Kid Rock is out. Luke Bryan is in. Chevrolet has signed a deal with the country music star to be its brand ambassador for the next three years. Bryan replaces Rock, whose relationship with the Detroit automaker effectively ended last year.
Chevy said Bryan will work on a “variety of projects” and will promote the company using his social media channels (Twitter: 7 million, Facebook: 8.6 million). Chevy will also sponsor Bryan’s 8th Annual Farm Tour.
Slain singer Christina Grimmie was on the minds of some of the artists performing at CMA Music Festival in Nashville this weekend, including Cassadee Pope who, like Grimmie, rose to fame on NBC’s The Voice.
Pope appeared at Nissan Stadium Saturday night (June 11) to perform her hit duet with Chris Young, “Think of You.” Speaking with media backstage beforehand, she said of Grimmie, “I’m performing on her behalf tonight.”
Little Big Town performed at the Grand Ole Opry this week, and they invited a tie-dye T-shirt-wearing Pharrell out onstage with them to play the new song “C’mon.” The famous singer/rapper/producer/multi-instrumentalist stepped behind the drums and joined in with the country quartet on harmonies.
The CMT Awards are aiming for big collaborative moments this year: Dierks Bentley will perform with Elle King (the two duet on Bentley’s new album), Fifth Harmony teams up with Cam, Billy Ray Cyrus with Cheap Trick, Blake Shelton with the Oak Ridge Boys, and Keith Urban with both Brett Eldredge and Maren Morris. Today it was announced that Pitbull — who appeared on Keith Urban’s “Sun Don’t Let Me Down” earlier this year — and Leona Lewis will also join forces with Cassadee Pope during the show. Carrie Underwood was added to the lineup as well. She will perform “Church Bells,” which she performed at the ACMs and the ACCAs in April.