The Boot News Roundup: Ingrid Andress Cracks Country Airplay Top 20 + 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.

Country up-and-comer Ingrid Andress has officially made 2019 history on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. With more than 60 million streams of her song "More Hearts Than Mine," Andress has the first and only debut single from a female artists to crack the Country Airplay Top 20 this year. It's extremely exciting news for Andress, who co-wrote the song, but also indicative of the fact that country radio hasn't made much progress in ensuring "equal play" for female artists.

Kacey Musgraves, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan and more country superstars have donated memorabilia and personal items to eBay's Giving Tuesday charity auction. According to Rolling Stone, the auction kicked off on Tuesday (Dec. 3) and includes items such as an Epiphone guitar signed by Bryan, Underwood and Chris Stapleton, and a signed microphone from Musgraves, among other goodies. The auction will run through Dec. 12, and proceeds from each sale will benefit charities such as MusiCares and the Malala Fund.

Keifer Thompson of country duo Thompson Square has announced plans to perform for fans in an entirely different way: stand-up comedy. According to a press release, Thompson will perform 13 of his "Laughs and Lyrics" shows in early 2020, starting on Jan. 8 in Dubuque, Iowa. He's also set to perform at venues in New Jersey, Kansas and Kentucky before concluding on March 5 at the Del Lago Casino in Waterloo, N.Y. “My first comedy tour? What?! This is crazy and so exciting," Thompson says in a statement. "Performing stand-up comedy is something I’ve always dreamed of doing and here we are. So, grab your tickets, and yourself, and come. Let’s laugh.” Fans can find a full list of tour dates and more details via ThompsonSquare.com.

This winter, Jordan Davis, Ryan Hurd and Midland will perform club shows at venues across the country to raise funds for the Academy of Country Music's Lifting Lives charity. Davis will perform the first of five planned club shows on Jan. 11 in Rosewood, Ill., and Hurd will play two shows in Chicago, Ill., on Feb. 27 and 28. Midland will close out the series in Fort Worth, Texas, at the iconic honky-tonk Billy Bob's on Feb. 28 and 29. Proceeds will benefit ACM Lifting Lives' work in "improving lives through the power of music."