Wednesday, August 18, 2010
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Friday, July 9, 2010
The Band Perry's Debut Album Scheduled for Release October 5
Republic Nashville’s The Band Perry - siblings Kimberly, Neil and Reid Perry - will release their first album on October 5.
The self-titled album will contain the trio‘s current single, “If I Die Young,“ #27/#32 on the Billboard/Mediabase singles charts. Written by the band, “If I Die Young” is now available on the trio’s self-titled EP, released in April and available through all major online music sites. “If I Die Young” is The Band Perry’s second single for Republic Nashville; their debut single, “Hip To My Heart,” was a Top Twenty hit. The lush, thought-provoking video for “If I Die Young,” directed by David McClister, (Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes), was shot at Nashville’s historic Two Rivers Mansion.
This summer, the band is putting the finishing touches on their debut album while also working an ambitious touring schedule. Their concerts will take them from one end of the country to another, opening shows for such artists as Keith Urban, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson and Zac Brown Band.
The Band Perry originally hails from Mobile, Alabama, and now make their home in eastern Tennessee. After spending years honing their performing and songwriting skills, their music caught the ears of Big Machine Label Group CEO Scott Borchetta and Republic Nashville president Jimmy Harnen; The Band Perry signed to Republic Nashville in the summer of 2009.
The self-titled album will contain the trio‘s current single, “If I Die Young,“ #27/#32 on the Billboard/Mediabase singles charts. Written by the band, “If I Die Young” is now available on the trio’s self-titled EP, released in April and available through all major online music sites. “If I Die Young” is The Band Perry’s second single for Republic Nashville; their debut single, “Hip To My Heart,” was a Top Twenty hit. The lush, thought-provoking video for “If I Die Young,” directed by David McClister, (Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes), was shot at Nashville’s historic Two Rivers Mansion.
This summer, the band is putting the finishing touches on their debut album while also working an ambitious touring schedule. Their concerts will take them from one end of the country to another, opening shows for such artists as Keith Urban, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson and Zac Brown Band.
The Band Perry originally hails from Mobile, Alabama, and now make their home in eastern Tennessee. After spending years honing their performing and songwriting skills, their music caught the ears of Big Machine Label Group CEO Scott Borchetta and Republic Nashville president Jimmy Harnen; The Band Perry signed to Republic Nashville in the summer of 2009.
Merel Haggard Tribute show to air on PBS
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Thursday, June 3, 2010
Gibson announces Brad Paisley acoustic guitar
You should know this by now, but we'll say it again anyway: In addition to being one of Music City's most affable stars, country hit-maker Brad Paisley is one heck of a guitar picker. The folks over at Gibson Guitar certainly know this, and they're giving Paisley his very own Gibson acoustic guitar model.
The Brad Paisley Gibson Acoustic J-45 is based on the 1942 J-45 Legend Model flat-top acoustic, set to Paisley's preferences and adorned with his signature. There's no shortage of spruced-up features on this thing, and you can check out the full rundown at Gibson's site.
We'll keep it short and sweet for the folks who don't want to think about "a hand-sprayed nitrocellulose lacquer custom early 1960s style Cherry Sunburst finish." This guitar is pretty darn fancy. They're only making 300 of them, and it'll set you back a little over $5,000 to own one. Perhaps Paisley will pull one of these babies out during his H20 tour this summer.
Lonestar visits 'The Price is Right'
Lonestar fans should tune in to The Price is Right on Thursday, June 16, as the country crew takes over house-band duties on the long-running game show.
The band's been making the TV rounds of late showing off their newest album, Party Heard Around the World, which hit stores in April. And hints are afoot that this Price is Right episode won't be prize-boring: The band's press folks say that viewers can expect an "exciting showcase," replete with a San Diego trip, Lonestar concert tickets and merch and the favored Price bounty ("a new car!").
The Drew Carey-hosted game show airs on CBS weekdays at 10 a.m. locally.
Rodney Atkins Live on the Lot for FREE performance and autograph signing
Carl Black kick starts CMA Music Festival with Rodney Atkins and all his fans Live on the Lot Tuesday, June 8, 5p-8p
Join WSIX's Big D and Bubba Live on the Lot at 5:00 pm to claim your spot for the concert and autograph line. Dinner is on us and provided by our friends at Hooters and Bar B Cutie as well as the famous "Carl Black hotdogs". Free ice cold Coca Cola products in the bed of the Silverado. Bring the whole family to meet Rodney and hear him talk about his Carl Black Chevy Silverado oh yea, and sing some number one hits and his new single Farmer's Daughter.
Be sure and Register To Win Rodney autographed items including a Gibson Epiphone guitar and more on site at the Carl Black kiosk.
George Strait Re-Issues Live CD, Announces Fall Tour Dates
The ACM Artist of the Decade, George Strait, just announced the re-release of a classic Strait concert album and additional fall tour dates. In September and October, George will be taking his show across the U.S., starting September 9 in Columbus, Ohio. Summer tour mates Reba McEntire and Lee Ann Womack will also be joining him in these cities:
September 9 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
September 10 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
September 11 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
September 16 – Columbia, SC – Colonial Life Arena
September 17 – Birmingham, AL – BJCC
September 18 – Bossier City, LA – CenturyTel Center
October 14 – Pittsburgh, PA – Consol Energy Center
October 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Wachovia
October 16 – Buffalo, NY – HSBC Arena
October 21 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
October 22 – Fargo, ND – Fargodome
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KEITH URBAN TO PERFORM AT STARRY NIGHT BENEFIT CONCERT IN LOS ANGELES ON JULY 23
This event is presented in association with the Farmers Classic tennis tournament and will be held three nights before the tournament opens. Starry Night will benefit the GRAMMY Foundation's GRAMMY in the Schools® music education programs for high school students and the Southern California Tennis Association Foundation. Keith is serving as GRAMMY Camp's honorary dean to affirm his commitment to the GRAMMY Foundation's music education programs for young people.
"Keith Urban's career is defined by both exceptional musicianship and extraordinary generosity," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy® and the GRAMMY Foundation. "And it is meaningful and moving that Keith is lending his time and talents during the busy summer touring season in support of the GRAMMY Foundation and our GRAMMY in the Schools music education programs. We are also delighted to have the Avett Brothers showcase their unique and powerful music at our Starry Night benefit."
"I was so fortunate to have been exposed to music at such a young age," said Keith. "It touched my heart and opened up a world of adventure and possibilities beyond anything I’d ever known. Being a part of this concert, supporting the efforts of the GRAMMY Foundation and the Southern California Tennis Association Foundation, is something that I feel very strongly about, because I know firsthand what art, music and sport can do for our youth."
Tickets for the public go on sale at Ticketmaster on June 11 at 10AM PST.
Kellie Pickler Plans Signing at Opry Originals Shop
Kellie Pickler will be visiting with fans and signing autographs at Opry Originals: The Shop on Broadway located in downtown Nashville’s famed Lower Broadway area on Thurs., June 10, Noon – 2 p.m. Central. Kellie will perform a 30-minute acoustic performance in the store following the signing. Opening at 8 a.m., the store will distribute a limited number of autograph vouchers with the purchase of a Pickler CD or Pickler-branded prints and photos created exclusively for the signing at Opry Originals.
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Jamey Johnson, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban, John Mayer Join CMT Music Awards
CMA Music Festival App
This is the official app for CMA Music Festival being held in Downtown Nashville, June 10-13. It is your official electronic guide to the festival! Find out when your favorite artists and bands are playing, create your own schedule, read about all of the artists playing at the festival, and navigate your way around Downtown Nashville...The CMA Music Festival app is your one-stop shop for everything going on downtown!
"House That Built Me" Finds A Home At #1!
Of the 14 tracks that comprise Revolution, Lambert wrote or co-wrote 11. And while she did not write “The House That Built Me,” the song has a special place in the hearts of Lambert and her parents. Lambert explains, "When I was about 5-years-old, my parents had their own business. And, you know, when the phone stops ringing and you're self-employed...the phone stops ringing. So we had to move and live with my uncle for a while. Then we got to rent this huge farmhouse that was dilapidated, I mean, it was in terrible shape. But it had so much potential and my mom could see that. We didn’t have a lot, but we had everything we needed and I don't feel like I ever missed out on one thing. I really learned valuable lessons at a young age and it means a lot to my parents because that made me who I am. 'The House That Built Me' describes that perfectly. I feel like the fact that I recorded this song lets my parents know that they did a good job with me."
After her headlining tour “Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars” makes a Texas stop this weekend, Lambert will head to Nashville for the CMT Awards where she’s nominated for “Video of the Year” and “Female Video of the Year” for “White Liar. She’ll also take part in the CMA Music Festival where she will perform on the LP Field stage on Friday night, June 11 and closing out the week with her appearance at Bonnaroo on Sunday, June 13th.
Three-time Grammy nominee, platinum-selling recording artist and hit singer/songwriter Miranda Lambert scored three awards at this year’s Academy of Country Music awards, including Album of the Year for Revolution, Female Vocalist of the Year and Video of the Year for “White Liar.” Her critically-acclaimed third album, Revolution debuted at number One and joins her previous two releases that debuted at the very top of Billboard’s Country Album Charts making her one of three artists in country music history whose first three albums landed the Number One spot out of the box.
Lambert received rare perfect reviews from countless publications including 4 stars from Rolling Stone and USA Today, an ‘A’ from Entertainment Weekly and exuberant praise from SPIN, NY Times, Washington Post and more. Many have claimed Revolution the “Best Album of the Year” in any genre including Houston Chronicle and NPR’s All Things Considered.
She won the coveted ACM Album of the Year in 2008 and ACM Best New Female Award in 2007.
With this much artillery under her belt, it’s no surprise the fiery Texas bombshell packs a pretty hard punch - her live shows no exception. She is currently headlining the “Roadside Bars and Pink Guitars” tour. For more information, visit http://www.mirandalambert.com/.
Taylor Swift Plans 13-Hour Sign-A-Thon
Set for Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the marathon event kicks off at 8 a.m. and runs until 9 p.m. Taylor plans a short break around 2 p.m. to give an acoustic performance — hopefully six hours of inking her name will not have impaired her ability to clutch a microphone or play her guitar.
“My favorite thing about CMA Music Fest has always been getting to spend time with the fans, so this year I wanted to figure out a way to meet as many of them as possible,” Taylor says. “Thirteen is my lucky number, and the 13th is during Music Fest, so I think spending 13 hours that day with my fans is going to be amazing!”
Assuming she completes the mission, Taylor will eclipse her previous Music Fest peak. She signed autographs for eight hours two years ago.
The Bridgestone event is Taylor’s only Music Fest performance this year, though it’s not the only time she’ll be at Nashville’s downtown arena this summer. She’s also on the bill June 22 for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill’s flood-relief benefit. Others slated for that night include Brooks & Dunn, Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean, LeAnn Rimes, Michael W. Smith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Martina McBride, Amy Grant and Luke Bryan.
Rodney Atkins, Joe Nichols & Others Kick Off CMA Music Fest with Parade, Block Party
Brenda Lee will serve as Grand Marshal and other artists participating in the parade include Lynn Anderson, Katie Armiger, Rodney Atkins, The Band Perry, Bo Bice, Ash Bowers, Carter Twins, Jeff Cook, Diana DeGarmo, Fast Ryde, Colt Ford, Brantley Gilbert, Gloriana, Josh Gracin, The Grascals, The Harters, Buddy Jewell, KingBilly, Jesse Lee, LoCash Cowboys, Lonestar, Jerrod Niemann, James Otto, Danielle Peck, Point of Grace, Marty Raybon, Pam Tillis, Trent Tomlinson, and Chuck Wicks. Members of the National Guard will drive artists along the parade route in Chevy vehicles, including the all new 2011 Silverado HD and the Military Specialty Camaro.
“Chevrolet has had a longstanding, natural relationship with country music, commonly and proudly rooted in American tradition,” said Phil Caruso, Chevrolet Sales Promotion Manager. “We’re excited about this year’s festival and happy to provide fans access to their favorite artists and opportunities to experience Chevrolet’s newest products and technologies.”
After the parade, “The Fifth Annual CMA Music Festival Block Party” will take place on the Chevy Music Stage on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza. The event is free and open to the public and performances are scheduled by David Nail, Chuck Wicks, Jerrod Niemann, Joe Nichols, and Randy Houser.
“CMA is proud to have such a great partner in Chevy,” said Sheri Warnke, CMA Vice President of Strategic Partnerships. “These two great events will certainly help rev up the excitement for this year’s Festival.”
Four more days of live entertainment on the Chevy Music Stage follow The Block Party and are also free and open to the public. Among those scheduled to perform are Bomshel, Mark Wills, Emily West, Ash Bowers, Whitney Duncan, and Jason Michael Carroll.
Country Music fans will have the opportunity to test drive brand new Chevys during CMA Music Festival. Chevy will donate $10 for every test drive to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to aid relief efforts for victims of the recent floods.
Chevy is also giving away a ticket upgrade to the Nightly Concerts at LP Field, will host activities, appearances and meet and greets on the Chevy Stage in the Sports Zone and will also have a booth in the Greased Lightning Fan Fair Hall.
The 5th Annual CMA Music Festival Block Party
Full line-up includes...
1:00 PM - David Nail
1:35 PM - Chuck Wicks
2:10 PM - Jerrod Neimann
2:45 PM - Joe Nichols
3:30 PM - Randy Houser
For more information on the 2010 CMA Music Fest visit http://www.cmafest.com/
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Hank Williams 'Complete Mother’s Best Recordings… Plus!' due in September
Those box sets will be combined into one massive collector's box, with 15 audio discs featuring pristinely recorded songs and conversation, a DVD which features interviews with band member Don Helms and opening act Big Bill Lister and over 100 pages of liner notes from historian Colin Escott.
Set for a September 28 release, Hank Williams Complete Mother’s Best Recordings… Plus! will be packaged in an antique working radio that will play Williams’ songs when the dial is pressed.
For more on the set, visit http://www.hankwilliamsmothersbest.com/.
Alan Jackson's home sells for $28 million
It is the most expensive residential sale in the greater Nashville area since 1997 and the first sale to surpass the $11.4 million paid for Tanya Tucker's Williamson County home in 2007, according to Lucy Smith, president of the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors.
The buyers of record are Willis J. Johnson and Reba J. Johnson, trustees of Willis J. and Reba J. Johnson Revocable Trust. The home closed May 28, according to Williamson County property records.
The Franklin home, which was on the market for 11 months, includes more than 17,000 square feet of living in the property's six-bedroom house, a 20-car garage, a log cabin and barn with a two-bedroom apartment and a stocked and aerated lake with a boat house. The property sits on 135 acres on scenic Moran Road, which is lined by large, high-end residences with acreage and livestock. The road, usually off the beaten path, has seen high traffic in the month since the floods peeled 800 feet of pavement off nearby Sneed Road.
Forbes.com ranked Alan Jackson ninth among the nation's top-earning country music stars, estimating his 2009-10 earnings at $12 million.
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100601/ENTERTAINMENT06/100601073
Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney Deliver Strong Performances at Bayou Country Superfest
Featuring headliners Kenny Chesney and Taylor Swift, plus Brooks & Dunn, Keith Urban, Kellie Pickler, Jason Aldean, Jake Owen, David Nail, Justin Moore and Gloriana, Superfest's marathon Saturday and Sunday (May 29-30) concerts drew a two-day total of 85,000 to the LSU campus.
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More Artists Join CW Fashion Show
Joining host Clay Walker, emcee Suzanne Alexander (GAC) and already announced artists Joe Nichols, Love and Theft, Bucky Covington, Pam Tillis, Aaron Tippin and Thea Tippin are Katie Armiger, Trailer Choir, Cowboy Troy, Julie Roberts, Carter Twins, Trent Tomlinson, Sarah Darling, Whitney Duncan, Danielle Peck, Burns & Poe, Gwen Sebastian, Jesse Lee, Coldwater Jane, Brett Eldredge, Jeremy Crady, Brian Stace, Jessie James, John Carter and Johnny Gates of The Invite.
The event benefits Musicians On Call, a nonprofit organization with the mission of bringing music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities.
Doors open at 11 a.m. for the event. At 11:30 a.m. Joe Nichols will sit down with After Midnite’s Blair Garner for an intimate one on one conversation about Joe’s evolution in the music business over the past few years followed by a short acoustic performance. The Fashion Show begins at 12 noon with acoustic performances following at 1 p.m.
Premium seating tickets are available at http://www.musiciansoncall.org/ and all other tickets (starting at $35) can be purchased at http://www.ticketmaster.com/. All tickets include lunch.
The Country Weekly Fashion Show and Concert is sponsored by Durango, Wrangler, Roper, Silpada Designs and Lifetime Television.
VISIT GAC’S BOOTH & MEET THE STARS!
Some artists scheduled to appear are: Luke Bryan, Jake Owen, Jerrod Niemann, Randy Houser, Bo Bice, Kellie Pickler and many more!
CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL LIST AND SCHEDULE
Brad Paisley's H20 Tour gets rave reviews
Brad Paisley's 2010 H20 Tour has hit the road and is taking the country by storm! The reviews are flooding in and AOL's TheBoot.com says "Ticket buyers beware: Attending a show on Brad Paisley's H20 World Tour may spoil you for all other concerts and festivals and perhaps even Disney World." Don't miss it - tickets available at http://www.bradpaisley.com/
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Nike Donates Merchandise To Flood Victims
Hands On Nashville, Nike and Metro Schools worked together Friday to distribute 35,000 pieces of Nike merchandise to families of flood victims at McGavock Elementary School.
When the flood hit the region, employees at the Opry Mills Nike Factory Store went inside the store by boat and salvaged the items.
Instead of simply throwing the items away, Nike decided to give them away to about 4,000 flood victims who need help.
Nashville school employees selected families of students who had been affected by the flood to receive the free items.
MNPS students, faculty and their families, along with other flood-affected households, were invited by local churches to visit McGavock to select merchandise. The store was staffed by more than 100 Hands On Nashville volunteers and Nike employees throughout the day to help with distribution.
In addition to donating the merchandise from the Opry Mills Factory Store, Nike also donated $50,000 to Hands On Nashville’s flood relief efforts.
Each family member was able to take home 10 items.
http://www.wsmv.com/community/23710012/detail.html
When the flood hit the region, employees at the Opry Mills Nike Factory Store went inside the store by boat and salvaged the items.
Instead of simply throwing the items away, Nike decided to give them away to about 4,000 flood victims who need help.
Nashville school employees selected families of students who had been affected by the flood to receive the free items.
MNPS students, faculty and their families, along with other flood-affected households, were invited by local churches to visit McGavock to select merchandise. The store was staffed by more than 100 Hands On Nashville volunteers and Nike employees throughout the day to help with distribution.
In addition to donating the merchandise from the Opry Mills Factory Store, Nike also donated $50,000 to Hands On Nashville’s flood relief efforts.
Each family member was able to take home 10 items.
http://www.wsmv.com/community/23710012/detail.html
Dierks Bentley Switches Things Up
But for his next album, Up On The Ridge, he’s scaling back on the volume for an album that’s built around acoustic and bluegrass sounds. One of country’s hardest-working artists, Dierks used the opportunity to scale back on his schedule, too.
“I love bluegrass. I love acoustic music, so I’ve always wanted to make a record like this,” he told Billboard. “Last year, I needed to slow the wheels down a little bit, take some time off to make this kind of record. The original thought was I’d make a bluegrass record and a country record. And once I started working on the bluegrass record, I quickly became aware that this was the only record I’d be making, because we started breaking down the barriers between genres.”
Dierks enlisted a bunch of fellow artists to appear on the album, including Jamey Johnson, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Miranda Lambert, Kris Kristofferson, Chris Stapleton and Del McCoury. In fact, Dierks hit the road with Del on the Up On The Ridge Tour, though he finished it before the album even came out.
Up On The Ridge is officially in stores on Tuesday, June 8.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Tim McGraw: Movies Versus Music
The music is, he continues to say, his primary interest. But the acting allows him to channel the same sort of creative energy that informs an album into a completely different medium.
“In an album, you’re actually creating 10 or 12 mini-movies,” he told mdtntoday.com. “You’re asking people to go along with you through these movies, so when you’re in the studio and you’re closing your eyes and you’re singing, you’re trying to find this guy that’s walking through the song and give him a voice. It’s sort of the same thing you do in a movie. Empathy is the main thing you’re looking for, as a singer or as an actor.”
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Zac Brown Band Builds On Its “Foundation”
It’s unlikely that fans will have to wait beyond the end of 2010 to hear it.
“I would say 85 percent of the album is already cut,” band member Coy Bowles told Billboard. “Zac’s done his vocals. I think he’s got to go back and do some guitar and things of that nature. I don’t want to put any dates out there, but I think it’s set to come out in the fall.”
ZBB had about 50 songs to pick from as they recorded the project, which will continue to reflect the group’s multi-genre approach to music.
“We still lean toward a Southern rock/country kind of thing, but there’s definitely radio-friendly stuff and still kind of an island, beachy vibe, and then we go off the beaten path and get into a kind of jam-band world,” Coy noted. “So I think it’s going to be really representative of where we are right now.”
The band is tentatively calling the album Get What You Give, and one song that’s expected to be on it, “Colder Weather,” has already found its way into the marketplace. A live version that features Little Big Town is included on Pass The Jar: Live From The Fabulous Fox Theatre In Atlanta.
Ferlin Husky, Billy Sherrill Join the Hall of Fame
In a here-today-gone-tomorrow culture, the names might not ring familiar to everyone. A girl in her 20s outside the Hall asked at the end of the night about Sunday’s soiree, then shrugged her shoulders in a “Who?” sort of manner when told the names of the inductees. But both men provided important building blocks to get the genre to the mainstream idiom it is today.
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Bentley Wows Reverent Ryman Crowd
The almost sold out crowd included industry notables such as ASCAP’s Tim DuBois, Bentley manager Ken Levitan and songwriter Matraca Berg. Mike Dungan, head of Bentley’s label was perched attentively in the balcony.
Early in the show the artist dedicated a song to his Mom, apparently not realizing that only moments before the show began she had left the Ryman with her husband, Dierk’s father, who was carried out on a stretcher by emergency medics. He appeared alert and was talking with the medics as he was leaving. MusicRow wishes him a speedy recovery.
Bentley described his show and upcoming album as an “experiment” mixing bluegrass and country music. However, he warned the crowd, “If you don’t like the banjo you might be in the wrong place.” True to his word, the evening’s musical recipe, was heavy on the bluegrass, a joyful tribute to stringed instruments.
Ryman acoustics were superb and the instrumental setting was effective in adding a unique perspective to the singer’s previous hits such as “Feel That Fire,” “Free And Easy (Down The Road I Go),” “Sideways,” “Come A Little Closer” and others.
The video for Bentley’s first single from the new package, “Up On The Ridge” is already in heavy rotation on CMT and No. 22 rising on the MusicRow Breakout chart.
Special guest Jon Randall joined Bentley to perform their co-write “Draw Me A Map,” from the upcoming album. Another of the evening’s high points was when McCoury band leader Del McCoury treated the crowd to his piercing tenor harmonies getting a standing ovation.
Bentley told the crowd, “Bluegrass is all about the three ‘Ts’—tuning, timing and tone.” Judging by the evenings exalted musicianship, this writer will attest to the finely honed tuning and tone that has already seduced national critics from the Washington Post and USA Today. As to the timing, it remains to be seen how strongly Bentley’s fans will embrace this left of center musical experiment. Based upon the Ryman reaction however, the new album will serve as a vehicle to introduce Bluegrass to thousands of fans who have not been exposed to it and give fans added respect for the breadth of Bentley’s daring artistry.
http://www.musicrow.com/2010/05/31321/
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith Earned Most Since June 2009, Says Forbes
Dollywood, Dixie Stampede Donating Weekend Profits to Flood Relief Efforts
Martina Moments: No. 38
SEE EPISODE HERE
Carrie Underwood & ACM Lifting Lives Partner For Flood Relief
“ACM Lifting Lives received funds from the taping of the Brooks & Dunn special seven days ago, and as a nimble organization, we are eager to immediately give back to the communities in Middle Tennessee that were hit hardest,” said Erin Spahn, Director of ACM Lifting Lives. “In addition, we approached Carrie about how she wanted to use the grants she would receive as our 2009 Entertainer of the Year, and she leapt at the chance to help people in need of shelter. Our goals fit perfectly, and the Temporary Home Fund was created.
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Country Throwdown Tour Features Surprise Collaborations
If the first day of The Country Throwdown tour is any indicator of what lies ahead, I can only expect the unexpected. I knew collaborations were inevitable, but I was surprised to see so many so soon!
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TRACE ADKINS TO HEADLINE MUSIC CITY JULY 4th SPECTACULAR
Annual, free concert and fireworks extravaganza on go for Riverfront Park
Nashville will once again celebrate July 4th like only the Music City can – with great music and the nation’s best fireworks display! Country music star Trace Adkins will headline the “Music City July 4th: Let Freedom Sing!” celebration in Riverfront Park. The show line-up will also include Julianne Hough, Jaci Velasquez, the Grammy-winning Nashville Symphony Orchestra (NSO) and Nashville actor Barry Scott. Former American Idol contestant and CBS “Early Show” contributor Ayla Brown will perform the national anthem.
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Randy Houser talks Waylon and Cadillac’s on GAC’s “On The Streets,” debuting Tuesday, May 25
There’s a lot to be excited about these days for Randy Houser. In addition to CADILLAC which features his new single, “I’m All About It,” Randy will contribute vocals to one of his favorite songs, “I’m A Ramblin’ Man,” on the upcoming album, THE WAYLON PROJECT, expected to be released later this year.
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Eagles, Dixie Chicks, Keith Urban Cancel Two Stadium Shows
Two stadium concerts featuring the Eagles, Dixie Chicks and Keith Urban have been canceled, according to the Eagles' website. No reason was given for the cancellations and refunds will be available at the place of purchase. The musicians were scheduled to perform at Citizens Bank Ball Park in Philadelphia on June 14 and at Hershey Stadium in Hershey, Pa., on June 15. The Eagles and Dixie Chicks are still scheduled for Toronto on June 8. Urban joins the tour in East Rutherford, N.J., on June 10, as well as Boston on June 12 and Chicago on June 19. The Eagles and the Dixie Chicks are also slated for Winnipeg, Manitoba, on June 22 and in St. Louis on June 24.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Carter Twins Team Up With Soles4Soul and are Heading to Haiti
The event will take place on Sunday, May 23 from 4:00-5:30 pm at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale. Cole Haan will also be hosting an after party reception from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Fort Lauderdale Galleria Mall and will extend a 20% discount off an entire purchase with the donation of a gently worn pair of shoes.
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Country Stars Help Rebuild Music City - Country Weekly
and others performed in benefit concerts or gave donations to the flood relief. Reba donated $100,000 to the American Red Cross and told Country Weekly, “The Red Cross knows where the help is needed and how to get it to the people who need it the most.”
Several stars, including Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley and Jo Dee Messina, experienced losses in the flood, while Nashville tourist spots like the Grand Ole Opry House, the Wildhorse Saloon and others also suffered extensive damage and have closed temporarily.
To learn more, pick up the May 31, 2010 issue of Country Weekly, on newsstands now.
You could win a VIP trip to the Coke Zero 400 at the Daytona International Speedway and MEET Darius Rucker!
Enter the "Track & Tunes" sweepstakes here: www.cokezero.com/longhorn. Enter daily to increase your chances of winning!
Dierks Bentley Takes 'Up On The Ridge' to President Obama
Dierks Bentley shared a secret with the sold-out crowd at his May 20 Washington, D.C. concert. He met with President Barack Obama earlier that day.
"Where were we walking again? Down a street called Pittsburgh?," Dierks jokingly remarked to the Travelin' McCourys, who backed him during the show. "No, it was called Pennsylvania ... I went in and dropped off a copy of my latest CD at the Oval Office."
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LADY ANTEBELLUM CONTINUES MILESTONE YEAR WITH THE LAUNCH OF THEIR NEED YOU NOW 2010 TOUR
After selling out headlining concerts in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville, ACM and CMA Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum announced today their first-ever headlining tour with special guest MCA recording artist David Nail. The Need You Now 2010 Tour is sponsored by Dr. Pepper and kicks off on Sept. 20 with stops in 35 cities across the country through Nov. Cities and dates will be announced by market in the coming weeks with the first one announcing on Mon., May 24.
“I feel like we were just writing songs for our very first show at this small club in Nashville,” said Hillary Scott. “I can remember being so nervous to perform in front of just a handful of people that night and to think now we’re beginning to headline our very own tour is unbelievable. We have our fans to thank for following us every step of the way!”
“In only a few short years, country trio Lady Antebellum has risen from obscurity to superstardom…the group is attracting the sort of rabid fandom that clearly signals they're no flash in the pan,” raves the Hollywood Reporter.
Lady Antebellum first took country music by storm in 2008 with the release of their self-titled PLATINUM debut album, which generated the hits "Love Don't Live Here," "Lookin' For A Good Time" and their No. one smash "I Run To You." Their DOUBLE PLATINUM sophomore album NEED YOU NOW, debuted at No. one on Billboard’s Top 200 chart and has since maintained the top spot on the Billboard Country chart for an astonishing 14 weeks. The title track and multi-week No. one song “Need You Now” has dominated the Country, Top 40, AC and Hot AC charts breaking records as a country crossover hit. Following on the heels of three consecutive No. one songs in just eight months for a total of eight weeks at the summit, Lady A’s next single is “Our Kind Of Love.”
Dolly Parton on Oprah TODAY!
Dolly Parton is on Oprah today. Dolly is celebrating 50 years in the business. Don't miss it!
Brad Paisley’s H2O World Tour Sets Sail
It’s been one crazy run-up to Brad Paisley’s H2O World Tour, which starts Friday in Virginia Beach. Brad developed an appropriate charitable component for the tour by teaming with Hope Through Healing Hands, an agency dedicated to solving clean-water issues. He put together a Water World Plaza that includes a dunk tank and a fishing simulator. And he built new staging.
Mother Nature, however, got carried away with the water theme. Some of Brad’s set was ruined when Nashville was flooded earlier this month, and he lost many of his guitars, which were in storage. The Bridgestone Arena, where he had intended to rehearse, took in water, and he was forced to wait 10 days to prep for H2O with his band. In the aftermath of it all, Brad was one of the key performers when GAC presented Music City Keep On Playin’ — A Benefit For Flood Relief, and he and Kimberly Williams-Paisley chipped in $100,000 to help kick-start the fund-raising, which currently stands at $1.8 million.
Some of the H2O Tour won’t be quite what Brad had planned — in fact, he even went to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and reclaimed a guitar that was supposed to be on display so he could make it through the tour. Despite the rough sailing, he’s ready to hit the road again.
READ MORE
Chris Young Looks Backward With Voices EP
The project, set to be released through iTunes on Tuesday, finds him doing acoustic versions of three 1980s classics: John Anderson’s 1983 hit “Swingin’,” Vern Gosdin’s 1989 standard “Chiseled In Stone” and Keith Whitley’s “I’m Over You,” a hit in 1990 that Whitley recorded in the weeks prior to his death in May 1989.
“There’s a song on my current album called ‘Voices’ — it’s my next single — and we decided to name this EP Voices, too,” Chris says. “One of the reasons we did that is because these are really the voices that inspired me musically. If you go through a list of some of my favorite artists, these guys are at the top.”
An interesting choice of words, since Chris is at the top at the moment. “The Man I Want To Be,” the title track of his current album, is at No. 1 for a second straight week on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
Chris will certainly do that song, and maybe one or two of the Voices covers, this weekend as he heads back on the road with Alan and Josh Turner. They’re set to play University Park, Pa., on Friday; Charleston, W.Va., on Saturday; and Lexington, Ky., on Sunday.
Emily West Throws Down Her “Freak Flag” on Top 20
Emily West, Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson and Jack Ingram are among the stars on the multi-act Country Throwdown Tour, and GAC’s Suzanne Alexander checks in with the crew from the tour launch in Tampa on this weekend’s Top 20 Country Countdown.
The central theme of the Throwdown is a sort of gritty, edgy, left-of-center brand of country that might seem a little out of character for Emily, who seems a bit sweeter than the Throwdown might imply. But her recent appearance on “The Celebrity Apprentice” might provide a clue about why Emily fits in with the outside-the-box lineup.
READ MORE
Danny Gokey's Antioch Relief Center opens to help flood victims
Danny Gokey’s charitable foundation Sophia’s Heart recently opened the Antioch Relief Center to help support Middle Tennesseans impacted by the massive flood earlier this month.
The center, which is located at 5320 Hickory Hollow Parkway in the old Best Buy building, is offering food, water, clothing, cleaning supplies and other essentials free of charge to victims of the natural disaster. Technology protection service Asurion will also be giving away 200 free cellular phones with 200 prepaid minutes to qualifying folks (i.e. verified flood victims), starting at 9 a.m. on Friday. People in need of assistance can drop by and pick up what they need.
Those who want to help can drop off donations of clothing, cleaning supplies, toiletries, blankets, bedding, shoes and bottled water directly to the center
“There are people in need and we have to look past ourselves,” Gokey said. “If there’s one thing I learned growing up as a boy in church, it’s that if you take care of someone else God will take care of you.”
The center is open 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 1–888-519‑6669.
Alan Jackson Steps Up to Help Coal Miners' Families
In a TV interview, Ted Turner said he thinks that these coal mining and oil drilling disasters are a signal from God to stop destroying his grand creation. I think Turner may be on to something there.
Mountaintop destruction coal mining and deep sea oil drilling are disasters waiting to happen, and if there are no remedies in place, then what? Just big bonuses for the villains who perpetrated the whole mess. You can bet on that.
The only responses to the latest mine tragedy that I can see thus far coming from any corner of the music world are concerts organized by Alan Jackson and Emmylou Harris. And I salute them for that.
READ MORE HERE
Dave Matthews Joins Nashville Stars in Rallying Against Mountaintop Removal Mining
"Having this show at the Ryman has special meaning," Emmylou Harris said as she summed up the feelings behind the Music Saves Mountains benefit concert held Wednesday night (May 19) at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. "If the Ryman is the mother church of country music, then the Appalachian Mountains are its sacred ground. We need your voices, because once they're gone, these mountains will never be back."
Harris, Kathy Mattea, Patty Loveless, Alison Krauss, Patty Griffin, Big Kenny, Dave Matthews and others all gathered to shine a light on a coal mining practice that is devastating communities and forests in the Appalachian region, the area that first gave rise to the traditions of country music.
READ MORE HERE
Martina McBride Signs Deal With Kenny Chesney's Manager, Clint Higham
Martina McBride has signed a management deal with Clint Higham, president of Morris Artist Management. Higham, who is based in Nashville, also manages Kenny Chesney and Jake Owen. He has been with the company for 18 years. "Excited is an understatement when it comes to how I feel about starting this partnership with Clint," says McBride. "He has strong and focused ideas about my career and the opportunities that lie ahead. I have the utmost respect not only for his talent and passion as a manager but also for his integrity both professionally and personally." McBride had been represented by Bruce Allen Talent in Vancouver, Canada, since her early career.
Alan Jackson, George Jones Donate Decorated Guitars for Nashville Flood Relief
Get a Glimpse at Keith Urban's Hectic Week
http://www.cmt.com/videos/cmt-news/518807/cmt-web-buzzz-52010-keith-urban.jhtml?id=1639714
Video of Whitney Duncan in Iraq
Whit Fans -
Check out this awesome video of Whitney in Iraq! Share it with your friends!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb0B_i7h5ng
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Buy tickets now for the GAC Kickoff Breakfast featuring Love and Theft, Chris Young and more!
*There is a 4 ticket limit per person on these tickets.
GAC breakfast ticket includes:
•A hearty country breakfast.
•Acoustic performances and autograph signings by Chris Young, Love and Theft, and other artists TBD.
•Fans can choose either Group A which includes Chris Young and artists TBD or Group B which includes Love and Theft and artists TBD.
•General Museum Admission.
https://store.countrymusichalloffame.com/products.php?product=GAC-Kickoff-Breakfast#
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