Welcome to The Boot's News Roundup, a morning rundown of the news country music fans need to know. Read on to learn more about the latest goings-on in the country, Americana, bluegrass and folk genres.

It's been a sad week for Kelsea Ballerini, whose maternal grandmother has died. Ballerini shared the awful news on her Instagram account on Sunday (April 8), including a video of a candle burning and a new song about grandma playing in the background. "Lost my mother’s mother earlier this week," Ballerini writes. "[It] was a tough one to process, so I did as I do ..."

Lindsay Ell The Project #1
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Lindsay Ell has made history! Ell has earned her first-ever No. 1 single on Canadian country radio with her song "Criminal," making her the first female artist to top the chart in a decade. "Thank you country radio," Ell writes on Twitter. "Thank you to all of you guys for never giving up on me." "Criminal" has topped both the Mediabase and BDS Canadian Country charts; it was also the most-added song on country radio in the United States on its impact date.

Luke Combs
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In June, Luke Combs will release his first-ever deluxe album. According to MusicRow, Combs will release an updated version of his major-label debut disc, now titled This One's for You Too, with five new tracks, many of which make frequent appearances in setlists for Combs' live shows. “As we’re working on the next record, the deluxe gives me the chance to say thank you to the fans for supporting my debut album and share with them some of the new music they’ve fallen in love with on the road with us," Combs says in a statement.

Reba Brooks Dunn Vegas Residency
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Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn have, once again, extended their Las Vegas residency. According to Nash Country Daily, McEntire and the country super-duo have added 12 more dates, in October and December, for Reba, Brooks & Dunn: Together in Vegas, held at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. “Kix and I kid all the time that we ran up and down the road on buses for 20 years just to get a chance to do this," Brooks & Dunn's Ronnie Dunn tells NCD. "It’s as fun and convenient as you can get in this business. We’re having a great time.”

ashley mcbryde andy I can't live without you
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A number of country most exciting artists, including Ashley McBryde and Devin Dawson, have been nominated for this year's Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP) Nashville Awards, set for May 7 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. McBryde, Jillian Jacqueline, Kassi Ashton and Steve Moakler have been nominated in the Rising Artist-Writer of the Year category, and Dawson is nominated in the Artist-Writer of the Year category against acts such as Luke Combs, the Brothers Osborne, Maren Morris and Old Dominion.

2017 CMA Awards opening number
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Florida Georgia Line, Eric Church and Thomas Rhett will headline the 2018 Gulf Coast Jam. Set for Aug. 31-Sept. 2 in Panama City Beach, Fla., the festival will also feature performances from another 18 as-yet-unnamed artists, who are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets for the festival go on sale on April 15.

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