Alan Jackson: Last News

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Sony Music has dissolved the long-running Arista Nashville imprint, a rep for the company confirms to Variety. The news was first reported in Country Aircheck‘s newsletter. Most of the artists will be absorbed into Sony Music Nashville, with Nate Smith is going to RCA Nashville and Old Dominion and Megan Moroney moving over to Columbia Nashville. Brooks & Dunn is the most famous artist on the label, having been one of its cornerstone acts since 1991, but the duo is not a going concern on the recording front. Apart from a retrospective/duets project three years ago, they have not issued an album of new material since 2007.

EXCLUSIVE: Harvey Weinstein is looking for some new lawyers to lead his Los Angeles rape verdict appeal.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior Correspondent Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to an additional 16 years in prison on Thursday, but his lawyers will continue to fight for the disgraced producer to live a life outside of jail, pledging to appeal his Los Angeles conviction. Weinstein’s defense, led by Mark Werksman and Alan Jackson, is finalizing their notice for appeal and is expected to file as soon as late Friday or mid-next week, Variety has learned. Werksman and Jackson did not immediately respond for comment, but at Weinstein’s sentencing, they told the judge that they planned to appeal. When contacted by Variety regarding the appeal, Weinstein’s spokesperson, Juda Engelmayer, provided a statement claiming that Weinstein had an unfair trial.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior Correspondent Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 16 years, effectively ensuring the former Hollywood mogul and convicted rapist will spend the rest of his life behind bars. Weinstein’s sentencing was held in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday morning, nearly two months after his Los Angeles trial concluded with a jury convicting him on three counts of rape and sexual assault. Weinstein is already serving a 23-year sentence in New York, after being convicted of rape and sexual assault in that jurisdiction in his 2020 criminal trial. All three charges on which Weinstein were convicted were based on the counts relating to Jane Doe #1, a European model who testified she was raped by Weinstein at Mr. C Hotel after the L.A. Italia Film Festival in 2013. Weinstein’s attorneys have stated that Weinstein had an unfair trial — and therefore, conviction — because the court, his lawyers claim, precluded the defense from admitting relevant evidence and argument, particularly centering around Jane Doe #1.

Jem Aswad Senior Music Editor Universal Music Group Nashville announces the signing of country music superstar Brad Paisley to its imprint EMI Records Nashville. The singer-guitarist — who has won three Grammys, two American Music Awards, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards over a 20-plus year career — had been with Sony Music’s Arista Nashville division since the beginning of his career.  Paisley is finishing his next studio album, the first for UMG Nashville, expected later this year. On Friday he will release a new song from the album- “Same Here,” written by Paisley, Lee Thomas Miller and Taylor Goldsmith, and produced by Luke Wooten. He will join fellow UMGN artists Alan Jackson, Brothers Osborne, Carrie Underwood, Caylee Hammack, Chris Stapleton, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, George Strait, Kacey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Mickey Guyton, Reba McEntire, Sam Hunt, Vince Gill, Little Big Town, and more.

Despite battling a medical condition, Alan Jackson vows to make more music for his fans.  The 64-year-old country music star revealed his creative gears are always turning as he brainstorms new tracks. "I’m always scribbling down ideas and thinking about melodies… I feel like there’ll be some more music to come, yes," Jackson said during his daughter Mattie Jackson’s "In Joy Life" podcast.

He’ll try! Alan Jackson revealed he has plans to release more music amid his ongoing battle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. 

“Regret is not the same thing as rape, and it’s important we make that distinction in this courtroom,” Harvey Weinstein’s defense attorney Alan Jackson said Thursday of Jennifer Siebel Newsom during his closing argument in the much-accused Weinstein’s Los Angeles sex crime trial.

Country superstar Alan Jackson has been battling Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease for more than a decade, but he didn’t go public with his diagnosis until September 2021.

Ashley Judd and sister Wynonna Judd gave each other a tight hug as they reunited at the CMT Loretta Lynn tribute at Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sunday.Ashley, 54, looked boho chic in a floral gown, as she held her head against Wynonna's, 58, who donned a flowing long black dress.Wynonna was also seen performing at the event, which took place six months after the sisters lost their mother Naomi Judd, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in April 2022 at the age of 76.  Reunited: Ashley Judd, 54, and sister Wynonna Judd, 58, gave each other a tight hug as they reunited at the CMT Loretta Lynn tribute at Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, on SundayAshley appeared to go fresh-faced to the event, while Wynonna opted for a more glammed-up look, wearing dramatic lashes and pink blush.  The country music singer wore her vivid auburn tresses cascading down her shoulders in tight curls. Wynonna was also seen posing with singer Martina McBride, 56, who looked lovely in a black gown with sparkly details.  Performing: Wynonna was also seen performing at the event, which took place six months after the sisters lost their mother Naomi Judd, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in April 2022 at the age of 76 Country ladies: The country superstar was also seen posing with singer Martina McBride, 56, who looked lovely in a black gown with sparkly details Singer Alan Jackson, 64, also made the event, despite the fact that he recently postponed the final two stops on his Last Call Tour until 2023, while dealing with health issues related to Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.The country crooner looked cool as ever in a black button-up, blue jeans, and a grey cowboy hat as he held onto a guitar.Meanwhile Brandi

A model-actress who has accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault finished her testimony on Wednesday, as she faced a contentious cross-examination from a defense attorney who tried to raise doubts about her version of events.

The long-delayed Los Angeles rape trial of disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein will begin Monday after a jury was selected today in a downtown courtroom.

countdown to CMT Artists of the Year is on — and this year's performers have just been unveiled. When fans tune in to the annual event on Friday, viewers will get to see a lineup of country music's brightest stars grace the stage at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Included in the 2022 roster of performers are honorees Alan Jackson, Carly Pearce, Cody Johnson, Kane Brown and Lainey Wilson.

Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior Correspondent Jury selection in Harvey Weinstein’s trial is officially underway. Weinstein, who was convicted of rape and sexual assault in his New York trial in 2020, faces 11 new charges in Los Angeles in a trial that began Monday morning at the criminal courthouse in downtown L.A. Nine women are expected to testify in a trial that could effectively put Weinstein behind bars for life, if convicted. Weinstein — whose monumental fall was the fuse the ignited the #MeToo movement — is already serving a 23-year sentence from his 2020 conviction where Weinstein was found guilty of third-degree rape and a first-degree criminal sexual act. The New York Court of Appeals, which is the highest court in that state, has agreed to hear his case. Weinstein was extradited in July 2021 to L.A. from N.Y., where he was serving his sentence.

Nancy Russell Nancy Russell worked in the music industry in Nashville for decades and was the manager to stars including Alan Jackson, Trisha Yearwood and — at the time of her Grammy-winning early 2000s comeback with “Van Lear Rose” — the late, great Loretta Lynn. Russell now lives in Southern California, consulting on independent music projects while focusing on screenwriting. She shared her memories of Lynn with Variety. The first time I saw Loretta Lynn in person was at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in 1986, about a year before I moved to Nashville. Dressed in bright turquoise spandex and a white blouse, she sang her hits with warmth and spirit, committing to every single member of that audience. Never could I imagine that 15 years later I’d have the privilege to be her manager.

Farewell to an icon. Loretta Lynn has died at age 90.

Mattie Jackson Selecman has found love again.

Country music star Lainey Wilson led Wednesday's Country Music Association Awards nominations. This year marks Wilson's first year to be nominated, and she earned nods in six categories, including album of the year, female vocalist of the year and song of the year. Lainey Wilson landed the most CMA Awards nominations.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterA Los Angeles judge on Monday ruled to limit the amount of information that could be obtained by Harvey Weinstein’s defense team for his upcoming trial on 11 counts of rape and sexual assault.Judge Lisa B. Lench approved the prosecution’s motion to quash subpoenas from four witnesses for their correspondence, including personal emails and texts dating as far back as 2004, with one of the alleged victims (referred to as Jane Doe #4).

Consequence Of Sound]. “We have always had policies in place that protect the safety of our fans and ban discrimination, but we felt it was important to further refine our language to explicitly outline what will and will not be tolerated.“In line with our first CMA Fest lineup announcement in early April, our event policy was published on our website, which states any behaviour that causes one of our attendees to fear for their personal safety will not be tolerated, and that is inclusive of any displays of the Confederate flag.”Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, Jason Aldean, and Keith Urban are among the headliners at this year’s event.The CMA Festival is the second country music event to outright ban the Confederate flag after Stagecoach adopted the same rule for its 2022 event at the end of April.Stagecoach, which was held at Indio, California’s Empire Polo Club, was headlined by Thomas Rhett, Carrie Underwood and Luke Combs.Last year, Combs apologised for appearing in a music video that used Confederate flag imagery.

Awaiting trial in Los Angeles on sex crimes, Harvey Weinstein today became a lurid literary sensation. A self-published tome about the incarcerated producer surfaced for sale on Amazon, and Weinstein’s team is considering legal action.