February, 2010

Aldean updates and info now available in an iPhone app...

The quartet will be honored with Southern Gospel Music Guild's President's Honor...

The big show will take place March 18...

The new store in downtown Nashville sells all things Dolly Parton...

Jimmy Wayne will take a break from his cross-country walk to perform...

Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan will step up to the plate at Nashville’s Greer Stadium on Monday, June 7, for City of Hope’s 20th annual Nashville Celebrity Softball Challenge. Ticket proceeds go to benefit City of Hope, one of the nation’s leading cancer research and treatment center...

Brooks & Dunn have announced that their final tour date, on August 10, 2010, will take place at the Nashville Bridgestone Arena, formely the Sommet Center, in a benefit concert for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum...

Merle Haggard returns on April 20 with his new album, I Am What I Am, his first album with Vanguard Records. Haggard co-produced the 12-track album with longtime cohort Lou Bradley...

Announcement of new label will come soon...

Thompson's future was written in his father's concrete business, but changed course when he moved to Nashville...

Shows in March include performances by Trace Adkins, Charlie Daniels Band, Montgomery Gentry and more… 

Underwood will play a love interest for the main character, Ted… 

Paisley called Swift, "...a teenager who's able to write perfectly about those years of life." He also said the 20-year-old is a "lyrical songwriter," able to capture the feelings of adolescence perfectly...

Each year, the CRS awards one artist with the title of Artist Humanitarian of the Year for their charitable work and willingness to give back to others. This year, Trace Adkins was honored...

One year after Jake Owen’s second album was released, there is no doubt that Owen has been struck with Country Music fame. Even though he plays around with the celebrity he has created, he wants people to know that it is not his main objective as an artist…

Melissa Peterman becomes first comedy performer to sign with Big Machine Records…

Find out which Rascal was murdered and who did it on March 4...

The Country singer's dream of opening a cancer treatment center is coming true...

Songwriters Rodney Crowell, Gretchen Peters and others will raise money for colon cancer awareness...

The first child for James and Amy Otto will make Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus an uncle...

After much recognition in the Country Music industry as a songwriter and nominations for Top New Female Vocalist two times, Sarah Buxton finally has her day in the sun. Her debut CD was released this week...

Zac Brown has been writing songs since he was very young. With chart-toppers like “Chicken Fried,” “Whatever It Is,” “Toes" and now "Highway 20 Ride, it’s obvious he has the process down to a T...

Jimmy Dean, Ferlin Husky, Billy Sherrill and Don Williams were announced as the future inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame. The four gentlemen will be officially inducted during a ceremony later this year...

The nonprofit brings live music to the bedsides of hospital patients… 

"Why Don't We Just Dance" is at No. 1 on the Billboard and Mediabase/Country Aircheck charts... 

The album will be available on Duncan's Web site and iTunes, but not in stores...

Thompson celebrates release by returning to hometown of Milwaukee…

Final issue features McBain risking everything to save the town and reveals his secret past...

American Music Award-winning Country band Gloriana released their new single, “The World Is Ours Tonight,” from the AT&T Team USA Soundtrack for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The single is now available for airplay and can be purchased at iTunes...

For anyone who loves anything and everything Kenny Chesney, there’s a free iPhone app of the Country singer available now. Among many features, the app lets the user go to the box office and buy tickets, have access to photo galleries and receive exclusive news and updates...

Alan Jackson’s Freight Train tour kicks off on April 8 at Germain Arena in Estero, Fla., and will continue for two months and 15 cities. Josh Turner and Chris Young are set to open for Jackson… 

ACM announcement will be broadcast live on Tuesday's CBS Early Show...

The video for "It's Just That Way" premieres today...

Buxton's single "Outside My Window," sold more than 12,000 digital downloads last week...

The trio is holding a party in Nashville as a way of saying thank you...

This marks Oprah's first video debut...

Jack Ingram explained to GAC that he doesn't mind if people love him or hate him. In his mind, the saying "any publicity is good publicity" is true and even those who hate his music know who he is...

Willie Nelson's new album, Country Music, will be sold at all Starbucks begining April 20. The Country legend paired with T-Bone Burnett to create the album and they brought in an A-list band...

The entire Faith Hill and Tim McGraw posse, including their three daughters, will be touring this summer so the family can spend as much time together as possible. Gracie Katherine, Maggie Elizabeth and Audrey Caroline will tour with their parents across the country while on summer vacation..

Brooks has been named among the honorees for the 2010 Grammys on the Hill Awards… 

Print a symbol and hold it up to your webcam for a special Buxton experience....

Buffett will open impressive music showcase and restaurant later this year in Music City...

Dierks Bentley, Craig Morgan, Kellie Pickler and others will take the stage this weekend...

Jason Aldean, will release a fourth single, “Crazy Town,” to Country radio on Monday, March 1. The single, which comes from Aldean's Wide Open album, is about the love-hate relationship new artists have with Nashville when they first start their careers....

Country Music superstar Keith Urban and his wife Nicole Kidman are planning on funding a school in Haiti, according to an interview with Urban on Cat Country 96 FM in Pennylvania. The supercouple will fund the school for the next five years, pledging to donate $50,000 per year...

Lady Antebellum, Reba McEntire and Rascal Flatts are also among the eight new artists who have been announced for the four-day festival in Nashville in June. Carrie Underwood was the only artist to have been announced previous to this... 

Hill 'knocked out' by craftsmanship and passion seen in Runway contestants… 

DeMarcus produced and wrote for the Christian band's second album...

Answer a questions about Nichols' video to win concert tickets or an autographed guitar… 

The band's sophmore album debuted just behind Lady A and Taylor Swift...

Brooks & Dunn have been an unforgettable Country Music duo for more than 20 years. But this summer, the group will say goodbye with their farewell The Last Rodeo tour, and Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are ready to take on new challenges...

It's hardly a secret: Olympic alpine skier Will Brandenburg has a crush on Country Music artist Taylor Swift and even asked her on a date during an interview with MTV News on Saturday. "She's just got that girl-next-door attitude. I like it, I like it a lot," Brandenburg said...

During a live Facebook chat this past Tuesday night, Blake Shelton answered numerous fan questions, one concerning Lady Gaga. Shelton said he doesn't know her music, but thinks her outfits could be practical -- for holding beer...

Krauss and Union Station are among a long list of artists participating in a two-city concert event… 

After battling drug addiction, McCready returns with a new CD due in March…

The Country group will perform a medley of their hits this Friday, Feb. 19...

Brooks & Dunn will receive Country Radio Broadcaster’s Career Achievement Award at ceremony...

Corbin's "A Little More Country Than That" is iTunes Single of the Week until Feb. 22...

Country Music star Kenny Chesney considers rock legend Steve Miller to be one of his music icons. Now Chesney will have the opportunity to play alongside his hero for an episode of CMT Crossroads…

Carrie Underwood will appear in a public service announcement encouraging people to adopt dogs from their local shelters. The PSA was sponsored by dog food maker Pedigree, which is also the sponsor of Underwood’s Play On tour… 

Friends Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus will compete for the Favorite Female Singer Award at the awards ceremony, scheduled to air May 27 on Nickelodeon. Swift is up for two awards, while Cyrus is nominated for four… 

Ratterman was in Haiti to promote renewable energy projects… 

Moore and wife Kate welcomed a baby girl, Ella Kole, last week...

Former Country Music Association CEO will also be inducted...

A three-song EP will also be released in March...

Fritsch is also offering a free song download on his Web site...

Country stars Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow have joined the star-studded lineup scheduled for Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival this summer. Gill also perfomed at the inaugural event in 2004, and the invitation to perform couldn't have come at a better time..

Shania Twain wrote on her Web site blog to her fans that she has traveled to the Caribbean for some warmth and songwriting inspiration. Twain spent the winter in Canada, but she said the sunny weather serves as songwriting inspiration for her...

Ke$ha and Country Music don’t coincide, but the 22-year-old superstar has unique Country connections with megastars like Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard…

Lady A is the first Country Group to hold a multi-week No. 1 since 2006...

The Band joins the newly-formed Republic Nashville label and will release their newest single soon...

The group's new song, "The World Is Ours Tonight," will be featured, as will songs from Rascal Flatts and Sugarland...

Tucker's episode will air Feb. 15 on Logo and Feb. 16 on Vh1...

Celebrate Valentine's Day with Joey + Rory, Rodney Crowell and others...

The Court Yard Hounds, consisting of Dixie Chicks members Emily Robison and Martie Maguire, will make their performance debut this March at the Americana Music Association’s annual SXSW showcase...

James King, a writer for The Phoenix New Times, pointed out in a column that Wayne’s "Meet Me Halfway" walk from Nashville to Arizona, meant to raise awareness for homeless teens, is not exactly emulating homelessness. But Wayne isn't letting the bad press get him down...

Who said life on the road for a Country singer’s family is dull? When Josh Turner and his wife, Jennifer, travel, they mix in a little fun for the whole family. The couple and their two sons — Hampton, 3 ½, and Colby, 7 months, — will head west soon in support of Turner’s new CD, Haywire.…

West's debut single was co-penned by West after her parents' divorce...

“Do I” is Bryan's first gold single…

David Nail, Randy Houser and others will join Lambert on tour… 

When Jimmy Wayne began his "Meet Me Halfway" journey, he set out with a goal to walk from Nashville to Phoenix to raise awareness for homeless teens. Now, as he heads into Oklahoma along Highway 70, he has the company of a driver, vehicle and RV to accompany his on his 1,700-mile walk...

Crossover artists like Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum are no longer an anomaly in the music business. And Rascal Flatts think they helped build the bridge for their success...

The year-long campaign encourages Americans to get active and get healthy...

Enter Bundy's YouTube video contest to win a trip to Nashville to be in Bundy's video...

"Why Don't We Just Dance" has reached the top of the Billboard chart...

Wilson and other Nashville notables come together to promote music education on Feb. 27...

For the third year in a row, Miranda Lambert will host "Cause For Paws," a benefit for The Humane Society of East Texas, this May. Because of this fundraiser, The Humane Society of East Texas has been a non-killing sancutary for animals over the last three years...

Country artist Carrie Underwood hasn't even started her Play On tour yet, but extra dates have already been announced because of popular demand, extending the tour into June...

Brooks & Dunn are among the celebrities to take on the M&M look. The result is a print ad in which the duo — the first duo featured in the campaign — confessed their M&M habits to the world and proudly revealed their Inner M's...

Carrie Underworm will make her Sesame Street debut Feb. 11...

Unsold auction items and photos from Dan Harr’s benefit concert can still be purchased online… 

Rascal Flatts releasing album of nothing but love songs this week…

Windows 7 Section 7 offers discounted Rascal Flatts T-Shirts for limited time...

Pickler's performance is now available on CMT.com...

Starting today, fans can purchase Luke Bryan's video for "Rain Is A Good Thing" on iTunes. The video, directed by the award-winning Shaun Silva, was shot back in October and highlights Bryan's inaugural Farm Tour show... 

Wynonna Judd announced on Saturday's edition of The Early Show that she will reunite with her mother, Naomi Judd, for a final The Judds tour this year. The duo have also been recording new music, due out later this year… 

Jason Aldean’s “The Truth” holds the No. 1 spot for another week this week. The hit single, from his platinum album, Wide Open, marks the third consecutive multi-week No. 1 for the Country rocker...

“Live at the Bluebird Café” series features artists who have helped define Americana music...

McEntire's four children have taught her lots of lessons in life, but she's proud of them all...

Through March, Brice will accompany Walker on tour...

Academy will precede the music festival in May...

Smith will release his next album off the label...

Fifteen-year-old Riley Ahlstrand, of Brentwood, Tenn., was the first to know that Carrie Underwood would be performing at this year's CMA Music Cestival in Nashville. Underwood is the first artist to confirm her appearance at the festival...

Nicole Kidman opened up to She magazine recently about life with Keith Urban and their daughter, Sunday Rose. Kidman said she enjoys being a mother of a toddler, even at the age of 42, and that her priority is now her family...

Kenny Rogers will be performing as a part of a television special highlighting his career: Kenny Rogers: The First 50 Years. The celebration will feature stars including Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, Alison Krauss, Wynonna and The Oak Ridge Boys...

Chesney to participate in Sunday NFL Countdown...

The band paired with the legendary Leon Russell for the performance...

Underwood to appear in film based on Bethany Hamilton’s autobiography… 

The Opry moves back to the Opry House with performances from Josh Turner and more...

Jason Aldean has joined the Country superstar lineup planned for the 2010 Stagecoach Festival in April. Aldean joins the likes of Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Brooks & Dunn and Sugarland as a part of the 30-act schedule for the festival, to take place in April in California...

Former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson is speaking out this week, responding to Scott Borchetta's comments defending Taylor Swift's Grammy performance. Clarkson said that instead of "lashing out at other artists," Borchetta "should simply take a breath and realize that sometimes things won't go according to plan or work out and that's okay"...

Sugarland announced plans Thursday to kick off their 2010 North American tour, The Incredible Machine. The Country duo will begin the tour on April 23 in Primm, Nev., and will travel to more than 55 cities nationwide...

Accompanying sweepstakes also taking place through Feb. 19…  

Send Nichols a sweet Valentine's Day tweet about your girl for a chance to win...

The Country Cares radio station that receives the most pledges wins a concert from Vassar… 

Evan Farmer will replace Lance Smith as host of Top 20…

Jimmy Wayne is a little over one month and 300 miles in to his “Meet Me Halfway” walk from Nashville to Phoenix. Along the way, Wayne has had several visitors accompany him for a few miles, and he encourages family to come out as a unit to walk together...

Country Music superstar Taylor Swift walked away with four Grammys on Sunday night. Yet her performance on the show, including a duet with Stevie Nicks, has had critics buzzing. Now, Swift's label president has spoken out, saying Swift's "not the best technical singer" but the "best emotional singer"...

Things couldn’t get better for Country trio Lady Antebellum as their sophomore album, Need You Now, has landed at the No. 1 position on the Billboard Top 200 chart. Their sales have surpassed 480,000 units...

Upload a video of you dancing to "Why Don't We Just Dance" for a chance to meet Turner...

Video premieres on iTunes this week…

The song was co-written by Kenny Chesney...

Sturgeon's single, "Simple Life," will hit radio waves in April...

Del McCoury Band, The Whites, Larry Gatlin and others will honor Mother Maybelle…

Now that American Idol judge Simon Cowell will be leaving the show, fellow Idol judge Kara DioGuardi says she could see the replacement being someone like Vince Gill or Garth Brooks...

“Knock it off!” Steve Wariner told Chet Atkins when the legendary guitarist, producer and record executive called him one day in 1976. “I thought it was my brother Kenny, who is a prankster,” Wariner remembered. “He’d called many times pretending to be someone else.” But it really was Atkins, and that phone call began a friendship of 25 years...

Some of the biggest names in Country Music have teamed up with musicians from all genres to support a common cause -- relief efforts in Haiti. Zac Brown, Julianne Hough and Sugarland are only a few of the 81 total artists who participated in a Feb. 1 recording of “We Are the World—25 for Haiti"...

Stadium is the biggest Paisley's ever sold out...

Love Lunch to take place during the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville...

Event focuses on the transition from battleground to home front for returning military...

Earle turns out what he calls “one of the best records” he’s ever made...

Casey Clarke receives the CMA International Broadcaster Award…

Willie Nelson cancelled his North Carolina show last week about an hour after several band and crew members were arrested for allegedly possessing moonshine and marijuana. According to Nelson's daughter, however, the show the cancelled due to pain in Nelson's hand which prevented him from playing guitar… 

One month after taking the first step out of Nashville for the Meet Me Halfway trek across America, Country singer Jimmy Wayne reminisces about the experiences he's had so far. The singer said he has encountered many families who have supported him along the way and has heard many heartfelt stories...

Dierks Bentley, Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson were added to Verizon Wireless’ BamaJam Music & Arts Festival lineup. The festival is scheduled for Thursday, June 3, through Saturday, June 5, in Enterprise, Ala...

Urban said he "absolutely" cares about music not being downloaded for free... 

Chesney will broadcasting live on the days leading up to the Superbowl...

The Josh Abbott Band has two singles currently on the Top 40 Texas Music Chart...

Even though he hasn't even reached Little Rock, Ark., yet, Jimmy Wayne is thinking about extending his walk for homeless children and teens past his original end location of Phoenix. Wayne's had so much fun on the walk thus far, he said he may just keep walking...

The 52nd annual Grammy Awards were filled with excitement for Country Music. Taylor Swift was the big winner of the night, taking home four Grammys, including one for Album of the Year. The Zac Brown Band also took home their first Grammy, and T-Pain announced the next Country star he wants to work with...

Country fans have voted and declared Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats” is the top video of the decade in an online poll at CMT.com. The rest of the top five includes Trace Adkins’ “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” and Toby Keith’s “How Do You Like Me Now?,” among others...