, gospel, soul, bluegrass and R&B while rooting their sound in passionate harmonies, they've managed to straddle both Music Row and Americana. They've earned a best new artist nod at the 2024 Grammys, toured alongside Chris Stapleton, Orville Peck and John Legend, and collaborated on a platinum single with Zach Bryan. Their fourth album, 'Plus One,' is due Friday. It hasn't been easy. Together, they've fought through canceled record deals, homelessness, post-traumatic stress disorder and countless barriers to bring listeners a heartfelt message: that love, and forgiveness, is a salve for all. 'Michael and Tanya's love, their story, and their music are all so inspiring and moving,' Legend wrote in an email. 'They're so genuine, soulful and deeply committed to the mission of spreading love and unity through music. Their art comes from such a place of authenticity and truth. They remind us all that real change begins with staying true to who we are.' The War and Treaty have made clear that part of their responsibility is to speak out on behalf of Black artists and fans in a genre that is known for not welcoming them. Beyoncé just became the first Black artist to win the Grammy for best country album, yet 'Cowboy Carter' received zero Country Music Association Award nominations. And while artists including Rhiannon Giddens, Rissi Palmer, Mickey Guyton and Kane Brown — alongside organizations like the Black Opry — are driving a conversation around country music's longtime exclusion of Black voices and history, the genre remains overwhelmingly white, especially when it comes to Music Row and mainstream radio. 'As beautiful as these photos are, they're one-sided,' Michael said, glancing up at a picture of Johnny Cash, his key inspiration and a fellow military veteran. 'We've got an opportunity. What part of history are you going to write? Tanya and I have a big ol' pen.' They've already set some precedent. Since releasing their debut album, 'Healing Tide,' in 2018, the War and Treaty have become the first Black duo to be nominated for both CMA and Association of Country Music Awards, where they make regular appearances onstage. 'That's the history I'm chasing,' Michael said, 'so the next Black, white, Asian, whatever couple can come along.' 'Plus One' is a document of this push and pull that uses every corner of the Americana and country musical landscape alongside the Trotters' powerhouse vocals. Recorded at Fame studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala., birthplace of the 'Muscle Shoals Sound' that shot a new kind of soul and blues into country music, it's a record about both the Trotters' relationship as a married couple and the relationship between sounds and styles — and, as in romance, unlikely pairings often come together in deep harmony. Gospel shouts sit side by side with fast-picking bluegrass (via an appearance from Billy Strings, on 'Drink From Me'). There's a rap about Legend on 'I Can't Let You Go,' and a little R&B on 'Love Like Whiskey,' a twangy song written with Miranda Lambert. 'We might have on some turquoise and cowboy boots, but you're not going to get a cowboy show,' Tanya said, her fingers around a bolo tie necklace that she wore over a burnt-orange dress. 'You're going to get what country music is to us. Not so much the sound, but the culture.' TANYA TROTTER WAS not new to a country lifestyle when the couple formed the War and Treaty in 2014, but she was new to country music. Growing up the daughter of a sharecropper, she lived on a farm in North Carolina where the family owned tractors 'or whatever people want to call country,' she said. 'But then we walked across the street to the Black Baptist church.' After singing in choir in church and at Morgan State University in Baltimore, she started a career in R&B under her maiden name, Tanya Blount. She appeared in the second 'Sister Act' movie and a few songs from her debut album, 'Natural Thing,' hit the charts; 'Through the Rain,' a soulful ballad, even cracked the Hot 100. She eventually signed to Sean Combs's Bad Boy Records, but was dropped before an album materialized. (Tanya has said she was 'appalled' by the allegations about her former label boss.) Her old friends are still shocked that she transitioned to country: 'I didn't make a big speech about switching genres,' she said. 'I just did the work. I booked tours at coffee houses and tea shops.' Michael grew up in Cleveland, in a religious household where the artists his future wife idolized, like Salt-N-Pepa, were strictly prohibited. He joined the Army in 2003 and deployed to Baghdad, where he came to music in a very unusual way: tinkering on a piano that belonged to Saddam Hussein while stationed at one of his palaces. His commanding officer, Robert Sheetz, encouraged him, seeing how it soothed Michael and others. When Sheetz died in combat, Michael was devastated. He wrote a song to process his emotions and pay tribute, and then continued to sing at the services of fallen soldiers. Michael shares his war stories, but in the past he was hesitant to center his veteran status, though there's a long history of foregrounding patriotism in country music. 'I did bleed and hold the hands of the dying,' he said. 'I did stand in front of the enemy and represent my country. Now's the time to wear it proud.' The couple met at — of all places — a festival called Spirit of Love in Maryland in the fall of 2010. Michael was performing solo after winning 'Military Idol,' the Army's version of the singing competition, and had just come through a difficult divorce. Tanya was struggling too, after the end of her record deal left her facing financial hardship. They connected instantly, and were married a year later. When they started singing together, all of their influences melded: their gospel upbringings, their love of country and roots, her past recording career, his experiences healing from war. They signed to the indie Thirty Tigers in 2018, and made the switch to the major label UMG Nashville a few years ago as country music began embracing them. 'When you look at the scope of the music business, where can someone like the War and Treaty thrive?' Trotter asked. He was holding back tears. 'We've got nowhere to go, but somehow we're writing our own way.' Michael's time as a soldier has had a lasting impact on their relationship: He struggled with debilitating PTSD for years, and at one point, considered taking his own life. He recalled disassociating when Tanya was giving birth to their first child together (they have three from previous relationships). They were homeless at the time, living in a friend's basement. 'I was a piece of [expletive] for years, and that is the truth,' he said, stiffening up on the couch before dissolving back into his wife's arms. 'And that's why 'Plus One' is so important. I want people to see how we weathered that storm, and how I am completely changed, and so is Tanya.' The 18 songs of 'Plus One' trace the highs and lows of a long-term relationship. The duo sing about struggles with their weight (both are spokespeople for Ozempic), dealing with feelings for prior partners, and the pressure to succeed. 'You said I ain't got what it takes,' Michael sings on 'Skyscraper.' 'Just a fat man with a fat chance. 'In the War and Treaty's songs, love is often heralded as a steadying force, whether it's directed at a partner, a stranger or ourselves. Love and connection is vital to the War and Treaty's mission. They hope to bring R&B fans and artists to country music, and country fans and artists to R&B. 'I'm not trying to break records,' Tanya said, her husband's head resting on her shoulder. 'I'm trying to break chains.'
