CMA Awards and Cracker Barrel changes spark lively country chat

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Man, that is crazy dramatic. It is episode two of Tasting Country with uh the Taste of Country team here, Talking Country. And we got a great cast here. If you've not if you didn't missed week one, it's okay. We'll catch you up here. We're sitting around. We're talking about things that are in country, things that aren't in country, things you'll see on taste of country.com. And hey, you get to play along as well. You can jump in the comments, leave us one. We'll get to as many of them as we can. And we got a lot of people here today. Okay, so let's go around the room and introduce ourselves and what would we like to talk about today, Billy Dukes? >> This week we're talking about the CMA award nominations and are the CMA awards rigged. >> Okay, I like that. We have Jess from the Middays joining us today. What are we talking about with you? >> Well, we got to talk about fantasy football and of course we have to make it countryified. >> All right, I like that. And of course, Evan Paul, host of Taste of Country Nights with Evan Paul. What are we talking about with you, buddy? Cracker Barrel and Zoom apparently. But we're gonna get to all that. But before we do that, uh you know, we always like to start off the show with a little bit of a trivia question. All right. So, I'm going to give you the trivia question here at the start. You think about it and we'll get to it at the end. Of course, today is 911. And so, I had to go with kind of a Toby Keithish question. And I don't I'm sure you guys know he played a ton of USO shows. All right, >> but he didn't play the most. >> Oh, >> who did play the most USO shows ever? So, thinking about that, we'll get you that answer at the end. We'll see if anybody here on the taste of country staff knows it. >> Write it down. >> Can I ask a question about that? >> Come on. Is this a true country artist or a country tangent personality or is it just a celebrity? >> Just a let's just say entertainer. So it could be an artist, could be anybody. All right. So >> good question. Good question. It's just going back to the drawing board. But before we jump into these topics that we want to talk about, uh it is 911 and it is a day that if you lived through it, um massively important. I have two little kids at home. They asked me a lot of questions about it here with school and everything. And of course, yesterday, Billy, another thing popped up in our world. Charlie Kirk, if you don't know him in the political world, was assassinated yesterday. A very sad story. And you know, the country world kind of responded to both of those incidences yesterday. >> Yeah, they sure did. We got a lot of great reactions from stars like Lee Bryce, uh, Randy Hower, of course, Jason Aldine, Lee Greenwood. um I mean just a full range of different types of artists and it's clear that he connected with he spanned generations. It wasn't just uh someone who talked to an older audience or a younger audience. Um there was a lot of appreciation for what he did amongst um a lot of different ages. >> Yeah. And you know I'll speak for myself. I really liked Charlie Kirk. I I really did. I met him one time when he came through radio stations up in Minnesota. Um just a really nice guy. The one time I met him, I didn't know him like any of these country artists do. But it's a sad and honestly, it's kind of unique that it overlaps here with 911. If you lived through 911, that day after 911 was really a day that this country was all on one side. And I it it sounds weird to say that it was nice to have that feeling that, you know, your neighbors didn't hate each other. There was no, you know, black and white. We were all Americans there for a while. we've gotten away from it. And we saw yesterday again that unfortunately we have people, you know, hellbent on being divisive on this kind of stuff. And, you know, you see these country artists that speak out. You know, there's a lot of them that really like Charlie Kirk really meant a lot to a lot of them. >> This is a tough day to be on social media. Um, >> like a lot of the worst people on social media tend to filter to the top of the feeds and then you'll get things like I am a big supporter of like the first amendment and I think you know I know there's video out there of the actual shooting and and that has some news value but I don't think it should just be autoplayed on somebody. You shouldn't just be scrolling through your X feed and boom get a video. That's kind of what happened to me. Like I said TMZ's got the video and it's their right to do it but um all of a sudden it was just boom right there in my feed. It was like whoa. Okay, I haven't had a cup of coffee yet. And >> yeah, >> there's that today. Um, man, just stay off social media. >> And and it is tough when you see the people that are having opinions and things like that. And it just I hope we kind of get back to a point like we were on September 12th. I know it sounds stupid to say, but it just the continuity is definitely needed. And I know Evan, you were telling me you have a wild 911 story of like where you were when it all went down. >> Yeah. So, I was a uh an overnight DJ on a radio station in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I had done my midnight to 6 shift. And I got off the air. And on this day in particular, I was kind of upset because they booked me to do a a pep rally at a local high school um at like 900 a.m. So, I went to like McDonald's and got a biscuit and then I just after work drove to started driving to the school to host the pep rally and on the radio is when I heard about 911. Um, only tower one and then I had to walk into the school and walked into the office. I'm getting goosebumps just talking about walking into the principal or you know the office at the school and I was like what were you were we still doing the pep rally and they were like yep we're still doing the pep rally please the kids do not know anything >> about what's going on >> let's keep the pep rally going >> and then this was in two I don't need to say what year but so we know where we are social media wise and phone wise so it was it was sealed in that in that school. And then tower two got hit right before we went on to the pep rally. So then I had to just be on there and just be like, "I hope you guys win your game tonight." I had to really be just like excited. I just had to forget about it for a minute. And then I just kind of walked out and when I was done, I went back to the car and started listening. And yeah, like you were saying, Wood, after that, we really didn't sleep much. I went back up to the radio station and everybody kind of banded together and people just started just talking. But I I'll never forget that I had to act like it just wasn't happening. It It was just the weirdest time. >> Yeah. And you know, I was working at a car dealership next to Dobbins Air Force Base in Atlanta, Georgia. And you could see into Dobbins Air Force Base from the car dealership. And I was working that morning. I was working with my best friend and we were pulling auto parts. I delivered car parts at the time, right? And um the the radio we had playing and it said a plane just hit the World Trade Center. And you thought, "Okay." I thought it was like one of those little ditzy like two-seater planes, right? >> And I Right. I didn't think anything of it. And then about five minutes later, I heard a siren going and I'm like, "What is going on?" on and I look over and like I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it. You just saw it looked like somebody kicked over an antill at the Air Force base and everyone's coming running out and when the jets used to take off at a Dobins Air Force Base like they would take off but they weren't going fast. You know what I mean? Like this is like where the president would land when he flew into Atlanta. These jets took off I mean screaming. I mean, these things were going o I mean, a hundred feet over our head and they were loaded with missiles. >> And I told my friend, I was like, "Dude, something's up." And that right then on the radio, they said, "A second plane has hit the tower." And our lives changed. I mean, think of all the things still today that are changed. Go to the airport, you got to go through TSA. Like, it's crazy to my kids that I used to tell them when we watch Home Alone, the movie. I said, "Yeah, you used to be able to run through airports. You used to be able to, you know, you used to be able to take grandma to the gate >> when I was in when I was in summer camp. We used to do scavenger hunts at the airport, >> like going into the stores cuz you could there was you you could go through the metal detector and not have a flight. >> Yeah. And it's just it's it's kind of amazing and we've become so desensitized to all this stuff. You know what I mean? Even like with the shooting with Charlie yesterday, you know, life still kind of goes on and stuff. It's just it's sad to see. But, you know, hey, it's not all negative here. It's not all sad. We still got a lot of fun stuff, including I know it's a terrible segue, Billy Dukes, but CMA nominations this week were a big deal for a lot of people. >> It sure was. I mean, the big uh winners were Laney Wilson, um Ella Langley, and one other female artist, uh Megan. Megan Y >> Yeah. Had six each. And then entertainment or of the year category. Not too much changed. I don't think year-over-year it was Laney, Luke Combmes, Cody Johnson, um Chris Stapleton, and Morgan Wallen will be up for it. >> Um and I think every year you kind of get this same thing. People have an expectation of who should be nominated. And a lot of people like go back to artists they grew up on, right? People want to see Allan Jackson in there, but realistically Allen Jackson, he hasn't toured. He hasn't released music. So, he's not going to be sort of amongst the first people to get a vote from people. But people see this and they see an artist like Carrie Underwood maybe get snubbed again. She wasn't nominated for anything and they start to think, are the CMA awards rigged? >> No, they're absolutely not rigged. >> Come on. >> Here's the thing, and I'm going to talk a little bit about the process here and kind of break it down for you a little bit and and hope if I get too granular, let me know. Um, but I think I can explain this in a way that >> makes woods. Yeah, I'll do it. I'll do it, Billy. >> We We've empowered Wood with the uh next topic. >> Terrible decision. >> All right. So, nobody with the CMA cares about who wins because they want people to tune in. And by the time the awards are announced, people have already tuned in or decided not to tune in. They don't care. They're like the Jim Nances and the Joe Bucks of the world. They're announcers. They don't it don't really matter to them. >> But people get mad every year because their favorite artists aren't up for awards. And we got something special this year in Low Cash who took to social media to kind of gripe about not being nominated. I think specifically they were upset about not being nominated in the vocal duo of the year category. >> And you can see their tweets here. >> Here's the quote. I mean, here's the thing. They call out the CAS, but that's a little bit like if Camela Harris got really mad at the pole workers when she lost the presidential election. >> Yeah. >> They're just counting things. It's the voters you got to kind of take and that's a difficult thing to do because Low Cash has made great relationships to people who they expect to be voting for and that is radio stations and media. We love Locash so they're not getting those votes. There's like 7,000 voters. How many do you think vote for like yeartoyear? First of all, raise your hand if you're a voter. Anybody in this room a voter? >> Would you trust me to vote for something? >> No. Exactly. I mean, full full disclosure, I would vote, but I don't want to pay for the membership. >> That's right. >> Make it free. >> There's something to that, right? What's it cost to be a member? >> A couple hundred bucks. >> Mhm. >> Yeah. I mean, so who who's voting, right? It's people with a couple hundred dollars to spend every year that are that invested in it. >> That ain't me. >> Yeah. >> So, let's say up to 7,000 voters, like half vote, maybe. We're talking media, artists, record labels. You know, a few dozen votes can make a pretty big difference. Yeah. >> So, what artists do is in October, they tend to stage these big sort of events and concerts in Nashville where they bring as many voters together as they can. I recall specifically a Carrie Underwood show here during a voting season where everyone she could think of was invited and we all got after the show, we got to meet and greet with Carrie Underwood and we got to shop at her Kellia by Carrie store. This is her line of clothes with Dick Sporting Goods. My wife walked out of there with two pairs of yoga pants that she still wears today. You want to know how much she paid for those? >> $5. >> What did you walk away with, Billy? That's the real question. >> Nothing. I gave her my item so she get two pairs of yoga pants. >> Yeah. I mean, I don't look good in yoga pants. Jess, >> don't sell yourself short. >> Yes. First of all, I may need to see that to make my own conclusion. But what Billy Dukes, were you just trying to explain to us how this is not rigged? >> It's not rigged in the sense that it's predetermined by like the CAS. The CAS are not doing it. >> Is there a political effort? Are there campaigns and advertisements to get people um nominated? Absolutely. And this is where I think Locash got done a little bit dirty because Low Cash have a brand new record label. No one in radio or in the media has any sort of equity built up with this record label. They're not used to talking to so and so from the record label year after year, week after week about the new artists and getting excited about it. They're new on the block. They're Prime >> fighting against Gatorade. >> You have to change habits to get people to drink Prime. Um, and that's not any shade to low cash. It's just saying there's a fight to be had still to get nominated in that category. Even though they're absolutely right, they have a number one hit this year. I don't think anybody else on that list of five nominees has anything like a number one hit this year. Like they should be nominated over uh one of those five artists and and the other ones I believe are Brooks and Dunn, uh Maddie and Tay Brothers Osborne and Dennis Shay. They should be in that category, but this is the fight. Like they got to play the politics game. They got to do the advertising. They got to have a better team working for them to put them in that position to be nominated. They got to look in the mirror a little bit for why they're not nominated. It's just not the CAS and it's not the voters. I will just defend them a little bit by saying that they do do a pretty fair job of flying around and personally talking to program directors and radio. They do pretty good at that, but for some reason, yes, that is not translating. But >> they're decent at delivering lately their own product because it is their own and they're in the phase of the well I can do it myself and they're like calling program directors but that I don't know it is weird that they had a number one hit and they didn't >> Yeah. Like what are we doing here? What a day. I mean I No. Yeah. I love everybody on the list. >> Here's my question. >> Category. Go ahead. Do do they have to put together like some sort of you talk about the campaigning and everything. Do they have to put together like some sort of package and submit it to the association in order to be considered? Who's in charge of putting that package together? >> Evan can probably speak to this a little bit more because it's similar for radio nominees, but yeah, absolutely. Someone has to kind of put together a a package, a one sheet that that's probably very >> You got to your horn, >> huh? And then people there's trade websites. They run advertisements. um so and so for entertainer of the year. Um like you can't just hope people are going to vote for you. Yeah. >> You have to go out there and and get the vote. >> Also like a little uh also like you know I don't know on the Hollywood Walk of Fame like you have to pay for your own star. So I mean like this is a kind of thing that's like similar to that. Like it's like you know what I'm saying? You you gotta like get in. >> You gota drink your own Kool-Aid. >> Yeah. So to nominate you have to Yeah. You have to This isn't like uh a people's choice. Although it people are choosing. This isn't like >> This is not people's choice, but >> it's not the general public. >> Yeah. This isn't like people selecting an all-star team. This is you going I want to be on the All-Star team. I want to be on the All-Star team until mommy and daddy goes like, "You're on the All-Star team." >> Now, let me ask a question about the nominees because, you know, Low Cash has a problem with the same group being nominated a year after. Can someone explain to me how Shabuzzi and Zack Top for two years in a row now are up for new artist of the year? How's that make sense? So, the rule with new artist of the year is you can be nominated until your second album, your second sort of official release >> album. I didn't know that. >> Um, and what's interesting about that, I think one year like Justin Moore was nominated like six years into his career or something like that, but he hadn't dropped that second album, >> so he was still eligible. >> Uh, well, I mean, I don't think he ever won it. >> Oh, God bless. >> Let's look at Well, I guess Jelly Roll is not a good example. Jelly Roll had like 18 albums or whatever and he's a new artist, but they weren't country, so that's not good. >> Well, >> yeah, there's all sorts of weird little quirks when it comes to like CASs if you start looking at like the same song won CMA song of the year two years in a row once. >> Yeah, I remember that. It was like way back in like the 80s or something. 80s or 90s. >> It was something that you just >> Well, I Yeah, well, correct. I looked it up. >> Well, hey, you know, one person who did not get a CMA nomination was Taylor Swift. But one thing I would like to talk about is I there's rumors out there, and I love a good conspiracy theory that Taylor Swift is going to do the halftime show of the Super Bowl this year. Now, you're probably wondering, what is Wood smoking? Well, Roger Goodell got asked about it, and Roger Goodell was non-committal about it. He wouldn't talk about it. He's like, "Ah, well, we'd love to have her, whatever." Last year, they announced that Kendrick Lamar was doing the Super Bowl on September 8th. >> So, we are like in the area where somebody's going to get named. >> But here's the thing. You got Roger Goodell saying maybe. We were all kids once. We know when mom says maybe, it's enough. >> How much How much say does Good Gell actually have though? Isn't it all like Apple Music controlled? >> Yeah. >> But he's good. I mean, they've got to run it by Roger Goodell. I They would have to. I mean, he final has more of a say than Roger Goodell. Depends. >> I mean, I don't know if um does that get weird if Taylor performs and the the Chiefs aren't in the Super Bowl or what if they break up by then? >> Did you see the proposal, Evan? >> I did. I think this is the year she'll do it just because of the engagement everything and it it's I to me it makes sense this year. If she doesn't do it this year, I don't think she'll ever do it. >> Okay. >> I think she'll probably >> hot take on this. >> Give it >> I wouldn't do it if I was Taylor Swift. I think she's already bigger than the Super Bowl. It doesn't pay. Let's remember that. This isn't a pay and you I think you have to pay for the production. >> Yeah. >> And people just crap on you. Like no one is like, "Oh, that was actually really good." No matter what happens, I mean, Rihanna's up there with like a baby in her belly and people are just like, "Wasn't it enough?" I mean, people just crap on you no matter what happens. Like, why would you >> sign up for that? >> They're crapping on them because they're not Taylor Swift. Like, this is nothing that Taylor's not used to. She's used to scrutiny. She's coming off of the Aerys tour. She's had a little bit of a break. She wants to get married. She wants to have a baby. it is the perfect time for her to do it because she's going to get married and she's probably going to get pregnant very quickly and then she's going to be in hiding for a little bit. So, now is the time. Make it happen. It's only awkward if the Chiefs are playing in the Super Bowl because then it just feels like this whole conflict of interest thing like we're all just kind of trying to push them into the spotlight and give the Chiefs another Super Bowl, you know? >> Well, I like Amanda's comment there. I'm with her. If the if George Strait got named, I would actually be excited about a halftime show. I don't like halftime shows. I think they take too long. I think they're boring. I think the last one everyone liked was Prince. But I going around the room real quick. Let's start with you, Jess. If you could pick anyone to do the halftime show, you can't pick George Straight because I just picked him. Who would you pick? >> Honestly, I think somebody that gets a crowd going, rocking, and even non-country fans would be like, "This is great. This is a banger." It's Luke Combmes. >> Yeah, >> do it. >> I can see that. Billy Dukes, what about you? Uh, I just had someone top of mind and they escaped. Hold on. Give me three. Come back to me. Come back to me. I had >> Evan Paul. >> Oh, I remember. >> My thing is if you want everybody to have a great time cuz I mean there's a percentage of the crowd that's not country. I know we're talking country, but I'm going with Huey Lewis and the nude. >> Sweet mother of God. That's at the bottom of the list. And I did that. Talk about hits. Talk about >> Yeah, he's still alive. Talk about hits like Huey Lewis in the news. >> Here's the thing. You guys can't see it. Evan Paul is wearing yoga pants given to him by Huey Lewis and that's why he did it. They campaigned. Billy Dukes, back to you. Who would you pick? >> Super Bowl on NBC this year. It makes sense to me that Carrie Underwood, NBC's Sunday Night Football Gal, could do the Super Bowl. Now, that would be good for her and I'd sign up to see that. >> I like it. >> Okay. Well, of course, whenever it's announced, we'll have it for you up at taste of country.com. Now, keeping it with football, Jess, I know you're a big fantasy footballer. You went 0 and1 week one on a brutal loss. >> Hey, don't air my yoga pants, please. >> But you want to talk fantasy football names with a country flare. >> I do. And one more thing on the Super Bowl thing. It's been like about 30 years that since a a country artist has done a Super Bowl halftime show. So we >> G Brooks, right? >> It was like a combo show. There was a m like a bunch of artists on there. Uh the Juds were a part of it if that tells you how long ago that was. >> I think Mary Chapen Carpenter was included. >> Wow. >> Ancient history. All right. So fantasy football teams. Everybody's got a fantasy football team. And I think one of the biggest things that you want to do is pick the perfect name, whether it's funny or punny. So, we found some country music themed fantasy football names, and I'm just going to list a few of them that were some of my favorites that I pulled up, and then I want you guys to share your own. Okay, put you on the spot. >> Uh, the first one I like, a nod to Toby Keith, Red Solo Cup, but it's Cooper Cup, KU PC. >> Ah, not bad. Not bad. >> He plays for Seattle. Uh, I think everybody should recognize this one. Excuse me. >> That's a bad one, >> but you're going to sing it in your head and you're going to spell it that way the next time. >> Uh, Dak in the Saddle. >> Okay. All right. >> Relevant. Obviously, Luke Combmes just put out the song Back in the Saddle. And we all know Dak Prescott, of course. >> My heart Cowboys fan. Blame it all on my roster. >> Oh, that's good. That's good. That's That's a good one. >> Uh, speaking of Carrie Underwood, how about Before He Cleats? >> Okay, >> a little stretch. Yeah. I also like this one a lot. Country roads take Mahomes. >> Oh. >> Oh, that's my first groan. >> I didn't get the buzzer, though. >> No, no, I was ready with it. >> Okay. Well, if you think you can do better, go for it. What you got? >> So, I'll give you mine. I got two of them. Smoke them like Willie, which just makes sense. Willie Nelson, shout out. Uh, he's still with us, by the way. I wasn't doing it like that. That's not breaking news from us. >> Don't do that. Don't do that. >> And then Zack Brown, better than the Cleveland Browns. That's mean. As a Browns fan, that one is just mean. What about you, Evan Paul? >> Well, mine is just kind of like, you know, I wanted something that kind of encompassed country music as a whole, so I went with touchdowns in a cornfield. >> Okay. Simple. to the points. >> Yeah. >> What about you, Billy Dukes? >> Y'all y'all names are too long. >> I'm sorry. Mine's three words. >> Too long. Too long. Fiddle linebackers. >> Middle linebackers. Huh? >> Fiddle. Fiddle. Like middle linebackers. >> Oh, I thought that was a banger. >> Fiddle. >> Wait. What's Fiddle's replacing? >> Middle. middle linebackers because you have your outside linebacker and your inside linebacker. >> Out, bro. >> If you have to explain it. No. >> No. Yeah. How about this? >> Almost as bad as Cooper Cup. >> It's almost as bad as Huey Lewis in the news. But now, no offense to Huey Lewis. >> What about the Thunder Sprouls? >> There. But good. Yeah, >> Darren Sprouls rocks, man. Darren Sprouls was good times. All right, our last topic here. If you've listened to Taste of Country Mornings with Wood and Nicole, you know I love me some food. And Evan Paul, you want to talk about the Cracker Barrel deal because something else happened this week. >> Yes. So, uh, Cracker Barrel, um, the debacle continues. They decided to stop renovating, uh, the inside of all the restaurants. Now, here's the thing. When they started renovating the restaurants by taking down all the swag and making the walls white and just bare, that caused the whole country to go into shambles. But here's the thing, they only did that to four of their hundreds of Cracker Barrels. >> Just four. >> Just four. The CEO lady was like, "We only did this to four." So if yours hasn't over two 300 locations hasn't been touched, it won't be touched. And I think that got overlooked. And I think that just kind of shows where we are in America where something it's like the telephone game where it's like boom. Speaking someone that saw one of the Rena ones is Wood who actually went to one in Lebanon, Tennessee. >> I got about this. >> So Lebanon, Tennessee is like the headquarters of Cracker Barrel. like it is like there. And I took my dad there one time. It did not look like that. It did not. And that's what I was expecting cuz you come into the country store, it's normal. And then it was all like white. It was so weird. It was like eating in a dentist office. >> Uh-uh. >> You know what I mean? And it just it it was not I even told my dad, I was like, I don't like this. Now, the chairs were better. That was like the upgrade. I was happy about that as a former fat guy. But it just felt odd eating in a like it like it's supposed to be like grandma's kitchen and it just was like I was waiting for my number to be called for my colonoscopy. It just it wasn't a good >> Did it affect the taste of the food? >> No. But it just it affected the vibe of the place. Like you know if you've ever gone to like a good restaurant like they usually have a a good feel to it. And that feeling when you went into Cracker Barrels was I'm going back in time to a simpler time. like we've been talking about it here, you know, there it used to be better, right? You went in there and it did not feel like that anymore. So, I'm glad they stopped it. I I truly am. >> Yeah. And they they've their stock has been uh just going down since the logo and everything. And what I think is crazy is like they were so fast with the logo change that you know how some billboards on side of the highway are digital now. some the old school paper ones or banner ones though, they there's one on my way in to work that was up the day after the logo change. It has the new logo >> and that's still up because you pay for billboards, you know, by the month or two months. So, I think stuff like that, someone was asking or whoever types on the screen there, it was it a publicity stunt. I think stuff like that kind of proves that it wasn't or maybe it was. I just I feel like for a company that makes billions of dollars in revenue each year that uh if they didn't I don't think they needed this kind of publicity stump but it was no it's crazy to watch. It's kind of like it takes your mind off everything to watch. It's like watching wrestling. It's like WWE. It's like oh what's happening with Cracker Barrel today? Go ahead. >> You know who got hosed all in all this? Jordan Davis. >> Yeah. He had a deal with him, didn't he? >> He was gonna be the face of the new Cracker Barrel. There was a whole promo campaign. He had an album coming out around it. He was just like, "Let's go Cracker Barrel. That's my Applebe." >> Dang. And a day later, boy, >> I thought you were going to say the guy on the logo got hosed, but he's back. >> Davis. >> Yeah. >> Hershel. Hersel. >> Hersh. Daddy. >> Well, all right. That kind of brings an end here to Talking Country. But before we get out of here, first of all, Evan Paul, who do you have on with you Friday night on Taste of Country Nights with Evan Paul. >> Okay, so we're on about 140 stations nationwide. You can see which if your area has one at tasteofcountry.com, but you can also stream it live on the web. We're going to be hanging out with Chris Jansen tomorrow night. And Chris Jansen is a a really good guy. He's a a friend of the show. Um, and he just uh he he's going to be very candid and speak his mind like he always does. I'm very excited to have him on the radio. >> Oh, he's a great dude. He's an awesome time. And you can also download the Taste of Country app and that way you can listen to Evan at night wherever you go and me in the morning, but I'm not that big of a pull. But as we said, I gave you a trivia question earlier, right? Toby Keith. Now, I'm going to give you Toby Keith's numbers here, right? He played 189 shows on US on the USO. He did 11 USO tours and it's 911. You gotta give love to Toby Keith, but he is a distant second to the performer who had the most USO shows. We'll go around the room here. Evan Paul, who do you think it was? >> Uh, I know who it is, so I You sure you want to go to me? I mean, I'm gonna go ahead and say, you know, it's Robert Hope. All right, that's your guest, Jess. >> I was gonna say it was somebody not music related, but initially I wrote down Craig Morgan, so I will stick with country music. >> Okay. >> Okay. Billy Dukes. Very confident Billy Dukes. Who do you think? >> Lester Towns Bob Hope. >> Well, you both got there in weird ways, but yes, it was Bob Hope who did over 60 USO tours way back in the day. >> Wow. and became known as like Mr. USO, which I think is really cool. I think it's a pretty awesome deal there. So, Bob Hope, good dude. >> Hope >> Billy Dukes, before we get out of here, what do we have going on in the world of country music coming up this weekend? >> Number one song in country music this week, Shaboozy. Good news. Number one album, Morgan Wallen's I'm the Problem. But Zack Top's new album did debut at number four, which was pretty nice. And then the number one thing to look forward to this week, well, it's actually about 10 days away, but season 3 of Tulsa King starring Sylvester Stallone and a really good cast starts September 21st on Paramount Plus. >> I got to get back and watch season two. I watched season one, loved it, loved it. Great characters in it and everything, but I didn't catch season two. I got to catch up. >> How'd you say his name, Billy? >> Bob Hope's real name is Lester. >> Stallone. >> Huh? Huh? So, how did you say Stallone? >> Sylvester. Stallone. >> Okay. S. You said Sylvester. Sylvester. >> Isn't that what it is? >> I think you're pron This is a rare instance in American language where you're it's you're pronouncing it incorrectly but correctly. >> Rambo. Rambo is the star. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Rocky. >> Rambo. I can roll with Sly Vtor. I mean, you know, >> Sly Vester. Livester. >> It's a good one. >> Works for me >> in itself. >> Well, thank you guys very much for hanging out with me here on Talking Country. And if you commented and watched live, thank you so very much. Share it up. You can watch it afterwards as well. Let everybody know every Thursday we will be back here. I can't promise you Huey Lewis news every Thursday, but we will be here. >> Nah, you ain't living that one down, brother. >> If Evan's right, we're all in trouble. Well, thank you very much for joining us for episode