With the 60th Annual CMA Awards just two weeks out, James and Laura make their picks in every major category. Laura goes in blind, James brings the receipts, and we each put our names on a couple of upset picks we’re not backing down from.

Before the predictions, Ella Langley’s Choosin’ Texas hits 26 weeks at No. 1, Zach Bryan surprises everyone, including the songwriter, with a cover of Ian Noe’s Kentucky Hurricane, and we share our first listen to Wyatt McCubbin’s debut album 650.

We wrap with where to find us around Michigan, including Zac Brown Band and Brothers Osborne in Detroit and the final stop of Gavin Adcock’s tour at Van Andel Arena.

New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Watch the full episode on YouTube.

Follow Country Minute on Instagram for daily country music news: instagram.com/country_minute

ABOUT COUNTRY MINUTE
Country Minute is a husband-and-wife country music platform run by James and Laura Shotwell from West Michigan. With a combined 40 years in the music industry, we bring people together through news, event coverage, and opinion. Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re glad you’re here.

A slow weekend in country music means James and Laura get to have some fun. We recap Halloween, then break down Aerosmith’s surprise final shows at the Hollywood Bowl, featuring Eric Church covering "Rag Doll" and "I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing" and the Marcus King Band opening night two.

Then it’s a guide to planning your 2027 festival season, and our case for why every country fan should experience Country Jam USA in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, at least once, with Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, and Gavin Adcock leading next year’s lineup. Plus, Reba celebrates 50 years in country music with the first official release of her sitcom’s theme song.

We wrap by building our 90s country Mount Rushmores, including one pick from each of us that’s sure to start a debate.

New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Watch the full episode on YouTube.

Follow Country Minute on Instagram for daily country music news: instagram.com/country_minute

ABOUT COUNTRY MINUTE
Country Minute is a husband-and-wife country music platform run by James and Laura Shotwell from West Michigan. With a combined 40 years in the music industry, we bring people together through news, event coverage, and opinion. Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re glad you’re here.

Emergency meeting, y’all. (Country) Minutes after we wrapped today’s episode, Morgan Wallen dropped the lineup for Sand in My Boots 2027, so James and Laura ran back to the basement for a bonus episode.

The festival returns to Gulf Shores, Alabama, May 21 to 23, 2027, with Morgan Wallen, Kings of Leon, Ella Langley, Kygo, Third Eye Blind, Gucci Mane, Gavin Adcock, Koe Wetzel, Girl Talk, and a whole lot more, plus a pre-fest party headlined by Stella Lefty. We break down the lineup, predict the headliner nights, and explain how to get tickets, from hotel packages on sale now to the Club Wallen presale ahead of the November 6 on sale.

Our regular Monday episode is right behind this one, so stay tuned.

Follow Country Minute on Instagram for daily country music news: instagram.com/country_minute

ABOUT COUNTRY MINUTE
Country Minute is a husband-and-wife country music platform run by James and Laura Shotwell from West Michigan. With a combined 40 years in the music industry, we bring people together through news, event coverage, and opinion. Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re glad you’re here.

Happy Halloween from the basement. James and Laura kick off the weekend by revealing the four country acts that made Rolling Stone’s list of the 200 best rock songs of the 21st century, and whether Rolling Stone picked the right songs.

Then, Florida names Seminole Wind its official anthem in honor of John Anderson, Alan Jackson’s farewell show at Nissan Stadium gets a TV premiere date, and Sand in My Boots’ social media teasers drop some big lineup hints, from Gavin Adcock to Gucci Mane to Third Eye Blind.

Plus, our first album review on the show: Hardy’s new EP Sides, featuring a God’s Country reunion with Blake Shelton. And we close with a tribute to Sir Patrick Stewart by revisiting his unforgettable 2016 cowboy album infomercial, P-Stew’s Cowboy Classics.

New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Watch the full episode on YouTube.

Follow Country Minute on Instagram for daily country music news: instagram.com/country_minute

ABOUT COUNTRY MINUTE
Country Minute is a husband-and-wife country music platform run by James and Laura Shotwell from West Michigan. With a combined 40 years in the music industry, we bring people together through news, event coverage, and opinion. Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re glad you’re here.

Ella Langley is back at No. 1. James and Laura break down how Choosin’ Texas reclaimed the top of the Billboard Hot 100 after three weeks behind Taylor Swift, and whether Ella can fend off Tate McRae heading into the CMA Awards.

Then, Boyz II Men have signed with Warner Records Nashville to make a country album, and we’re all in. Plus, Carly Pearce takes the World Series stage for the national anthem, Luke Combs misses out on the Super Bowl halftime show, and we debate whether Chris Stapleton’s $699 Filson shirt jacket is worth the money.

New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Watch the full episode on YouTube.

Follow Country Minute on Instagram for daily country music news: instagram.com/country_minute

ABOUT COUNTRY MINUTE
Country Minute is a husband-and-wife country music platform run by James and Laura Shotwell from West Michigan. With a combined 40 years in the music industry, we bring people together through news, event coverage, and opinion. Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re glad you’re here.

James and Laura kick off the week with the story everyone was talking about: President Trump’s surprise roast of Jason Aldean at a campaign stop in Perry, Georgia. Then it’s Dolly Parton’s first posthumous release, a heavy cover of Jolene by Bad Wolves featuring Dolly’s original vocals, with proceeds benefiting her Imagination Library.

We also cover Garth Brooks shutting down bot activity on his latest on sale and promising to look out for real fans, Brooks & Dunn’s first album of new material in over 20 years, and Miranda Lambert’s viral Dallas Cowboys ad announcing her Thanksgiving Day halftime show.

And we wrap with a fun debate: Knocked Loose’s Bryan Garris named the country artist he’d love to collaborate with, so we pick our own dream matchups for one of the heaviest bands in the world.

New episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Subscribe on YouTube for even more content.

ABOUT COUNTRY MINUTE
Country Minute is a husband-and-wife country music platform run by James and Laura Shotwell from West Michigan. With a combined 40 years in the music industry, we bring people together through news, event coverage, and opinion. Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re glad you’re here.

Country music lost a legend this week. James and Laura remember John Anderson, who passed away just two days after attending the Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and revisit the songs that defined his career, from Swingin’ to Seminole Wind.

Then it’s a full review of the Dolly Parton tribute special: Ella Langley’s Jolene, Little Big Town stealing the show, Kristin Chenoweth and Carly Pearce bringing 9 to 5 to life, and Zac Brown’s emotional final run at Butterfly. Plus, what we expect from Dolly at the CMA Awards.

We also announce our next 2027 festival: XROADS41 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, featuring Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt, and Tim McGraw. And we close with New Music Friday picks from Kacey Musgraves, Brothers Osborne with Cody Johnson, Tyler Braden, Mack Geiger, Walker Hayes, and Kassi Ashton.

New episodes a few times a week. Watch the full episode on YouTube.

ABOUT COUNTRY MINUTE
Country Minute is a husband-and-wife country music platform run by James and Laura Shotwell from West Michigan. With a combined 40 years in the music industry, we bring people together through news, event coverage, and opinion. Community is at the heart of everything we do, and we’re glad you’re here.

Sand in My Boots is coming back. Morgan Wallen’s beach festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama took 2026 off, and nobody involved has said a word about it since. Then last week, a city official told the room at a coffee shop town hall that it returns in 2027. One local reporter wrote it down, and by the weekend all of country music knew. James and Laura break down how the news slipped out, why there was no festival this year, and the 2027 dates that were agreed to back in 2025. They also share their day one recap from the first Sand in My Boots. Plus, they explain why they need Morgan Wallen, Florida Georgia Line and HARDY on the same stage, and lay out a sunset-shaped theory that a new Morgan Wallen album could arrive with the festival.

Megan Moroney opened the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, wings and all. We talk about what’s next for her in 2027 and why everyone should see her live at least once. Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” holds #1 on the Hot 100 for a third straight week with Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” right behind it. We ask whether Ella has one more run at the top before the CMA Awards and Mariah Carey take over. We also ask what country music’s next big hit is going to be, and we want your answer.

Then the big announcement: after three years of trying, we’re going to Crash My Playa in Cancun, January 13 through 16, 2027. It’s Laura’s birthday weekend. We run through the lineup, including Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, HARDY, Brothers Osborne, Gavin Adcock, Brett Young, Drew Baldridge and Emily Ann Roberts, plus the legendary Dustin Lynch pool party.

About Country Minute
Country Minute is a country music entertainment platform run by husband and wife James and Laura Shotwell out of West Michigan. With over 40 years of combined music industry experience, they bring fans together through news, event coverage, and honest opinion. At the heart of it all is community.