Image Courtesy Mercury NashvilleScotty McCreery's country career took off after he won American Idol in 2011. Now that the show is coming to an end after next year's 15th season, Scotty says he's grateful to Idol's producers, judges and viewers for giving him his big break.

Scotty tells The Tennessean,"American Idol has been a dominant force in our pop culture for almost a decade and a half, but all good things must come to an end."

The first installment of American Idol's two-night finale of the current, 14th season airs Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on FOX.

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Image Courtesy Valory Music Co.Justin Moore released his debut single just seven years ago, but he's already starting to hear from new acts who have drawn on his music for inspiration. At just 31 years old, Justin's adjusting to being the seasoned veteran on tours with up-and-coming country singers.

Speaking of influencing other young musicians, Justin tells Billboard, "I don't think that any of us start out to be that. We still think of ourselves as looking up to whoever we did. But it definitely makes you feel good and is humbling to hear that kind of stuff."

Justin is taking the entire "elder statesman" role in stride, though.  He says with a laugh, "I asked my wife, 'When did I get to be the old guy?"

Look for Justin to release new music very soon.

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Image Courtesy CMAEric Church learned a lot watching George Strait end his touring career with The Cowboy Rides Away tour last year. Eric opened several shows on the trek, and the song that affected him the most at every concert was the Strait hit "Troubadour." The song talks about a singer still feeling young and vital even though they don't have much longer in the spotlight.

Eric tells Rolling Stone, "It was an emotional thing for me, seeing him wrap up his career the way he wanted to. I think about this song a lot when I'm on stages. Will I be on this stage again? There'll be a time when I won't be. My day will come too."

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Comstock/ThinkstockCole Swindell and Luke Bryan both graduated from which college? ANSWER: Georgia Southern University.

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Image Courtesy David McClister/Sony Music NashvilleChris Young has a brand-new single out at country radio, titled "I'm Comin' Over." He co-wrote the track as the lead single from his upcoming, as-yet-untitled fifth studio album.

"‘I’m Comin’ Over’ describes that feeling when you can’t get someone off your mind and you just have to be with them no matter the consequences,” Chris explains. “It’s my first new music in almost three years and I’m really excited to share it with my fans.”

In celebration of the new single, Chris is launching the Summer of "I'm Comin' Over" sweepstakes at ChrisYoungCountry.com. One lucky winner will get round-trip airfare, hotel accommodations and tickets to see Chris Young concerts in select cities.

The first part of the sweepstakes kicks off Tuesday, May 12 when you can enter to win a two-night stay at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas for Chris's June 6 concert at the resort. Chris will even "come over" to deliver the concert tickets in person.

Look for Chris's new album to be released later this year.

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Image Courtesy Sony Music NashvilleCongratulations to Tyler Farr on his engagement to girlfriend, Hannah Freeman. Tyler made the big announcement on Mother's Day with an Instagram post showing Hannah displaying her engagement ring.

Proud to say I'm engaged to my best friend and the most amazing woman I've ever known

A photo posted by Tyler Farr (@tylerfarr) on May 10, 2015 at 11:08am PDT

Tyler says, "Proud to say I'm engaged to my best friend and the most amazing woman I've ever known."

Tyler got special access to Nashville's Ryman Auditorium to use as the venue for the proposal.

He adds, "Truly the best moment of my life! And I honestly couldn't think of a better church than the mother church of country music.”

The couple has been together for two-and-a-half years.

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Capitol NashvilleLittle Big Town's been on the road with their Pain Killer tour since last November, and they've just revealed additional dates that'll keep them on the road into this coming November.

The just-announced fall leg of their tour begins October 8 in Bemidji, MN and ends November 21 in Spokane, WA, for 17 new dates in all.  You can find more info, including when and where to buy tickets, at LittleBigTown.com. 

If you can't make any of the lives dates, don't forget you can see Little Big Town perform their #1 hit "Girl Crush," with Faith Hill, live on the Billboard Music Awards Sunday, May 17 on ABC.

Here are the new Pain Killer tour dates:

10/8 -- Bemidji, MN, Sanford Center
10/9 -- Ames, IA, Stephens Auditorium
10/10 -- Milwaukee, WI, Riverside Theatre
10/15 -- Greensboro, NC, Greensboro Coliseum
10/16 -- Greenville, SC, Bon Secours Wellness Arena
10/17 -- St. Augustine, FL, St. Augustine Amphitheatre
10/22 -- Bismarck, ND, Bismarck Events Center
10/23 -- Rapid City, SD, Barnett Arena
10/24 -- Brookings, SD, Swiftel Center
10/30 -- Bloomington, IL, US Cellular Coliseum
11/12 -- Missoula, MT, Adams Center
11/13 -- Boise, ID, Taco Bell Arena
11/14 -- Portland, OR, Keller Auditorium
11/17 -- Kelowna, BC, Prospera Place
11/19 -- Abbottsford, BC, Abbottsford Centre
11/20 -- Seattle, WA, Paramount Theater
11/21 -- Spokane, WA, INB Performing Arts Center

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Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockLuke Bryan has joined the lineup for the Georgia on My Mind benefit concert for the Georgia Music Foundation coming up Tuesday, May 12 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. Cole Swindell, Lee Brice, Thomas Rhett and Tyler Farr are among the previously announced stars on the bill.

Scotty McCreery will host his fourth annual Fan Club Party Wednesday, June 10 at Rocketown in Nashville. Tickets are now on sale at ScottyMcCreery.com.

Florida Georgia Line's Tyler Hubbard shows off the duo's onstage trampoline from their Anything Goes in a slow-motion video posted to Instagram.

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They never quite understood why we wanted to build a stage trampoline... Now they do. #anythinggoes @flagaline

A video posted by Tyler Hubbard (@thubbmusic) on May 8, 2015 at 9:02am PDT

Image Courtesy BMLGIf you've checked out A Thousand Horses' video for their debut hit, "Smoke," you might have noticed the band includes three big-voiced, female backup singers. Taking a page from Southern rock legends such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, A Thousand Horses began experimenting with adding female voices to the mix while working on their upcoming album, Southernality. The backup singers soon became an essential part of the band's live show, too.

Lead singer Michael Hobby tells ABC Radio, "We wrote the song, [the lead track on Southernality] 'First Time,' which really kind of amplified that type of sound and music. Since we were able to take them out on the road, it was a no-brainer for us. We were like, 'Yeah, we'd love to have three girls singing backup with us.'"

Having that wall of sound coming from those female vocalists sets A Thousand Horses apart among the other country bands on the road today.

"It adds a cool element," says band member Zach Brown. "You come out to a show, and you're like, if you're not expecting that, it's like a whole 'nother little treat you get."

A Thousand Horses' album, Southernality, is due out June 9.

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Image Courtesy UMG NashvilleEric Paslay is one of the nicest country singers you'll ever meet, and you can thank his mother, Donna, for giving him that welcoming personality.

Says Eric, "She would be the fun mom, just goofing off in the sprinklers outside or we’d go out and play in the rain and all that stuff growing up. She’s always good to be around; always happy."

This Mother's Day, Eric wants to salute his mother for all of the gifts she's given him over the years.

He adds, "I wanna thank my mom for giving me faith, laughter and pride in the family I come from."

Eric could be making his mother a grandma pretty soon. He just tied the knot with long-time girlfriend, Natalie, last month in a ceremony just outside Nashville.

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