Author: Musicians Today Contributor

TEMECULA, Calif. – The Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine Festival wrapped up its 42nd annual celebration on June 22, offering a weekend of music, scenic hot-air balloon rides, and immersive vineyard experiences at Lake Skinner Recreation Area. From June 20 to 22, thousands gathered to enjoy performances by over 35 country artists—including chart-toppers like Walker Hayes, Cody Jinks, and the legendary Alabama—in a showcase that blended Southern California’s wine country aesthetic with top-tier country entertainment. Friday night kicked off with a high-energy set from Walker Hayes, best known for the viral hit “Fancy Like.” Saturday was headlined by Cody Jinks, whose outlaw-country…

At 84 years old, Ringo Starr proved age is just a number during his June 13 performance at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. Backed by his longtime ensemble, the All Starr Band, the iconic Beatles drummer brought energy, humor, and a deeply felt message of peace to a sold-out crowd. The show, delayed from its original 2024 date due to illness, was met with enthusiastic praise following its June 17 media coverage, which described Starr’s performance as one of the summer’s most heartwarming concerts. From the moment Starr jogged onto the stage flashing his signature peace sign, it was clear the…

June 23, 2025 – The global music scene is set to witness a compelling new collaboration as Stray Kids’ Hyunjin partners with rising American alt‑pop artist d4vd. The duo’s forthcoming single, titled “Always Love,” marks a notable fusion of K‑pop’s dynamic energy with indie‑R&B sensibilities, continuing the wave of cross‑cultural musical experimentation seen in recent years. According to reports, the collaboration was confirmed on June 22 via a social media post by d4vd himself, who revealed not only the song title but also a premiere date set for June 27. The announcement has instantly sparked excitement among fan communities, announcing…

The summer of 2025 officially kicked into high gear on June 20, with the dual release of two standout albums from artists charting vastly different but equally compelling musical paths. Colombian reggaetón superstar Karol G and the American soft-rock trio Haim delivered fresh, emotionally resonant records that are already shaping this season’s musical mood. Karol G’s Tropicoqueta is a 20-track celebration of Latin music’s rich emotional and stylistic heritage. Co-produced by Pharrell Williams and Édgar Barrera, the album explores a vibrant range of genres—from cumbia and vallenato to ranchera, salsa, and reggaetón—all laced with modern pop sensibilities. Designed to be “for the Latinos…

On June 21, 2025, thousands of voices across the globe joined in harmony to mark Make Music Day, an annual worldwide celebration of music and community. This year’s festivities spanned more than 1,000 cities in 120 countries and featured a bold new initiative titled “Taking Flight,” an interactive choral program that embodied the day’s spirit of inclusivity and participation. Led by Toronto-based venue Hugh’s Room Live, “Taking Flight” was designed to bring singers of all skill levels together in real time, across borders, to learn and perform a song in multi-part harmony. The initiative emphasized musical unity and community engagement,…

In a deeply moving moment that blended personal grief with public connection, Grammy-winning bluegrass musician Billy Strings honored the passing of his mother, Debra Apostol, during his concert at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, on June 20, 2025. Just hours after learning she had passed away peacefully in her sleep, Strings chose to continue with his scheduled performance—transforming it into an emotional tribute that resonated with thousands of fans. The news of his mother’s death came in the early hours of June 20, following his June 19 appearance at the Charlotte Bluegrass Festival in Lansing, Michigan—a venue and event that…

On June 20, 2025, at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall, the San Francisco Symphony Chorus made a powerful return, performing Verdi’s celebrated Messa da Requiem in a performance laden with emotion and significance. This concert, under the baton of James Gaffigan, reprised what was intended to be Music Director Esa‑Pekka Salonen’s farewell performance from fall 2024—postponed due to a strike by the professional chorus. The evening also featured three choral works by Gordon Getty, newly commissioned through a $4 million anonymous gift. The evening opened with Getty’s compositions: the Intermezzo from his opera Goodbye, Mr. Chips, the world premiere of Saint Christopher,…

By June 20, 2025, the spirit of live music had not only returned—it had transformed. Across the United States, summer festivals are once again defining the cultural landscape, but with a renewed purpose and evolved experience. What was once simply a gathering of fans before a stage has now become a fully immersive, multi-sensory journey into art, technology, community, and sound. Festivals like Summerfest in Milwaukee and 4 Peaks Music Festival in Bend, Oregon, are emblematic of this change. Summerfest, known as “The World’s Largest Music Festival,” spans multiple weekends and draws hundreds of thousands to the scenic shores of…

Country music sensation Cody Johnson expanded his Leather Deluxe Tour stop in San Antonio after the originally scheduled June 20 show at Frost Bank Center sold out within hours. A second concert on June 21 was swiftly announced to accommodate the surge in ticket demand. Both nights are expected to draw more than 15,000 fans each, reflecting Johnson’s status as a premier live performer and his deep roots in Texas music culture . The June 20 show saw opener performances by Shane Smith & the Saints and rising artist Jesse Raub Jr., setting an energetic tone before Johnson took the stage at around 7:30 p.m. Fans were advised…

Valerie June took to the stage at San Francisco’s Palace of Fine Arts on June 20 for a performance that left many attendees visibly moved. Opening with the hauntingly beautiful “Astral Plane,” her voice carried an emotional intensity that drew tears from the audience. One moment during the song prompted a quiet hush, followed by a wave of applause so strong that June herself wiped away tears—an intimate exchange of vulnerability and connection between artist and listeners. Despite arriving under vocal strain and advised to rest her voice, June delivered a deeply affecting thirty-minute set promoting her new album Owls,…