Evan Paul is the host of Taste of Country Nights, a syndicated radio show heard on more than 100 country radio stations nationwide. Producer Amber co-hosts the show with him every night from 7PM to midnight. Together they play the best new country music and interview today's top stars, like Luke Combs, Dan + Shay, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Brantley Gilbert, Lady A, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert + more! 

Getting to interview country music's biggest stars never gets old. There are a few that are on a platform so big that when you get the opportunity to interview them, you jump at it! I was kinda nervous to do a Zoom call with Keith Urban — being such a big fan of his, I didn't want to mess anything up.

Keith has a way of making you feel like one of his friends, though, he always addresses us by name and is warm and welcoming. I knew right away I wanted to ask about a line he has in his new song, "Wild Hearts," about his first concert that he ever went to with his father. It was a Johnny Cash show when Keith was about five, and the memories he shared with us were so candid; I was honestly tearing up a little. Listen to what he says about he and his father's relationship in the podcast episode:

We also got the chance to sit down and have a lengthy conversation with country newcomer, Callista Clark. She is a 17-year-old artist signed to Big Machine, and this girl can sing! When she arrived, she was telling us about how cool it was to be here and to have her song played on the radio. It's really interesting to me to see things through a new artist's perspective. Sometimes a new artist can be shy or reserved when you interview them, but this wasn't the case with Callista. She described in detail what it was like hearing her song on the radio for the first time. She also told us about how her little sister and friends will be in the car with her and they still can't believe it's her that they hear on the radio when "It's Cause I Am" comes on.  We had a whole lot of fun and learned a lot about her and how it is to be 17 and have a major label hit song on country radio.

We added Callista Clark as a bonus to the Keith Urban episode on Taste of Country Nights, On Demand, and you can listen to them both on Episode 2.

Check out Taste of Country Nights, On DemandEp. 2 - Keith Urban now to hear the full interview. Taste of Country Nights, On Demand is part of the Townsquare Media Network. Subscribe wherever podcasts are found, like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Top Country Songs of 2021, Ranked

You'll find much more than just the Top 10 Country Songs of 2021 on this list.

Our team has sourced fans to create 10 superlatives for this mid-year version of the year-end songs list. Best Country Tearjerker? Best Country Baby-Maker? Best Country Breakup Song of 2021? Keith Urban, Carly Pearce, Chris Bandi and more help make up this portion of the Top Country Songs list, while hitmakers like Thomas Rhett and Little Big Town lead the 10 best songs portion.

Did your favorite song of 2021 make this list? To be considered, the song must have been released in 2021 or have actively charted for a portion of the year (see "Wine, Beer, Whiskey"). New artists including Lainey Wilson, Breland and Triston Marez crack the Top 10. Let us know your favorite song of 2021 at Twitter or email, at staff@tasteofcountry.com.

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