The Boot News Roundup: Keith Urban Will Help Nashville Ring in 2019 + More

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.

For the third year in a row, Keith Urban will headline Nashville's New Year's Eve festivities. A press release announces that Urban will be joined by Peter Frampton, rock-pop band Judah & the Lion, Caitlyn Smith and the Fisk Jubilee Singers at the event, set for Dec. 31 at Nashville's Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. The live music bonanza is open to the public and free; gates will open at 4PM local time.

Trisha Yearwood will host a massive tailgating event ahead of her husband Garth Brooks' performance at Notre Dame Stadium on Oct. 20. A press release indicates that Yearwood has partnered with Williams-Sonoma for the event, which will include a tailgate party with Yearwood, the opportunity to shop for her Trisha's Tailgate merchandise and cocktails made with her Williams-Sonoma-branded mix. Tickets for the event, set for Oct. 20 at 2PM on the Irish Green at the University of Notre Dame, are on sale now.

Florida Georgia Line, Luke Combs and Thomas Rhett will headline the 2019 CMC Rocks QLD festival in Queensland, Australia. The four-day country music festival run March 14-17, and will also feature performances from Michael Ray, Cam, Carly Pearce, LoCash, Frankie Ballard, Brandy Clark, Lindsay Ell, Morgan Wallen and a number of Australia-based artists. Tickets for the event have already sold out, but fans can put themselves on a waitlist.

The Last Bandoleros have lined up a weekly residency at Music City's Layman Drug Company. According to a press release, the Bandoleros will take the stage at the venue every Tuesday in October, serving up new tunes, free tacos and of course, plenty of beer. “We’ve finally all settled at home here in Nashville after being on the road for the past two years,” says guitarist and vocalist Derek James in a statement. “We thought having a free weekly residency would be a great way for some of the local community who don’t yet know us to hear our music for the first time.” The residency kicks off on Oct. 2; fans can RSVP for the free shows here.

The Opry City Stage at New York City's Times Square has officially suspended operations. As MusicRow reports, the performance venue opened nine months ago, and has since failed to meet revenue targets. "Suspending operations" doesn't necessarily mean that the venue is closing, but Ryman Hospitality Properties CEO Colin Reed says that his company will "evaluate the venue's ground floor experience and operations." The Nashville real estate giant also owns the Ryman Auditorium, the Grand Ole Opry, Blake Shelton's Ole Red restaurants and the Wildhorse Saloon.