Willie Nelson Cuts Off His Pigtails!

Hold on to your hats – Willie Nelson has cut his hair. “Oh Noooooo!,” wrote one fan who saw a picture of Nelson’s new ‘do on the Web. Nelson’s waist-deep, reddish pigtails have been one his signature features for years. Spokeswoman Elaine Schock said Willie didn’t make a big fuss about the makeover, but she thought he might have grown tired of dealing with long locks. “There’s a lot of maintenance,” she said.

Chris LeDoux Park To Be Dedicated

A life-size and a half bronze statue celebrating the life and legacy of Chris LeDoux, titled “Good Ride Cowboy,” by sculptor D. Michael Thomas, will be unveiled on June 19th during the dedication of Chris LeDoux Park in Kaycee, Wyoming. The statue, which sits atop a guitar shaped base, is of LeDoux riding the horse Stormy Weather, which earned the former rodeo cowboy a world championship. The walkway that leads in to the park where the sculpture is has LeDoux’s actual boot prints leading to the park; the boot prints fade as you get closer to the sculpture. The Chris LeDoux Park dedication will include barrel racing, saddle bronc and bareback riding in Harold Jarrard Park. Find out more at www.chrisledoux.com.

Little Big Town Throws ‘Little White Church’ Weddings

Little Big Town threw two weddings last weekend in their “Little White Church” tent on the “Country Throwdown” tour. The band’s new video for “Little White Church” debuts on Amazon.com this week. The “Little White Church” tent is inspired by the band’s current Top 25 single of the same name. Both couples entered contests through their local radio stations offering fans a chance to get married or renew their vows during the “Country Throwdown Tour” with 20 of their closest friends and family. The first wedding was held Friday in Cincinnati for Anne Zimmerman and Josh York. The second wedding was held Sunday in Indianapolis and was a renewal ceremony for Maggie and Adam Clark. The members of Little Big Town attended the ceremonies and signed the marriage licenses as official witnesses.

Joey+Rory’s 2nd Annual ‘Bib & Buckle Fest’

The 2nd annual “Bib & Buckle Fest” is fast approaching and this year it’s being dubbed the “Unofficial CMT ‘Can You Duet’ Season I Reunion.” On June 5th in Pottsville, Tennessee, husband and wife duo Joey+Rory will be joined by “Can You Duet” cast members Caitlin & Will and Kate & Kacey, as well as other “CYD” cast members and musical acts for their annual community event.

‘Letters for Lyrics’ Continues This Memorial Day Weekend

More than 70,000 people have shown their appreciation to U.S. soldiers stationed across the world by submitting letters at their local Ram Truck dealership or Zac Brown Band concerts. But that’s not enough. The Ram Truck Brand and Zac Brown Band partnered for “Letters for Lyrics,” and they want to hit the goal of 1 million letters. Participants receive a special compilation CD titled “Breaking Southern Ground,” which features three new songs from the Zac Brown Band, as well as music from artists signed to Zac Brown’s label, Southern Ground Artists. As part of the “Letters for Lyrics” campaign, www.RamTrucks.com also debuted the video installment of “For Those Who Serve,” a documentary of the Zac Brown Band’s visit to soldiers stationed in the Persian Gulf. Chapters from the documentary will debut on the site throughout the campaign.

Big Kenny Joins Rock Band Relief

Big Kenny is partnering with “Rock Band” to bring relief and donations to Nashville’s flood victims. Kenny is one of the many artists joining Rock Band Relief, an organization that helps artists convert their music into playable songs for the “Rock Band” video game series. The tracks can be purchased from the Rock Band Network online store. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross to help with the recent natural disaster. Any part of the sales commission the artist receives and wishes to donate to Red Cross will be matched by www.rockbandrelief.org. Big Kenny has contributed the songs “One More Time” and “Happy People,” from his album “The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy.” The songs should be available to gamers in about two months. In addition, a portion of the proceeds from all downloads of the MP3 versions of Kenny’s songs via the Amazon links on the Rockbandrelief.org Web site will also be donated to the Red Cross.

Darius Rucker Slated For Pre-Race Concert At Coke Zero 400

Darius Rucker is scheduled to warm up a crowd of NASCAR fans at the upcoming Coke Zero 400 at the Daytona International Speedway in Florida on July 3rd. Rucker will perform a pre-race concert and the national anthem. Rucker, who is making this third appearance at Daytona, is also hosting a benefit concert on June 2nd for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Mindy McCready Wants Mom To Shut Up

Mindy McCready is asking a judge to issue a gag order to her mom, who has been telling the media that she tried committing suicide Tuesday. McCready was taken to the hospital after her mom called 911. Mindy, who broke her toe over the weekend, says her mom gave her four Darvocet pills for pain. But mom claimed Mindy tried committing suicide. In legal documents, McCready claims her mom is spreading “erroneous information to the media ... to sabotage her reunification efforts with her son.” Mindy and her mom are fighting over custody of the boy.

CMT Music Awards Presenters

The first round of presenters for the 2010 CMT Music Awards were revealed yesterday, including celebrity cook Paula Deen, “American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi, NFL player Terrell Owens, “Heroes” actress Hayden Panettiere, NASCAR legend Richard Petty, “Saturday Night Live” star Kenan Thompson and country artists Trisha Yearwood and the Zac Brown Band. The show airs live June 9th. Hosted by Kid Rock, the 2010 CMT Music Awards will also feature performances from Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and the Zac Brown Band, with more to be announced.

Julie Roberts Gets Back To Music After Flood

Julie Roberts and her family have been busy cleaning up after her home was among those caught in the flood that wreaked havoc on Nashville earlier this month. Now the singer, who has been assisted in the cleanup by folks from her record label, Universal Music Group, can get back to making music. She was in the middle of recording her third album when the flood hit. Julie describes the new disc as “real country” and an extension of her gold-certified debut, released in 2004. She said she may even “have a few songs about this flood experience that I’m going to write.” Julie has also spent time in Los Angeles working on a film based on her life. She is working with Tom Rickman, who wrote “Coal Miner’s Daughter.”

Steve Warner Launching New Web Site

Steve Wariner will launch a completely revamped Web site at www.stevewariner.com on June 7th. The new site will feature exclusive videos and photos, the latest news and tour dates, regular posts from Steve, and much more. In preparation for the launch, fans can log onto the site and enter a sweepstakes to win a slew of prizes, including the grand prize – an autographed Takamine acoustic guitar and a 1-hour guitar lesson in Nashville with Steve. Everyone who enters the sweepstakes will also be given access, via a private link, to a Webcast during which Steve will perform three songs. The live webcast will take place June 12th, and it will also be available on demand until June 14th. The link for the Webcast will be e-mailed to all who enter the sweepstakes on or before June 11th.

SHeDAISY Joins Reading, Writing & Rhythm Benefit Concert

The 10th annual Reading, Writing and Rhythm benefit concert has added SHeDAISY to the lineup. The concert, set for June 8th at TPAC’s James Polk Theater in Nashville, will have drop boxes for fans to donate non-perishable food items for Nashville’s Second Harvest Food Bank, which suffered greatly in the recent devastating floods. The person who brings the largest delivery of non-perishable food goods will win two VIP passes backstage to meet the participating artists and two seats for the concert. They’ll also receive an autographed event poster and eco-friendly gift bag. Other artists performing include Rodney Crowell, Jamey Johnson, Bucky Covington, Justin Moore, Buxton Hughes, Jann Arden, and Reading, Writing & Rhythm’s Founder Chely Wright. In addition to collecting food for Second Harvest, all proceeds will benefit Tennessee schools devastated by the flood.

George Strait Special To Re-Air On CBS

The 2009 tribute concert “George Strait: ACM Artist of the Decade” will re-air June 6th on CBS. The special, taped at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, originally aired May 27, 2009. During the show, Strait was serenaded by numerous country artists, including Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.

Gill, Wariner And Paisley Keep The Opry Rockin’

Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Steve Wariner and Ricky Skaggs kicked off the Grand Ole Opry’s monthslong 85th birthday celebration last night with an all-star jam that brought down the house. The show was already a special occasion with four of country music’s greatest pickers joining together. But it was even more special when Opry officials decided to turn it into a benefit for flood relief. The show was at the Ryman, a former Opry home, after flood waters damaged the Opry House, plunging the stage under nearly 4 feet of water.

Country Icons Part Of New ‘Setlist’

Alabama, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson are three of the artists who are part of the new “Setlist” series of live albums to be released July 13th on Legacy Recordings. The remastered discs are not culled from the complete concerts at the same venue. Instead, they offer a broad selection of live material from various times in the artists’ careers.

More Mindy McCready Drama

Mindy McCready was hospitalized briefly in Cape Coral, Florida, yesterday after police received an overdose call. Now McCready’s mother says she may have overreacted when she called 911. Gayle Inge said she called 911 after having problems communicating with McCready. McCready broke her toe this past weekend. Saying she gave her daughter two Darvocet pills to ease the pain, Inge said Mindy’s behavior raised concerns that she had possibly taken additional pills. Mindy says she just had a bad reaction to the painkillers. McCready has a history of health and legal problems stemming from substance abuse. She recently appeared on VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew.”

Zac Brown Band Almost Done With Next Album

Zac Brown Band’s second album should be dropping before the end of this year. It is tentatively titled “Get What You Give.” “I would say 85 percent of the album is already cut,” guitarist/keyboardist Coy Bowles tells Billboard. “Zac’s done his vocals. I think he’s got to go back and do some guitar and things of that nature. I don’t want to put any dates out there, but I think it’s set to come out in the fall.” The group had around 50 songs to choose from, and according to Coy, the ones they’ve recorded are very much grounded in where they are now musically, yet at the same time, take a step in a new direction of maturity.

Tonight’s Opry Streams Live

The Grand Ole Opry’s “Tuesday Night Show” tonight features Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner. The show will be available online at Opry.com in a live steam. Throughout the show, viewers will be invited to contribute to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. The show will originate from the Ryman as the Opry has been temporarily displaced from its permanent home at the Grand Ole Opry House by this month’s flood. The night officially kicks off the Opry’s 85th birthday celebration.

Clay Walker On ‘Golf Central’

Check out the Golf Channel’s “Golf Central” tomorrow with special guest Clay Walker. Clay will be talking about golf, his ongoing battle with MS and his Clay Walker Charity Classic set for June 30-July 2 at Pebble Beach.

Jimmy Wayne Closing In On End Of Walk

Jimmy Wayne, who kicked off his 1,700-mile “Meet Me Halfway” journey on January 1st, is closing in on his destination of Phoenix. Jimmy, who is walking to bring awareness to youth homelessness, took a brief break from the road last week to visit Washington D.C. and speak with lawmakers about his mission, as well as update them on Nashville’s flood relief issues. Currently, Jimmy is battling extreme heat in the New Mexico desert on Highway 60, approximately 450 miles from his destination. To track Jimmy’s location status, visit http://meetmehalfway.jimmywayne.com.

Brad Paisley Kicks Off ‘H2O World Tour’

Brad Paisley’s “H2O World Tour” kicked off last weekend in Virginia Beach and a sold-out show in Washington, D.C. Over 42,000 fans came out over the debut weekend. As Paisley took the stage in Virginia Beach on Friday evening it was obvious that it was an emotional time as he looked out to the sea of fans and shouted, “You have no idea what we went through to get here tonight!” as he burst into his current single and show opener, “Water.” Later in the show, referring to the struggles of the past few weeks after the devastating Nashville floods, Paisley shared, “It was emotional, it was heartache, and it took perseverance to get here tonight. Every member of my team made this a reality and I am so proud of them. Thanks to you guys for making this difficult time that much more rewarding for all of us out here on the road.” The H2O Tour continues this weekend with shows in Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday and St. Louis on Saturday. Special guests on the tour are Darius Rucker and Justin Moore.

Alan Jackson Honors Fallen Miners

Alan Jackson played a tribute concert in Charleston, West Virginia, on Saturday to honor the miners who were killed in a nearby mining disaster last month, as well as their rescue workers. Prior to his concert at the Charleston Civic Center, Jackson met with 27 families affected by the Upper Big Branch incident. He also wore a bracelet during the concert to commemorate what would have been the 21st birthday of Cory Davis, one of the miners who died. Photos of the miners were shown on two screens during a performance of “Coalwood” by Jackson’s longtime pedal steel player, Robbie Flint, a native of Sylvester, West Virginia. The concert will benefit the Montcoal Mining Disaster Fund. Jackson was named an honorary West Virginian by Gov. Joe Manchin.

Martina, Naomi Sing ‘Happy Birthday’ For Maya Angelou

Martina McBride and Naomi Judd sang “Happy Birthday” to Maya Angelou at the poet’s home last Thursday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Angelou hosted a small gathering in her backyard garden to celebrate her 82nd birthday, which was actually on April 4th. Angelou is expected to release a new cookbook, “Great Food All Day Long,” later this year. A big country fan, she also appeared in a pre-taped segment on “ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn – The Last Rodeo,” which aired Sunday night on CBS.

Faith Hill, Emmylou Harris To Sing For Paul McCartney

Faith Hill and Emmylou Harris will sing at an all-star tribute to Paul McCartney in the East Room of the White House on June 2nd. McCartney will receive the third Gershwin Prize for Popular Song from the Library of Congress at the concert airing July 28th on PBS. The tribute will also feature Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl, the Jonas Brothers, Jack White, Stevie Wonder and Jerry Seinfeld.

Stars pay tribute to Brooks & Dunn

Last night some of the biggest names in country music played tribute to Brooks & Dunn during ACM Presents Brooks & Dunn: The Last Rodeo. Before the night was over Brooks & Dunn received the ACM Milestone Award. To date they’ve had 23 number one songs, sold over 30 million albums, and hold the record for having won the most ACM Awards – 27 total with three being for Entertainer of the Year. Below is a rundown of who sang during the special and the Brooks & Dunn song they chose to sing:

·         Miranda Lambert – “Hillbilly Deluxe”

·         George Strait – “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”

·         Kenny Chesney – “You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone”

·         Brad Paisley – “My Next Broken Heart”

·         Keith Urban – “Brand New Man”

·         Sugarland – “Red Dirt Road”

·         Reba McEntire – “Indian Summer”

·         Taylor Swift – “There Ain’t Nothin’ About You, That Don’t Do Somethin’ For Me”

·         Jason Aldean – “How Long Gone”

·         Lady Antebellum – “If You See Him/If You See Her” (Reba and Ronnie Dunn joined in at the end)

·         Jennifer Hudson – “Believe”

·         Carrie Underwood – “Neon Moon”

·         Darius Rucker – “Hard Workin’ Man”

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

·         Faith Hill – The Long Goodbye

·         Tim McGraw – That Ain’t No Way To Go

·         Brooks & Dunn – “Play Something Country”

Lady Antebellum Announces First Headlining Tour

Lady Antebellum will be launching their first headlining tour this fall. The group will kick off the tour on September 20th and end in November after stopping in 35 cities. David Nail will be opening. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks. Lady Antebellum’s next single will be “Our Kind of Love,” from their “Need You Now” album.

Kix Brooks Opens Vineyard For Flood Relief Benefit Concert

Kix Brooks opened his winery, Arrington Vineyards, in Tennessee on May 19th for a benefit concert to aid the Salvation Army’s flood relief efforts in Nashville. Maj. Rob Vincent of the Salvation Army said the funds will be used to provide food, cleaning supplies, clothing, utility assistance, rental assistance, building materials and other support to flood victims.

Danny Gokey Opens Flood Relief Center In Nashville

Danny Gokey is stepping up to help those recovering from the floods that devastated Nashville earlier this month. Using his charity, Sophia’s Heart, named after his late wife, Gokey has opened a relief center to offer assistance. The center offers flood victims the opportunity stop by to pick up supplies, including food, linens, clothing and other household items free of charge. Danny is currently on the road in support of his debut album, “My Best Days.”

Dierks Bentley Meets With Obama

Dierks Bentley had a private meeting with President Obama last week. Dierks boasted about the get-together to a sold-out audience at his Washington, D.C., concert. Bentley joked that he dropped off a copy of his latest CD, “Up On The Ridge,” at the Oval Office. No further details about the visit were made public. A video of the audience’s reaction was filmed for an upcoming television special. “Up on the Ridge” will drop June 8th. The title track was released through iTunes in April. Meanwhile, Bentley will appear at the “BamaJam Festival” in Enterprise, Alabama, on June 3rd.

Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson Honored

Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and producer Fred Foster are the 2010 recipients of the Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award. Fred Foster is best-known as the founder of Monument Records, a label which at one time was also home to fellow honorees Willie and Kris, among others. The three were chosen for the prestigious honor by the board of directors of Leadership Music and will be celebrated at an invitation-only gala banquet in Nashville on August 29th. The award, named for the first executive director of Leadership Music, was created in 2004 to recognize a music industry leader who exemplifies the highest quality of leadership and leading by example. Among previous honorees are Emmylou Harris and Garth Brooks.

Martina Makes Management Change

Martina McBride moves her management over to Morris Artist Management. President Clint Higham, who also manages the careers of Kenny Chesney and Jake Owen, says, “Martina is a superstar at the top of her game, but I believe there are many layers to her career that have yet to be explored. I look forward to an exciting future with her.”

Craig Morgan Speaks Up For Not Alone

Craig Morgan, a former combat soldier, has signed-on as spokesperson for Not Alone, an organization that empowers soldiers and families dealing with combat stress through training, education, counseling and support. American soldiers of the 21st century are serving in combat longer than almost any U.S. soldiers in the nation’s past with many soldiers serving multiple deployments with little break in between. Three in 10 soldiers show signs of mental illness or marital problems after their third and fourth deployments. Additionally, suicides are at record levels, divorce rates among enlisted soldiers continue to climb and rates of mental illness and prescription drug abuse are soaring. Since 9/11, it is estimated that over 300,000 warriors have symptoms of PTSD or combat stress. Combined with affected family members, this number grows to an estimated million people affected.

Jackson, Jones Donate Guitars For Nashville Flood Relief

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

Underwood, ACM Create ‘Temporary Home’ Fund For Flood Victims

Carrie Underwood and the Academy of Country Music have committed initial funding to create the ACM Lifting Lives Temporary Home Fund to assist families devastated by the recent floods in Middle Tennessee. The campaign takes its name from Carrie’s hit “Temporary Home.” A week ago, the organization received money generated from ticket sales to “ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn – The Last Rodeo,” airing Sunday on CBS. Underwood has also designated the Temporary Home Fund as the beneficiary of grants she will receive as the ACM’s reigning Entertainer of the Year. During the telecast of the Brooks & Dunn tribute, Underwood will be featured in a public service announcement encouraging viewer to text ACM to 501501 to make a one-time $10 donation to the fund. Donations can also be made online at www.ACMliftinglives.org and www.CBS.com/give.

Underwood Returning To ‘Idol’

Carrie Underwood takes a break from her “Play On Tour” to perform “Undo It” on next Wednesday’s “American Idol” season finale. This weekend, Carrie plays Sacramento, Reno and Las Vegas. On Memorial Day Weekend, she’ll be in Everett, Washington, next Saturday and Spokane next Sunday.

Billy Ray Cyrus And Son In Talks For Reality Series

Billy Ray Cyrus and his son, Trace Cyrus, the frontman of the now defunct Metro Station, are reportedly in talks to star in a new reality show. In a recent update to Twitter, Trace confirmed that he and his dad have already met with one network and they will soon meet with others. The new show would reportedly follow the father and son through their day-to-day lives.

Country Music’s Top 10 Moneymakers

Kenny Chesney’s home was likely destroyed by Tennessee’s devastating floods. But the good news is he can probably afford to replace it. Chesney made an estimated $50 million in the last year to rank No. 1 on the Forbes magazine list of country music’s Top 10 moneymakers. That’s $15 million less than Kenny’s estimated earnings for the previous year, but still $2 million more than No. 2 Toby Keith and $5 million more than Taylor Swift or Rascal Flatts, who tied for No. 3. According to the magazine, Taylor had the highest gains. Her income was $27 million more than the previous year. Also on the upswing were Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson. Those on the decline were Chesney, Keith, Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood. Forbes’ Top-Earning Country Music Stars:



1. Kenny Chesney $50 million 6. Keith Urban $28 million

2. Toby Keith $48 million 7. George Strait $25 million

3. Taylor Swift $45 million 8. Brad Paisley $22 million

3. Rascal Flatts $45 million 9. Alan Jackson $15 million

5. Tim McGraw $30 million 10. Carrie Underwood $13 million

Casey James Voted Off ‘Idol’

Casey James was eliminated from “American Idol” last night. “I can’t believe it, man. I’m so thankful for the opportunity. It’s been an amazing, amazing journey and I’m just so honored that I’m here. It’s amazing,” James said after learning his fate. He then sang an excerpt of John Mayer’s song “Daughters.” Heading into next week’s “Idol” finals are Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze.  

Knoxville Gets Its Own ‘Music Row’

Knoxville Habitat for Humanity and the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation are teaming up with country artists to build a “Music Row” in Knoxville. Only this Music Row provides local families with simple, decent and affordable housing. Yesterday, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn participated in the dedication of the “Brooks & Dunn” house, the first of the Music Row houses made possible by the Charlie and Moll Anderson Family Foundation. The home is located on LeFlore Ave. in the Lonsdale community. Each year over the next 10 years, Habitat plans to build a home on that road with the help of the Charlie and Moll Anderson Foundation and benefit concerts from various artists. The next home will be dedicated to Martina McBride, who performed a benefit concert last year. In lieu of a down payment, all Habitat homeowners are required to complete 500 hours of sweat equity, mostly in the form of budgeting and homeowner classes. In addition, the family pays a mortgage on the home that is at zero-percent over 25 to 30 years.

Cross Canadian Ragweed Take A Break From Touring

Cross Canadian have announced they are taking a break from touring. Randy Ragsdale, the band’s drummer and a founding member, told the band earlier this month that he needed to spend more time at home with his 10-year-old autistic son. Rather than hire a new drummer, the other three band members decided to take a break as well

Trace Adkins, Julianne Hough To Play Nashville’s July 4th Celebration

Trace Adkins and Julianne Hough are among the performers booked for Nashville’s July 4th celebration at Riverfront Park. The free annual event in downtown Nashville will also feature Christian singer Jaci Velasquez, the Nashville Symphony Orchestra and Ayla Brown.

Songwriters To Perform Chesney Hits During CMA Music Fest

Several songwriters who have written hits for Kenny Chesney will gather to perform the material during the CMA Music Festival in Nashville. Chesney is not scheduled to appear at the June 10th event at the Hard Rock Cafe. Participants include Mac McAnally (“Down the Road,” “Back Where I Come From”), Craig Wiseman (“The Good Stuff,” “Ain’t Back Yet,” “Summertime”), Brett James (“When the Sun Goes Down,” “Out Last Night,”), Neil Thrasher (“There Goes My Life,” “I Lost It”), Wendell Mobley (“There Goes My Life,” “How Forever Feels”) and Casey Beathard (“Don’t Blink,” “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems”). The performance will benefit Musicians On Call, a nonprofit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities.

Taylor Swift Wins Song Of The Year At BMI Awards

Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” has won BMI’s song of the year award. The music rights organization says the 20-year-old is the youngest songwriter ever to win pop song of the year. John Fogerty was named a BMI Icon, and Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. was honored as publisher of the year.

‘Music Saves Mountains’

Musicians like Kathy Mattea, Emmylou Harris, Dave Matthews, Patty Loveless and others are hoping their music can preserve the Appalachians. Last night’s “Music Saves Mountains” concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville was presented by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The concert was to raise awareness about coal mining that removes the tops of mountains. The council says this is devastating Appalachia. Find out more at www.musicsavesmountains.org.

Lady Antebellum In Simlish

How do you say “Need You Now” in Simlish? That’s what the members of Lady Antebellum had to deal with. Their hit single, “Need You Now,” is part of “The Sims 3 Ambitions” expansion pack. It was has been translated from English to the made-up videogame language, Simlish.

Brad Paisley’s ‘H20 World Tour’ Launches This Weekend

Brad Paisley’s highly anticipated “H2O World Tour” will kick off this weekend with shows in Virginia Beach on Friday and Washington, D.C., on Saturday. For the last two weeks, Paisley has been regrouping from the Nashville flood earlier this month. The rehearsal hall and tour storage facilities were flooded and it wasn’t until May 7th that Paisley was able to gain access to the storage facilities that housed his gear to take inventory. After assessing the loss his crew went into recovery mode by ordering new equipment. Another rehearsal hall was obtained and late last week Paisley and band were able to rehearse for a couple of days before heading to Virginia Beach. The tour will hit more than 75 cities in the United States, Canada and Europe over the next 12 months. Special guests will be Darius Rucker and Justin Moore.

Jerrod Niemann Readies Debut Album

Jerrod Niemann builds on the excitement surrounding his Top 20-and-climbing smash, “Lover, Lover,” with the July 13th release of his major label debut album, “Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury.” The 20 tracks on the album include 10 written or co-written by Jerrod.

Darius Rucker Teams With Coke Zero, LongHorn

Coke Zero and LongHorn Steaks have teamed up with Darius Rucker for the “Coke Zero Track & Tunes” sweepstakes. Beginning this week, LongHorn Steakhouse guests can register for a chance to win an exclusive trip to the 2010 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, which includes a pre-race VIP experience and special seating for the pre-race concert featuring Rucker. Grand prize packages worth $2,500 each will be awarded to two lucky winners. In addition to the grand prize, eligible participants have the chance to win merchandise including LongHorn gift cards, Apple iPod Touch players and Coca-Cola Racing Family autographed items. Find out more at www.CokeZero.com/longhorn. Entries will be accepted through June 6th.

Tim McGraw A ‘‘70s Rock Guy’

In the June issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, Tim McGraw admits that he’s “not cool enough” in his daughters’ eyes. “My girls don’t like my music,” confesses Tim. “They like Beyoncé, the Jonas Brothers and Ne-Yo.” I have to say, my girls have pretty good taste in music. Heck, I don’t like listening to me either. I’m a ‘70s rock guy.”

Dolly Goes Back Home For High School Reunion

When Dolly Parton graduated from Sevier County High School in East Tennessee 46 years ago, it was announced that her dream was to be a big country-western singer. Today, Dolly’s former classmates remember her as being very popular in high school, but some in the audience laughed at her. They certainly weren’t laughing when Dolly recently attended her 46th high-school class reunion. Despite stories of fellow students laughing at her and taunting her, Dolly was actually popular in high school, her former classmates say. She sang on the radio, which was a big deal, but none of them realized she would become the global icon she is today. Parton is already talking about getting together with her classmates in four years for the 50th-anniversary reunion. Dolly has only attended one other reunion – the one staged for her short-lived ABC variety series “Dolly” in 1987.

Billy Currington Is ‘Pretty Good At Drinkin’ Beer’

Billy Currington will release a new single, “Pretty Good at Drinkin’ Beer,” on Monday. It’s the first single from his fourth album, due this fall. Currington will join Carrie Underwood’s “Play On’ tour in the fall.

Cruisin’ With Zac Brown Band

Zac Brown Band has released more details on their upcoming Sailing Southern Ground cruise, set to take place September 2-6. The floating party will set sail from Tampa, Florida, and make stops in the Cayman Islands before heading back north. Aside from frontman Zac Brown and crew, passengers will also enjoy performances by Michael Franti & Spearhead, Blackberry Smoke, Nic Cowan, Gaelic Storm, Oakhurst, Levi Lowrey and Sonia Leigh. Cruise packages for the Labor Day event start at $699.

More Added To CMT Awards Lineup

Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and Zac Brown Band are now confirmed to perform at the CMT Awards next month. And Kid Rock won’t just be hosting the show, he’ll be performing too. They join previously announced performers Toby Keith, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. Fans can continue voting at CMT.com through June 8th to determine the winners. The awards air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on CMT and CMT.com June 9th.

Dolly Parton Takes Flood Relief Effort To Dollywood

Dolly Parton has announced “Dolly Helps Nashville,” a fundraising weekend set for this Saturday and Sunday with proceeds from her Dollywood and Dixie Stampede properties in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, earmarked for Music City flood relief efforts. Dolly will be on hand for the special weekend, making several special appearances and greeting guests at various theaters and locations throughout Dollywood and the Dixie Stampede.

Little Big Town Kicks Off ‘Country Throwdown Tour’

Little Big Town kicked off the first annual multi-stage “Country Throwdown” tour this past weekend with stops in Tampa, West Palm Beach and Jacksonville, Florida. The tour, which runs through mid June, features Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson, Jack Ingram, Eric Church, Eli Young Band, Jonathan Singleton & The Grove, Lost Trailers, Ryan Bingham, Emily West and more. LBT’s current single, “Little White Church,” from their upcoming new album, “The Reason Why,” is in the Top 25 and climbing.

Soles4Souls, Carter Twins To Visit Haiti

Soles4Souls, the international shoe charity, will be revisiting the devastated country of Haiti with up-and-coming country music duo The Carter Twins, beginning with an intimate beachfront acoustic set in Fort Lauderdale before their departure. The Harbor Beach Marriott Resort and Spa will be hosting the event and is encouraging guests to kick off their shoes during the concert and donate them to the shoe charity. The event will take place Sunday. Cole Haan will also be hosting an after party reception at the Fort Lauderdale Galleria Mall and will extend a 20% discount off a purchase with the donation of a gently worn pair of shoes. Soles4Souls has donated more than 8 million pairs of shoes worldwide, and most recently committed more than 1.3 million pairs to the victims of the Haitian earthquake. For more information on the partnership or how to get involved, visit www.giveshoes.org.

Larry The Cable Guy Co-Hosting Toby Keith’s Charity Auction

Larry the Cable Guy is the latest addition to the list of participants at the seventh annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic taking place Friday and Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma. He and Keith will co-host Friday’s dinner and auction prior to Saturday’s tournament. David Allan Coe is among the musicians scheduled to perform. The two-day event benefits the Toby Keith Foundation in its goal to fund the OK Kids Korral, a 16-room guest lodge which will house pediatric cancer patients and their families on the grounds of Oklahoma University Medical Center. The 30,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to open in 2012.

Houser Preps Sophomore Disc

Randy Houser will release his 12-track sophomore studio album, “They Call Me Cadillac,” on September 14th. The release follows his 2008 debut, “Anything Goes,” which had the hit “Boots On,” earning him Country Aircheck’s number one most played New Artist of 2009 honor.

Patriotic Country Songs

Carrie Underwood’s “All-American Girl” is one of 17 previously released tracks featured on an upcoming compilation, “Now That’s What I Call the USA (The Patriotic Country Collection).” Trace Adkins’ “Arlington,” Brooks & Dunn’s “Only in America,” Kenny Chesney’s “Back Where I Come From” and Tim McGraw’s “If You’re Reading This” are also included on the project to be released June 15th. A portion of the proceeds will benefit troops and military families.

Joe Nichols Schedules ‘Leno,’ ‘The View’

Joe Nichols is scheduled to perform “Gimmie That Girl” on “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” on NBC tonight. He will also perform the No. 1 hit on ABC’s “The View” on May 25th. The single comes from his 2009 album, “Old Things New.” Nichols’ next tour date will be Thursday at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill in Mesa, Arizona.

Brad Paisley Donates $100,000 To Flood Relief

Brad Paisley kicked off a charity telethon for flood-ravaged Nashville by making a massive $100,000 donation to fund relief efforts. Paisley was one of several celebrities who volunteered to take part in GAC’s “Music City Keep on Playin’ - A Benefit for Flood Relief” TV fundraiser on Sunday. He sang “Welcome To The Future” before announcing, “I think it’s time to start things off with a donation. We’re going to donate $100,000.” He then turned to his wife Kimberly Williams Paisley, the event’s co-host, and asked, “Is that OK?” She agreed. Sheryl Crow, Kellie Pickler, Lady Antebellum and Keith Urban also performed and manned the phones to accept donations from callers. The stars raised approximately $1.7 million for Nashville, which was hit by severe storms earlier this month, destroying or damaging 2,000 homes.