As “baby blues” earns its place among her signature songs, Cooke has added a much-talked-about new ritual to her live set: an already-iconic moment in which she searches the crowd for a baby-blue-eyed audience member, then directly serenades that fan for the final verse. As part of her action-packed CMA Fest week, she selected influencer Hunter Massey as her blue-eyed muse for her performance at the Chevy Riverfront Stage (watch here), then brought out comedian/actor Matt Rife during her Billboard Country Live set at Category 10 (check it out here). With the “baby blues” tradition drawing widespread buzz, Holler praised Cooke for “creating lifelong memories for someone special each night.”
In another CMA Fest week highlight, singer/songwriter/guitarist Patrick Droney joined Cooke for a show-stopping surprise performance of “baby blues” during her set at The Westin Nashville’s L27 Rooftop Lounge on June 2 — a packed-out event that kicked off the 2026 edition of 27LIVE, the sought-after weekly concert series powered by Country Now.
A defining track for Cooke’s boldest era yet, “baby blues” also serves as the namesake for the baby blues world tour — a global headline run kicking off on September 17 at Globe Iron in Cleveland, with dates currently scheduled through February 25 at the legendary Ryman Auditorium. With stops in major cities throughout the US and UK, the 28-date trek will bring her acclaimed live show to storied venues like 9:30 Club in Washington, DC (September 18), Irving Plaza in New York City (September 24), El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles (October 8), and Koko in London (January 29). Before launching the baby blues world tour, Cooke will hit the stage at high-profile summer festivals like Hoofbeat (June 27 in Cadott, WI). For more info on upcoming live dates, visit ashleycooke.com.