April, 2009

Show, which will take place during CMA Music Fest, will benefit Susan G. Komen For The Cure...

Moore will share the stage with Mel Tillis and Gene Watson...

GAC's Suzanne Alexander will also host...

Jeannie Seely will host as the Opry spotlights Mel Tillis...

Kenny Chesney will make his Austin City Limits debut when he tapes a special on May 12 in Austin, Texas. Austin City Limits, in its 35th season, airs on PBS...

After winning a spot in last years PEOPLE Magazine's Most Beautiful People issue, without wearing makeup, it comes as no surprise that Taylor Swift won a spot in the magazine for a second year. Dancing With The Stars champ Julianne Hough also won a spot on the list after her career-boosting year in Music City...

Keith Urban announced this week that he's looking for fans to submit video footage of themselves singing Urban's smash hit, "You'll Think of Me." The footage will be aired during Urban's tour when he performs the song. The Aussie is also calling on fans to help him name his new webisode series...

Winners inlude songwriters from across the country...

Songwriter scored hits in the 1980's, also won CMA Song of the Year Award...

Group will debut first new music in three years on TV special...

More than 160,000 fans voted for Young...

Kenny Chesney, in the second week of his Sun City Carnival Tour, is planning a three-date run in Texas. The entertainer just finished a sold-out trip to Vegas's Hard Rock and to Indio, California's Stagecoach Festival...

Bryan Adams and Jason Aldean have been announced as the next pair who will team up for CMT Crossroads. Adams has been a successful singer-songwriter for over 30 years. Some of his hits include, "Summer of '69," "Somebody," and "Run to You." Adams will accompany Jason Aldean ("Hicktown," "Johnny Cash," "Amarillo Sky") for the next show, which will air in June...

Taylor Swift went to a class at the University of Kansas Monday, but it wasn't for learning. She sat in on a Media and Society class to visit her friend Abigail Adams, but even that turned into something bigger...

Sugarland and Def Leppard also announced to perform...

'Growing Up Is Getting Old' hits the racks today...

Show will benefit the Oasis Center to help local children...

The four-day festival even broke records...

Luke Bryan and Craig Morgan to take the infamous stage...

Multi-platinum Country rocker Jason Aldean stormed the Country singles chart this week, snagging the No. 1 spot with "She's Country." This marks Aldean's second career No. 1 and his sixth Top 10. "Man, it's hard work to get up to that No. one spot, and I don't take it for granted," said Aldean...

Brad Paisley’s current hit, "Then," is one that anticipates the ongoing growth of a relationship. The message is one that listeners can relate to on a personal level, but it also has some relevance to Paisley’s career, since he tries to anticipate the way that his songs will translate in his relationship with his fans...

Garth Brooks will emerge from retirement for the first time since leaving the stage in October of 2000. This time, however, Brooks will serve as executive producer for a new, made-for-television movie rather than entertainer...

Other artists will appear on album as well...

Gill has sung background vocals for many of Country's top artists...

Slew of television appearances accompany release...

Toby Keith, known for making his voice heard when he has an opinion, is once again speaking out about President Obama. However, Keith said he is standing behind President Obama's actions thus far, even though he also supported former President Bush...

Wynonna Judd will debut her latest single, "I Hear You Knocking," off of her new album, Sing: Chapter 1, today, April 27, on Artist Confidential on XM/Sirius's Prime Country. This will be Judd's second single off her new album...

As the Twitter social network takes off, many celebrities are competing to have the most followers on the site. Currently, Country music starlette Taylor Swift is ranked as the Country artist who has garnered the most followers, according to Music Row magazine...

Artists will raise money for Opry Trust Fund with performance at Ryman Auditorium...

Organization donates shoes to those in need...

Bob DiPiero, Dean Dillon, Scotty Emerick, Jimmy Wayne are set to perform...

According to Forbes Magazine, Chesney topped Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift...

Raul Malo, Marty Stuart part of this weekend's lineup...

Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker and Wynonna Judd (with a special appearance by the Judd) have just been added to the lineup for this year's CMA Music Festival, scheduled for June 11-14 in Nashville. The three artists will take the stage at LP Field during the nighlty concerts...

Free stuff seems to fall out of the sky for ACM Artist of the Decade George Strait, who recently received free memorabilia from the Justin Boot Company, Wrangler Jeans and Resistol. Strait was presented with the gifts during the taping of the ACM Artist of the Decade Special, which will air in May...

Country rocker Dierks Bentley is getting ready to embark on his first-ever Australian tour with fellow Country Music stars Brooks & Dunn. The tour begins on May 1 in Perth, and moves through Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane...

A cappella album features many other artists as well...

New publication set to debut May 1...

Urban said Paisley's playing is "like watching a left-handed guitarist"...

Two guitars, other property stolen...

Larry Gatlin to host...

From its acoustic textures to the deep emotion of its solo and harmonized vocals, The Life of a Song, recorded by the husband and wife team of Rory Feek and Joey Martin, produced by Carl Jackson and released on Vanguard/Sugar Hill Records, is rooted in the music of an earlier Country artistry...

Trace Adkins will be performing in our nation's capitol at this year's National Memorial Day Concert on May 24. Off of his latest album, X, Adkins will be playing his new single, "Till The Last Shot's Fired," in honor of the personal sacrifice that comes as the price of freedom...

Martina McBride is stylin', according to the celebrity news mag US Weekly. The Country Music star is featured in the US Weekly Hot Hollywood Style issue, which features the influential style icons and trend setters in fashion...

McBride works with wineyard to develop her own "Signature Series"...

March supports healthy mothers and babies...

Chris Young will also perform at show for karaoke host's family...

Music industry professionals will help host the Camp for aspiring music business workers...

The excitement is building for the 2009 CMA Music Festival, scheduled for June 11-14 in Downtown Nashville, as the first artists performing on the free Daytime Stage at Riverfront Park are announced. Artists include Eric Church, Jessica Harp, James Otto, Ashton Shepherd, Chuck Wicks and many more...

Rascal Flatts just ended their Bob That Head Tour and are ready to embark on another one. On June 5, Rascal Flatts will kick off their American Living Unstoppable Tour in St. Louis. Darius Rucker will be the opening act for the tour and sponsors include JCPenney and Hersheys...

The CMT Music Awards always provide some great entertainment, and this year will be no different. Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts will be performing at the awards show at the Sommet Center in Nashville on June 17...

Concert benefits Sudan and other struggling nations of Africa...

Awards will be held Sept. 13 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at General Motors Place...

15th Annual Golf Classic gives back to Lawrence's childhood community...

Speech comes before next USO tour...

Opry's Songs of Faith Signature Show includes Christian group Point of Grace...

The Zac Brown Band, the ACM's Top New Group, lived up to their title as their first album just went gold. The Foundation recently sold the required 500,000 copies, and the band received their official RIAA gold certification...

Jamey Johnson struck gold when he released his second album, That Lonesome Song, in August 2008. The album enjoyed 20 weeks in the Top 10 of Billboard's Country albums chart and also released a single that won the 2009 ACM Song of the Year. Now, more than 500,000 album sales later, the RIAA has certified the album gold...

Kenny Chesney opened his Sun City Carnival tour swinging on April 17 in Uncasville, Conn. He entered the stage on a swing wired to run left and right as well as side-to-side, giving the performer access to all areas of the floor. Once again, his tour will be an event fans won't forget...

Nettles said she and bandmate Kristian Bush are in it together...

Billy Ray said his daughter "held her head high and adjusted and made strong choices."...

Awards gained largest audience since 1998 with 3 million more viewers than last year...

Documentary is about Parton's child literacy campaign...

Jason Aldean has taken a turn in covering Neil Diamond, but you won't hear any of it on his next album. You will only hear it in local bars, GACtv.com reported. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Aldean said that he loved to get up at Karaoke bars and sing songs that he is not used to singing, including The Eagles, Stevie Wonder and, of course, Neil Diamond...

Last year, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman bought the Bunya Hills mansion in Sutton Forrest, Australia, which was built in the 1870s. Last week, the couple stayed at their farm home for the first time since buying it and added a few more members to their home -- four alpacas...

Jamey Johnson performed his latest hit, "In Color," during the Academy of Country Music Awards earlier this month, and he plans on continuing to perform in the future, be it in a bar or a bigger venue. Johnson told Billboard, "I think right now we'll just keep doing the same thing we've been doing, which is going out and playing our shows for people...

John Strait, 58, found dead in hotel room in San Antonio, Texas...

Second son and mother doing well in a Nashville area hospital....

Public libraries in Alabama not only offer books, but music festival tickets for BamaJam 2009...

Ingram takes time out to play for military in Cuba...

Country superstar group Rascal Flatts will make an appearance...

Toby Keith is planning another USO tour to Afghanistan, but before he goes, he'll be travelling to Washington, D.C., to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the Military Officers Association of America...

Kris Kristofferson has told a Minnesota newspaper that although he doesn't remember a conversation in which he berated Toby Keith, Kristofferson's wife says she does recall the event. The news of the conflict at a Willie Nelson birthday concert in 2003 came to light during a recent Rolling Stone article by Ethan Hawke...

Sara Evans has been in the studio finishing up her next album with brother Matt Evans and Taylor Swift producer, Nathan Chapman. Evans, who wrote a majority of the songs on the album, said she found inspiration in life and love...

Lee Ann Womack, Luke Bryan, Jack Ingram, and the Zac Brown Band have been added...

Atkins planned benefit concert for storm victim...

Huff produced Martina McBride's Shine, Keith Urban's Defying Gravity and now Rascal Flatts' Unstoppable...

This marks Aldean's best opening week to date...

Rascal Flatts always seems to dominate the charts whenever they come out with any new material, and their newest work is continuing that trend. The band's newest single, "Here Comes Goodbye," hit No. 1 on both the Billboard and Mediabase Charts yesterday...

Tim McGraw is set to play the husband of Sandra Bullock’s character in The Blind Side. The film is based on the best selling novel by Michael Lewis, The Blind Side: Evolution of the Game, and tells the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American teen from a broken household who is taken in by a well-to-do white family that sees extraordinary promise in him...

With Tax Day just passing and American's struggling in this tough economic crisis, Hank Williams Jr. has devised a plan to help out some of his faithful fan followers. Williams appeared yesterday on the hit morning television show Fox & Friends and performed his new single, "Red White and Pink Slip Blues," before promoting his plan, the Bocephus Bailout Package...

Songwriter Jeffrey Steele and former rock singer John Waite are also members...

Rich is to protest bailouts, deficit spending and the tax code at Atlanta Tea Party...

But Wicks says it's in the couple's future...

"Boy Like Me" is featured as iTunes "Music Video of the Week"...

Whisperin' Bill Anderson is the spotlight artist...

Toby Keith is planning a USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour for later this month that will consist of 17 shows for U.S. troops. Keith told press at the ACM Awards that he would be performing in Afghanistan and because of the tour, he will be giving up his role in the movie Provinces of Night...

Brad Paisley had to accept his ACM Award for Top Male Vocalist live via satellite from his home in Franklin, Tenn., because his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, was due to give birth to the couple's second child. The baby, on the other hand, didn't get the message, so the Paisleys are still waiting...

Country artist, Steve Wariner, will release his tribute to the late Chet Atkins on June 23. The album will be titled Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins, and will include 11 songs which were written or recorded by Atkins...

Album sold more than 12,300 units in first week...

The Lost Trailers will also participate in May 2 event...

Bluegrass duo Dailey & Vincent debuted their second album at No. 1 on Top Bluegrass Albums...

Defying Gravity debuts at No. 4 down under...

Superstar Taylor Swift and newcomers Gloriana will take the stage...

The first round of nominees for the 2009 Country Music Television Music Awards have been listed in all ten categories, and voting is currently taking place at CMT.com. Sugarland leads the pack with six nominations while Brad Paisley and Taylor Swift scored four each...

Rimes visited New York's NBC studios on April 13 to promote her new book, What I Cannot Change. Rimes told Today host Matt Lauer that the song of the same title was written during a "dark time" in her life, several years ago. However, as the conversation continued, it was clear that she was still experiencing some hard times...

With the 2009 CMA Music Festival coming this June 11-14, daily general admission and reserved seats go on sale this Saturday, April 18. General admission tickets are $30 while reserved seats are $40. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000 or 1-800-CMA-FEST. Taylor Swift is among the performers already scheduled to appear...

Country music has been a male dominated genre, but Reba McEntire feels that the industry is changing.  McEntire believes that the woman of Country Music put on better shows....

New Opry shop on Broadway in Nashville to open April 16...

Group traveled to El Salvador to see children who benefit from Compassion International...

Wicks is No. 2 most viewed Country artist on MySpace, only behind Carrie Underwood...

Cotton Incorporated is breathing new life into its memorable "the touch, the feel of cotton" music with a new campaign. The music will be re-interpreted by three modern singers, including Country's own Miranda Lambert. The campaign has television, print and online components, with television ads already being aired...

Keith Urban’s latest album, Defying Gravity, is not only topping the Billboard Country charts as the No. 1 album, but has also reached the top spot on the mainstream chart for Billboard 200, HitFix.com reported. Urban was competing with Prince’s new release, Lotusflow3r, but eventually beat the singer to the No. 1 position...

Plenty of stars on hand including Martina McBride, Vince Gill, Jo Dee Messina, Jimmie Dickens and more...

For her upcoming music video, "You Belong With Me," Taylor Swift has asked members of the Hendersonville High School dance team, Swift's alma mater, to be part of the experience. The Golden Girls dance team coach, Jamie Jordan, received a call from Andrea Swift, Taylor's mom, asking if the dancers would play the role of "mean girls" in the video...

Singer-songwriter takes a break to interpret some country classics...

Pop princess no longer an artist on her Country Music label while various country music blogs and websites say she ain't "gone country" anymore...

Joe Nichols will be the star of the show as he plays in the upcoming Broadway musical "Pure Country"...

Jason Aldean's new single "She's Country" hit the top of the iTunes ringtone chart for all genres...

In August, Country and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Brenda Lee will have her own exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame... 

 Julianne Hough accepted the fan-voted Top New Artist award at the ACM Awards on Sunday, but had a hard time fighting the tears when it came to discussing the event...

The two were forced to work on same team on last episode...

Katie Armiger and Dierks Bentley find success with new marketing techniques...

Morgan's newest single will be used to send messages to troops...

Home reflects singers love for interior design...

Josh Turner is spotlight artist for this week...

Jason Aldean hopes his newest and third project, Wide Open with Broken Bow Records, will be the lucky number 3. With a gold and platinum record under his belt, Aldean is hoping for another major hit.  The album can be found in stores this Tuesday...

As Carrie Underwood got up to give her acceptance speech for the the Academy of Country Music's  Entertainer of the Year, she went blank and made a joke about seeing Matthew McConaughey's "boots." She apologized for the comment soon after...

Toby Keith lashed out about an article that Ethan Hawke wrote in the newest issue of Rolling Stone magazine at the ACM Awards on Sunday. In response to the article, Keith began speaking backstage at the ACM Awards stating that the run-in with Kristofferson was not true, KansasCity.com wrote. He added that Hawke neglected to share Keith's name because he did not want to deal with Keith in person, and took his anger out on a reporter in the pressroom...

Vince Gill and Josh Turner will also play in the game to benefit City of Hope research...

Tapings are open to the public...

Festival to be held April 25-26 with headliners Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and more...

Cross-promotions are part of deal...

Mark Wills appears on the list of those to appear...

Billy Ray Cyrus released his latest album, Back to Tennessee, today, which features 12 tracks, including a duet with his daughter. “Butterfly Fly Away” is a duet with Miley for her upcoming Hannah Montana movie that hits theaters Friday...

Fans may have noticed that Tim McGraw was missing from Sunday night's ACM Awards. This is even more shocking considering the fact that he was scheduled to perform and present an award...

Toby Keith and Kris Kristofferson are responding to a recent article in Rolling Stone this week from Ethan Hawke. The article says that an unnamed artist (which he hinted was Keith) and Kristofferson had an argument at Willie Nelson's birthday bash... 

CMT Camp Nashville calls it their "stimulus plan"...

Don't let her ditzy appearance fool you; the singer knows her business...

Aldean touring to promote newest album, Wide Open...

Darryl Worley's shot the video for his latest single, "Sounds Like Life To Me" last week with the help of a few friends. Tennessee Titans quarterback Kerry Collins and Jamey Johnson appeared in the video as bartender and a bar patron...

Laura Bryna wants to show her appreciation for the men and women of the U.S. military. Her new mission is to honor the unsung hometown heroes through a national search. Bryna is teaming up with Southern Beauty magazine to find America’s “Hometown Heroes.”...

Carrie Underwood became the Academy of Country Music's reigning Entertainer of the Year last night in Las Vegas. Underwood also picked up an award as Top Female Artist...

Fashion show to once again kick off the CMA Music Fest in Nashville this year...

Pickler will perform after the results show this coming Wednesday...

Fans looking forward to hearing Reba McEntire's newest single, "Strange," will be able to check out the song  before it hits the radio airwaves. After her performance on the ACM awards on April 5, CMT.com will begin play of the song on their site. Offcially the song will debut on the radio the following day, April 6...

Aaron Tippin, Whisperin' Bill Anderson to perform...

With appearances on the ACM Awards, the Today show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and the Late Show with David Letterman, Rascal Flatts is gearing up for the release of their next album, Unstoppable, which is scheduled for April 7...

Dierks Bently, Martina McBride and George Strait have been added as scheduled performers to the George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade All Star Concert.  The special tribute to King George will air as a separate show for the first time in the history of the award on Wednesday, May 27, at 8 p.m. EST on CBS...

Lambert looking forward to "cheap" blackjack before the ACM Awards...

Tippin wants to send coast-to-coast message via CB radio this month...

Singer originally introduced in 2006 under Broken Bow Records...

Vince Gill is the spotlight artist for the night...

Martina McBride's newest album, Shine, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard charts, marking the fourth time she has debuted an album at No. 1. In accordance with Shine's release, McBride will also be doing numerous television appearances in the coming days and weeks...

Eric Church is enjoying success after the release of his second album, Carolina, as it currently rests at the No. 4 spot on Billboard’s Country Album Chart and No. 17 on the Billboard 200. The album also spent its first week of release in the No. 1 spot on iTunes' Country album chart...

Steve Martin, meet Opry; Opry, meet Steve Martin. The actor/comedian/writer is set to make his Grand Ole Opry musical debut on Saturday, May 30. The funny man turned bluegrass performer will be playing songs from his first album, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo...

Austin, Texas to host show...

The Coalition to Salute America's Heroes renovated Cochran's bus...

Morgan will also make sweet & spicy chicken on FOX & Friends...

Ron White is preparing to release his third solo comedy album titled “Behavioral Problems” on April 21...

Rodney Atkins released his second album, It's America, on Tuesday as a follow-up to the hit record, If You're Going Through Hell. The CD is a collection of songs about America and the people who live in it and keeps the country running. "It's America" is the first single off the album...

The Academy of Country Music Awards are already rolling in. ACM announced yesterday that Brad Paisley won Video of the Year for his song “Waitin’ on a Woman” and Vocal Event of the Year for his duet with Keith Urban, “Start a Band.”...

Elizabeth Cook has just been added to the cast of the musical about the life of Conway Twitty, titled Conway Twitty, the Life, the Man, the Legend, the Musical. Cook, who is a Country singer herself and hosts her own radio show on XM satellite radio, will be playing the role of Joni Twitty, one of Conway Twitty’s daughters...