Bill Monroe To Be Featured In Times Square Ad

The late father of bluegrass music soon will be playing in Times Square in New York. Owensboro-Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau has contracted for a 15-second ad on a digital full-motion billboard on New York’s 42nd Street. The ad will promote the centennial of Bill Monroe’s birth. The spot will feature Monroe, bluegrass music and Owensboro and will run 18 times a day for 48 days at a cost of $15,000. It’s running from November 15th to January 1st, which will cover the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration. The ad also will feature the convention bureau’s new website, www.BillMonroe100birthday.com. Monroe died in 1996. He is buried in Rosine, Kentucky.

Jason’s Gracious About Taylor Taking No. 1

Jason Aldean says he doesn’t mind a bit that Taylor Swift blocked him from the No. 1 spot on albums charts, even though he sold 193,000 copies of his new album, “My Kinda Party,” in its debut week. In that same week, Taylor sold an amazing 320,000 copies of “Speak Now,” a week after debuting with more than 1 million in sales. “I don’t even count Taylor Swift,” Jason told Country Weekly. “She’s on a different planet than the rest of us.” He added, “You know what? Congrats to Taylor. A lot of people just don’t do those numbers anymore. It just goes to show you, people are still into buying full-length albums.” Jason can take some comfort in having the best male country album debut since Kenny Chesney’s 2007 album release.

Brad Paisley Shares His CMA Trophy

Brad Paisley’s win as Entertainer of the Year at Wednesday night’s CMA Awards was bittersweet. Backstage after receiving the evening’s highest honor, Brad said he would share his award with his band and crew, who he said stepped up to the plate after Nashville floods destroyed the stage set and his guitars just as they were starting rehearsals for the new “H2O World Tour.” “I owe this award to my crew, who take as much pride in our concerts as I do,” he said. “If ever there was a year I wanted to win this award, this was it.” Brad had been up for the Entertainer award six times; this was his first win.

Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith To Tour As ‘2 Friends’

Amy Grant is hitting the road in February 2011 with contemporary Christian music star, Michael W. Smith. Amy and Michael will play 15 dates together on their “2 Friends” tour, which begins February 10th in Holland, Michigan, and ends March 6th in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Keith Urban To Share ‘An Inside Look At Get Closer’

Keith Urban is the subject of “Count Me In ... An Inside Look at Get Closer,” a 30-minute documentary debuting November 16th, on Hulu. The film gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the singer’s latest album, “Get Closer,” being released the same day.

Rascal Flatts To Resume Tour In ‘11

Rascal Flatts have announced cities and dates for the second leg of their “Nothing Like This” tour with opening acts Luke Bryan and Chris Young. The 21-show tour kicks off January 14th in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and ends March 12th in Oklahoma City. Rascal Flatts performed for more than 650,000 people in 2010. They completed the first leg of their Nothing Like This tour in October. The band will release their first album on Big Machine Records, “Nothing Like This,” on November 16th.

Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus Join AMA Lineup

Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus will perform on this year’s American Music Awards, airing November 21st on ABC. Kid Rock, whose new album, “Born Free,” comes out November 16th, also joins the lineup, which includes previously announced acts P!nk, Usher, Ne-Yo, Diddy, Bon Jovi and Rihanna, who will open the show. Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Ke$ha, the New Kids On The Block and the Backstreet Boys will also perform.

Urban Releasing New Songs

Keith Urban is releasing tracks from his new CD. Each day leading up to the November 16th release of “Get Closer,” Urban and Target will release one new track via Facebook, Facebook.com/Keith Urban and Facebook.com/Target. At Target and Target.com, fans can get the special deluxe edition of “Get Closer,” which includes four live tracks and three exclusive songs not found anywhere else. On November 16th, each of the three Target exclusive songs will be available for guests to listen and share with their friends.

Carrie Underwood Featured In New Olay Campaign

Carrie Underwood now appears in a series of ads for skincare giant Olay. Carrie is featured in various ads that show her with a freshly-washed face to promote the company's line of facial cleansers, including foaming formulas, cloth wipes, and scrubs.

Hillary Scott Claims SESAC Honors

Lady Antebellum’s RodeHillary Scott was crowned Songwriter of the Year Monday at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards ceremony, held at the performing rights organization's headquarters on Music Row. Scott also won separate trophies for her part in writing the Lady Antebellum hits “Need You Now,” “Run to You” and “Our Kind of Love.” Lady Antebellum opened the ceremony by singing their hit “Need You Now.” "Need You Know" took Song of the Year honors, and earned EMI Foray Music Publisher of the Year.

Jo Dee Messina Releases Two 'Unmistakable' Eps

Jo Dee Messina's “Inspiration” and “Drive” are now available online. Those are the titles of the two new EPs in her “Unmistakable” collection, each containing eight new tracks. The EPs are the second and third installation in the “Unmistakable” series, which launched in April with the release of “Love,” the first new music from Jo Dee in five years. “Drive” features acoustic live versions of “I’m Alright” and “Lesson in Leavin’,” while “Inspiration” includes acoustic live versions of “Bring on the Rain” and “Even God Must Get the Blues,” as well as previously unreleased “How Do You Get High?” and the personal “That's God.”

 

Garth Announces New Dates For Wynn Las Vegas

Garth Brooks has performed to sold-out crowds and rave reviews at the intimate Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas since December 2009. Tickets for the next series of concerts will go on sale on Saturday. Tickets are $225 plus service charge and tax ($253 total). Dates include December 3-5, January 21-23, February 11-13, and February 25-27.

James Otto Wants Your Veterans’ Photos

James Otto says Veterans Day is a big deal at his house. Otto’s dad was an Army drill sergeant for 23 years, and his grandfather is a Korean War vet. Otto himself served in the Navy. Now Otto is collecting photos of other veterans to be used in a video for his song, “Soldiers and Jesus.” You can submit photos through his website at www.jamesotto.net.

Taylor Swift Named BMI Songwriter Of The Year

Taylor Swift’s success continues as she was named Country Songwriter of the Year at the BMI Awards last night, becoming the youngest person to win the award at age 20. Swift also won Country Song of the Year with co-writer Liz Rose for “You Belong To Me.” She’s the first songwriter to win that award three years in a row. Swift’s new album, “Speak Now,” had the biggest opening of any record since 2005 last week. While things have been going well for Swift, Monday was a tough day for her. She attended the funeral of a close friend. “He was 21, and I used to play my songs for him first,” Taylor said.

CMT Honors Decade’s Greatest Hits

CMT will commemorate the first decade of the 21st century with a two-hour special, “CMT’s 40 Greatest Songs Of The Decade.” The show premieres November 13th and pays tribute to Country’s Top 40 Videos from 2000 to 2010.

See Rascal Flatts By ‘Invitation Only’

Rascal Flatts are the next act to be featured on the CMT “Invitation Only” series, Rascal Flatts. The all-new episode premieres November 15th. The performance is taped before a small studio audience in Nashville, where Gary, Jay and Joe Don answer questions from the audience and perform some of their biggest hits. They will also introduce some of the music from their new album, “Nothing Like This,” which drops the day after the show’s premiere.

Tracy Lawrence To Fry Up Turkeys For Homeless

Tracy Lawrence, friends and colleagues are set to gather to feed those less-fortunate on Thanksgiving. Tracy’s 5th Annual Mission Possible Turkey Fry will be November 23rd in Nashville. In the years that this event has been held, they have donated more than 4,000 turkeys and meals – valued at over $84,000 to the Nashville Rescue Mission. In addition, cash donations from the event have exceeded $100,000.

Taylor TV

Taylor Swift has a slew of TV appearances next week surrounding the release of her new album, “Speak Now.” She’ll play a special concert at the United Nations in New York on Monday that will stream online globally via MTV’s many websites. On Tuesday, she performs on the “Today Show” as well as the “Late Show with David Letterman.” On Wednesday, Swift will appear on “Live with Regis & Kelly” and take part in a special literacy event as part of Scholastic’s 90th anniversary literary campaign. She’ll also attend the unveiling of a wax figure of herself at Madame Tussaud’s. Swift will perform a special concert at JFK airport, then fly to the west coast with a group of contest winners. She will tape an episode of the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” slated to air November 1st, and also perform on “Dancing With The Stars” on November 2nd.

Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center Opening Set

The grand opening of the Darryl Worley Cancer Treatment Center is set for November 3rd in Savannah, Tennessee. Located on the campus of the Hardin Medical Center, the new facility has been planned since 2004. The Darryl Worley Foundation, the medical center and the Hardin County Community and Healthcare Foundation have raised $1.7 million toward their $2 million goal for the project. They hope to reach the total before work on the center is completed early next year. Worley has raised money through his annual “Tennessee River Run” festival in Savannah.

How Toby Handled Bullies

Toby Keith has strong thoughts about bullying. “Yeah, bullying is bad, but in my generation, my father wouldn’t allow that to happen,” he told CNN. “My father would say, ‘Do whatever you have to do to shut it down, you know. Fight.’ We would fight the bully. If you let the guy bully you every day at school, it’s going to continue to go. So it’s better to take that ass-whooping the first day and get it over with, and then they usually leave you alone.” Toby says that is advice he’s lived by throughout his life.

Nettles To Host CMA Christmas Special

Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland has signed on to serve as host of “CMA Country Christmas,” a special to be taped in Nashville. The holiday show will be taped in front of a live audience on November 11th and will air November 29th on ABC. Kellie Pickler has been added to the list of performers, which includes Sheryl Crow, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, LeAnn Rimes, Darius Rucker and Sugarland.

Taylor Swift Gets ‘Mean’

With this week’s release of “Mean,” Taylor Swift topped her own Billboard record – which she set last week for Most Top 10 debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 in the history of the chart. The four songs from “Speak Now” released early as part of an iTunes rollout all reached No. 1 on the all-genre downloads chart within hours of their release, and paid song downloads from “Speak Now” now top 1.8 million.

Lady Antebellum Re-Lives ‘Worst Gig Ever’

More than 1,000 people showed up at a gas station to help Lady Antebellum relive their “worst gig ever.” The trio performed their hit song “Need You Now” yesterday, along with two other songs during a free mini-concert at the Mayfield Mobil station in Milwaukee. The concert was a re-enactment of a performance the band once described as their “worst gig ever” – when they performed at a nearby truck stop at the crack of dawn on opening day of deer hunting season, long before they became stars.

Brad Paisley’s ‘Hits Alive’

Brad Paisley, who has delivered one of the year’s hottest country tours with his “H2O World Tour,” will release the double-disc “Hits Alive” on November 2nd. In live or studio versions, the collection includes 15 of Paisley’s No. 1 songs and four that hit the Top 5, plus the instrumental “Time Warp” and Brad’s current single, “Anything Like Me.” Featuring 21 individual songs, the two discs sport 24 total tracks, some presented both in live and studio versions.

Jamey Johnson’s Video Premiering

Jamey Johnson’s video for “Playing the Part,” directed by Matthew McConaughey, premieres this week. “Entertainment Tonight” will feature the world premiere today. VEVO will premiere the full-length director’s cut on at www.vevo.com and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage will be available online at www.people.com. It is the first music video ever directed by McConaughey and the first video from Johnson’s No. 1 double album, “The Guitar Song.” Johnson, who is currently on tour, will perform on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” on October 26th.

Gary Allan To Undergo Vocal Cord Surgery

Gary Allan has had to cancel a couple of dates in December due to minor vocal cord surgery he’ll undergo next month. His shows in Cherokee, North Carolina, on December 11th and Las Vegas on December 31st will be rescheduled. Gary’s October and November dates will not be affected. The procedure to remove a polyp from his vocal cord will take place in late November. Gary is expected to make a full recovery and is set to resume his tour schedule in the middle of February.

Dierks Bentley Celebrates Fifth Annual Miles & Music For Kids

Dierks Bentley’s fifth annual “Music and Miles for Kids” benefit event on Sunday was a roaring success. The fundraiser benefits Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Dierks was able to add over $250,000 to the already $1.2 million that has been raised through the charity so far. The benefit concert included performances by Luke Bryan, Laura Bell Bundy, Mat Kearney, Miranda Lambert, Del McCoury, Heidi Newfield and Jerrod Niemann. More than 1,200 motorcycle enthusiasts and country music fans lined up for miles behind Bentley for a bike ride from Columbia, Tennessee, to Nashville’s Riverfront Park.

Phil Vassar To Headline New Year’s Eve ‘Bash On Broadway’

Phil Vassar will headline the second annual New Year’s Eve “Bash on Broadway” in downtown Nashville on December 31st. Phil will be joined by Heidi Newfield, Nashville rocker Will Hoge and MuzikMafia’s Damien Horne. The New Year’s Eve bash, which will be free and open to the public, will be hosted by Storme Warren.

Kenny Chesney Releasing New Single, DVD

Kenny Chesney is releasing “Somewhere With You” as the second single from his latest album, “Hemingway’s Whiskey.” The single follows Chesney’s No. 1 “The Boys of Fall.” In addition, Chesney’s football documentary, “Boys of Fall,” will be released on DVD exclusively at Walmart on November 9th. The DVD offers the never-before-seen, full-length 90-minute version of the documentary, along with bonus features, behind-the-scenes footage and commentary.

Taylor Swift To Perform At CMAs

Taylor Swift has been booked to perform at the 44th annual CMA Awards show in Nashville. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will serve as hosts at the November 10th event. Previously announced performers include Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Sugarland, Underwood and Keith Urban. In addition, special duet performances will feature Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson and Miranda Lambert with Sheryl Crow in a tribute to Loretta Lynn’s 50th anniversary as a recording artist.

Is Taylor Swift’s New Song About John Mayer?

A song on Taylor Swift’s upcoming album, “Speak Now,” is reportedly about a brief fling she had with John Mayer. “Dear John” drops hints about a romance with an older man. The two first met to record a duet, “Half of My Heart,” on “Battle Studies,” the latest album from the 32-year-old. Swift has neither confirmed nor denied that the song is about Mayer, but she does have a history of writing songs about the men in her life, including Joe Jonas, Taylor Lautner and Kanye West.

Rascal Flatts Reveal Track List For ‘Nothing Like This’

Rascal Flatts’ upcoming album, “Nothing Like This,” will not only include the hit single “Why Wait” but will also feature a collaboration with pop star Natasha Bedingfield on a song titled “Easy.” The trio will also release an exclusive version at Walmart, featuring bonus footage from the filming of the video for “Why Wait,” featuring David Arquette, Ron White, Wayne Newton, Penn & Teller and Carrot Top. The package will also contain the video in its entirety as well. The album comes out November 16th.

Rascal Flatts Wrap Tour

Rascal Flatts wrapped the first leg of their “Nothing Like This Tour” last weekend in Irvine, California, closing out the year with 650,000 fans attending 56 shows. The “Nothing Like This Tour” will continue with a second leg in 2011 with special guests Chris Young and Luke Bryan. Dates will be announced soon.

T.J. Martell Foundation Gala Set

Charlie Daniels, Colbie Caillat and Enrique Iglesias will perform during the 35th annual T.J. Martell Foundation for Leukemia, Cancer and AIDS Research awards gala set for October 27th in New York City. Daniels will be presented the foundation’s Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award and Kenny Loggins will receive the Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award. Jaron and the Long Road to Love will also attend the gala that includes a tribute to heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who died in May after a battle with cancer.

The Eagles Close Out Austin City Limits

The Eagles helped wrap up this year’s Austin City Limits music festival in Austin, Texas, on Sunday. The band joined Norah Jones and the National for the final day of the fest. Crowds of about 65,000 packed the festival, which featured an eclectic mix of performers including Muse, the Strokes, Phish, M.I.A., Monsters of Folk, Sonic Youth, Vampire Weekend and Spoon. The Eagles set was their first after a handful of canceled shows due to the recent illness of singer Don Henley.

Brad Paisley Continues Sell-Outs

Brad Paisley’s highly successful “H2O World Tour” has just finished a Canadian run of four sold-out shows and a gig in Grand Forks, North Dakota, over the weekend with another sold-out show. Darius Rucker and Justin Moore will continue with the tour as special guests and more dates will be announced soon.

The Band Perry Gets Hometown Love

The Band Perry is from the close-knit community of Greeneville, Tennessee. They traveled home Sunday, just before their debut album release, to give a free public performance to say “thanks” for the town’s support throughout the years. Over 5,000 people showed up for the festivities held in historic downtown Greeneville. The band was honored by the announcement that Greene County had declared the week of October 10th “The Band Perry Week.” The Band Perry gave a special five-song acoustic performance and stayed for over four hours to sign autographs and chat with their hometown supporters. “The Band Perry” drops today, featuring the gold-certified single “If I Die Young” and the Top 20 hit “Hip To My Heart.”

Sugarland Goes Unplugged

Sugarland will debut a Deluxe Edition of their new album, “The Incredible Machine,” on October 19th. In addition to 11 songs, the package offers a documentary titled “Blood Love Hope Lust and Steam” that chronicles the creation of the album and tour of the same name. It also includes the video for the “Stuck Like Glue,” as well as a never-before-seen live performance music video for the title track.

Alan Jackson To Play ‘Concert For The Coast’

Alan Jackson will perform a free concert at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama, on October 30th for the final installment of the “Concert for the Coast” series. The event is an ongoing effort to lure visitors back to the pristine white beaches of the Gulf Coast following the BP oil spill. Upcoming free concerts will feature Bon Jovi on October 15th and Brad Paisley on October 17th, both of which will be held on Gulf Shores Public Beach.

Trisha Yearwood Baking In The Big Apple

Trisha Yearwood took part in the New York Wine and Food Festival this past weekend, signing copies of her cookbooks and talking about her down-home southern recipes. But one thing she didn’t do was sing. “I’m not the singing cookbook lady,” Trisha told the crowd during a Q&A session when someone requested a musical number. She opted instead to talk about her simple approach to cooking. “I’m the KitchenAid diva,” she said, proclaiming her fondness for culinary gadgets.

Tim McGraw’s ‘Number One Hits’ Due Next Month

Tim McGraw’s latest compilation, “Number One Hits,” will be released on November 30th. The double-album includes 22 singles ranging from 1994’s “Indian Outlaw” through 2009’s “Southern Voice.” The collection also includes McGraw’s new single, “Felt Good on My Lips,” as well as a dance mix of “Indian Outlaw.”

Willie Nelson Stays On The Road With ‘Country Music’

Willie Nelson has again added more tour stops to his North American road trip behind his recently released studio effort, “Country Music.” The outing now pulls into 17 cities throughout the Midwest and the South before wrapping December 10th in Newkirk, Oklahoma.

Carrie Goes Home

Carrie Underwood performed a sold-out show Sunday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma, for nearly 12,000 fans. The show was the closest concert to Underwood’s hometown of Checotah, Oklahoma, approximately 45 minutes away. Underwood also performed in Dallas Saturday night for over 10,000 fans. Special guests were Billy Currington and Sons of Sylvia. Underwood’s “Play On Tour” will play over 100 cities in 2010 before wrapping December 19th in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Gloriana Get Dirty For A Good Cause

Gloriana are getting their hands dirty for a good cause. The band members were photographed with their hands in oil to show that environmental cleanup is, literally, in our hands. The photo was taken as part of the sp[OIL]ed campaign, which partners with www.protectourcoastline.com to raise money for fishermen, shrimpers and those working with natural wildlife of the Louisiana coast.

Happy B-Day Opry!

It was a very happy birthday at the Grand Ole Opry Saturday night as Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Trace Adkins, Del McCoury, Bill Anderson, Roy Clark, Sunny Sweeney and more helped ring in the legendary show’s 85th year. More than 8,800 fans packed the newly renovated Grand Ole Opry house, which reopened last month after a massive makeover to repair damage from floods that devastated the building back in May. Upcoming performances at the Opry this month include the Charlie Daniels Band, George Jones, the Judds, Oak Ridge Boys, Blake Shelton, Randy Travis and another appearance by Trace Adkins. Visit www.opry.com for tickets.

BlackHawk Plan Benefit Concert In Honor Of Late Bandmate

BlackHawk will headline the” 6th Annual Tricky Hoedown” concert Saturday, honoring the memory of bandmate Van Stephenson, who lost his battle with cancer in 2001. The “Tricky Hoedown” will be held at the On the Farm ranch, located just a few miles outside of Nashville. Joining BlackHawk’s Henry Paul and Dave Robbins for this year’s festivities include Freddie Way, Emma King & the Heartsets, Brother Trouble, and host Rob Bironas of the Tennessee Titans.

Trace TV

Trace Adkins will make appearances tonight on “Chelsea Lately” and tomorrow on “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” Adkins’ latest album, “Cowboy’s Back in Town,” was released in August. Adkins is also planning to perform for U.S. troops in the Middle East during a USO tour.

Zac Brown Band Headlining NASCAR Festival

The Zac Brown Band will headline a free concert near Miami as part of a two-day festival billed “Coca-Cola Fuels NASCAR Championship Drive.” Taking place in South Beach, the event was created to thank fans as part of Ford Championship weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Ford 400, the last race of the NASCAR season, takes place November 21st. The Zac Brown Band will perform November 18th.

Garth Brooks Helps Habitat For Humanity

Garth Brooks and hundreds of volunteers built and repaired houses in Birmingham, Alabama, as part of the 27th annual Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. An avid supporter of Habitat, Brooks worked in the Wylam Oaks subdivision of Birmingham. He also performed for Habitat supporters on Thursday. Throughout the week, volunteers helped build or repair a total of 86 homes in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota; and Birmingham, Alabama, as part of the Carter Work Project.

Taylor Swift Sued By Former Manager

Taylor Swift’s former manager is suing her for millions he claims he’s owed in commissions for helping launch her career. The legal wrangling dates back to 2007 when Dan Dymtrow initially sued Taylor and her parents, claiming they breached a management contract by paying him only $10,000. Dymtrow, who has also represented Britney Spears, signed Swift in April 2004, but stopped overseeing her career in July 2005, the year before she broke big with her single “Tim McGraw.” Dymtrow claims he should have been paid commission for his work. The Swift camp argues that Dymtrow failed to obtain the required court approval of his management contract with Taylor, which was necessary because she was a minor.

Kenny Chesney Tops Charts With ‘Hemingway’s Whiskey’

Kenny Chesney’s latest album, “Hemingway’s Whiskey,” poured into the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Top Country Album chart as well as the all-genre Billboard 200. With 183,000 copies sold, the album becomes Kenny’s 10th to hit No. 1 on the country chart and his sixth No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The album is also his ninth Top 10 on the Billboard 200, and his eighth consecutive disc to debut inside the Top 10 on that chart.

Jimmy Wayne Performs For ‘Angels’

Since bringing his Meet Me Halfway walk across America to an end in August, Jimmy Wayne has continued to spread awareness for teen homelessness. Last night, Jimmy participated in the 12th annual “Angels in Adoption Gala” in Washington, D.C., saluting those who work to make a difference for children who need families. Jimmy was asked to perform “Elephant Ears,” a song he wrote about a child growing up in the foster care system. This year’s Angels in Adoption honorees included actresses Kristin Chenoweth and Rhea Perlman, TV’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” and 140 others who have worked to support children in foster care or adoption.

Keith Urban Joined By All-Star Friends At ‘All For The Hall’

Tuesday night’s “We’re All For The Hall” benefit, organized and hosted by Keith Urban, brought out Nashville’s elite in a sold-out event at the Bridgestone Arena. The line-up included Keith Urban, Vince Gill, Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, Charley Pride, Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert, Alison Krauss, Billy Currington and John Mayer. The total raised is not yet known, but last year’s event raised $500,000.

ACM Charity Donations Reach $800,000 For 2010

The Academy of Country Music’s charitable program, ACM Lifting Lives, has donated $800,000 this year for a variety of projects, including flood relief in Middle Tennessee. Among this year’s recipients are programs and facilities recommended by country artists to receive funding. They included Darius Rucker’s request for Pattison’s Academy, a school in Charleston, South Carolina, that serves the needs of disabled children. Jack Ingram suggested Grounded in Music, a program providing music education and mentorship to children in Central Texas. Danny Gokey requested Sophia’s Heart Foundation in Nashville, which offers an after-school music and arts program for children. Rodney Atkins made the request to expand the music education program at the Holston Home, a Greeneville, Tennessee, orphanage he lived in prior to being adopted as an infant.

Trace Adkins Planning Third Tour Of Middle East

Trace Adkins is returning to the Middle East to perform for U.S. troops during his third USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour of the region. On his previous tours, he performed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Bahrain.

Trisha Yearwood Performing At USO Event

Trisha Yearwood will be performing tonight at the USO’s annual gala. The event in Washington salutes the military and their families. Yearwood will sing and Bill Engvall will host. The event will be streamed live on www.Military.com.

Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood Performing At CMAs

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood again will be doing double-duty at the CMA Awards. Not only will they host again, as previously reported, but they’ll also perform. Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, George Strait, Sugarland and Keith Urban have also been added to perform. They’ll join previously announced performers Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton and the Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson. The CMA Awards air November 10th on ABC.

Taylor Swift Wins Trademark Case

Taylor Swift has won a court fight against 16 individuals she claimed violated her trademark by selling counterfeit merchandise bearing her name and picture. A federal judge in Nashville granted a default judgment last week permanently barring 16 individuals from making or selling Taylor Swift merchandise. Swift claimed in the suit that her merchandise enforcement team found numerous individuals selling fake goods across the country during her 2009 tour, including T-shirts with her image on them.

The Opry – There’s An App For That!

The Grand Ole Opry has launched a free mobile app just in time for fans to celebrate the Opry’s 85th birthday this weekend. The Opry app is available at www.opry.com/app. The Opry’s Birthday Bash Weekend will include appearances by Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Trace Adkins, Roy Clark, Bill Anderson, Jimmy Wayne and Crystal Gayle, among others. The celebration continues throughout the month of October, with shows featuring country greats like George Jones, The Judds, Blake Shelton and the Charlie Daniels Band.

Keith Urban Asks Fans To Help Choose Album Cover

Keith Urban has turned to fans to help him decide which photo will appear on the cover of his new album, “Get Closer,” due out November 16th. In a statement on Facebook, the Aussie singer gives fans the option to vote on a close-up with a woman’s arm wrapped around him or a shot on a bed with his guitar. So far the bedside photo is in the lead.

Court Yard Hounds Tackle Tough Subject

The Court Yard Hounds, a duo made up of the Dixie Chicks’ Emily Robison and Martie Maguire, have recorded a song called “Ain’t No Son.” Emily is particularly challenged by the song because it is subject matter that makes a lot of people uncomfortable and requires her to take on a point of view that she doesn’t agree with. The song was written in response to a film that Emily found disturbing. “We wrote it after Emily had watched a documentary about families who throw their young boys out of the house when they find out they’re gay,” Martie said. “She was really disturbed by that mentality. She doesn’t like having to sing it from the father’s perspective, because she really has to become that person when she’s singing it.”

Blake Shelton Invited To Join Grand Ole Opry By Tweet

When Blake Shelton was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry last week, the singer was asked to join in a very new way. Following a performance of “Hillbilly Bone” with his buddy and Grand Ole Opry member Trace Adkins, Shelton received a Tweet from Adkins that read “You are invited to join the Grand Ole Opry. See you on 10/23/2010!” “This right here is the highlight of my career,” Shelton told those in attendance. Shelton’s fiancé, Miranda Lambert, was also excited about the news, tweeting, “I am engaged to a member of the Grand Ole’ Opry!!!! That rocks:)” Blake will be officially inducted October 23rd.

Katie Armiger On The Cover Of Justine Magazine

Katie Armiger graces the cover of Justine Magazine’s October/November issue. The lifestyle magazine for teens is on newsstands now. Katie’s new album, “Confessions of a Nice Girl,” will be out tomorrow.

Joe Nichols Does Well With 5th Graders

Joe Nichols did pretty well on “Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader.” His appearance on the CMT show last week has netted him $125,000 for Camp Barnabas/SE Missouri, which caters to young people with special needs. His younger sister, Kelli, has attended the camp for several years.

Gretchen Wilson Giving Away A ‘Country Million’

Dollar General and Gretchen Wilson are teaming up to give folks the chance to win $1 million in the “Country Million” sweepstakes, running through December 15th. More than 5,500 prizes will be awarded. The grand prize winner will receive a trip to Nashville and $1 million. Other prizes to be awarded include cash, Gretchen Wilson CDs and Dollar General gift cards. Gretchen is currently on tour promoting her latest CD, “I Got Your Country Right Here.” She recently partnered with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation and the Ad Council to launch a national PSA campaign to help high school dropouts get started on the road to a GED diploma. For complete sweepstakes details visit www.dollargeneral.com.

Bluegrass Music Association Awards

Dailey & Vincent won Entertainer of the Year for the third straight time at the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards last night. Propelled by the success of two albums, including “Vincent & Dailey Sing The Statler Brothers,” the group won five awards at the Ryman in Nashville. You can find a complete list of winners online at www.ibma.org.

New Rascal On The Way Has A Name

Rascal Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus and his wife Allison announced in July that they are expecting their first child, a baby girl, in January. Now, with the due date four months away, the proud parents are sharing their daughter’s name: Madeline Leigh. Jay says they’ll call her Maddy.

LeAnn Rimes Delaying New Release

Fans will have to wait a little longer for LeAnn Rimes’ “Lady and Gentlemen.” One of the reasons is that Rimes is adding a new recording of “Blue,” along with a bonus track, to the set. In a video message, Rimes says it’s been 15 years since her original version of “Blue” was released. And she was 13 at the time. She says now that she’s 28, she’ll do it again. LeAnn adds that even though the album is being delayed from its original October release, it “should be in your hands soon.”

Opry Celebrates With ‘Spirit Of Nashville Day’

The Grand Ole Opry is inviting Music City to celebrate its homecoming during “Spirit of Nashville Day” tomorrow. The day will offer free tours of the newly-refurbished Opry House, free music in the Plaza beginning at noon with a free 6:00 p.m. performance by The Band Perry, and special Opry shows recognizing persons affected by May’s flood as well as many others who assisted with flood recovery efforts. Mayor Karl Dean will join the evening’s show as an Opry Guest Announcer. Performers include Charley Pride, Craig Morgan and Academy Award-winner Kevin Costner. Dierks Bentley, who is celebrating his 5th Opry anniversary with an Opry appearance tonight, will host his own Opry House tour for fans around the world on the Opry’s Facebook page, beginning at 10 a.m.

Rodney Atkins Is Beautiful

Rodney Atkins is having quite a fall with his mega-hit “Farmer’s Daughter” sitting at No. 5 this week on the charts. The song comes from the album “Cracker Barrel presents Rodney Atkins.” Meanwhile, Atkins has been named one of Nashville’s 25 Most Beautiful People by Nashville Lifestyles. Rodney took a break from the studio Wednesday night to attend a party last night for the honorees. He joined a few other friends that made the list this year, including fellow artist Troy Gentry.

Jamey Johnson To Join ‘Farm Aid’

Jamey Johnson will join the all-star lineup for “Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America” on Saturday in Milwaukee. Johnson will join Farm Aid president and founder Willie Nelson and board members John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds, as well as Kenny Chesney, Norah Jones, Jason Mraz, Jeff Tweedy, Band of Horses, Amos Lee, Robert Francis, BoDeans, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Randy Rogers Band and The Blackwood Quartet. Tickets are still available and limited seats on the field were recently released to the public. Tickets can be purchased at the Miller Park box office, by phone at 414.902.4000, or online at www.tickets.com. 

Frankie Ballard, Ty Stone To Tour With Uncle Kracker

Frankie Ballard and Ty Stone will hit the road with Uncle Kracker next month for his inaugural country music club tour. The 18-date “It’s Good To Be Me Tour 2010” kicks off November 3rd in Athens, Georgia, and concludes December 12th in Wabash, Indiana. The tour takes its name from Uncle Kracker’s “It’s Good to Be Me” single featuring Kid Rock, which debuted on the charts this week. “They should call it the ‘Detroit-Country-Rocks-In-Your-Face-Tour,’ because we’re all from Michigan,” Frankie said. Ballard won Kenny Chesney’s “Next Big Star” regional competition in 2008. As a result, Frankie opened for Chesney at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids and Ford Field in Detroit.

Miranda Lambert Brings Country To The Big Apple

New York City’s Terminal 5 was packed to capacity Wednesday night for the start of CMT’s ninth annual “CMT on Tour,” this year featuring Miranda Lambert, Eric Church and Josh Kelley. David Nail and Lady Antebellum were spotted in the crowd, as was Josh’s wife, actress Katherine Heigl, who danced along to most of Miranda’s set. On the heels of their Beacon Theater performance, Lady A and David opted to spend an extra night in New York to catch the show before flying to St. Louis to continue their current headlining tour.

Jason Aldean To Host Concert For The Cure

Jason Aldean is in the middle of his extended “Wide Open” tour, which has him crisscrossing the country over the next few months. One of the shows will be very special to Aldean. His Evansville, Indiana, gig is where he’ll host his fifth annual Concert for the Cure on October 15th, donating all proceeds to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. “Most of my long-time fans know that I had a really good friend die of breast cancer when she was only 29,” Jason told The Boot. “The day she passed away, my family decided that we would always do something to carry on her memory and to help in the fight. Everybody I know has been touched by it; they say a woman dies every 69 seconds from it. October is breast cancer awareness month.”

Montgomery Gentry Greatest Hits Package Canceled

Rumors have been spreading recently that Montgomery Gentry and Columbia Records Nashville had ended their decade-long relationship. Now a greatest hits package from the duo that was to be released this week has been nixed. Eddie and Troy posted a note on their website reading: “As you may have heard, there were plans to release a Greatest Hits yesterday, but we wanted to make sure you knew that would not be happening. BUT, know that we are working on an album of brand new material. We are more motivated than ever to get the biggest and baddest Montgomery Gentry album ever out there! Hang in there and we’ll get that done as quickly as we can.”

Jamey Johnson To Produce Blind Boys Of Alabama Album

Jamey Johnson is joining forces with gospel greats the Blind Boys of Alabama to make the group’s next album, and he’s recruited some fellow artists to lend their voices to the project. Jamey brought the Blind Boys out onstage last week to perform some old-time gospel favorites with him during his concert at the Montgomery Performing Arts Center. He also performed with them back in March at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame awards ceremony, when he received the Hall of Fame’s Rising Star Award. Jamey has lined up a week of Nashville sessions for the quintet, recruiting Vince Gill, George Jones, Hank Williams Jr. and the Oak Ridge Boys, among others, to sing on the album. Jamey is even bringing in his father to sing on one song. No word on when the project is slated for release.

Stars Lining Up To Perform At CMA Awards

Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton have signed on to perform at the 44th annual CMA Awards show in Nashville. Zac Brown Band and Alan Jackson will also take the stage at the November 10th event. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will serve as hosts.  

Rascal Flatts Offering Tickets To Fundraiser

Rascal Flatts is offering a limited number of tickets to a private concert to benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville. The November 4th event, hosted by comic Ron White, will take place in the Nashville area. Rascal Flatts has hosted concerts for the past four years. Through those efforts and other concerts at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, they’ve raised almost $3 million for the hospital. The 100 tickets will be made available to fans on a first-come, first-serve basis and go on sale tomorrow at www.rascalflatts.com.

Sara Evans’ ‘A Little Bit Stronger’ Already a Hot Seller

As Sara Evans officially hit the airwaves this week with her inspiring new single “A Little Bit Stronger,” fans are already reacting to the song in a big way. The digital single for “A Little Bit Stronger,” released on September 14th, earned a Top 10 debut on Billboard’s Country Digital Songs chart and now, in its second week, the song has already amassed total sales approaching 30,000 downloads. “A Little Bit Stronger” is the first single from Sara’s upcoming album, set for release early next year, and will also be featured on the October 26th release of the original soundtrack album for the upcoming feature film “Country Strong.”

Kenny Chesney Scores A Perfect 10

Kenny Chesney tops Billboard’s Country Songs with “The Boys of Fall.” The football-themed tale marks Chesney’s 18th No. 1 and means he has had a No. 1 country song for a 10th consecutive year. Kenny has had a No. 1 in each year from 2001 through 2005, two in 2006, 2008 and 2009, and three in 2007. Chesney’s 10-year streak of reaching the Country Songs summit is the longest since Tim McGraw sent at least one title to the top each year from 1994 through 2004. In the chart’s 66-year history, just six artists have strung together longer runs of annual No. 1s than Chesney: George Strait (18 years, 1983-2000), Ronnie Milsap (16 years, 1974-89), Alabama (14 years, 1980-93), Loretta Lynn (12 years, 1967-78), Tim McGraw (11 years, 1994-2004), and Dolly Parton (11 years, 1977-87).

The Judds Boarding The Santa Train

Wynonna and Naomi Judd will be this year’s celebrity guests on the Santa Train, an annual project that brings holiday gifts to children at 14 stops in the mountains of Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. The November 20th excursion is supported by volunteers from the CSX rail line, Food City, the Kids Wish Network and the Kingsport, Tennessee, Chamber of Commerce. An estimated 15 tons of toys – valued at more than $300,000 – will be distributed to thousands of residents who live along the rail route. The Judds’ “Last Encore” tour begins November 26th in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

 

Second Harvest Concert

While musicians Tuesday night were celebrating the Grand Ole Opry’s return from the Ryman Auditorium back to the Opry House, music also was coming from the Ryman stage. It was the 6th Annual “Stars For Second Harvest” benefit concert to help food banks. Songwriter Craig Wiseman hosted. It featured unplugged acoustic performances from Josh Thompson, Chris Young, Uncle Kracker, songwriters Mac McAnally and Tony Mullins.

Grand Ole Opry Returns Home

“Will the Circle Be Unbroken?” was the first song performed Tuesday night as the Opry House reopened. All the stars who performed first gathered together on the Grand Ole Opry stage to kick off the concert. Then the evening got underway with Blake Shelton, who became a member of the Opry Tuesday night, singing “All About Tonight.” He was followed by Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Connie Smith, Trace Adkins, Brad Paisley, Josh Turner, Lorrie Morgan, Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner, Charlie Daniels and many others. Even President Obama took part. A video was played with the president sending his well-wishes for the Grand Ole Opry and again thanking fire, police, medical personnel and others for their work during and after the May flood.

Sugarland Starts ‘The Incredible Machine’ Countdown

Sugarland has started the countdown to the release of their new album, “The Incredible Machine.” The record hits stores on October 19th, but in the meantime the group will release a new song through iTunes every Tuesday. “Wide Open” will drop October 5th and “Little Miss” comes out October 12th.

 

Lady Antebellum Says ‘Hello World’

Lady Antebellum’s next single will be “Hello World,” a power ballad written by Tom Douglas, Tony Lane and David Lee. The song drops October 4th. Lady Antebellum’s three previous singles from their double-platinum “Need You Now” album have all reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country chart, including “American Honey,” “Our Kind of Love” and the title track.

McBride Joins Nashville Symphony

Martina McBride will headline the Nashville Symphony’s annual “Home for the Holidays” concert on December 10th. Due to ongoing repairs at Schermerhorn Symphony Center from the May flood, the concert will be held at Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena. McBride will feature a mix of holiday standards along with new seasonal favorites.

Loretta Lynn Honored

Loretta Lynn was showered with an assortment of industry awards and heartfelt praise at her invitation-only 50th anniversary celebration, held at Lynn’s Hurricane Mills ranch on Friday. The Academy of Country Music, Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. and BMI each made presentations during the evening’s event. Billed as “A Tribute to an American Icon,” the celebration honored Lynn’s 50 years in the country music industry. Ronnie McDowell presented Lynn with a hand-painted portrait of the legendary performer, and noted Nashville arranger and composer Bill Walker gave Lynn an arrangement of “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” originally penned for the TV special, “Loretta Lynn on Broadway.” Selected media and industry, as well as Lynn’s close friends and family, attended the packed ceremony.

Oak Ridge Boy Joe Bonsall Releases New Book

Oak Ridge Boy Joe Bonsall is more than a singer – he is also a notable author, with eight published books, including a new book released this month. “From My Perspective” is a collection of commentaries and stories about life, music, faith, and America, all told in Joe’s energetic and engaging style. Joe shares moments with celebrity friends, like the late Johnny Cash and Dottie Rambo; relates stories from 35 years on the road with The Oak Ridge Boys; and draws on disparate experiences in his life, from working the political trail to walking through wooded trails on his 400-acre farm near the Tennessee-Kentucky border.

 

Eric Church Working On New Album

Ever since the success of his 2009 album, “Carolina,” Eric Church has been a road warrior, touring as a headliner and joining major country tours. But he recently holed up in the North Carolina woods with a few songwriters to work on what will be songs for his next studio album. “I spent a month up in the woods,” Eric told The Boot. “I was totally disconnected from everything. It was a little weird. I had to socially re-adapt myself – but it made all the difference in the world to just relax and write.” But Eric cautions fans shouldn’t expect a new album before next year or even early 2012. In the meantime, Eric has plenty of shows planned, including a tour with Miranda Lambert.

Reba Covers Beyoncé Hit

While Reba McEntire’s upcoming album is titled “All the Women I Am,” she’s been tackling the opposite sex’s perspective with a cover of Beyoncé’s “If I Were a Boy.” Reba’s countrified version of the hit song will appear on her new CD, due out November 9th.

Jackson, Lambert Schedule Tour Down Under

Alan Jackson and Miranda Lambert will travel overseas next year for their first concerts in Australia. The brief tour will include performances in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Jackson’s current tour with Chris Young and The Band Perry will conclude November 20th in Cincinnati. Lambert will headline this year’s “CMT on Tour” kicking off today in New York City. Lambert’s shows will also feature Eric Church and Josh Kelley.

Paltrow, McGraw Record Chris Martin Song

Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw have recorded a song written by her husband – Coldplay’s Chris Martin – for the upcoming film “Country Strong.” Paltrow and McGraw, who star in the film, perform a duet of “Me and Tennessee,” the closing song on the soundtrack. She is featured on three other songs, including the title track. The soundtrack also includes performances by two other stars of the film – Garrett Hedlund and Leighton Meester – and McGraw’s wife, Faith Hill. Ronnie Dunn, Chris Young, Patty Loveless, Trace Adkins, Sara Evans, Hank Williams Jr. and Lee Ann Womack also contributed songs. “Country Strong” will be released in Los Angeles and Nashville on December 22nd. It comes out January 7th. The soundtrack arrives October 26th.

Ronnie Dunn Working On Solo Album

Now that Brooks & Dunn are done, Ronnie Dunn is working on a solo album that may be out early next year. He is also producing the project. Dunn has also recorded a solo track for “Country Strong,” the upcoming film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw. He provides a cover of “She’s Actin’ Single (I’m Drinkin’ Doubles),” a Wayne Carson Thompson song that was a No. 1 hit for Gary Stewart in 1975. Brooks & Dunn performed their final show in Nashville on September 2nd.

Travis Tritt Hitting The Big Screen

Travis Tritt is on location in Georgia, shooting scenes for the upcoming movie “Fishers of Men.” Tritt will play the role of Eddie Waters in the Christian-based tale of twin brothers who lead two very different lives. The movie is set in the 1950s. Before Travis was chosen for the film, the production staff had at first considered actor Sam Elliot and Alan Jackson.

Kenny Chesney Makes a Surprise Visit To High School Pep Rally

Kenny Chesney shocked a gymnasium full of high school students in Texas last week, making a surprise appearance at Celina High School’s pep rally on Friday to talk about high school football and how it inspired him. The East Tennessee native was a wide receiver for Gibbs High School, near Knoxville. He said playing football every Friday night impacted him in a way that he never thought possible. So much so that he decided to make a documentary about it, “The Boys of Fall.”

Steve Wariner Issuing ‘Guitar Christmas’

Steve Wariner will issue a new album, “Guitar Christmas,” on October 12th on his own SelecTone Records. The set was inspired by Chet Atkins’ holiday gatherings in his office. “The initial idea came about as I was thinking of the wonderful gatherings that Chet Atkins would host in his office around the holidays,” Steve says, “Everyone would sing and play and remember those beautiful melodies from our childhood.” Originally released in 2003, the instrumental collection of Christmas standards arranged, recorded, and produced by Steve, was previously available only through his website. This year, however, Allegro Media Group will handle distribution.

James Wesley Released Video For ‘Real’

James Wesley has unleashed the new video for his song “Real,” which will be featured on his upcoming second studio album. The video begins with Wesley fishing with a young boy, riding a four-wheeler, pushing a young girl on a swing and working on his car. Throughout the video he is shot through the frame of a television set as he sings about reality television shows and how they aren’t all that realistic. “Real” debuted at No. 54 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.

Love And Theft’s Brian Bandas Marries

Love and Theft’s Brian Bandas married his girlfriend, Kelly Barons, in a private ceremony Sunday at Nashville’s Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. Brian is the second member of the trio to walk down the aisle. Earlier this year, member Eric Gunderson and his girlfriend, Emily Hagar, married just outside of Nashville, leaving Stephen Barker Liles the last remaining bachelor of the band.

Kenny Chesney Scores 20th No. 1

Kenny Chesney’s current single, “The Boys of Fall,” marks his 20th No. 1 single. The single sits atop both the Mediabase and BDS charts. The song captures the heart of something Chesney loves so much – the moments and life lessons that high school football represents. Though it’s been 14 years since Chesney achieved his first No. 1, he admits that the excitement of a having a hit single never goes away. “The Boys of Fall” is the first single from his new album, “Hemingway’s Whiskey,” which is in stores today. Chesney will make numerous promotional appearances this week in support of the CD.

Darryl Worley’s Tennessee River Run Raises $200,000

Darryl Worley’s ninth annual Tennessee River Run festival raised $200,000 for local and national charities. Danny Gokey, Joe Diffie, Lee Brice and the Marshall Tucker Band were among the artists who performed during the event that took place September 16-18 in Worley’s hometown of Savannah, Tennessee. In addition to two concerts, the festival included a motorcycle poker run, golf tournament and fish fry. The event benefits the Darryl Worley Foundation, a nonprofit organization assisting in the construction of a cancer treatment center in Savannah.

Taylor Swift Strikes Album Deal With Comcast

Taylor Swift has teamed up for a second time with Comcast, this time giving customers 30-second sneak previews of four songs from her upcoming album, “Speak Now,” due out October 25th. Exclusive interviews with Swift will also be shown exclusively to subscribers. Beginning October 4th, a snippet of the title track will be available, along with a two-minute interview. Each week leading up to the release of Swift’s album, previews of new songs will be released: “Back to December” (October 11th), “Mean” (October 18th) and “Story of Us” (October 22nd). The music will be available on Comcast On Demand and online at www.xfinity.com.

Miranda Lambert’s Fall Tour Begins Tomorrow!

Miranda Lambert’s fall tour begins tomorrow in New York City, the first date of her fall outing, “CMT on Tour.” The show will also feature Eric Church and Josh Kelley. It will cover more than a dozen dates. Miranda says she couldn’t ask for a better group than her band and crew, who’ve become like family.

Katie Armiger Video Gets Play

The video for Katie Armiger’s single “Leaving Home” is close to cracking the top 10 on CMT.com. The song is from her next CD, "Confessions of a Nice Girl," due October 5th.

Olsen Song Is In ‘Good Hands’

Troy Olsen has released his new single, “Good Hands.” The song, written by Olsen and Marv Green, is a song about a man reassuring his woman that he’ll take care of her. The Arizona native just launched his own webisode series, "Livin’ The Dream with Troy Olsen," on GACTV.com. Olsen talks about how he discovered music, accidentally discovered he could produce, and other stories of his path to making music. Olsen is currently on his headlining "Get Right Tonight Tour" in advance of the October 5th release of his self-titled debut EP.

Bentley Helps Raise $50,000 For Charity

Dierks Bentley’s “Miles & Music For Kids” event in Seattle on Saturday raised $50,000 for Seattle Children’s Hospital. Despite the heavy rain, over 5,000 fans showed up. You can find out more online at www.dierks.com.

Don Henley Plans Country Project

Eagles drummer Don Henley has been working on an album of country songs with the former drummer of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Stan Lynch. “He’s another quasi-redneck who is amazingly gifted and has a killer sense of humor,” Henley says. This is not the first time Henley has worked with country music. In 1993 he helped develop “Common Thread: The Songs Of The Eagles,” which featured remakes of the Eagle’s songs by Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Diamond Rio and Tanya Tucker. “Common Thread” won Album of the Year from the Country Music Association. A release date has yet to be announced for Henley’s country album.

Dolly’s Musical Opens In Nashville

The world premiere of Dolly Parton’s "9 to 5: The Musical" tour is set to debut in Nashville today. "American Idol" finalist Diana DeGarmo was cast in the role of Doralee Rhodes, made famous by Dolly. Parton wrote 16 songs for the Broadway show, earning a Tony nomination. The tour features a new cast, along with new direction, choreography and design. After the Nashville run, the musical is expected to tour for two years across the country.

Craig Morgan Sings For Airmen

Craig Morgan returned to Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Friday for a free concert. Prior to his music career, Morgan served in the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division at nearby Fort Bragg. Morgan also served in the 101st Airborne Division.

Zac Brown Sings For Students

Zac Brown and Clay Cook of the Zac Brown Band performed at the Bynum School in Midland, Texas, on Friday after a school volunteer won a sweepstakes co-sponsored by Campbell Soup’s Labels for Education program and the Grammy Foundation. Brown and Cook shared stories about their music career to 37 special needs students, along with their teachers and families. The Zac Brown Band performed in Lubbock, Texas, that night.

Big Kenny And Wife Adopt A Baby Boy

Big & Rich’s Big Kenny and his wife, Christiev, adopted a baby boy named Dakota Jefferson Holiday Alphin back in July, according to People magazine. "When they put Dakota in our arms, he has the most beautiful smile, and the moment Kenny started talking to him, Dakota lunged toward him," Christiev told People. "We both looked at each other and it was like, ‘Of course he is our son.’” The couple said their four-year-old son, Lincoln William, has accepted the big brother role.

Lady Antebellum Teams Up With Maroon 5

Maroon 5 enlisted the help of Lady Antebellum for their new album, “Hands All Over.” Maroon 5’s Adam Levine says the collaboration on the track "Out of Goodbyes" is a welcome part of their new album. Levine says what he really likes about their working together is that they were able to create a tight three-part harmony with the song.

Kenny Chesney Ready For A Break

Kenny Chesney had his eye on 2010 as a bit of a break, but that hasn’t exactly how things have turned out. From the making of his “Summer In 3D” album to the work he put into creating his “Boys of Fall” documentary, Chesney has been super busy. He says that taking a break is sometimes just about where you want to focus your energy.

Taylor Swift Forgives Kanye West At VMAs

Last night, Taylor Swift absolved Kanye West of last year’s bad behavior at the VMAs in song. West, also in song, beat himself up over the incident. Swift debuted a new song she wrote about what was arguably the biggest controversy in MTV VMA history – when Kanye hijacked the mic during her acceptance speech for Best Female Video. Swift sang: “Lost your balance on the tight rope/it’s never too late to get it back.” In another verse, she sings about a man who’s “32 and still growing up.” The song, “Forgiveness,” will appear on her new album, “Speak Now,” due out October 25th. Kanye concluded the show with his own previously unheard song about toasting men who are jerks. Taylor was up for Female Video of the Year again, this time for “Fifteen.” She lost to Lady Gaga’s “Romance.”

Lady Antebellum Parodies Blake Shelton’s ‘All About Tonight’

Lady Antebellum has released a new parody video of Blake Shelton’s hit single, “All About Tonight.” On the re-worked track they poke fun at Shelton’s fashion sense, changing the title to “These Jeans Are Mighty Tight.” Lady A’s Charles Kelley sings: “To make them fit just right, you can’t wear underwear, you don’t want them to see your tighty whites. Yeah, I might be chaffing tomorrow, cuz these jeans are mighty tight.” Other songs that the group has hazed include Easton Corbin’s “A Little More Country Than That,” which they renamed, “A Little More Preppy Than That,” and Lee Brice’s “Love Like Crazy,” with their version called “Biscuits & Gravy.”

Reba Unveils Cover Art For New Album

Reba McEntire has revealed the cover art for her upcoming album, “All The Women I Am.” The cover features Reba in a black tank top in front of what looks like an aluminum foil backdrop. “All The Women I Am” will be Reba’s 34th studio album. It will feature a cover of Beyoncé’s “If I Were A Boy.”

Lambert, Crow Join Lynn On ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’

Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow have joined Loretta Lynn on a remake of “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” the first single from an upcoming tribute album to Lynn. The single will drop tomorrow. The digital version will be available on September 28th. The album, “Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn,” is due out November 9th. Lynn personally picked Crow and Lambert to appear on the album, as well as Steve Earle, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Kid Rock, Martina McBride, Allison Moorer, Paramore, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, the White Stripes, Lucinda Williams, Gretchen Wilson and Lee Ann Womack.

Rascal Flatts Sweets Up Tailgaters

Rascal Flatts joined Hershey’s to sweeten up football fan tailgaters on Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, as they canvassed the Ohio State University tailgating grounds to introduce S’mores as the Official Dessert of Tailgating. The band kicked off tailgating season with a visit back to their home state of Ohio for one of this season’s hottest matchups in college football – University of Miami vs. Ohio State. Before the game, fans were treated to a surprise visit from Rascal Flatts passing out S’mores to tailgaters. Rascal Flatts also performed the national anthem prior to the game.

Justin Moore’s GAC Special

Justin Moore will be in the spotlight for a new GACtv special called “How I Got To Be This Way,” premiering Sunday. Moore will share stories about growing up in Poyen, Arkansas, his road to stardom, and more. During the show, fans will also get to see the video for his latest single, also titled “How I Got To Be This Way.”

George, Reba, Lee Ann Tour Continues Into October

George Strait, Reba and Lee Ann Womack are enjoying touring together so much that they’re extending the trek into late October. Their next concert is tonight in Columbus, Ohio, followed by a Friday night concert in Lexington, Kentucky, and a Saturday night show in Nashville. This year’s tour concludes October 22nd in Fargo, North Dakota.

Jamey Johnson On ‘Letterman’

Jamey Johnson will perform “Lonely at the Top” on David Letterman’s show tomorrow. The song was written by Don Cook, Chick Raines and the late Keith Whitley but was never previously recorded. When Letterman and his staff heard the track from Johnson’s upcoming 25-song double album, they thought Johnson should perform it on their show. Johnson will also headline a show at the Highline Ballroom tomorrow. Jamey’s “The Guitar Song” will be in stores on September 14th.

Lynne, Moorer Tour Together For First Time

Sisters Shelby Lynne and Allison Moorer will launch their first ever tour together this fall. They’ll kick off the “Side by Side Tour” with an appearance at the 10th Annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, and wrap with a homecoming show in Mobile, Alabama, on December 4th.

Urban’s ‘All For The Hall’ Gig Returns

Keith Urban has scheduled his second all-star concert to benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The event will be held October 5th at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. “We’re All for the Hall” will also feature Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, Charley Pride, Billy Currington, Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, John Mayer and Martina McBride. Tickets go on sale September 17th.

Dierks Bentley Plans Big Apple Residency

Dierks Bentley has planned a four-night residency in four separate New York City venues in October, playing material from his CMA-nominated album, “Up on the Ridge.” Bentley will focus on his country hits at the Bowery Ballroom on October 18th, then perform a bluegrass-inspired set with the Del McCoury Band at City Winery on October 19th. Bentley will join songwriters Jessi Alexander, Jim Beavers and “Up on the Ridge” producer Jon Randall Stewart for the CMA Songwriters Series at Joe’s Pub on October 20th. He’ll conclude at South Paw with the acoustic group Punch Brothers on October 21st. A limited number of four-day passes will be available on Bentley’s website this Friday.

Alan Jackson Readies ‘34 Number Ones’

A new Alan Jackson compilation, “34 Number Ones,” will be released on November 23rd. The hits on the double album span from 1990’s “Here in the Real World” to 2009’s “Country Boy.” The project also includes “Look at Me,” from the soundtrack of “Billy: The Early Years,” and a previously unreleased cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire.” Jackson released his first single on Arista Nashville in 1989.

Miranda Lambert Breaks Up Fight During Concert

Miranda Lambert took it upon herself to break up a fight that erupted at her concert in Waynesville, Missouri, over the weekend. The incident took place Saturday night, and Lambert stopped her show long enough to put an end to the dispute. Lambert tweeted: “Tonight some idiots got in a fight on the front row at my show. I had to stop and call them out.” She added, “Funny part ... it was during ‘Only Prettier.’”

‘Old-Time’ Music Coming To CD

Soon we’ll be able to hear the music people from the Smoky Mountains were playing about 70 years ago. The music was recorded by a graduate student from California in 1939. Proceeds from the sale of “Old-Time Smoky Mountain Music” will help park projects related to history, education and scientific research.

Little Big Town Debuts at No. 1

Little Big Town’s fourth album, “The Reason Why,” has become the quartet’s first chart-topping disc. The group’s latest project sold 42,000 copies in its first week, helped out by the Top 10 success of their current single, “Little White Church,” which is the seventh best-selling digital single this week. The album also scores a Top 5 debut on the Billboard 200, putting them just behind the new release by Usher. Little Big Town have even more reason to celebrate this week as they scored a CMA award nomination for Vocal Group of the Year.

Bon Jovi, Brad Paisley, ‘Reclaiming Our Beaches’

Two of the biggest names in music will use their star power to help bring attention and tourists back to the Alabama Gulf Coast. The two free concerts on the beach are slated for the weekend of October 15-17 in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with Bon Jovi performing on October 15th and Brad Paisley performing on October 17th. These two shows signify the next installments of Alabama’s “Concerts For The Coast” event series. The shows, which are free to the public, will be ticketed events. Tickets will be available through Gulf Shores and Orange Beach lodging partners starting September 8th. Find out more at http://gulfshores.com/packages-deals and www.concertsforthecoast.com.

The Band Perry Receive First CMA Award Nomination

The Band Perry is nominated for Vocal Group of the Year for the 44th Annual CMA Awards. This is the trio’s first nomination for a national music award, and the first nomination for an artist on the Republic Nashville label. “We are so humbled and just downright excited to be nominated for CMA Vocal Group of the Year,” said Kimberly Perry, speaking on behalf of the trio. “The three of us are huge country music fans and are honored to be in this category with some of our favorite artists. Big love and our deepest thanks to everyone for your rich support.” The trio’s current single, “If I Die Young,” is inside the Top 10 on Billboard and climbing. TBP will be on tour with Alan Jackson this fall.

Jaron Nabs Kristin Cavallari For Video

Jaron and the Long Road to Love teased his Facebook followers with the identity of his co-star in the upcoming music video for his single, “That’s Beautiful to Me.” Now the actress herself confirms her identity via her Twitter page. Kristin Cavallari will play the object of the singer’s affection in the upcoming video that filmed in Los Angeles yesterday. Kristin got her start in reality TV while still a junior in high school, when she was cast in the MTV series, “Laguna Beach.” She has had other roles, but is perhaps best known for her role as the resident troublemaker on “The Hills.”

Sara Evans Is ‘A Little Bit Stronger’

Sara Evans’ new single, “A Little Bit Stronger,” was dropped this week. Evans has also filmed a video for the project. Her next tour dates are September 17th in Kissimmee, Florida, and September 18th in Ocala, Florida, with concerts scheduled throughout mid-December. No release date has been scheduled for her new album.

Miranda Lambert Sets CMA Record

Miranda Lambert scored nine nominations for this year’s CMA Awards, the most ever for a female artist in the show’s decades-long history. “They don’t even make a word to describe how I feel,” Lambert admitted. “I’m still coming to terms with this.” Lady Antebellum earned five nods, while Blake Shelton and Zac Brown Band each received four nominations. The nominees were announced in Nashville Tuesday and during ABC’s “Good Morning America” yesterday. The 44th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, will be broadcast live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville November 10th on ABC. The five categories and their nominees announced yesterday were:

 

Entertainer of the Year: Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban and Zac Brown Band.

Female Vocalist of the Year: Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McIntire, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.

Male Vocalist of the Year: Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, George Strait and Keith Urban.

Album of the Year: “Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum, “Play On” – Carrie Underwood, “Revolution” – Miranda Lambert, “Twang” – George Strait and “Up on the Ridge” – Dierks Bentley.

Musical Event of the Year: “Bad Angel” – Dierks Bentley f/ Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson, “Can’t You See” – Zac Brown Band f/ Kid Rock, “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton f/ Trace Adkins, “I’m Alive” – Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews, and “Till the End” – Alan Jackson with Lee Ann Womack.

CMA Nods

Miranda Lambert competes against herself in two categories in the first round of nominees announced yesterday by the Country Music Association. Nominees were announced in seven categories and the remaining five categories will be revealed today on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Lambert’s songs, “The House That Built Me” and “White Liar,” are nominated in the Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year categories. Lambert also is up for Song of the Year for “White Liar,” which she co-wrote with Natalie Hemby. The 44th Annual CMA Awards will air live on ABC from Nashville on November 10th. The categories and nominees announced yesterday:

 

New Artist of the Year: Luke Bryan, Easton Corbin, Jerrod Niemann, Chris Young and Zac Brown Band.

Vocal Group of the Year:  Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Rascal Flatts, The Band Perry and Zac Brown Band.

Vocal Duo of the Year:  Brooks & Dunn, Joey + Rory, Montgomery Gentry, Steel Magnolia and Sugarland.

Single of the Year:  “A Little More Country Than That” – Easton Corbin, “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton f/ Trace Adkins, “Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum, “The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert, and “White Liar” – Miranda Lambert.

Song of the Year:  “A Little More Country Than That” – Eason Corbin, “Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum, “The House That Built Me” Miranda Lambert, “Toes” – Zac Brown Band and “White Liar” – Miranda Lambert.

Music Video of the Year:  “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton f/ Trace Adkins, “Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum, “The House That Built Me” – Miranda Lambert, “Water” – Brad Paisley and “White Liar” – Miranda Lambert.

Musician of the Year: Paul Franklin, steel guitar; Dann Huff, guitar; Brent Mason, guitar; Mac McAnally, guitar; and Randy Scruggs, guitar.  

Joey+Rory Team Up With Southwest Airlines

Joey+Rory are flying high after teaming up with Southwest Airlines for a sweepstakes called “This Trip’s For You.” The contest kicks off this week and runs through September 20th. The title of the contest is a play on their current single, “This Song’s For You.” Southwest Airlines will send one lucky winner and their guest to Houston to see the duo perform. Joey+Rory will join Don Williams for a month of theatre shows beginning September 30th. Meanwhile, the duo was nominated yesterday for Duo of the Year by the CMA. Their next album, “Album Number Two,” drops September 14th.

Jerrod Niemann Nabs First CMA Nod

Jerrod Niemann is one happy camper after he earned his first Country Music Association award nomination yesterday. Niemann is up for New Artist of the Year. His career has exploded this year thanks in large part to his chart-topping album, “Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury,” which debuted at No. 1. He also hit it big with the No. 1 single “Lover, Lover.” Jerrod will be on the road with Gary Allan and Randy House on Allan’s “Get Off On The Pain” tour, which begins September 9th.

Jake Owen’s Concert Moved To Larger Venue

Jake Owen’s annual concert in Vero Beach, Florida, will take place in a bigger venue this year. The show, which has sold out four years in a row, will now be held at the historic Holman Stadium on December 10th. The annual concert is part of the Mardy’s Tennis & Jake’s Music Fest to Benefit the Mardy Fish Foundation. It will take place in the baseball stadium used as the summer home for the Los Angeles Dodgers. General admission tickets run $15.

Currington Sets Record

Billy Currington drew more than 20,000 fans Saturday night to Cardinal Stadium in Louisville to surpass a 20-year Kentucky State Fair attendance record previously set by Charlie Daniels. Currington releases his fourth album, “Enjoy Yourself,” on September 21st.

Tim McGraw Honored For Women’s Shelter Fundraising

Tim McGraw will accept an award in October for his fundraising efforts with his wife, Faith Hill, on behalf of battered women’s shelters in Tennessee. The True Ally Award will be presented to McGraw at the 2010 Men Stopping Violence annual awards dinner in Atlanta on October 2nd. The dinner recognizes men who have dedicated time and resources to fostering safety and justice for women.

Brad Paisley Distributes More Water

Brad Paisley has announced the second leg of his “H2O World Tour.” Thirteen dates have been added to the previously announced 45 stops – extending the tour through November 20th. The tour has played to more than 600,000 fans in just three months with 38 sellouts, including 51,000-plus in Gillette Stadium near Boston. Darius Rucker and Justin Moore will continue to open the shows.

Barbara Mandrell, Sisters Join Charity Event

Barbara Mandrell and her sisters Louise and Irlene will mingle and take photos with guests at the Nashville Palace in Nashville tomorrow for a charity event hosted by Barbara’s daughter, Jaime Dudney. The event raises money for Suba Environmental Education of Kenya, a nonprofit that provides ministries, environmental education, orphan care and HIV relief. Auction items include the sparkling green dress worn by Reba McEntire at the 2010 CMT Music Awards, an autographed dulcimer from Dolly Parton, an autographed guitar from Kenny Chesney, the wardrobe from Little Big Town’s “Little White Church” video, and a Wonder Woman lunchbox autographed by Lynda Carter.

Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame

Four songwriters will be honored by the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony is October 17th. Stephen Foster is considered America’s first professional songwriter and is remembered for songs like “Oh! Susanna” and “Camptown Races.” The other posthumous award is going to Paul Davis. He wrote Tanya Tucker’s “Love Me Like You Used To” and Lorrie Morgan’s “Back in Your Arms Again.” Pat Alger collaborated with Garth Brooks for “The Thunder Rolls,” “Unanswered Prayers” and others. He also wrote Hal Ketchum’s “Small Town Saturday Night.” Also being honored is Steve Cropper who wrote some non-country classics including “The Dock of the Bay,” “In the Midnight Hour,” “Green Onions” and “Knock on Wood.”

Blake Shelton’s Concert Special

With the No. 1 country song, “All About Tonight,” Blake Shelton’s taking the next step by doing his first TV concert special. “Blake Shelton Live: It’s All About Tonight” airs on GAC September 8th. It was shot at Roberts Stadium in Evansville, Indiana. The 90-minute special includes a duet with Miranda Lambert.

Jeff Bridges Ready To Get Back To Music

Jeff Bridges says “Crazy Heart” really fanned his “music flame.” So he’s taking that heat and creating more music. The actor says he’s “put a little band together” to play some gigs. He’s starting by performing tonight and Thursday at Fallsview Casino on the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Bridges also says he and T Bone Burnett, who produced the music in “Crazy Heart,” are talking about doing more music together.

Aaron Kelly Going Nashville

Last night was an ending and a beginning for Aaron Kelly. The “American Idol” tour ended with a concert in Indianapolis – which begins what he hopes will be a successful country career. Kelly says he’ll be looking for an apartment in Nashville, a town he’s very familiar with because he’s been going there with his mom since he was 11. Kelly says he’s been writing music so he can “be 100 percent prepared” to show music executives he can be a country idol.

Josh Turner, Wife Expecting A Boy

Josh Turner and his wife Jennifer announced that they are expectants of their third boy. The couple made the announcement on NBC’s “The Today Show” on Friday. Josh Turner seated next to co-host, Hoda Kotb and Jennifer sat at the news desk while they announced the news of their expected boy. Jennifer is in the fifth month of her pregnancy. They already have two sons.

Reba Delivers A ‘Different’ Sound With ‘Turn On The Radio’

Reba’s current single, “Turn On The Radio” is one of her fastest-rising singles, and it’s quite a change from her most recent single, the ballad “I Keep On Loving You.” But as Reba says, whatever the style of song is she releases, when she opens her mouth to sing, it will sound country. “I’ve gone to both ends of the gamut,” Reba says.  “I’ve done the most traditional country music possible, and then I’ve gone way over the line on doing a lot of songs that were not traditional country music. I’m going on my 35th year in the music business. And I think always experimenting and trying to do something different has something to do with why I’ve been in this business as long as I have. What always appeals to me is the song. And whether it’s a little more traditional, or a little more contemporary, that’s what I’m going to sing. Because in my opinion, there’s only two kinds of songs, two categories: good and bad. Of course, when I sing it, it’s going to be country.”