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2010-08-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

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The Band Perry's Debut Album Scheduled for Release October 5

2010-07-09T10:47:00.001-07:00

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.

Merel Haggard Tribute show to air on PBS

2010-07-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

Merle Haggard is, no doubt, a living legend in today's music world. When he sings of spending time in prison, he speaks from experience. When he writes lyrics about going in the wrong direction despite his mother's attempt to steer him right, he's writing a non-fictional chapter from his life.

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Gibson announces Brad Paisley acoustic guitar

2010-06-03T06:36:00.000-07:00

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'

2010-06-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-03T06:32:00.001-07:00

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

2010-06-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-03T06:29:00.000-07:00

Keith will headline the GRAMMY Foundation®'s signature benefit Starry Night concert on July 23, 2010, at the LA Tennis Center at the University of California, Los Angeles.

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

2010-06-03T06:26:00.000-07:00

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.

Jamey Johnson, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban, John Mayer Join CMT Music Awards

2010-06-03T06:24:00.000-07:00

Jamey Johnson, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban and John Mayer have been added to the performance lineup of the 2010 CMT Music Awards, which will air live June 9 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CMT. Johnson will debut "Macon", a moody Southern-rock infused song from his upcoming fall release, while Rimes will perform a fully choreographed rendition of John Anderson's "Swingin'," from her forthcoming album, Lady and Gentlemen. In addition, CMT Crossroads partners John Mayer and Keith Urban will perform "Hit the Ground Running," a song featured on Urban's Defying Gravity album, for the first time on television. All performances from the 2010 CMT Music Awards will be streamed live and available for viewing after the show on CMT.com. Hosted by Kid Rock, the event will also feature previously announced performers Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood and the Zac Brown Band.

CMA Music Festival App

2010-06-03T06:23:00.000-07:00

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!

Get the official CMA Festival app here

"House That Built Me" Finds A Home At #1!

2010-06-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

Fresh off the heels of her three ACM Awards including Top Female Vocalist and Album and Video of the Year, Miranda Lambert scores her second # 1 single with “The House That Built Me.” Earlier this year Lambert notched her first # 1 single with the self penned “White Liar,” from her critically acclaimed and award winning third album, Revolution.

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

2010-06-03T06:16:00.001-07:00

She was born on Dec. 13, and Taylor Swift — whose Twitter account is @taylorswift13 — has forever deemed 13 her lucky number. She’ll put it to work in spades during the CMA Music Festival when she signs autographs for 13 hours on June 13.

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

2010-06-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

Chevy: The Official Ride of Country Music will help kick off the 2010 CMA Music Festival on June 9 with “The Sixth Annual CMA Music Festival Kick-Off Parade” at 11:30 a.m. Central through the streets of downtown Nashville.

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

2010-06-03T06:12:00.000-07:00

If you're heading to Nashville for CMA Music Fest, get your pen and to do list ready! Wednesday, June 9th, Randy Houser will hit the stage at The Fifth Annual CMA Music Festival Block Party! The FREE show takes place on the Chevy Music Stage on the Bridgestone Arena Plaza (at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway). T...he party star...ts at 12:50PM and Randy hits the stage at 3:30PM!

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/

Hank Williams 'Complete Mother’s Best Recordings… Plus!' due in September

2010-06-02T06:15:00.000-07:00

Those who figured the two recent box sets of Hank Williams’ “Mother’s Best” recordings represented the mother lode of Williams’ work were only partially correct.

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

2010-06-02T06:13:00.000-07:00

The Williamson County home of country music star Alan Jackson and his wife, Denise, has sold for a record $28 million — $10 million less than the asking price.

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

2010-06-02T06:11:00.000-07:00

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana State University's Tiger Stadium -- aka Death Valley -- experiences throngs of passionate football fans every fall. But months before the onslaught of Tiger mania, the first-ever Bayou Country Superfest inspired comparable excitement in the venerable stadium during Memorial Day weekend.

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

2010-06-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

Additional artists have been added to the 4th Annual Country Weekly Fashion Show and Concert, which will be held June 8 at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon.

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!

2010-06-02T06:07:00.000-07:00

GAC will once again be on-hand at the CMA Music Festival exhibition hall with a star-studded line up of artists. If you plan to be this year's CMA Music Festival, plan to spend some time taking pictures and getting autographs at the GAC Booth — #200! Note: Artists' schedules are subject to change. Please stop by the GAC booth for the most up-to-date schedule.
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

2010-06-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

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

Dierks Bentley Switches Things Up

2010-06-02T05:57:00.000-07:00

Dierks Bentley has built his reputation as an artist by mixing mainstream country with alternative sounds, playing clubs with Cross Canadian Ragweed and even playing a date on Chicago’s Lollapalooza stage.

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.

Tim McGraw: Movies Versus Music

2010-05-24T06:15:00.001-07:00

With his work in The Blind Side, Friday Night Lights and Four Christmases, Tim McGraw has set himself up nicely as an actor if the music thing should ever fall by the wayside.

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”

2010-05-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

Now that the Zac Brown Band has won a Grammy for Best New Artist and picked up a double-platinum album for The Foundation, it’s an understatement to say that the next release will earn a lot of attention.

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

2010-05-24T06:12:00.000-07:00

Some of music’s finest talents — Ronnie Milsap, Shelby Lynne, Craig Morgan, Ricky Skaggs and Vince Gill were among a bevy of significant artists and Music Row executives who witnessed Sunday’s induction of two new members to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: Ferlin Husky and songwriter-producer Billy Sherrill.

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

2010-05-24T05:01:00.000-07:00

Dierks Bentley’s Up On The Ridge tour closed at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on May 22 after visiting 24 cities in 30 days to build demand for the album’s release on June 8. The final show featured Bentley’s backing band the Travelin’ McCourys and the Punch Brothers with Chris Thile (Nickel Creek) on mandolin and was filmed for a TV special that Bentley told the crowd was for GAC and PBS. Texan Hayes Carll opened the show.

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/

Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith Earned Most Since June 2009, Says Forbes

2010-05-22T06:55:00.000-07:00

Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith earned the most money among country artists since June 2009, according to a report in Forbes magazine. The publication tallied concert tickets, merchandise and album sales, publishing income and endorsement and licensing agreements. The totals project an estimate in gross earnings through June 2010. According to the story, Chesney brought in $50 million, followed by Keith with $48 million. Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts tied for third with $45 million each. The rest of the Top 10 is as follows: Tim McGraw ($30 million), Keith Urban ($28 million), George Strait ($25 million), Brad Paisley ($22 million), Alan Jackson ($15 million) and Carrie Underwood ($13 million).

Dollywood, Dixie Stampede Donating Weekend Profits to Flood Relief Efforts

2010-05-22T06:53:00.001-07:00

Dolly Parton will be donating this weekend's net admission proceeds from her Dollywood and Dixie Stampede properties in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., to flood relief efforts in the Nashville area. The Dolly Helps Nashville fundraising event is set for Saturday and Sunday (May 22-23). The money will go to her Dollywood Foundation which will, in turn, distribute it to other nonprofit organizations assisting flood victims who have lost their homes. Online donations are also being accepted at Parton's official website. "I grew up in the Smokies in East Tennessee, which was my first home. I moved to Nashville 46 years ago and that is my home now," Parton said. "I have family and friends in both places, and when one place hurts, I think it is just right for the other to help."

Martina Moments: No. 38

2010-05-22T06:52:00.000-07:00

In this week’s episode of Martina Moments, you’ll get a backstage look at the recent GAC benefit concert: Music City Keep On Playin’: A Benefit for Flood Relief. Martina McBride brought down the house with her version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” as well as worked the phone bank like a pro.

SEE EPISODE HERE

Carrie Underwood & ACM Lifting Lives Partner For Flood Relief

2010-05-22T06:50:00.000-07:00

Country Throwdown Tour Features Surprise Collaborations

2010-05-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

Beth Brinker here, your GAC Road Reports correspondent and your source for all things Country Throwdown! Stay tuned for my on the road adventures and behind the scenes exclusives with the talented artists and singer/songwriters on one of this summer’s hottest tours! I finally get to be a gypsy with a traveling music circus and all my friends and favorites. First stop – Florida!

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!

READ MORE

TRACE ADKINS TO HEADLINE MUSIC CITY JULY 4th SPECTACULAR

2010-05-22T06:43:00.000-07:00

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.

READ MORE

Randy Houser talks Waylon and Cadillac’s on GAC’s “On The Streets,” debuting Tuesday, May 25

2010-05-22T06:41:00.000-07:00

“I’m really excited about this new record,” Randy Houser tells GAC’s Suzanne Alexander of his forthcoming September 14th album release, THEY CALL ME CADILLAC. The charming, soul-drenched Mississippi country music singer will join Suzanne this Tuesday, May 25, 1 p.m./Eastern on Great American Country’s “On The Streets.”

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.

READ MORE

Eagles, Dixie Chicks, Keith Urban Cancel Two Stadium Shows

2010-05-22T06:39:00.000-07:00

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.

Carter Twins Team Up With Soles4Soul and are Heading to Haiti

2010-05-21T13:34:00.001-07:00

Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity, announced Monday they will be revisiting the devastated country of Haiti and are taking the Carter Twins with them to help. Josh and Zach and will be kicking off their visit with an intimate beach front acoustic set in Fort Lauderdale before their departure.

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.

READ MORE

Country Stars Help Rebuild Music City - Country Weekly

2010-05-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

When floodwaters devastated the Nashville area in early May, country stars pitched in to do their part and assist the Music City community. This special cover section details how stars like Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire

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!

2010-05-21T13:31:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-21T10:56:00.001-07:00

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."

READ MORE

LADY ANTEBELLUM CONTINUES MILESTONE YEAR WITH THE LAUNCH OF THEIR NEED YOU NOW 2010 TOUR

2010-05-21T08:44:00.001-07:00

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!

2010-05-21T07:02:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-21T06:53:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-21T06:50:00.001-07:00

In taking an opening slot on Alan Jackson’s current Freight Train Tour, Chris Young has the opportunity to spend a decent amount of time with one of his heroes. He’ll pay homage to three more with a three-song digital release, 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

2010-05-21T06:48:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-21T06:02:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-21T05:57:00.001-07:00

You would think the general state of coal mining in this country and the situation of the miners themselves would call out for songwriters and singers to address this important social issue -- as has been done many times in the past.

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

2010-05-21T05:53:00.001-07:00

"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

2010-05-21T05:50:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-21T05:47:00.001-07:00

Grand Ole Opry members Alan Jackson and George Jones are among the country artists donating decorated guitars to an Opry Trust Fund benefit auction for flood relief in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. The event will take place June 11 at 3 p.m. at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium during the CMA Music Festival. Chris Young will perform during the event. Other contributing country artists include Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Danny Gokey, the Judds, Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts and Darius Rucker.

Get a Glimpse at Keith Urban's Hectic Week

2010-05-21T05:41:00.001-07:00

Aussie gives his time and talent to Nashville and Hong Kong during charity events this week. Check out the CMT Web Buzz video.
http://www.cmt.com/videos/cmt-news/518807/cmt-web-buzzz-52010-keith-urban.jhtml?id=1639714

Video of Whitney Duncan in Iraq

2010-05-21T05:31:00.001-07:00

Whit Fans -

Check out this awesome video of Whitney in Iraq! Share it with your friends!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb0B_i7h5ng

Buy tickets now for the GAC Kickoff Breakfast featuring Love and Theft, Chris Young and more!

2010-05-20T15:08:00.001-07:00

GAC Kickoff Breakfast takes place in the Curb Conservatory at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Wednesday, June 9 from 7:00 until 9:30 a.m (doors open at 6:30 a.m.).

*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#

Pre-Order for Jerrod's Album "Judge Jerrod and the Hung Jury" feat. "Lover, Lover" is available now on Amazon.com!

2010-05-20T15:00:00.001-07:00

http://www.amazon.com/Judge-Jerrod-Hung-Jury-Niemann/dp/B003CJUIWQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1274389670&sr=8-4

Carrie and ACM Lifting Lives have committed seed funding to create the new ACM Lifting Lives Temporary Home Fund to support relief efforts for families devastated by the recent floods in Middle Tennesse!

2010-05-20T14:46:00.001-07:00

Reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year Carrie Underwood and ACM Lifting Lives have committed seed funding to create the new ACM Lifting Lives Temporary Home Fund to support relief efforts for families devastated by the recent floods in Middle Tennessee. The Fund takes its name from Underwood’s co-penned hit song “Temporary Home,” in acknowledgement of the immediate needs surrounding those impacted by the floods.

“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.”

“Last year, I partnered with ACM Lifting Lives to help people in my hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma. Now I’m happy that we can help people in my current home of Nashville,” said Carrie Underwood.

A text-to-donate campaign in partnership with The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee officially launches today and will be highlighted during this weekend’s ACM PRESENTS: BROOKS & DUNN – THE LAST RODEO all-star concert tribute airing Sunday, May 23rd at 8PM on the CBS Television Network. Ticket proceeds from that taping in Las Vegas went to ACM Lifting Lives, which in turn quickly earmarked funding for those affected by the recent floods in Middle Tennessee. This is the second disbursement from that event’s fundraising efforts.

Underwood’s taped PSA call-to-action will be inserted into ACM PRESENTS: BROOKS & DUNN – THE LAST RODEO and will encourage viewers to text ACM to 501501 to make a one-time $10 donation to the new ACM Lifting Lives Temporary Home Fund. These donations will benefit The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and are earmarked specifically for nonprofits serving those displaced from their homes due to floods.

The ACM Lifting Lives Temporary Home will be administered in part by MusiCares and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, to help ensure that people in need of temporary housing will have the support of nonprofits able to help.

Donations can be made NOW by texting ACM to 501501 through August 2010. Text donations are confirmed by replying with YES, and can be made up to three times. Donations can also be made online at http://www.acmliftinglives.org/ and at www.CBS.com/give. For information on the funding application process, visit http://www.cfmt.org/.

About the ACM Lifting Lives Temporary Home Fund Text-to-Donate Campaign

Text ACM to 501501 to donate $10 to the ACM Lifting Lives Temporary Home Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. A one-time $10 donation is charged to your wireless bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Donate up to three times. Message & data rates may apply. Donations collected by the Mobile Giving Foundation. Proceeds benefit The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. For info call 866-810-1203 or go to hmgf.org/t. Text STOP to 501501 to cancel; HELP to 501501 for help.

About ACM Lifting Lives

ACM Lifting Lives™ is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through the power of music. Each year, ACM Lifting Lives provides grants to music therapy and music education programs. Other giving includes serving members of the country music community who face unexpected medical or financial hardship through the Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund and partnering with artists to improve lives through music. For more information, please visit http://www.acmliftinglives.org/.

Taylor Swift Wants Stingrays for Her Living Room Pond

2010-05-20T14:42:00.001-07:00

Yep, I said it. Taylor Swift wants a few stingrays to put in her pond that is in her new living room.
Taylor recently moved into an apartment in Nashville, and has enjoyed decorating it to her own tastes. She wasn’t happy with just slapping some paint the walls and getting upgraded carpet. Instead she decided a total remodel was in order.

Taylor tells People Magazine:

“There are rooms where there weren’t rooms before, and I have a birdcage in my living room that is people-sized,” she explained. “Then there’s a pond in the living room as well, and I want to get stingrays. I don’t want people to think I’m crazy, but wouldn’t that be cool?”

“My friends and I have been calling it things like ‘The Imaginarium’ because it has all of these crazy whimsical things in it,”

I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to see a few pics of the inside of Taylor’s new crib. CMT Cribs….WHERE ARE YOU? Go knock on her door. We wanna see! Oh, and make sure to take along a bucket of squid with you. The stingrays will love it!

http://www.countrymusictattletale.com/2010/05/20/taylor-swift-wants-stingrays-for-her-living-room-pond

Chris is releasing an acoustic 3 song Voices EP exclusively at iTunes beginning Tuesday, May 25! Exclusive preview now at Country Weekly!

2010-05-20T14:40:00.001-07:00

Country Weekly is proud to offer fans an exclusive preview of the tracks, beginning today (May 20) with Chris' version of Keith Whitley’s “I’m Over You.” On May 21, fans can listen to Chris’ warm, distinctive baritone take on John Anderson’s “Swingin’” followed by his handling of Vern Gosdin’s Country Music Association Award-winning "Chiseled in Stone" on May 24.

http://www.countryweekly.com/chris_young_preview/news/4720

CMT & Chris want to give you the ultimate look behind the scenes. You could take a backstage tour with Chris on a Rascal Flatts tour date near you!

2010-05-20T14:38:00.001-07:00

Chris Young wants to give you the ultimate look behind the scenes. You could take a backstage tour with him on a Rascal Flatts tour date near you and win some autographed prizes.
http://www.cmt.com/community/sweepstakes/chris-young/

Laura Bell Bundy Makes Opry Debut

2010-05-20T14:34:00.001-07:00

When Laura Bell Bundy sings on the Grand Ole Opry for the first time on Saturday, the moment will blend a very odd series of events.

For starters, Laura Bell established herself first as a performer on Broadway. Shifting from the Great White Way to Music Row is a career path that’s only happened once or twice before.

Making the evening even more unique, the Tennessee floods have the Kentucky-born singer showing up on the Opry from a location she probably never heard of before moving to Nashville. Since 1974, the Opry’s been housed at the Grand Ole Opry House, but the Cumberland River covered that stage the first week of May, and it’s unclear when the venue will be able to reopen. The Ryman Auditorium was the Opry home for more than 30 years prior to the Opry House, and it still hosts a number of Opry performances over the course of the year.

But during the post-flood renovations, the Opry is skipping around among at least three alternate sites, and Laura Bell’s debut on Saturday takes place at long-forgotten War Memorial Auditorium. Interestingly, that venue comes with its own Opry history. Prior to the Ryman, War Memorial hosted the Opry from 1939-1943. In fact, Ernest Tubb, Minnie Pearl and bluegrass icon Bill Monroe all made their first Opry appearances on that stage.

War Memorial came back into rotation earlier this month when the Opry House was submerged. Chris Young, Marty Stuart, Jeannie Seely and Suzy Bogguss were among the acts who took the stage there on May 4 when the flood forced a quick change of plans. They all united at the close of the show for the Carter Family’s apropos “Will The Circle Be Unbroken.”

When Laura Bell joins the circle of performers who have appeared on the Opry, she’ll pay a nod to the Opry’s traditional embrace of multiple entertainment forms, including comedy and dancing. Four of the Opry’s square dancers will be clogging along as she sings her current single, “Giddy On Up.”

Also on the bill at the Opry on Saturday: Charley Pride, John Conlee, Bill Anderson and Kathy Mattea.

Laura Bell has another major event on her calendar this month: She’s singing “Giddy On Up” during the IPL 500 Festival Parade May 29 in Indianapolis. Laura Bell might run into Jewel, who’s set to sing the national anthem at the Indy 500 the next day

'American Idol' auditions come to Nashville

2010-05-20T14:33:00.001-07:00

American Idol might find its newest superstar in Music City.

The perennially popular TV singing competition, currently wrapping up its ninth season, has announced that it will be making a stop in Nashville to hold auditions for Season 10.

Host Ryan Seacrest announced the first four audition cities during Wednesday night’s results show. No word on when or specifically where the Nashville auditions will be held — interested parties should keep a close eye on AmericanIdol.com.

A Music City-based competitor would certainly have their share of like-minded neighbors — Idol alums roosting here include Carrie Underwood, Melinda Doolittle, Mandisa, Kellie Pickler, Bo Bice and Chris Sligh, among many others.

http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2010/05/20/american-idol-auditions-come-to-nashville/

Autographed Ashley Ray and Jonathan Singleton & the Grove Giveaway

2010-05-20T14:31:00.001-07:00

Here's your chance to win one of three sets of these new EPs autographed by Ashley Ray and Jonathan Singleton! Ashley Ray's EP features five great songs that shows off her unique talent, something that can also be said about Jonathan Singleton & the Grove's EP as well. Both are part of the 2010 Country Throwdown Tour.

This contest is open to folks aged 13 or older in the USA only. Good luck. It will run through May 27, 2010.

http://www.roughstock.com/contests/autographed-ashley-ray-and-jonathin-singleton-the-grove-giveaway

Sea Ray Boats becomes an official sponsor of Brad Paisleys H20 tour

2010-05-20T14:29:00.001-07:00

Sea Ray Boats will be a co-sponsor on country music star Brad Paisley's upcoming H2O World Tour for the tour's "Water World Plaza" traveling show.

delivers coffee to your transom

The show is scheduled to start Friday in Virginia Beach, Va., and includes more than 40 stops in the U.S., Canada and other international locations through the end of September.

"One of our goals at Sea Ray is to provide our customers with more than a superior boat; it's also to provide them with a superior lifestyle. That's the motivation behind our annual AquaPalooza event and our sponsorship of Brad Paisley's H2O tour," said Rob Noyes, vice president of marketing for Sea Ray, in a statement.

"And, of course, the fact that the H2O tour is water-themed makes it a perfect fit for us," he added. "We plan to show concert-goers the exceptional quality, excitement and style they can get by joining our Sea Ray family."

The H2O tour will offer a Water World Plaza that opens at 4 p.m. on the day of each concert. This area is designed to incorporate display boats, a fishing simulator, dunking booth, swimming pools, radio DJs and a separate stage featuring newer country music acts.

"It's all meant to feel like summer and water," Paisley described in a recent tweet. "I want you to be able to hop off your boat or outta your pool and go right to our show."

http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/home/504408-sea-ray-to-sponsor-brad-paisley-world-tour

O'Charley's and Stoney River Legendary Steaks Launch Flood Relief Fundraising Program to Aid Nashville Recovery

2010-05-20T14:27:00.001-07:00

O'Charley's Inc, headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., announced today that its 234 company-owned and operated O'Charley's restaurants and 11 Stoney River Legendary Steaks restaurants, will donate 10% of online and in-restaurant gift card sales through June 30, 2010 to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee and the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

"The flood in Middle Tennessee had a devastating effect on our guests, friends, neighbors, and team members," said Jeff Warne, O'Charley's Inc. president and CEO. "At O'Charley's, our corporate philosophy is A Passion to Serve(R) -- to be a good corporate citizen and give back to our communities. Because the clean up and rebuilding of Nashville will take many months and millions of dollars, we wanted to find a way to raise money over an extended period of time, in a wide geographic area, and make it easy for everyone who wants to help to do so." The gift card donation program fits the parameters because it includes a 10% donation for all O'Charley's and Stoney River Legendary Steaks gift card sales whether they are virtual cards purchased online or traditional cards purchased online or in-restaurant. The full value of the card is not affected; O'Charley's or Stoney River, not the buyer of the cards, will donate the 10%.

"Now is the time for Father's Day, graduation, and birthday gift cards, so we have an opportunity to generate a generous donation that will be put to excellent use by two incredible organizations," added Warne. Both Second Harvest and the American Red Cross hit the ground running as soon as the flooding began and have fed, sheltered and provided volunteer resources to help thousands of Middle Tennessee residents.

Because of the volunteer spirit inherent in Tennessee, O'Charley's Inc. anticipates that many gift card purchasers in Middle Tennessee will give them to those who have lost their homes to the flood. Therefore, the company is offering a special edition flood relief design, Sky Falling Nashville Rising, which is available only in O'Charley's and Stoney River Middle Tennessee locations and online. Nashville artist Kate Hall originally designed Sky Falling Nashville Rising as a poster and donated it to Second Harvest of Middle Tennessee to use as they saw fit. When the O'Charley's/Stoney River gift card idea was conceived, she graciously adapted the design to fit the cards. According to Hall, "I was sitting at home, dry and unaffected by the record-breaking rainfall watching a live media report from a devastated Bellevue. Seeing the devastating footage roll, I felt helpless to really make a difference. What could I do in such a tragedy? The original inspiration for my poster came from a report by CNN's anchor Anderson Cooper. He said he was blown away by the way the city of Nashville hadn't missed a beat during the flooding to come together and help one another - Despite being underwater, Nashville was rising."

For more information, visit http://www.ocharleys.com/giftcards or http://www.stoneyriver.com/cards.php.

Emmylou Harris Mines Music for Mountains

2010-05-20T14:23:00.001-07:00

Since the beginning of May, Nashville has been digging out from the devastating affects of an unexpected flood. The community has pulled together, and outsiders have been amazed at the extent of humanity and neighborly goodwill Music City has expressed.

The flood was an example of Mother Nature wreaking havoc on humanity. But people have been messing with Mother Nature, Emmylou Harris observes, in a way that is destroying another part of Tennessee. Emmylou wrote a guest editorial in Sunday’s edition of The Tennessean explaining why she and some of her fellow musicians — Kathy Mattea, Big Kenny and Dave Matthews, among them — are performing a Music Saves Mountains concert Wednesday at the Ryman Auditorium.

The concert calls attention to mountaintop removal, a form of mining in which explosives are used to blast the tops off of mountains so that coal companies can access strips of coal, which eventually gets converted into energy for everyone’s households. Mountaintop removal is employed in the hills of Kentucky, West Virginia and east Tennessee. It permanently destroys the landscape, and it pollutes the environment, including the drinking water for the local residents.

“To date more than 500 Appalachian mountains have been dynamited and nearly 2,000 miles of rivers and streams have been choked by this irreverent practice,” Emmylou wrote. “The Appalachians are the only mountain range in the country where this practice is allowed.”

Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Sam Bush, Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin and Brandon Young are among the Ryman guests, as some of country and Americana’s most passionate artists attempt to instill some passion for the environment in the community at large.

“This is not an anti-coal campaign, it is an effort to promote sustainable mining practices that will not destroy our mountain heritage,” Emmylou wrote. “We are at a pivotal moment, and as musicians have done for generations, we intend to use our art form to inspire action on a global scale. Together with our fans we believe music can save mountains.”

Go here to read Emmylou’s complete column. Visit www.iLoveMountains.org to learn about the issue.

Sugarland Gets Some Ink

2010-05-20T14:22:00.001-07:00

You need a confidence builder? You might follow Jennifer Nettles’ path and get a permanent crib sheet.

That might well be the motivation for one of the Sugarland singer’s three tattoos. She has the word “believe” inked onto her wrist, a spot that she’s bound to see frequently. She also has a flower embedded on her hip and a winged heart — very similar to the cover art for Love On The Inside — on her right arm.

“People tattoo for different reasons,” she told The Colorado Springs Gazette. “I use a tattoo as a marker of time, to be reminded of a time in my life. It is something special and personal. There’s a lyric in my song ‘Take Me as I Am’: ‘We all live with the scars we choose.’ Some scars are given to us and some we choose.”

Jennifer is taking her scars — both the physical ones and the emotional ones — onstage with her these days as Sugarland rolls through its Incredible Machine Tour. The concert schedule leads into the Incredible Machine album, set for release this fall.

“Kristian [Bush] and I wrote all the material and it’s an evolution; it’s growth artistically,” she said. “I have musical ADD or something, and I get bored doing the same thing over and over. I love different sounds, different influences. We are speaking to the human condition, and I think music is leaning that way. Music is so much more than what you wear and your hair.”

Or your tattoos, for that matter. You can catch Sugarland’s Incredible Machine Tour this weekend in the Northeast. They play Mansfield, Mass., on Friday; Holmdel, N.J., on Saturday; and Hartford on Sunday.

Don’t Miss the ACM’s Brooks & Dunn Tribute on Sunday! | GAC News & Notes

2010-05-20T14:21:00.000-07:00

Tune in on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS to watch superstars of country music pay tribute to all-time leading ACM Award winners Brooks & Dunn at ACM PRESENTS: BROOKS & DUNN – THE LAST RODEO, featuring performances by Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Jennifer Hudson, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban with presenters Dr. Maya Angelou, Miranda Cosgrove & Matthew McConaughey.

Ticket proceeds from the live event went to ACM Lifting Lives, which in turn quickly earmarked funding for those affected by the recent floods in Middle Tennessee.

During the tribute concert special, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn receive the Academy’s Milestone Award in recognition of their astounding 20-year career and are honored for holding the record for the most wins of any artist in the Academy’s history. Brooks & Dunn have 27 ACM Awards in total, including three prior Entertainer of the Year awards and a Top Vocal Duo award that they received during the ACM Awards broadcast in April. They hold the record for most Top Vocal Duo wins, with 16 awards, eight of which are consecutive from 2000-2007.
Brooks & Dunn have had 23 No. 1 hits, sold more than 30 million records, and won more than 80 major industry awards during their career. In August 2009, they announced they will retire as a duo in late 2010 and embark on a final farewell tour this summer, called “The Last Rodeo.” Browse through our photos from the ACM special!

When you tune in Sunday night you’ll see the following stars performing their favorite Brooks & Dunn songs:

Jason Aldean – “How Long Gone”

Kenny Chesney – “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone” (Click here to see this performance now!)

Faith Hill – “The Long Goodbye”

Jennifer Hudson – “Believe”

Lady Antebellum – “If You See Him/If You See Her”

Miranda Lambert – “Hillbilly Deluxe”

Reba McEntire – “Indian Summer”

Tim McGraw – “That Ain’t No Way to Go”

Brad Paisley – “My Next Broken Heart”

Rascal Flatts – “It’s Getting Better All the Time”

Darius Rucker – “Hard Workin’ Man”

George Strait – “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”

Sugarland – “Red Dirt Road”

Taylor Swift – “Ain’t Nothing Bout You”

Carrie Underwood – “Neon Moon”

Keith Urban – “Brand New Man”

FINALE- Brooks & Dunn with cast – “Play Something Country”

Brooks & Dunn Dedicate Habitat for Humanity House on Music Row

2010-05-20T14:19:00.000-07:00

Knoxville Habitat for Humanity and the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation are teaming up with America’s talented musical artists to build a ‘Music Row’ in Knoxville. Only this ‘Music Row’ serves to provide local families with simple, decent and affordable housing.

Today, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn of country duo Brooks & Dunn participated in the dedication of the ‘Brooks & Dunn’ house, the first of the ‘Music Row’ houses made possible by the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation. The home is located at 1717 LeFlore, formerly Bonny Ave., in Knoxville.

“The work of Habitat for Humanity is extraordinary and inspiring. It is an honor to be part of this project and have our names on one of Knoxville’s new ‘Music Row’ homes,” said Brooks & Dunn.

‘Music Row’ will be a collection of numerous houses built by Knoxville Habitat for Humanity on LeFlore Ave. in the Lonsdale community. The houses, each of which will be built during the next 10 years, are underwritten by the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation from an annual benefit concert featuring a country music act. Brooks & Dunn performed at the first event in 2008 and the first house is built in their honor. Next year, a home will be built in honor of recording artist Martina McBride, who performed at the 2009 benefit.

Even though the homes are underwritten by the foundation, the homes are not given away. In lieu of a down payment, all Knoxville Habitat for Humanity homeowners are required to complete 500 hours of sweat equity, mostly in the form of budgeting and homeowner classes. In addition, the family pays a mortgage on the home that is at zero-percent over 25 to 30 years.

Besides a visit from country duo Brooks & Dunn, the dedication included remarks from Knoxville Habitat for Humanity’s president and CEO, Kelle Shultz and Charlie and Moll Anderson of the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation.

“Today we’re celebrating new homeowner Stephanie Davis, thanks to the generosity of the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation,” said Shultz. “When Brooks & Dunn hand Stephanie the keys to her new house it will unlock her dream of home ownership.”

“Home ownership has an incredible generational impact on families. According to a 2001 Harvard University study, children whose families own a home have better home environments, higher cognitive test scores and fewer behavioral problems than do children of renters,” said Charlie Anderson. “The positive affect that a steady, grounded home environment can have on a child is amazing.”

“We are thrilled to be a part of the ‘Music Row’ here in Knoxville. One of our Foundation’s key philosophies is to provide basic human needs, and shelter fits into that category. Working with Knoxville Habitat for Humanity is a perfect way for us to focus on something that’s so important for all humans – a safe and healthy home,” said Moll Anderson

Order AUTOGRAPHED copies of Chely Wright's NEW CD and Book! Limited time offer.

2010-05-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

https://chely.com/store/featured

Jewel - Live Chat Free Download

2010-05-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

Free download of "No Good In Goodbye" from Jewel's upcoming album,

SWEET AND WILD - Available June 8th

http://www.thevalorymusicco.com/jewelchatfree/

Cross Canadian Ragweed To Take A Break From The Road

2010-05-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

SHOW DOG – UNIVERSAL MUSIC group CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED have announced they will be taking a break from life on the road. They have played 220 dates a year for 13 of the last 15 years, and they each agreed that they wanted to spend more time at home with their families.

CCR founder and drummer RANDY RAGSDALE said: “For many years my band has been my top priority. Being in a touring band you have to give it your all, give it 100%. Right now, I need to be at home for my family, particularly my son JC, who has autism. I would understand and support the bands decision to get another drummer and press on. But that’s not what they wanted to do. I was blown away by their decision and their support.”

Lead singer CODY CANADA added: “We’ve always said from the start, we’re RAGWEED as the four of us, or not RAGWEED at all.”

For more details, go to http://www.crosscanadianragweed.com/

CMT : CMA Music Festival 2010 : Fan Social : Tickets, Performers, Concerts, Events, Riverfront Stage

2010-05-20T14:11:00.000-07:00

The CMA Fan Social Presented by CMT is the most sought-after show of the Music Festival -- literally. This is a secret show and to learn where it is you have to find clues by following CMT on Facebook, MySpace and @FollowCMT on Twitter. You'll also find clues on the artists' websites and social media pages. The free concert features stars Chris Jansen, Rodney Atkins, Gretchen Wilson, Chris Young, Laura Bell Bundy and Randy Houser
http://www.cmt.com/cma-music-festival/fansocial.jhtml

From Rehab to Rebirth, Joe Nichols Is Back

2010-05-20T14:09:00.000-07:00

Country singer Joe Nichols is back on top with his No. 1 hit "Gimme That Girl," off his first album since entering rehab for substance abuse in October 2007
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPiqtrgx5M0

ROCKIE LYNNE ANNOUNCES NEW CD AND NEW WEBSITE

2010-05-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

Rockie Lynne will release his newest album, Songs For Soldiers, to coincide with the Memorial Day holiday.

The album is a longer version of the record that he originally compiled to give away to the troops during his overseas tour of U.S. Military bases.

It contains eight original compositions (many that his dedicated fans have never heard before) along with six classics 'standards', including an instrumental track featuring Grammy award winning artist and guitarist, Steve Wariner.

Rockie will be touring and making many media appearances in support of this new release.
http://www.rockielynne.com/

Martina McBride: Car Baby Car Sweepstakes - Enter for a chance to Win at CMT.com

2010-05-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

Want to take home a real collector's item? Here's your chance. You could ride away in the 1972 Monte Carlo from Martina McBride's video, "Wrong Baby Wrong."
http://www.cmt.com/community/sweepstakes/martina-mcbride-car/

BamaJam 2010 ARTIST LINEUP ANNOUNCED!! with Times!!

2010-05-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

http://www.bamajammusicfestival.com/2010-artist-schedule.html

Country Throwdown Tour Donates Money to Nashville Flood Victims

2010-05-20T14:01:00.000-07:00

In light of the recent devastation in Nashville, the Country Throwdown Tour and its artists are lending a hand to the local residents in need.

Country Throwdown artists are coming forward to help in a collective way. As of today, main stage headliners Montgomery Gentry, Jack Ingram, Eric Church, Eli Young Band and Bluebird Café Tent singer-songwriters Sarah Buxton, Heather Morgan, Jedd Hughes, Ashley Ray, Troy Olsen, Brad Tursi, Cory Branan and Dave Pahanish will be donating the net proceeds from the sale of their merchandise at select shows throughout the U.S.

“We’re excited to be a part of the Throwdown Tour and through the course of the tour the artists get to participate in generating a lot of revenue for Nashville,” explains Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry. “Donating in one lump sum at the end of the tour gives us the opportunity to help any folks who may have fallen through the cracks, either through not having insurance or not being eligible for FEMA coverage. We’ll be able to place the money directly with the people who need it the most to rebuild.”

The Country Throwdown Tour will donate $.50 of every ticket to charity, a portion of which will go directly to Hands On Nashville (www.hon.org) to rebuild community infrastructure in Nashville. Meanwhile, at the end of the tour, the merchandise donations from the aforementioned tour artists will also benefit Hands On Nashville.

“After moving part of our company down to Nashville well over a year ago, we’ve all grown deeply connected to this town,” states tour founder Kevin Lyman. “In the wake of this flood, all of us with the Country Throwdown Tour are inspired to help rebuild the Nashville community for many months to come.”

The Country Throwdown Tour kicked off May 14 in Tampa, FL and wraps-up June 20 in Mountain View, CA. The outdoor amphitheater tour mixes top country music artists with up-and-coming singer-songwriters on four stages.

Country Throwdown Tour headliners include: Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Little Big Town and Jack Ingram. Other mainstage artists include: Eric Church, The Lost Trailers, the Eli Young Band, Heidi Newfield, Ryan Bingham and The Dead Horses, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove and Emily West. In addition, nine emerging singer-songwriters are featured in the Bluebird Café Tent: Ashley Ray, Brad Tursi, Cory Branan, Dave Pahanish, Jedd Hughes, Sarah Buxton, Troy Olsen, Heather Morgan and Walker Hayes.

For more information, videos, free songs and tickets, visit the Country Throwdown Tour website.

Tour Dates:
DATE CITY VENUE

Fri 5/14 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre

Sat 5/15 W. Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre

Sun 5/16 Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Park

Thu 5/20 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center

Fri 5/21 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center

Sat 5/22 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

Sun 5/23 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center

Thu 5/27 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Fri 5/28 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Pavilion

Sat 5/29 Pittsburgh, PA Post Gazette Pavilion

Sun 5/30 Saratoga Springs, NY SPAC Amphitheatre

Mon 5/31 Gilford, NH Meadowbrook US Cellular

Fri 6/4 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Sat 6/5 Philadelphia, PA Susquehanna Amphitheatre

Sun 6/6 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live

Wed 6/9 Houston, TX Sam Houston Racepark

Thu 6/10 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center

Sat 6/12 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre

Sun 6/13 Denver, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheatre

Wed 6/16 Bakersfield, CA Rabobank Arena

Thu 6/17 San Diego, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre

Fri 6/18 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion

Sat 6/19 Irvine, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre

Sun 6/20 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre

The 4th Annual Songwriters Series will return to Hard Rock Cafe Nashville during the 2010 CMA Fest!

2010-05-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

The 4th Annual Songwriters Series will return to Hard Rock Cafe Nashville during the 2010 CMA Fest! During these special performances, several of Nashville's top songwriters will share the stories behind their chart-topping songs! Tickets on sale Wed., May 19th at 10:00am CT

Held upstairs in Hard Rock Cafe Nashville’s new Reverb Room, each show kicks off at 8pm on Thursday through Saturday, June 10-12. The proceeds will benefit Musicians On Call (MOC), a nonprofit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities in Nashville and across the country.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm

We will kick-off the Songwriters Series with a tribute to Kenny Chesney! Hit songwriters Mac McAnally, Craig Wiseman, Brett James, Neil Thrasher, Wendell Mobley, and Casey Beathard will tell us how their songs were cut by today’s biggest country superstar! And, this special show will be broadcast LIVE on Kenny's very own internet radio station, No Shoes Radio!

Click to buy tickets - www.ticketalternative.com/Events/11321.aspx

Friday, June 11, 2010
Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm

ASCAP Songwriters in the Round – Songwriters TBA

Click to buy tickets - http://www.ticketalternative.com/Events/11322.aspx

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm

BMI Songwriters in the Round – Songwriters TBA
www.ticketalternative.com/Events/11323.aspx

Musicians On Call brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities. www.musiciansoncall.org/

Taylor Swift's "Love Story" claimed song of the year at BMI Pop Music Awards

2010-05-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

RedOne won his first songwriter of the year award and Taylor Swift's "Love Story" claimed song of the year kudos at the 58th annual BMI Pop Music Awards.

Also honored during the ceremony at the May 18 Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles were BMI Icon John Fogerty and publisher of the year Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.

Songwriter/producer RedOne was honored for his work on four songs: Sean Kingston's "Fire Burning" and Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" (featuring Colby O'Donis), "LoveGame" and "Poker Face."

Swift wrote her hit "Love Story," which is published through Sony/ATV Tree and Taylor Swift Music.

Warner-Tamerlane succeeded last year's winner, Universal Music Publishing, with 12 awarded songs including "Circus" (Britney Spears), "Dead and Gone" (T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake) and "My Life Would Suck Without You" (Kelly Clarkson).

The music rights organization also saluted the writers and publishers of the past year's 50 most-performed pop songs on U.S. radio and television. That list features such chart hits as the Black Eyed Peas' "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling," Beyoncé's "Halo" and Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody."

Among the evening's highlights was the tribute to BMI Icon Fogerty. Accompanied by his band as well as his two teen sons, Shane and Tyler, the former Creedence Clearwater Revival member delivered scorching medleys of his most popular hits, including "Travelin' Band," "Green River," "Up Around the Bend," "Bad Moon Rising" and "Proud Mary."

Fogerty joins such previous Icon honorees as Gamble & Huff, Kris Kristofferson, the Jacksons and Paul Simon.

Geffen recording artist Orianthi opened the musical proceedings.

Zac Brown Band & Ram Trucks Teamup To launch "Letters For Lyrics" National Letter Writing Campaign To U.S. Soldiers

2010-05-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

By saluting the troops you can receive a free CD Breaking Southern Ground.

This exclusive compilation, not sold in stores, features Southern Ground Artists

Zac Brown Band, Sonia Leigh, Nic Cowan, and Levi Lowrey.

http://www.ramtrucks.com/en/letters_for_lyrics/

Dolly Steps Up To Help Flood Victims

2010-05-20T13:26:00.000-07:00

Dolly Parton has called Nashville home for over 45 years and in that time she’s never seen the kind of devastation the recent floods have left behind.

“I grew up in the Smokies in East Tennessee, which was my first home. I moved to Nashville 46 years ago and that is my home now. I have family and friends in both places, and when one place hurts, I think it is just right for the other to help.” Dolly posted in a message on her website.

During this coming weekend, May 22-23, all of the proceeds from admissions to Dollywood, Dollywood’s Splash Country, and Dixie Stampede will go to a special fund to assist Nashville flood victims. Dolly will be out at these attractions throughout the weekend to visit with fans and encourage them to join in the effort to help those affected by the floods.

Even if you can’t make it out to Dollywood this weekend, you can still help by making an online donation right now at http://www.dollyparton.com/

Taylor Swift Accepts Her NARM Award

2010-05-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

"I'm Taylor. Nice to meet you. I wanna thank NARM for this beautiful honor and this gorgeous sparkly award." It's a nice opener to an acceptance speech for the artist of the year award at the National Association of Recording Merchandisers convention in Chicago Monday night (May 17). But it was Taylor Swift's story about a new Thanksgiving tradition her family has that the audience seemed to love the most. "While on Thanksgiving Day, all the women hang out in the kitchen and cook, now all the men take it upon themselves -- my brother, cousins, everybody -- they all get in the car and they go from store to store checking the inventory on my CDs. And so they walk in with great conviction and great purpose and their little notepad and their little pencils. They spend all day doing it, and they come home with these glowing reports of their war stories and adventures," she says. But in the end, she admits it's not the guys in her life who have kept her CDs selling. It has been the merchandisers. "I know that it's you guys that are helping me out and having my back and putting my music in the hands of people who play it in their cars and play it in their bedrooms," Swift said.

http://blog.cmt.com/2010-05-18/taylor-swift-accepts-her-narm-award-with-charm/

Jerrod's Hit, “Lover, Lover,” Builds Excitement Toward July 13 Album Experience

2010-05-20T13:23:00.000-07:00

Sea Gayle/Arista Nashville recording artist Jerrod Niemann builds on the excitement surrounding his Top 20-and-climbing smash, “Lover, Lover,” with the July 13 release of his major label debut album, Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury.

Refreshingly creative, the 20 tracks on Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury weave eight personality-packed skits alongside a dozen songs, ten of which were written or co-written by Jerrod.

One of the Niemann co-writes, the song, “Old School New Again,” offers a fitting way to describe Niemann’s musical style – an engaging and entertaining mix of traditional influences with a contemporary edge. Indeed, Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury also marks an old-school throwback to the days of an album as a musical journey, crafted as a start-to-finish listening experience.

In relating the song to the album, Niemann said, “To me, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to have really traditional country music, or any type of music.” He says that “Old School New Again” is about “being able to say what you want to say with your own voice, and having the guts to say it and the heart to say it. All the great entertainers that have ever existed, what made them so special is that they all did have their own voice, and spoke very loudly. And that’s why we all loved them, so this song was just kind of where I was saying, ‘Hey, all these songs that you’re listening to may not sound like everybody else, and that’s just because I want to try to say it my own way and make old school new again."

Niemann and longtime buddy Jamey Johnson had co-written three songs for Johnson’s album, The Dollar, and the two re-teamed, together with Dallas Davidson, to pen the Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury album-opener, “They Should Have Named You Cocaine.”

Niemann first made a name for himself as a songwriter – co-writing Garth Brooks’ “Good Ride Cowboy,” among others – and while Jerrod had a hand in writing ten of the album’s songs, he also opted for two great covers, including the Dan Pritzker-penned “Lover, Lover” (originally recorded by Sonia Dada) and Robert Earl Keen’s “The Buckin’ Song.”

“Lover, Lover” was a song that Niemann had known and loved for years, and it was a perfect fit for an album that he wanted to take in a very acoustic and percussive direction. Jerrod actually undertook the project before he had a record deal, during a tough time when the real satisfaction was just in making the kind of music he wanted to make. Produced by Niemann and Dave Brainard, Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury became a free-spirited expression of what Niemann hoped to create, and it earned him his recording contract. He says, “There was just so much passion from day one, and everybody wanted it to be great…there were no rules, no boundaries.”

Fresh, fun, and different, a sampling of tracks from Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury can be heard online now at www.myspace.com/jerrodniemann. Also be sure to watch Jerrod’s official website, http://www.jerrodniemannofficial.com/, for all the latest, including tour dates and other news. Later this year, Jerrod will hit the road with headliner Gary Allan and Jerrod’s good friend, Randy Houser, on Allan’s “Get Off on the Pain Tour,” beginning in September.

Trace Adkins to head up Nashville's July 4th celebration

2010-05-20T13:20:00.001-07:00

Trace Adkins already knows where he'll be on July 4: Riverfront Park in Nashville.

Adkins is set to headline the Music City July 4th: Let Freedom Sing! celebration. The annual event, which features a free concert and fireworks, will also offer appearances by Julianne Hough, Jaci Velasquez, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Ayla Brown, who will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

“Nashville’s July 4th celebration is consistently ranked among the best in the country and this year will be no different,” said Mayor Karl Dean in a statement. “We’ve assembled an all-star line-up and plan to have the city’s best fireworks display yet to celebrate our nation’s birthday.”

The all-day celebration will kick off at noon with the free Family Fun Zone stocked with inflatables and family-friendly activities. The NowPlayingNashville.com stage is open from 1–6 p.m. and features performances by Jordyn Shellhart, Calico Trail, Damien Horne and Jessie James.

The evening’s main event — the two-and-a-half hour concert — starts at 7 p.m. The fireworks presentation, which is billed as the South’s largest fireworks show, starts at approximately 9:30 p.m.

http://blogs.tennessean.com/tunein/2010/05/18/trace-adkins-to-head-up-nashvilles-july-4th-celebration/

Test Drive a Chevy & Get CMA Fest Tickets

2010-05-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

Chevy, is giving away free tickets to this year’s CMA Music Festival in Nashville. Starting May 17th through June 3rd, customers taking a test drive in a new Chevrolet during a participating Chevy dealerships ticket giveaway will receive a ticket voucher redeemable for two (2) single night, general admission tickets and a chance to roll the dice to win a new Chevrolet!

Participating Nashville Chevy Dealers Ticket Giveaway Schedule:

Date Time Dealership

Monday, May 17 4pm – 6pm Edd Rogers Chevy

Tuesday, May 18 4pm – 6pm Lucas Chevy

Wednesday, May 19 4pm – 6pm Freeland Chevy

Thursday, May 20 4pm – 6pm Alexander Chevy – Murfreesboro

Monday, May 24 4pm – 6pm Carlen Chevy

Tuesday, May 25 4pm – 6pm Carl Black Chevy

Wednesday, May 26 4pm – 6pm Walker Chevy

Thursday, May 27 4pm – 6pm Lyons Chevy

Saturday, May 29 10am – 12noon Alexander Chevy – Dickson

Monday, May 31 10am – 12noon Russell Barnett Chevy

Wednesday, June 2 4pm – 6pm Stan McNabb Chevy

Thursday, June 3 4pm – 6pm Wilson County Chevy

“Chevy has always been a great partner to CMA, not only during CMA Music Festival, but during our annual CMA Awards Show as well,” said CMA Vice President of Strategic Partnerships Sheri Warnke. “I encourage fans to come and test drive one of Chevy’s great vehicles and in turn get to see some great performances by some fantastic Country artists.”

For more information visit www.cmafest.com/chevytestdrive

Little Big Town: Little White Church Reception Contest

2010-05-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

Here's your chance to win tickets for you and a guest to attend the "Little White Church Reception" during the Country Throwdown Tour with Little Big Town! 10 lucky winners in each city will win (2) concert tickets and (2) meet & greet passes to go to the “Little White Church Reception” during the Country Throwdown Tour!

http://www.capitolnashville.com/littlewhitechurch/

Eli Young Band Primed as Heartbreakers

2010-05-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

In an era when Kid Rock and Bon Jovi have found success in country music, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to hear Tom Petty’s name being thrown around.

The Eli Young Band has been covering the rocker’s “American Girl” frequently in concert, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers are something of a muse for the Texas foursome as it develops a follow-up to the 2008 album Jet Black & Jealous.

“With Jet Black & Jealous, we recorded it in, like, five different sessions, and it was chopped up with no real mind-set other than we recorded what we rehearsed and had written,” drummer Chris Thompson told The Lake County News-Herald of Ohio. “With this new record, it’s not that we sat down and said, ‘This is the direction we’re going in.’ We’ve never done that. But after hearing what’s coming out, we’re erring on the Tom Petty side. It is a little more roots-sounding but still very radio-friendly.”

Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke, the same team that crafted Miranda Lambert’s award-winning Revolution and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend albums, Jet Black gave EYB its first Top 10 hit, “Always The Love Songs.” The band’s sound has been compared to several acts that have effectively blended country and rock — the Eagles, Rodney Crowell and Foster & Lloyd — though you can find bits of Gin Blossoms and the Wallflowers in the mix, too.

“When we started out, we never said, ‘Let’s be a country band’ or ‘Let’s be a rock band’ or ‘Let’s be a pop band,’” Chris observed. “We just started playing, and somehow we kind of grew into the country world. It felt like country sort of accepted us and was understanding of what we were doing and it fit. So country is our home, but we’re not a twang country band.”

Meanwhile, the Tom Petty references fit perfectly. The Heartbreakers might have made their name as classic-rockers, but they’ve had an influence in country, too:

• Tom sang on a No. 1 Hank Williams Jr. single, “Mind Your Own Business,” in 1986. And he was a songwriter on three titles that became country hits: Southern Pacific’s “Thing About You,” Rosanne Cash’s “Never Be You” and Roy Orbison’s “You Got It.”

• The late Howie Epstein, who played bass with the Heartbreakers, produced several Carlene Carter hits in the 1990s.

• Petty’s former drummer, Stan Lynch, co-wrote Tim McGraw’s 2004 hit “Back When.”

• Keyboard player Benmont Tench has played on hits by Travis Tritt and Mary Chapin Carpenter, plus Johnny Cash’s award-winning “Hurt.”

Eli Young is currently on the Country Throwdown Tour with a number of similarly edgy acts, including Jamey Johnson, Eric Church, Jack Ingram, Montgomery Gentry and Little Big Town, among others. The next week carries the entourage to Cleveland on Thursday, Cincinnati on Friday, Chicago on Saturday and Indianapolis on Sunday.

GAC's "Music City: Keep On Playin'" flood relief benefit concert raises over $1.7 million. Check out what artists like Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, and more had to say.

2010-05-20T13:10:00.000-07:00

Telethon Raises $1.7 Million for Flood Relief

Country stars came out in droves to the Ryman Auditorium and the Nashville Convention Center on Sunday, May 16 to give their time and talent to GAC's Music City: Keep On Playin’ flood relief telethon. While a star-studded show went on inside the Ryman, volunteers were lined up at the Nashville Convention Center to man the phone banks, raising over $1.7 million (and counting!) to benefit those affected by the recent Nashville flooding.

Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Martina McBride, Lady Antebellum, Sheryl Crow, Rodney Atkins, Kellie PIckler, and Christian artists Jaci Velasquez and Cece Winans all performed to a sold-out Ryman Auditorium crowd as James Denton and Kimberly Williams-Paisley hosted the show. Brad performed his hits "Welcome to the Future" and "American Saturday Night," while Keith Urban offered up a rendition of "Better Life." Martina McBride's show-stopping "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" garnered a standing ovation, as did Lady Antebellum's slowed down, intimate version of "Need You Now."

Not content to just sing and talk about the devastation, many of the performers took part by answering the phones as well. "I just answered phones a little bit, which I’m sure I just screwed every one of those up," joked Brad. "One lady said she'd been out of work for 13 months and couldn’t come [to Nashville] this year. But she wanted to give some of the money she would have spent on vacation here. She donated like $50," he told Country Weekly. "It’s pretty neat. This town especially, though, we have great people and you’re seeing that. It’s one thing to say ‘we’re great people’ but it’s another thing to show it.” Keith Urban's wife Nicole Kidman also answered phones, and one lucky pledge giver was able to speak to both Keith and Nicole. Other non-performing artists who handled calls included Joey + Rory, Lorrie Morgan, James Otto, Julie Roberts and Whitney Duncan.

Besides pledges from callers, several high profile contributions were made during the course of the show. Brad Paisley and wife Kimberly donated $100,000 to the cause. Comcast made a $50,000 gift while Delta Airlines presented a check for $100,000. The Academy of Country Music's Lifting Lives program also offered $250,00, while Scott Borchetta and Big Machine Records offered $100,000.

In the Nashville Convention Center's media room, nearly all the artists spoke about how the flooding affected them, their neighborhoods, and the Nashville music community. "The picture of the Opry House was wild. That was when it really hit home. I guess you’d never think of Nashville being something that could be hit by too much water. It’s just very surprising," said Lady Antebellum's Charles Kelley.

Rodney Atkins shared how his family lost their dog during the storms, only to find that a neighbor who had suffered severe damage to his own home was caring for the pet. "They had taken the time to make a sign that said 'Black Lab Found.' My wife went there and sure enough, there’s our dog sitting there and being taken care of. When it touches your friends, it touches you."

Joe Nichols Joins CW Fashion Show

2010-05-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

Country star Joe Nichols, who was recently named the face of Roper Apparel, 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.

Nichols recently scored his fourth No. 1 single, “Gimmie That Girl,” and is enjoying critical acclaim for his album, Old Things New. “I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone at Country Weekly’s Fashion Show,” Nichols says. “I have been known to make a few Zoolander faces in the past and might pull one out during my interview with Blair Garner. It will be fun to sing a few songs and show off the cool new clothes Roper has coming out.”

“We are thrilled to have Joe and Blair be a part of the Country Weekly Fashion Show this year,” says Lisa Konicki, Country Weekly’s Editor in Chief. “The two of them together will only make an already entertaining event even better. I am personally looking forward to Joe pulling out his ‘Zoolander’ faces. We are equally excited about teaming with such an exceptional charity as Musicians On Call.”

The annual Country Weekly Fashion Show and Concert will be held June 8 at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon. The event benefits Musicians On Call, a charitable organization with the mission of bringing music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities.

Doors will open at 11:00 a.m. for the event, followed by the one on one session at 11:30 a.m. The Fashion Show—featuring dozens of Nashville’s next generation of country stars—will start 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 (start 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, Roper, Silpada Designs and Lifetime Television. All tickets include lunch.

ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn- The Last Rodeo All Star Benefit For Flood Relief In Middle Tennessee May 23rd on CBS

2010-05-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

Tune in on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network to watch superstars of country music pay tribute to all-time leading ACM Award winners Brooks & Dunn at ACM PRESENTS: BROOKS & DUNN – THE LAST RODEO, featuring performances by Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Jennifer Hudson, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban with presenters Dr. Maya Angelou, Miranda Cosgrove & Matthew McConaughey.

Ticket proceeds from the live event went to ACM Lifting Lives, which in turn quickly earmarked funding for those affected by the recent floods in Middle Tennessee.

During the tribute concert special, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn receive the Academy’s Milestone Award in recognition of their astounding 20-year career and are honored for holding the record for the most wins of any artist in the Academy’s history. Brooks & Dunn have 27 ACM Awards in total, including three prior Entertainer of the Year awards and a Top Vocal Duo award that they received during the ACM Awards broadcast in April. They hold the record for most Top Vocal Duo wins, with 16 awards, eight of which are consecutive from 2000-2007.

Brooks & Dunn have had 23 #1 hits, sold more than 30 million records, and won more than 80 major industry awards during their career. In August 2009, they announced they will retire as a duo in late 2010 and embark on a final farewell tour this summer, called “The Last Rodeo.”

Nashville gets the message out: Yes, we are open

2010-05-20T13:02:00.001-07:00

Jack's Bar-B-Que on Lower Broad is still getting 15 to 20 e-mails and calls every day: "Are you open? Are you flooded?" The answer is yes, they are open and no, the restaurant never flooded.

"It's very strange," said Ronnie Brown, Jack's manager. "It's going to take quite a few months to get things halfway back to normal."

Gray Line Tours' booth was flooded, but driver Sandy Dunkley said it reopened, and business "is coming back. It's going to take time. But this city is amazing."

Walk around downtown and you get the same story, second, third and fourth verse.

LARRY THE CABLE GUY ADDED TO TOBY KEITH CHARITY EVENT "Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic" May 21-22 in Norman, Oklahoma

2010-05-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

Celebrated comedian Larry The Cable Guy is the latest addition to Toby Keith's seventh annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic, set for May 21-22 in Norman, Oklahoma. He'll join the event's namesake as co-emcee for the dinner and auction the night before the golf outing. And he's not the only late-breaking addition to the lineup.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive back and former OU Sooner Roy Williams is the newest celebrity golf participant. He's also one of four NFL stars who contributed to the one-of-a-kind Triumph Rocket 3 motorcycle donated by Pros For Africa and adorned with autographs. Williams, along with Chicago Bear Tommie Harris, Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson and Baltimore Raven Mark Clayton, traveled to Uganda in March to advocate and provide for children in the region.

Additional new auction items include tickets to The View, which have been added to a New York City package that also boasts tickets to Disney's Mary Poppins on Broadway. All in, there are 10 live auction items and 84 silent auction items. The golf tournament is sold out with 36 teams, and more than 750 attendees are expected at Friday night's dinner, concert and auction.

As previously announced, David Allan Coe and metal/pop mashup band Rock Sugar will perform, and all proceeds assist severely ill children and their families through the Toby Keith Foundation.

The immediate goal is to fund the OK Kids Korral 16-room guest lodge, which will house pediatric cancer patients and their families on the grounds of Oklahoma University Medical Center. With completion expected in 2012, the 30,000 sq. ft. facility will be a haven of respite for families of young children struggling through cancer treatments. Visit the website at http://www.tobykeithfoundation.org/ for details.

TRISHA YEARWOOD RETURNS TO THE GRAND OLE OPRY JUNE 8TH

2010-05-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

Trisha Yearwood will perform on the Grand Ole Opry June 8th in Nashville, TN. Please Call 1-800-SEE-OPRY or CLICK HERE to get your tickets now! Trisha’s fans can use coupon code “webFAN” OR print this coupon to present to any Grand Ole Opry box office to receive $3.00 off of your ticket purchase.

Due to recent flooding please contact the Grand Ole Opry directly for exact venue information.

KEITH URBAN TO JOIN MARTY STUART'S LATE NIGHT JAM BENEFITING NASHVILLE FLOOD RELIEF AT THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM

2010-05-20T12:52:00.000-07:00

Keith will join Marty Stuart's Late Night Jam on June 9th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. The concert will begin at 10PM CST and will also feature Ronnie Milsap, Connie Smith, songwriters Dallas Frazier and Co...wboy Jack Clement, steel guitarist Ralph Mooney and a few surprise guests representing the Country Music Hall of Fame and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Proceeds will benefit the MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief Fund.

Show starts at 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $39.50 and $29.50 (plus service charge) and are on sale through Ticketmaster.

Win Tickets to All Star Concert - Live at Longhorn!

2010-05-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

Live at LongHorn will host an All Star Concert on June 8, 2010 in Brentwood, TN. The private event will feature Luke Bryan & Jake Owen with special guest Ashley Ray and a performance by some of Nashville’s top songwriters inclu...ding Jim Collins, Rodney Clawson, and Chris Cavanaugh.

Enter for a chance to win tickets to the private Live at LongHorn All Star Concert! You can also purchase tickets at www.liveatlonghorn.com.

As part of the event, LongHorn will be making a donation to the support the flood relief efforts in Middle Tennessee
http://www.liveatlonghorn.com/welcome.php?cmpid=

Naomi Judd And “The Words That Changed Our Lives”

2010-05-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

When the Judds reunite for a tour this year, they’ll take a huge number of fans down a nostalgic road. You can bet Wynonna and Naomi have already been taking that trip as they’ve been in the studio again — and as they contemplate the eight-year ride to stardom they took during the 1980s.

Naomi had many of those moments in mind Saturday when she and Joe Galante, the record executive who signed her to RCA Records, chatted with the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Michael McCall in a public Q&A. She was particularly mindful of the day in March 1983 when she and Wynonna secured their recording deal by auditioning for Joe and several other decision-makers at the RCA offices.

Wynonna, then 18, and Naomi sang a handful of songs acoustically that day. They had no p.r. materials — no headshots, no bio for the execs to read — so Joe and his crew had little idea what to expect from the family duo. The Judds, however, knew quite a bit about RCA. The label already represented some of the biggest artists in the business — Alabama, Ronnie Milsap, Charley Pride, Waylon Jennings and Dolly Parton, to name a few — and they felt an enormous amount of pressure because of it.

“When we went in,” Naomi recalled, “we kinda looked at each other in the bathroom like, ‘Holy smoke. This is unbelievable. We have to pull this off.’”

And that was a bit difficult, because the Judds were having a tiff.

“Wynonna and I hadn’t been speaking to each other for 48 hours,” Naomi remembered, “because her pet rabbit ate all my plants inside the house.”

They expected an intimidating experience. Naomi was wearing “a $30 flea-market dress,” she recalled, and Wynonna played a “cheap, cheap guitar.” Having worked on and off in the entertainment business in Los Angeles, Naomi fully anticipated the record label president would be dressed in “an Italian, custom-made suit.”

Instead, she laughed, Joe was “wearin’ a stinkin’ Hawaiian shirt and [his] tennis shoes!”

Wynonna added to the tension of the moment by putting her mom on the spot, unexpectedly suggesting they do a title Naomi had written, “Change Of Heart.” They were, Naomi said, “completely discombobulated” and simply did their best to fumble through the audition.

“We were absolutely terrified,” Naomi noted. “The only way I could get through it was to visualize… we were on our front porch on our house in Kentucky.”

Once they were finished, RCA picked up the tab for the Judds to eat at nearby O’Charley’s while the execs talked it out. Wynonna and Naomi were happy enough just to get a free meal. But the day turned even better when Joe brought them back to the office.

““You looked at us,” Naomi told Joe on Saturday, “and you said the words that changed our lives forever: ‘How would you like to be an RCA artist?’”

As the meeting progressed, Naomi walked over to the second-floor window and looked out at 17th Avenue below. She took note of a pedestrian passing by, and it’s a view she’s never forgotten.

“It was,” she said, “the first time in my life I was on the inside, not on the outside lookin’ in.”

Naomi and Wynonna we’ll be looking from the stage at the CMA Music Festival when they kick off the four-day event June 10 with a performance at the Riverfront Park Stage, which was submerged in flood waters just two weeks ago. Others set to play Riverfront on opening day include Clay Walker, Jake Owen, Neal McCoy, Diamond Rio, Love And Theft, Joey+Rory, Keith Anderson, Colt Ford and Josh Thompson

Miranda Lambert Still Abuzz Over Engagement

2010-05-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

It’s barely been a week since Miranda Lambert received a ring — and a wedding proposal — from longtime boyfriend Blake Shelton.

Since they began dating in 2005, she’s fielded frequent questions from the media about when they might tie the knot, which only put more focus on the possibility. But while she hoped internally that it would happen, she gave Blake the space to pop the question when he was ready. He asked her May 9 in the woods near her home in Tishomingo, Okla., and she didn’t see the proposal coming.

“I was very surprised — very surprised,” she says. “You know, bein’ a girl, you’re always like, ‘When are we gonna get married? When are we gonna get married? When am I gonna get a ring? I don’t care if we get married…just give me the ring,’ you know? And I was shocked. I just — I didn’t know when or where or how, and I’m glad, ’cause I love surprises. Usually I can figure those things out, but I had no clue.”

The best part of it all, as far as Miranda’s concerned: The ring is from Blake.

“I know he’s the one, without a shadow of a doubt,” she says. “And so does my mom, and she’s always like, ‘I’ll know if it’s the one.’ My parents love him, and family is a huge thing to me. So if our families didn’t get along, it would be tragic. But our families get along great, and I love his parents, and so it’s perfect. It’s literally the fairytale that every girl dreams of. And you know, I think I’ve earned it!”

One thing their wedding guests won’t need to buy Blake and Miranda are his-and-her trophies. They each won at least one during the Academy of Country Music Awards in April. Blake and Trace Adkins shared the Vocal Event of the Year honor for “Hillbilly Bone.” Miranda collected three different awards: Top Female Vocalist; Album of the Year, for Revolution; and Video of the Year, for “White Liar.”

Country Music's Finest Lend A Helping Hand And Ear At Music City Keep On Playin' Benefit Concert

2010-05-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

Some of country music's best were present last night at the Music City Keep On Playin' Benefit Concert. Proceeds from the concert and telethon were going to help rebuild the city of Nashville after the devastating floods from a few weeks ago. Some of the entertainers present were Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum, Rodney Atkins, Kellie Pickler, Martina McBride, Keith Urban, Whitney Duncan and many more.

Behind the scenes, many of country music's finest manned the phones during the live telethon. As of midnight last night, according to GACTV.com, the event raised over 1.7 million dollars already. That's awesome! A BIG thanks to everyone who participated last night and who donated their hard-earned money and time. Here are some photos from the event:
http://www.thecountrypaparazzi.com/2010/05/country-musics-finest-lend-helping-hand.html

Chris Young's "The Man I Want to Be" Becomes His Second No. 1 Single

2010-05-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Chris Young's "The Man I Want to Be" has emerged as the new No. 1 song on Billboard's country chart. It dislodges Joe Nichols' "Gimmie That Girl," which held the peak for the past two weeks.

Young's song completed its climb in 26 weeks. His first No. 1 single, "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)," topped the chart in October.

Meanwhile, someone has obviously forgotten to tell Lady Antebellum the record business is in the dumpster. They keep selling albums like it's 1990. Last week, according to Nielsen SoundScan, Lady A sold more than 97,000 copies of its current CD, Need You Now, a jump of nearly 25,000 over the week before. This is the 15th straight week it has topped Billboard's country albums chart.

The Zac Brown Band roars in with the highest debuting album, bowing in at No. 2 with Pass the Jar: Live From the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta.

Chely Wright's Lifted Off the Ground is the week's only other new album. Buoyed by Wright's "coming out" media blitz, it enters at No. 32 with sales of just under 3,400 units.

There is but one new single to report. Randy Houser's "I'm All About It" bubbles up at No. 58.

Two albums return to the chart this week: Randy Travis' Three Wooden Crosses: The Inspirational Hits of Randy Travis (at No. 73) and Willie Nelson's American Classic (No. 75).

The Zac Brown Band's The Foundation, Miranda Lambert's Revolution and Carrie Underwood's Play On round out the Top 5 albums in that order.

The No. 3 through No. 5 songs are Kenny Chesney's "Ain't Back Yet," Lady Antebellum's "American Honey" and Lambert's "The House That Made Me."

Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum Lead GAC’s Flood Relief Effort

2010-05-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

The stars came out in a big way, as did a number of companies and the American people when GAC presented Music City Keep On Playin’ — A Benefit For Flood Relief.

Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum and Dierks Bentley were among the artists who delivered nearly 20 songs during Sunday’s three-hour live special from Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. The event raised more than $1.7 million as of midnight CT and counting.

Music City Keep On Playin’ was the first national fundraiser organized to aid victims of a devastating flood that engulfed much of Nashville two weeks ago. In a scant 48 hours, the city took in over 13 inches of rain, more than the Middle Tennessee ground could absorb. The Cumberland River swelled over its banks, damaging some of the city’s landmarks, including the Grand Ole Opry House, LP Field, Bridgestone Arena and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Rushing tides carried cars along dangerous streams, one portable school building was washed down the interstate, and more than 1,000 water rescues were performed. Many residents, including Opry member Jeannie Seely, lost their homes. A few lost their lives. But the city came together, with many of its citizens visiting other neighborhoods to help complete strangers sort through what was left of their belongings.

It was “so beautiful to see how the city has just rallied together,” Lady A’s Hillary Scott said from the Ryman stage. “I know we will get back to the city that we once were. I know we will.”

Brad and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley — who co-hosted the special with “Desperate Housewives” actor and Nashville resident James Denton — kicked the night off with a $100,000 donation. Brad likewise chipped in a trio of songs — “Welcome To The Future,” “American Saturday Night” and a cover of Roger Miller’s “River In The Rain” — over the course of the evening, which also saw appearances by country stars Martina McBride, Kellie Pickler, Rodney Atkins and Randy Montana

The show also folded in performances from artists that exemplified some of Music City’s stylistic range: pop singer Sheryl Crow, big-voiced gospel singer CeCe Winans, contemporary Christian artist Jaci Velasquez, Americana act Will Hoge and acoustic-blues performer Keb’ Mo’, one of Nashville’s newest residents.

Many of the songs took on new meaning during the evening. The opening line of Lady A’s “Need You Now,” with its reference to “picture-perfect memories scattered all around the floor,” easily reminded the listener of the many residents who lost all their family photos — every record of their personal history. Martina McBride’s “Anyway” — with its recognition that “one storm could come and blow it all away” — was inordinately apropos.

When they weren’t on stage, many of the stars took donations at the phone bank, where they were joined by the likes of Lorrie Morgan, Nicole Kidman, Billy Dean, Joey+Rory, Lee Roy Parnell, Dailey & Vincent, Julie Roberts, Marty Raybon, Whitney Duncan, Holly Williams, Bomshel, Katie Armiger, Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and countless others.

The Ryman proved a symbolic home for the special. When the Grand Ole Opry House took in more than four feet of water, the stage was destroyed. But one part of the venue — a circle of wood that was transported from the Ryman when the Opry House was built in the early 1970s — survived the deluge and, once dried out, will return to its spot on a refurbished Opry House stage. The circle carries a huge amount of history. On that little piece of turf, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline made historic appearances in its original Ryman location. At the Opry House, it’s provided footing for such Opry stars as Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson.

With the Opry House under renovation, the radio show itself is rotating through other interim venues, including War Memorial Auditorium, Two Rivers Baptist Church and the Ryman.

“The Opry didn’t miss a beat,” GAC host Nan Kelley observed, “but we have so much more to go.”

Music City Keep On Playin’ — A Benefit For Flood Relief is still taking donations online at www.gactv.com/help or you can text GAC to 501501 on your mobile phone to donate $10.

If you missed the concert, look for it On Demand through your cable or satellite service through Saturday 5/22 (where available, check your listings).

Kenny Burns Down Vegas

2010-05-20T12:32:00.000-07:00

Opening Weekend @ Hard Rock's The Joint Go Marathon Man in a Keg

Las Vegas: Nobody likes being onstage more than Kenny Chesney - except maybe for the million-plus fans who've turned out the past 8 summers to see the high energy entertainer in NFL stadiums, arenas and funky little bars along the way. And when Chesney & Co. - currently taking a year off from the big production tours of the past several summers - hit Las Vegas, they were determined to squeeze every bit of fun and frenzy out of the songs.

“You know, when people thought I could go a whole year without playing live, I wondered who they were talking about,” Chesney laughed. “Certainly not me. I love making music, especially making music for people, too much! There was no way… I needed to get my foot off the gas, but that didn't mean I wanted to cut off the thing that makes me happiest.”

Mixing a few large festival plays - to reach the most fans possible - with a two weekend stand at The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino's storied The Joint, Chesney was able to scratch an itch that is the essence of his unbridled Keg in the Closet shows that are famed for their on'n'on bottomless energy.

Broadcasting live on No Shoes Radio (www.noshoesradio.com) the first night, Chesney's freewheeling set was the essence of Keg in the Closet: obscure older songs, rock, alternative and country covers and all the hits that the fans want to hear. Clocking in at 2 _ hours, it was the best of the traditional shows fans have come to expect and the ragtag Keggers that are as much about the music that influenced the man as is own hits.

“We blew it up Friday night,” admits the 4-time Country Music Association and 4-consecutive Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year. “We knew we were broadcasting on No Shoes Radio and that the Hard Rock was matching donations at the door, so we were going for it… and the fans were loving it, so why stop playing?”

How does on top thast? A marathon 4 hours and 15 minutes the following night. “We knew we were gonna be putting it up for another month, so we figured we'd go as long as they stayed… and we hit everything! I did 'Hungry Heart' acoustic… We played 'I'm Alive' for the first time, and 'You Saved Me,” half the Be As You Are record… a buncha covers form the Violent Femmes to Steve Miller… and we went and we went and they stayed and they stayed, and then we played some more.”

With “Kenny Chesney: Summer in 3D” enjoying a #7 box office showing its first week of release, the singer/songwriter has turned his focus to music - working hard on the final stages of his upcoming fall release and already starting to think about what next year's show will be. And in between, Chesney will be back at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas July 2 & 3 for what will be an Independence Day walk up that will give the 4th of July new meaning.

Enter to win a private BBQ and concert with Keith Urban

2010-05-20T12:26:00.000-07:00

As headline sponsor of Keith Urban's Summer Lovin' Tour, KC Masterpiece® is giving YOU the chance to win a private barbecue and concert with Keith, and much more!

The grand prize includes a VIP trip to Nashville for you and three friends to attend a private backyard BBQ with Keith!

Plus! Play for the chance to instantly win a Monkeyville Membership—Keith's online fan club, or one of 1,000 FREE Keith Urban music downloads!
http://www.meyoubbq.com/