USA TODAY

We bought the place because it was cheap and had character—arched doorways, creaky floors, a porch that leaned just enough to make you feel like you were already telling stories on it. The listing mentioned, almost as an afterthought, that the house had been a funeral parlor nearly a century ago. Dad joked about it. … Read more

Seven years after the crash that took my best friend, Adira, I was in bed scrolling when my phone lit up with a text from her number. A photo popped in first: the two of us at her 16th birthday, frosting on our noses, laughing like nothing bad could ever happen to us. My thumbs … Read more

I retired at 70 after nearly four decades at the clinic, picked up a little bakery cake with blue frosting roses, and drove home grinning like a fool. I imagined my son Thomas, his wife Delia, and the grandkids singing off-key while I pretended to blow out invisible candles. Instead, my suitcases were lined up … Read more

I never imagined the happiest day of my life could also become the most confusing. I was ready to take my wife Suzie and our newborn twin daughters home, arms full of balloons and decorations, my heart overflowing. Instead, I walked into an empty hospital bed. Two sleeping babies. And a note that shattered me: … Read more

The Story Behind Merle Haggard’s Haunting Classic, “Sing Me Back Home”A Song Born Behind Prison Walls Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home” isn’t just another country single—it’s a piece of lived history. Written in 1967, the ballad reflects a theme rarely touched in mainstream music: the final walk of a prisoner on death row. Rather … Read more

Carrie Underwood Shuts Down Industry Comment With a Powerful Message About Self-Respect Carrie Underwood has built her career on powerhouse vocals, emotional storytelling, and authenticity — not by conforming to anyone else’s expectations. But even one of country music’s most respected artists isn’t immune to the industry’s more superficial pressures. During a recent live event, … Read more

Zach Top Brings Classic Country Energy to His Cold Beer & Country Music Tour — and Fans Can’t Get Enough of His Toby Keith Cover Rising country star Zach Top is taking traditional country back on the road with his first-ever headlining run — the Cold Beer & Country Music Tour — and he’s proving … Read more

A Night of Surprises at the Grand Ole Opry On September 22, 2017, the Grand Ole Opry was buzzing with excitement as an already star-studded lineup featuring Reba McEntire and Vince Gill took the stage. What the audience didn’t expect, however, was an extra dose of country royalty—Dolly Parton and Carrie Underwood—appearing unannounced to celebrate … Read more

Jelly Roll Opens Up About His Past Affair and How It Strengthened His Marriage Country star Jelly Roll recently made a deeply personal confession during an appearance on the Human School Podcast, revealing that he once had an affair early in his marriage — a mistake he says became one of the lowest and most … Read more