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.”

Jewel To Go On Media Blitz

Jewel, in the middle of an extensive multi-state motorcycle excursion with her husband Ty Murray, performed last night on NBC’s EMMY Awards. Jewel performed a song “The Shape Of You” – available for digital download on iTunes – during the show’s in-memoriam montage. While in Los Angeles, Jewel will also appear on CNN’s “Larry King Live” and E!’s “Chelsea Lately” today, where she will promote the release of her second Funny Or Die video clip as well as her new single “Ten” from her current album “Sweet And Wild.”

 

The McClymonts Announce Tour Dates With Jason Aldean

The McClymonts have announced a string of new U.S. concert dates beginning September 10th with Jason Aldean. The award-winning trio of sisters from Australia recently released their debut album “Chaos and Bright Lights” in the U.S. and performed at the Midland Country Fair in Michigan supporting Lady Antebellum. The sister trio recently played to a standing-room-only crowd of industry insiders and media in Nashville as they launched their North American debut on August 17th. The McClymonts – Brooke, Sam and Mollie – are three sisters from Grafton, on the New South Wales north coast of Australia.

Zac Brown Band Take ‘Letters For Lyrics’ Online

The Zac Brown Band launched their “Letters for Lyrics” campaign earlier this year, to encourage fans to support U.S. military troops by writing letters of encouragement. Partnering with Dodge Ram to help achieve the goal, more than 327,000 letters have already been written and sent all over the world. With an ultimate goal of one million letters, the band has now expanded the initiative by allowing fans to send notes to the troops online. To participate, visit www.zacbrownband.com.

Soldiers Get Big Send-Off With Darryl Worley Concert

Darryl Worley will entertain 4000 National Guard soldiers and their families during a send-off picnic and concert at Boise’s Gowen Field on September 9th. The 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team is deploying to Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn. The Boise-area soldiers’ deployment is for one-year, which hopefully, will be the conclusion of the U.S. Military’s involvement in that Country.

Taylor Swift’s ‘Mine’ Video Out

The new Taylor Swift video for her latest single, “Mine,” is out now. Swift unveiled the video Friday night on CMT. The song is from her upcoming disc, “Speak Now,” dropping October 25th.

‘Rock Band’ Delivering New Nine-Pack of Country

A nine-pack of country songs for the game “Rock Band” will be available tomorrow. The Rock Band Music Store will be offering the downloadable content for the Xbox 360, PlayStation and Wii. Tracks on the “Going Country Pack 04” include Urban’s “Days Go By,” McEntire’s “Fancy,” Lady Antebellum’s “Lookin’ for a Good Time,” Bentley’s “What Was I Thinkin’,” Eric Church’s “Hell on the Heart,” Jamey Johnson’s “Women,” Josh Turner’s “Would You Go With Me,” Laura Bell Bundy’s “Rebound” and Sugarland’s “It Happens.”

Doug Stone Arrested For DUI

Doug Stone was arrested for DUI in Gallatin, Tennessee, early Tuesday morning. Stone was pulled over at 5 a.m. after local officers were called about a possible intoxicated driver. The singer was jailed and released later that day on $3,000 bond. Stone will appear in court on October 5th.

Mel Tillis Releasing Comedy Album

Mel Tillis has a new album coming out September 21st. It’s a comedy album called “You Ain’t Gonna Believe This.” Tillis says because he stutters, humor has very much been a part of his whole life. He says it’s been his crutch and says the stories he tells “on and offstage are 95 percent true.” He adds that if these stories “need a little help,” he helps them out now and again.

Paisley, Underwood Named CMA Show Hosts

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood have agreed to reunite for a third time as hosts of the 44th annual CMA Awards show in Nashville. The CMAs takes place at the Bridgestone Arena November 10th. The show will air on ABC.

Grand Opening Of Eddie Montgomery’s Steakhouse In Kentucky

Eddie Montgomery is gearing up for the official Grand Opening celebration for the 20,000 square foot entertainment and dining complex known as Eddie Montgomery’s Steakhouse. The Grand Opening celebration on September 14th will include an All Star Jam with special guests of Eddie’s as well as food and fun. Special Grand Opening reservations and tickets are available by calling 859.734.3400.

Lady A Claims Three Spots On Billboard Chart

Lady Antebellum scored three spots in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart this week as their two studio albums “Need You Now” and “Lady Antebellum” were joined by the group’s newly released “iTunes Session” at the top. Lady A’s “iTunes Session” landed the biggest week’s sales of any iTunes “Session,” “Live From…” or “Originals” ever released. This week, Lady A’s current single “Our Kind Of Love” also works its way into the Top five on the country radio charts. Lady A has appearances scheduled on ABC’s “Good Morning America” from Central Park on Friday, and ABC’s “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” special airing September 1st. The trio will also perform on the star-studded “Stand Up To Cancer Telethon” September 10th, airing simultaneously on NBC, ABC and CBS.

Vince Gill Offers Free Concert For Florida’s Gulf Coast

Vince Gill is donating his time to helping tourists come back to the Gulf Coast. Gill will headline a free outdoor “Back to the Beach” concert September 25th. He’ll be on the beach in Walton County, Florida, along Florida’s Northwest Gulf Coast. Tickets are required even though the show is free. Details are at www.backtothebeach2010.com.

Paisley, Dickens Help Install Circle In Opry Stage

Brad Paisley and Little Jimmy Dickens helped a handful of construction workers install the circle in the center of the Grand Ole Opry House stage yesterday after flood waters nearly destroyed the precious piece of country music history. The two then performed the Opry standard, “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” Officials announced the Opry House will reopen to the public with a star-studded performance September 28th and the Opry’s 85th anniversary celebration will go on as scheduled in October. The circle, made in 1974 from a part of the old stage from the Opry’s former home at Ryman Auditorium, was submerged in 46 inches of water during the May flood that damaged the Opry house and the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort in Nashville.

Chesney’s Football Doc Premiering On ESPN

“Boys of Fall,” Kenny Chesney’s documentary about high school football, will premiere Sunday on ESPN. He began working on the project in late 2009 as he compiled interviews and footage for the video for his current single, “The Boys of Fall.” After shooting footage of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, a longtime friend, Chesney decided to expand the video into a full documentary film. The 60-minute documentary includes footage from high school football games and interviews with several prominent figures from college football and the NFL. Kenny’s new album, “Hemingway’s Whiskey,” will be released on September 28th.

Omni Closes In On Deal With Nashville

Omni Hotels said it has reached a tentative deal with Nashville to build a $250 million, 800-room hotel next door to the Country Music Hall of Fame. In the deal, the city would give $103 million in sales tax revenues to Omni over 20 years, as well as $25 million in financing to offset land purchases. In addition, the city plans to give the firm a more than 60% discount on property taxes. Omni has agreed to fill 200 out of 300 permanent jobs with Davidson County residents and steer 20% of its construction contracts to small businesses or firms owned by disadvantaged groups. In addition, 20% of the construction would be handled by local companies. The hotel is expected to spur expansion of the Country Music Hall of Fame, which plans to grow from 140,000 square feet to 250,000 square feet.

Shelby Lynne In The Holiday Spirit

Shelby Lynne will release her first ever holiday collection, “Merry Christmas,” on October 12th. The album will mark her second release on her own independent label, Everso Records, which is distributed through Fontana. The cover of the holiday disc is a photograph of Shelby at age four, playing in the snow in her Mobile, Alabama, front yard Lynne produced the album and penned two original songs for it.

Randy Travis Celebrates 25 Years With Duets Album

Randy Travis is digging up some of his classic hits for a 25th anniversary album, featuring Randy teaming up with Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Alan Jackson, Josh Turner and many more of his famous friends. Randy dusted off hits such as “Diggin’ Up Bones,” which he re-recorded with John Anderson, and he uncovers some new songs for the disc as well. Randy has been in the studio quite a few times already this year working on the project, and says there have been a few unexpected surprises while working with the old material. “I didn’t know this,” Randy says of “Diggin’ up Bones,” “but when it was written, there was actually a third verse to the song. We added that on the record, and it’s hilarious!”

Inspirational Country Stars

The nominees for the Inspirational Country Music Awards have been announced and several of country’s biggest names have made the list. Carrie Underwood and Craig Morgan lead the pack with nominations in three major categories each: Inspirational Song of the Year, Video of the Year and Mainstream Country Artist. Carrie’s No.1 single, “Temporary Home,” earned her nods for Inspirational Song of the Year and Video of the Year, while Craig’s hit, “This Ain’t Nothing,” is also nominated in both categories. Craig and Carrie are also each nominated in the Mainstream Country Artist category. Chris Young and Miranda Lambert are both nominated for Inspirational Country Song and Video of the Year – Chris for his recent hit, “The Man I Want to Be,” and Miranda for her No.1 hit, “The House That Built Me.” Other nominees in the Inspirational Country Song category include Lee Brice’s “Love Like Crazy” and Jo Dee Messina’s single, “That’s God.”

Court Yard Hounds Join ‘Lilith Fair’s’ Australian Trek

The Court Yard Hounds joined Sarah McLachlan for several “Lilith Fair” dates this summer, and are the only stateside act that will reunite with Sarah for “A Taste of Lilith” in Australia. Other acts confirmed for the shows include Australian artists Kate Miller-Heidke and the Verses.

Arrests At Toby Keith Concert

Several arrests and charges were issued to New York state residents at a Toby Keith concert that took place at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center on Friday. The arrests included one 20-year-old who was charged with trespassing after being kicked out of the venue. Another man was arrested for disorderly conduct, harassment, second-degree harassment and third-degree robbery after he pushed two females down during the concert and stole one of their cell phones before throwing it. A handful of others also received citations for underage drinking, which included people from both New York and Canada.

Kix Brooks Sets CMA Songwriter Series In Chicago

Brooks & Dunn’s Kix Brooks will perform at the CMA Songwriter Series on October 8th and 9th during the Chicago Country Music Festival. Brooks will be joined by The Band Perry, David Lee Murphy and host Bob DiPiero during both shows at Joe’s Bar. 

Bill Phillips Dies

Singer Bill Phillips died Monday at his home in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, following a lengthy battle with diabetes. He was 74. Although he charted records from 1959 to 1979, Phillips is best known for showcasing the songwriting talent of young Dolly Parton via his 1966 recording of “Put It Off Until Tomorrow,” a tune Parton co-wrote with her uncle, Bill Owens. Parton also sang harmony on the record. It was Phillips’ highest-ranking single, peaking at No. 6 in Billboard. 

James Otto, Wife Welcomes Daughter

James Otto and his wife Amy are proud new parents of a baby girl. The couple welcomed their first child, Ava Katherine Otto, into the world last night at a Nashville-area hospital. Otto has been opening for Toby Keith and Trace Adkins this summer, and he returned from a gig over the weekend just in time for the birth.

Trace Adkins Thinks Beyond The Album

There’s not one single ballad on Trace Adkins’ new album – and there’s a good reason for it. Trace says he wasn’t going to do any ballads for the album because he started to think “beyond the album” and “whether it’s going to contribute to the energy level of the live show.” Adkins says, “These days it’s all about live performances. It’s all about touring.” He says artists often “can’t depend on living off of record sales anymore.” Trace’s new CD, “Cowboy’s Back in Town,” is available now.

 

George Jones To Be Inducted

George Jones, Al Dexter and Ray Winkler will be inducted into the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame on August 21st in Carthage, Texas.

CMA Award Nominations

The final nominees for this year’s CMA Awards will be announced August 31st and September 1st. Justin Moore and Chris Young will reveal nominees in seven categories at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on August 31st. Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert will be in New York City to announce the nominees in five categories on September 1st on “Good Morning America.” “CMT Insider Special Edition: 2010 CMA Awards Nominations” will premiere on September 1st and will re-air September 4th and 5th. The CMA Awards will take place in Nashville on November 10th and will air live on ABC.

Bentley’s ‘Miles & Music’ Adds Lambert, Niemann

Dierks Bentley’s “Miles & Music for Kids” celebrity motorcycle ride and benefit concert will take place October 17th at Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville. Miranda Lambert and Jerrod Niemann will join Bentley at the concert following a motorcycle ride from the Harley-Davidson dealership in Columbia, Tennessee. All proceeds will benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

 

‘American Idol’s’ Casey James Signs To BNA Records

“American Idol” finalist Casey James, who placed third on the ninth season, has signed a record deal with Sony Music Nashville and 19 Recordings/BNA Records. The Cool, Texas, native auditioned in Denver but says he never saw a single episode of the show. James is currently on the “American Idols Live” tour with winner Lee DeWyze and runner-up Crystal Bowersox, among others. James will begin working on his debut album, which is expected to be released next year.

Taylor Swift’s Picks And Forks

If you open Taylor Swift’s silverware drawer at her new condo you’ll find silverware, but you’ll also find more than two dozen guitar picks. Taylor posted a pic of the picks online. Swift says her dad stashed them there as a joke and that “he likes to randomly hide guitar picks” at her place when he comes over. The picks have Swift’s photo on one side and her signature on the other.

Carrie Underwood Gets Physical

Carrie Underwood graces the cover of WebMD magazine and online at www.WebMD.com/magazine. Carrie talks about juggling the demands of her busy life while staying healthy, a common challenge for many female celebrities.

Lady Antebellum Releases Exclusive iTunes Session

Lady Antebellum has released a seven song EP of their biggest hits and fan-favorite cuts as part of an iTunes Session. The band also recorded a cover song, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ “Learning To Fly.” The intimate performance was recorded at a studio in Nashville earlier this spring. Fans can catch the group on the road this fall for their first headlining tour, the “Need You Now Tour 2010.”

LeAnn Rimes On ‘America’s Got Talent’

LeAnn Rimes will appear on “America’s Got Talent” tonight to perform a song from her upcoming album, “Lady and Gentlemen.” On tonight’s reveal show, viewers will find out which wild card acts continue. Criss Angel will also appear, performing two illusions from his Las Vegas show.

Elvis Faithful Make Pilgrimage To Graceland

Elvis Presley fans from around the world flocked to Graceland yesterday for the annual late night procession past the king of rock ‘n’ roll’s grave. Presley died at his Graceland mansion on August 16, 1977. The procession is the highlight of a weeklong series of fan-club meetings, film showings and Elvis-impersonator contests. Elvis purchased the 13-acre Graceland property in 1957 for around $100,000.

Buck Owens Honored With Star On Bakersfield Walk Of Fame

Buck Owens was honored posthumously with a star on the Bakersfield, California, Walk of Stars Wednesday, one day shy of what would have been his 81st birthday. On hand at the ceremony were Buck’s sons, Mike and Johnny, his nephew Mel and about 100 people including friends, employees of the Owens family, fans and Darryl Worley, who headlined Buck’s Birthday Bash at the Crystal Palace (the Bakersfield nightclub Owens owned).

Reba McEntire Names Upcoming Album

Reba McEntire has named her upcoming album “All the Women I Am,” which will be released November 9th. The first single from the project is “Turn on the Radio.” Meanwhile, Reba’s Facebook page surpassed the 1 million fan mark last week to become only the 10th country artist to reach that milestone. Reba will resume her tour with George Strait and Lee Ann Womack on September 9th in Columbus, Ohio.

Little Big Town Plan ‘GMA’ Performance

Little Big Town will perform on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on August 25th, as well as on “Fox and Friends” on the Fox News Channel on August 27th, to promote their new album, “The Reason Why.” In addition, the group will open several shows on Sugarland’s “Incredible Machine” tour this month. “The Reason Why” is due out August 24th. Their current single is “Little White Church.”

Hank Williams Live Recordings Uncovered

Some rare recordings of Hank Williams were recently uncovered. Les Leverett, a Grand Ole Opry photographer, happened upon the tunes outside the National Life & Accident Insurance Company. The acetate recordings came from various “Mother’s Best” radio shows that Williams had performed on in 1951. A box set, some of it never released before, is due out September 28th.

‘All For The Hall’ Concert

Lionel Richie will perform as a special guest at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s “All for the Hall” fundraising concert in Los Angeles on September 23rd. The main performers will be Taylor Swift, Emmylou Harris and Kris Kristofferson.

Johnny Mathis Country Pop CD Set For Release

Columbia Records plans to release “Let It Be Me: Mathis in Nashville,” a new pop country album from Johnny Mathis, next month. The CD is set to drop September 21st. The album includes the songs “What a Wonderful World” featuring Lane Brody; “Let It Be Me” featuring Alison Krauss; “Make The World Go Away,” “Crazy,” “Southern Nights,” “You Don’t Know Me,” “Lovin’ Arms,” “Shenandoah,” “We Must Be Lovin’ Right,” “I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You,” “Love Me Tender,” “Please Help Me I’m Falling” and “What a Wonderful World (Christmas version).”

Darius Rucker Reunites With Hootie For Back To School Benefit

Darius Rucker, now firmly rooted in country music, recently returned to his musical roots in his home state of South Carolina, reuniting with his Hootie & The Blowfish bandmates for the group’s annual Homegrown Roundup. The initiative began in 2003 after members of the band became concerned with cuts in educational spending which adversely affected low-income families in the state. In addition to the performance by the band, the yearly event also includes the opportunity for students to get everything from hair cuts to dental check-ups as they prepare for their first day back to school. More than 40 companies also donated school supplies that children could pick up free of charge. In addition, fans attending the concert were encouraged to bring items such as crayons and paper to the concert, which will be distributed to schools throughout the Charleston school district.

Shania Twain The Back-Up Plan For ‘American Idol?’

Shania Twain is set to judge “American Idol” if talks fall through with Jennifer Lopez, according to sources close to the singer and “Idol” producers. “They’ve been after her ever since she was a mentor on the show last season,” a source close to Twain told People magazine. “And they haven’t given up.” The Jennifer Lopez deal is reportedly still alive, but just barely hanging on. The show has yet to make an official comment. The next season of “American Idol” will premiere in January.

2011 CMA Music Fest Tickets On Sale Soon

The ABC primetime special from this year’s CMA Music Festival hasn’t even aired yet but that’s not stopping the CMA from putting tickets for next year’s festival on sale soon. Sales start August 23rd at 9 a.m. [ET.] You can get them through www.cmafest.com or by calling 800-CMA-FEST. The festival takes place June 9-12, 2011, in downtown Nashville. ABC’s special airs September 1st.

Justin Bieber Has Country Fever

Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber has raised more than $30,000 to help those affected by the floods in Nashville. Bieber performed at the city’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday and donated portions of ticket sales to victims of the storms which ravaged the city in May. Bieber presented a check to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for Flood Relief. At a press conference, Bieber name-checked several country stars as his favorites, including Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts and Martina McBride. Then Justin kicked it up a notch at the show itself, offering his version of Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee.”

Craig Morgan Charity Ride Raises $35,000

The Craig Morgan Charity Ride raised over $35,000 last weekend in Craig’s hometown, Dickson, Tennessee. Proceeds go to the Craig Morgan Charity Fund. Saturday’s ride was a dirt-biking event that began in Van Leer, Tennessee, where everyone rode with professional Motocross riders Kevin Windlam, Cowboy Kenny Bartrum, Fred Andrews and Barry Hawk. Sunday’s events featured an acoustic concert with Craig and his special guests, Montgomery Gentry and Aaron Tippin.

Loretta Lynn Tribute Album

A tribute album to Loretta Lynn has been scheduled for November 9th release. Titled “Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn,” the list of participating artists has not been revealed but it will represent a variety of genres. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Lynn’s first single, “I’m a Honky Tonk Girl.” Lynn and her music will be honored with an all-star concert at the Ryman Auditorium in October as part of the Grammy Salute to Country Music series. Lynn’s 1976 memoir, “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” will be reissued in paperback in September. Earlier this year, “Coal Miner’s Daughter” was chosen for preservation within the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.

Leadership Music Ceremony Lineup Grows

Randy Travis, Lorrie Morgan and Jamey Johnson have been added to the list of performers at the Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award gala in Nashville. The August 29th event at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Nashville will recognize Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and record producer and label executive Fred Foster. Host Vince Gill and bandleader Shawn Camp will lead the presentations and performances that will also feature Lee Ann Womack, Lyle Lovett, Billy Swan, Rodney Crowell and surprise guests.

Stars Added To Farm Aid Lineup

Kenny Chesney, Norah Jones, Jason Mraz and Jeff Tweedy have joined the lineup for Farm Aid’s 25th anniversary in Milwaukee. Also added to the bill are Band of Horses, The BoDeans, Amos Lee and Robert Francis. Previously announced performers for “Farm Aid 25: Growing Hope for America” include Farm Aid board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews. The event takes place October 2nd at Miller Park in Milwaukee. The show will be broadcast live on DirecTV.

Gary Allan Thanks Brooks & Dunn

Gary Allan played his last show as an opening act on Brooks & Dunn’s “The Last Rodeo Tour” on Sunday night and showed his appreciation to the duo by hanging a banner on his bus. The banner read; “Kix, Ronnie and the B&D Family, Thanks for having us on 82 shows over the past 10 years! You guys are the gold standard of how it should be done. If we ever grow up, we want to be just like you guys. Thanks. Gary and the Gang.”

Little Big Town Ready To Release Next Album

Little Big Town is ready to release their long-awaited new album, “The Reason Why,” as the first single, “Little White Church,” continues to garner major airplay. The album drops August 24th and LBT will be on “Good Morning America” on August 25th and Fox-TV’s “Fox & Friends’ All American Concert Series” on August 27th.

Luke Bryan, Wife Welcome New Son

Luke Bryan and his wife Caroline welcomed a new son, Tatum Christopher, yesterday morning in Nashville. It’s the couple’s second child. Their other son, Thomas Boyer “Bo” Bryan, was born on March 18, 2008.

Randy Houser Previewing New Album Online

Randy Houser is gearing up for the release of his new album “They Call Me Cadillac” with a series of free streams available through his official website. Starting this week, Houser will offer sneak previews of tracks including “They Call Me Cadillac,” “Addicted” and “Lowdown and Lonesome,” with more coming each week. Along with the previews, Houser will share the story behind each new track and talk about the writing and recording process he went through on the album.

Josh Kelley Releases First Country Single

With his new single, “Georgia Clay,” Josh Kelley is following in the country footsteps of his brother, Charles. So if there’s a little Lady Antebellum feel to the song, that’s why. The Kelley brothers wrote the song together about living in Georgia in their teenage years. Before going country, Josh Kelley had six pop albums. Josh met his wife, Katherine Heigl, when she played “the girl” in his video for one of those pop tunes, “Only You.”

Dierks Bentley Releases ‘Draw Me A Map’

Dierks Bentley has released “Draw Me A Map” as the second single off his album “Up On The Ridge.” Fans can also catch Bentley along with Miranda Lambert and Jamey Johnson perform their rowdy version of “Bad Angel” off “Up On The Ridge” on “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock” set to air September 1st on ABC.

Gloriana Pushes ‘Long Hot Summer’ Into The Fall

Gloriana will continue their “Long Hot Summer Tour” behind their 2009 self-titled set into the fall. The group has another 29 fair and festival stops slated for the summer and fall, wrapping the trek up with an October 23rd appearance in Newport, South Carolina. Two California shows are already on the books for December.

James Otto Bashes Teen Choice Awards

James Otto is not a fan of the Teen Choice Awards. James kept up a running commentary via Twitter about the awards show that began with: “Call me old fashioned but the fact that a porn star (Kim Kardashian) is a presenter on the teen choice awards is kinda messed up.” Otto went on to say Kim’s sister, Khloe, looks like a man before taking on other female teen stars for appearing in public wearing too few articles of clothing. Among those observations: “Miley Cyrus is running around with no panties for the paparazzi.” “Not sure our kids stand a chance in this era. Makes me glad to be a country artist where there’s at least a little more family values,” James concluded.

Trace Adkins Gets Stuck in Richard Petty’s Car

As part of the “rivalry” between Trace Adkins and racing legend Richard Petty for Goody’s and BC’s headache powders, Trace got into a bit of a tight jam trying to fit into Richard Petty’s No. 43 stockcar. The rivalry centers on which superstar can take the most pain. Fans can visit www.pickapowder.com to vote for either Trace or Richard and see the “rivalry videos.” You can also register to win several prizes, including an all-expense-paid VIP trip for four to the 2011 Goody’s 500 at Martinsville Speedway for the Team Richard winner, and an all-expense paid VIP trip for four to a Trace Adkins concert next year for the Team Trace winner. So far, more than 20,000 votes have been cast.

Dolly Receives Gospel Honor

Dolly Parton will receive the Southern Gospel Music Association’s 2010 James D. Vaughan “Impact Award.” Parton will accept the honor on September 29th at the SGMA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Singing News Fan Awards at DP’s Celebrity Theatre inside Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Shelton Celebrates Six Pack Release With TV Visits

Blake Shelton is slated to visit “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show” tomorrow to celebrate the release of his second six-pack, “All About Tonight,” out now. In addition, GACtv is running an exclusive series entitled, “30 Days of Blake” that includes videos and clips of the singer. The series will air daily leading up to the exclusive 90-minute airing of one of Shelton’s sold-out arena concerts, “Blake Shelton LIVE: It’s All About Tonight” on September 8th.

CMT Greenlights First Sitcom

CMT has ordered 12 episodes of its first scripted comedy, “Working Class,” a half-hour, family-oriented sitcom starring Melissa Peterman. Set to premiere on CMT in January 2011, “Working Class” follows the life of a single blue-collar mom who moves her family to a rich suburban neighborhood while retaining her working class roots.

Zac Brown Band Collaborates With Alan Jackson, Jimmy Buffett

The Zac Brown Band has collaborated with Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett on the upcoming album, “You Get What You Give.” Jackson is featured on the band’s new single, “As She’s Walking Away,” while Buffett sings on “Knee Deep.”

Charity Motorcycle Signed By Country Stars Stolen

A motorcycle autographed by county music stars has been stolen in Kentucky, where it was to be auctioned to benefit breast cancer research and prevention. The 2010 Harley-Davidson Sportster was inside a locked trailer in the parking lot of the Lexington affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The bike had been signed by several country stars, including Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw and Dolly Parton. Charity employees noticed the trailer was missing on Monday and called police. The group had hoped to raise about $100,000 October 16th by auctioning items including the donated motorcycle.

Chris Young Streaming Live Acoustic Performance Today

Between dates on the Rascal Flatts tour, Chris Young will be in Nashville today for his first-ever live streamed acoustic performance. At 6:30 p.m. [ET], fans can go to hearsomethingcountry.com/chrisyoungevent to catch the acoustic set, as Young performs in front of an invitation-only industry audience, live from his record label’s Nashville headquarters.

Tim McGraw’s Tom Jones’ Moment

Women love Tim McGraw. Tim was showered with bras at his “Southern Voice” tour stop on Saturday in Toronto, Canada. It all started midway through Tim’s show when the singer sat on the stage to sing “Down on the Farm.” Fans tossed a bra next at him, and within minutes more fans followed suit. Tim had a collection that could fill a Victoria’s Secret store.

Rascal Flatts Extend Tour

Rascal Flatts announced yesterday they were adding nine dates to their current tour. The “Nothing Like This Tour” will now wrap October 9th in Irvine, California. Prior to a hometown show at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday, the trio visited with Ohio State Buckeyes football coach Jim Tressel and recorded additional public service announcements for the Jason Foundation, where both Tressel and Rascal Flatts serve as celebrity spokesmen for the educational organization dedicated to the awareness and prevention of youth suicide.

Charley Pride Gets A Stake In The Texas Rangers

Charley Pride may soon be part-owner of the Texas Rangers. Pride is part of an 18-person investment group, headed by Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan. Charley himself is no stranger to the game. During the 1950s, the future country music superstar was a pitcher and outfielder for the Memphis Red Sox and the Birmingham Black Barons. He also pitched for a team of Negro League All-Stars in 1956 against a team that included future baseball legends Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and others. An avid Rangers fan, Charley was “drafted” by the club in 2008 as part of Major League Baseball’s recognition of former Negro League players. Charley has also joined the Rangers for years during spring training. Major League Baseball must approve the $593 million sale of the team to the investment group.

Kate & Kacey Singer Weds ‘Dating in the Dark’ Host

Kate and Kasey singer Kasey Coppola has found love on a reality show. Twin sisters Kate and Kacey placed fourth on the 2008 season of CMT’s “Can You Duet?” and scored a label deal with show’s judge, Scott Borchetta from Big Machine Records. Kacey also scored a new love in the show’s host, Rossi Morreale, who now fronts the ABC reality series, “Dating in the Dark.” After two years of dating, the couple tied the knot on Saturday on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean.

New Jamey Johnson Single

“Playing the Part,” the lead single from Jamey Johnson’s upcoming album, will be available for download at iTunes on August 24th. “The Guitar Song” is a 25-song double album due September 14th with linked sets of songs dubbed the “Black Album” and the “White Album.” The release also will be available as a limited-edition, black and white triple LP vinyl set that includes a deluxe lyric book.

Luke Bryan Heads Back To The ‘Farm’

Luke Bryan will embark on a second “Farm Tour” run of shows in his home state of Georgia in late September. The idea for the “Farm Tour” concerts came from Bryan as a way to give back to local farming communities by celebrating the American farmer. Proceeds from the concerts will go to charities in the farming communities.

Alan Jackson To Receive ASCAP’s Founders Award

Alan Jackson will receive ASCAP’s Founders Award during the performing rights organization’s annual Country Music Awards on September 14th. The award is given to musicians who have “made pioneering contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators.” The gala also honors the songwriters and publishers of the year’s most-performed songs, along with honoring the songwriter, songwriter/artist, song and publisher of the year with ASCAP affiliations. The invitation-only event will take place in downtown Nashville.

Bucky Covington Working On New Album

Bucky Covington is working on his second album. Covington says “it has some good fist-pumping, good-time songs. It has some soulful songs. It has some great ballads on there.” He says he’s also written a couple of songs that he hopes will make it on to the album. The release date is not set but Bucky hopes it’ll come out in the fall.

Montgomery Gentry’s New Album

A new album is on its way from Montgomery Gentry. “Hits And More: Life Beside A Gravel Road” is their eighth album and their second greatest hits package. This one is a collection of previously-released hits and songs they consider to be fan-favorites, based on the reaction they get in concert. There also are three new tracks. “Hits and More” will be available September 28th.

Toby Keith Coaches His Son’s Football Team

Toby Keith does have a life outside of music. He tells People Country that when he’s home near Norman, Oklahoma, he’s involved with his son’s sports. Toby’s son, Stelen, is 13. Keith says he’s coached Stelen’s football team for the last six years. As for handling his superstar status, Keith says the kids deal better with that than adults do. He says the kids “are just, ‘Hey, coach! Can I go in?’”

Troy Olsen Making His Debut At The Opry

Troy Olsen has been invited to make his Grand Ole Opry debut on August 17th. The Grand Ole Opry, temporarily displaced from the Opry House, will be held at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville. "Playing The Opry is a dream come true for me,” says Troy. “It’s the mother church of Country Music and I am humbled by the invitation. It's going to be a blast!" Olsen kicks off his “Get Right Tonight” club tour tomorrow night in Charleston, South Carolina, and will continue through November making stops in over 40 cities across the country. His debut single “Summer Thing” is currently climbing the country charts. His self-titled EP is available at iTunes now.

New Taylor Swift’s Single Rush-Released

Taylor Swift’s lead single, “Mine,” from her upcoming album, “Speak Now,” has been rush-released to iTunes. An unauthorized low-quality mp3 file of the single appeared online yesterday. As it started to spread virally the decision was made to rush-release the single. Within the first couple of hours of its release, “Mine” had already jumped into the Top 35 on Billboard’s Top Country Songs chart.

Joey + Rory Ready ‘Album Number Two’

Joey+Rory are ready with “Album Number Two,” their sophomore disc due September 14th. The disc is the follow-up to their successful debut album “The Life of a Song,” which included the hit “Cheater Cheater.” The new material featured on “Album Number Two” is largely co-written by Rory. He co-wrote the final track and lead single, “This Song’s For You,” with Zac Brown. The song, featuring the Zac Brown Band, is a working man’s anthem and a tip of the hat to country music fans and concert-goers. The writers penned the song on the road and first introduced on the “Breaking Southern Ground” tour. The response prompted a halt to the release of the already completed album until the song was recorded and added.

‘Invitation Only’ Performers

Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert and Rascal Flatts are among the performers on upcoming episodes of the CMT concert series, “Invitation Only.” Taped before a small studio audience in Nashville, “Invitation Only” features artists performing their biggest hits and new favorites, as well as answering questions from fans during an informal question and answer session. Lambert’s episode will debut on August 23rd. Other new episodes will debut monthly this fall.

Jason Aldean Drops ‘My Kinda Party’

Jason Aldean dropped his new single, “My Kinda Party,” yesterday. It’s the first release from his upcoming album, due in the fall. “This song is all about workin’ for the weekend. My fans work hard, so they can rip it up when Saturday rolls around,” says Aldean. “I hope they hear this one and want to turn it up. We put a little extra juice on the electric guitars just for that reason.”

Grand Ole Opry’s Opening Date On Track

Flood repairs are on track for the Grand Ole Opry to reopen in two months. The chairman of Gaylord, the company that owns the Opry complex in Nashville, told stockholders that Gaylord’s “team has been working tirelessly, and the restoration process is well underway and going well.” Colin Reed says the company is “confident” they’ll reopen the Grand Ole Opry House on October 1st and Opryland Hotel on November 15th.

Jimmy Wayne’s Surprise Greetings At Nashville Airport

When Jimmy Wayne arrived at the Nashville airport Tuesday from Phoenix, he thought the only person who would be greeting him would be his drummer who was there to pick him up. Instead, about 60 people were there to surprise Wayne – half of them were foster kids. They cheered and held up homemade signs when they saw Wayne near the baggage claim. Wayne was in a wheelchair because of his broken heel. Jimmy said the first thing he planned to do when he got home was make a cup of coffee and look at his thermostat. He says he was inspired to do his Nashville-to-Phoenix walk when he adjusted his thermostat a little higher and it hit him that homeless kids didn’t have that luxury to keep them warm.

Sneak Peek At New Swift Song

While fans are awaiting the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, “Speak Now,” on October 25th, they will get to hear a new song when she performs the first single, “Mine,” on the TV special “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock.” Swift secretly taped the show last month in Nashville when she was performing at the CMA Music Festival. The special, hosted by Tim McGraw, will air September 1st on ABC and also will feature Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire and more.

Charlie Daniels Band To Release New CD

The Charlie Daniels Band is gearing up to release a new collection of patriotic songs called “Land That I Love.” The full-length release features 15 tracks. Set to drop August 10th, the CD will include new versions of “Iraq Blues” and “(What This World Needs Is) A Few More Rednecks 2010.” Other songs include Daniels classics such as “Simple Man,” “This Ain’t No Rag, It’s A Flag,” “In America” and “Still in Saigon.” The Charlie Daniels Band will continue to tour through the end of 2010, kicking off a run of “Sean Hannity Freedom Concert” performances tomorrow in Jackson, New Jersey.

Carrie Underwood Goes Canadian

It looks like Carrie Underwood and her new husband, hockey star Mike Fisher, will make their home in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Ontario. The city is the home to Fisher’s NHL team, the Ottawa Senators. During a recent interview with the National Post, Fisher explained the he has a strong connection to the city and that Underwood is supportive of his desire to stay.

Faith Hill Named Tide Loads Of Hope Ambassador

Tide has announced Faith Hill as the new ambassador for its Tide Loads of Hope program. In 2005, the devastation of Hurricane Katrina inspired the launch of Tide Loads of Hope, a mobile laundry service that provides clean clothes to families affected by disaster. Tide Loads of Hope has offered free laundry services to communities in the wake of major disasters like Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav, Ike, the California wildfires, and most recently the floods in Middle Tennessee and Pike County, Kentucky. As the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina nears, Tide will host a live concert on August 24th in New Orleans featuring Hill. The concert will be free for residents of New Orleans and the surrounding area.

Justin Moore's Master bath - Video-

Justin Moore's Master bath -

Justin Moore continues with his latest edition of My Cribs, featuring the master bathroom!

Tim McGraw Most Played Artist Of The Decade

Tim McGraw has been honored with Nielsen BDS’s Most Played Artist of the Decade Award – for all genres! Nielsen Music’s Jon Peck recently presented Tim with a plaque commemorating 7,965,000 radio spins, the most airplay of any artist from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2009.

Taylor Swift’s ‘Fifteen’ Nominated For VMA

Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen” is up for Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards, along with Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” Ke$ha’s “TiK ToK,” Katy Perry’s “California Gurls” and Beyoncé featuring Lady Gaga’s “Video Phone (extended remix).” The ceremony will take place September 12th in Los Angeles. Swift’s video for “You Belong With Me” won the Best Female Video category in 2009, when her acceptance speech was famously interrupted by Kanye West.

Saluting Fred Foster, Kris Kristofferson And Willie Nelson

Vince Gill and Lee Ann Womack are among the country artists paying tribute to record executive-producer Fred Foster, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson at the Leadership Music Dale Franklin Music Award gala on August 29th. Rodney Crowell, Lyle Lovett and Billy Swan will also participate in the event. The dinner will take place in downtown Nashville.

Tanya Tucker Sues Producer

Tanya Tucker is suing her record producer to get back her videos and the money she invested in them. According to court documents, Tucker also claims Gregg Brown, owner of Revelator Recordings, didn’t hold up his end of their oral contract. Tucker claims in her suit filed Friday that Brown didn’t return video recordings of her performances almost three years after they were filmed. She’s also trying to track about $170,000 invested in the video project. Tucker said that the recordings were finished in 2007, but Brown retained 6 masters. He’s accused of stealing 29 of her videos.

Bobby Hebb Dies

Bobby Hebb, the singer-songwriter best known for his 1966 hit, “Sunny,” died yesterday in Nashville. He was 72. Throughout his career, Hebb performed with Roy Acuff’s Smoky Mountain Boys band in the 1950s – one of the only African-American performers to appear regularly on the Grand Ole Opry. He also opened the Beatles’ final U.S. tour. “Sunny” has been recorded by hundreds of artists, including James Brown, Cher, Ella Fitzgerald, José Feliciano, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett, Frank Sinatra and Dusty Springfield. “Sunny” has been recognized by BMI for more than 7 million radio plays.

Brad Paisley Plans Double Album

Brad Paisley plans to release a double album titled “Hits Alive” on November 2nd. The first half of the album will include studio versions of his hit singles, while the second half of the album will offer live, previously unreleased recordings of his hits. The track listings have not yet been announced, but the project will include his newest single, “Anything Like Me,” which Paisley co-wrote with Chris DuBois and Dave Turnbull.

 

Darryl Worley Calls For ‘Change’

Darryl Worley has released his latest single, “Keep the Change,” which addresses changing values and his love of America. The song was co-written by Worley with Jim “Moose” Brown, Phil O’Donnell and, according to Worley, is meant as a “wake-up” call to the public. “You can just look around and I’m not pointing a finger at anyone, we’ve all dropped the ball,” he says. Worley’s next album, “God & Country,” is slated for release in September.

Jerrod Niemann Scores First No. 1

Jerrod Niemann has scored his first No. 1 for “Lover, Lover.” His new album, “Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury,” also hit No. 1. Not since Carrie Underwood’s 2005 album debut has a solo country artist achieved the double success of earning one or more No. 1 singles from a major label debut album that also hit the top in its first week on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. Niemann will hit the road next month with headliner Gary Allan and Jerrod’s good friend, Randy Houser, on Allan’s “Get Off on the Pain Tour.”

Sugarland Clears Up Confusion About New Album

Sugarland’s new album, “Incredible Machine,” is due to drop on October 19th and some fans have been confused about what the upcoming effort will sound like. In several interviews, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush have said their record would include “steampunk” elements, causing some to worry they would depart from their trademark country sound. “That’s really our fault for the way that we explained it, to be honest,” Nettles tells Entertainment Weekly. “It has everything to do with the visual.” She added, “We wanted another world on stage. We wanted something fun, a visual aesthetic to be inspired by. We chose that one. It has nothing to do with the music. I definitely put the brunt of that on our shoulders for anyone who didn’t understand that.”

Jimmy Wayne’s Shoes At The Hard Rock

A pair of shoes that Jimmy Wayne wore during his 1,700-mile walk from Nashville to Phoenix are now in the hands of the Hard Rock Cafe. They’ll be added to the Hard Rock’s rock ‘n’ roll collection. It will be a while before Jimmy puts a regular shoe on his right foot. He’s wearing a special air boot while his broken foot heals.

Hag’s Advice For Lindsay Lohan

 

 

Merle Haggard, who was thrown into San Quentin Prison when he was 19, has been keeping up with  Lindsay’s prison and rehab news and says he’s concerned about her future. His stay behind bars sobered Merle up and he’s hopeful it does the same for her. “I feel sorry for her because she’s such a lovely creature and such a talented person, and she’s also a spoiled brat,” he told Vanity Fair. Lindsay was sentenced to 90 days for a probation violation, but instead of serving the full term, she’s been ordered to go immediately into rehab after her release from jail. “I really do feel sorry for her,” Merle said. “She’s going to have to straighten out her life, otherwise she’ll be dead by the time she’s 30. That’s the bottom line.” Merle is also familiar with withdrawal. He had surgery for lung cancer in November 2008, and in the process he gave up his daily habit of smoking pot. “I quit but I never got over it,” he admitted. “Anybody who says it’s not habit-forming is a damn liar.”

Jimmy Wayne Finishes Walk

 

 

Jimmy Wayne was sidelined just five miles shy of completing his “Meet Me Halfway” solo-walk across America when he had to visit a podiatrist on Saturday to address some severe foot pain. While walking the steep grades out of Mesa, Arizona, last week, Jimmy began suffering a swollen ankle, which resulted in him not being able to walk more than 13 miles on Friday. Jimmy tweeted that he was in so much pain he had to lie down on the concrete until the support vehicle picked him up. Dr. Brian Allan opened his Mesa office especially for Jimmy. The doc said Jimmy shattered the back of his right ankle, a very rare break that will take six to eight weeks to heal. After Jimmy’s ankle was put in a walking brace and he was given some pain pills, he set back out where he left off Friday evening in Scottsdale. He reached Phoenix yesterday after walking 1,700 miles to raise money and awareness for homeless youth. Jimmy walked through six states for HomeBase Youth Services, a charity that helps Arizona youth ages 18-21. Over 100 people joined Jimmy to walk the last half mile.

Farm Aid Webcast TODAY

 

A Webcast set for noon [ET] today will offer all the details for Farm Aid 25, set for October 2nd in Milwaukee. The webcast features co-founders Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp. This year’s theme is “Growing Hope for America.” 2010 marks the 25th Anniversary of Farm Aid, which has, so far, raised over $37 million to support programs for farmers.

 

              

Kenny Chesney Video On ‘SportsCenter’

Since Kenny Chesney’s new single, “The Boys Of Fall,” is about football, it makes sense the video will premiere on ESPNs SportsCenter. A four-minute video edit will air twice today. Tomorrow, a full-eight-minute video will be available on CMT.com, GAC, VEVO and other locations. “The Boys of Fall” is the first single from Chesney’s upcoming album, “Hemingways Whiskey,” due out September 28th.

LeDoux Charity Event Raises $35,000

 

 

 

The 4th Annual Chris LeDoux Spurs and Spikes Memorial Golf Tournament raised more than $30,000 for the Chris LeDoux Memorial Foundation. Held earlier this month in Sheriden, Wyoming, 36 teams participated in the 2-day event that included a practice round, BBQ, auction and live entertainment. Singer and longtime golfer Jake Owen made the trip to Wyoming to participate. All of the money raised goes directly to the Chris LeDoux Memorial Foundation, which goes to benefit charities that were important to the LeDoux family such as the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund.

Jason Aldean Ringtones

AT&T is holding a two-for-one sale on ringtones and Jason Aldean’s are currently available as part of the deal. Fans can now order ringtones for Aldean’s “Crazy Town” and “Big Green Tractor.” The sale is available for a limited time only.  

See Jason Live in concert!! Click here!

Bocephus Extends ‘Rowdy Friends’ Tour

 

 

 

Hank Williams Jr. is extending his “Rowdy Friends” tour into the fall. The second leg of the trek will begin in Evansville, Indiana, on September 17th and will conclude in Raleigh, North Carolina, on October 23rd. For the second round of dates, Colt Ford, Gretchen Wilson, Lee Brice, Josh Thompson and Sunny Sweeney will open.

 

For ticket info, Click here!

Happy Birthday Martina McBride

 

Martina McBride celebrated her birthday Thursday with about 4,000 friends. McBride, who turned 44, wrapped up a four-week West Coast tour in Woodinville, Washington. McBride’s husband, John McBride, surprised her by appearing onstage and leading fans in singing “Happy Birthday.” After the show, McBride received the annual birthday gift from her band and crew, Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill wine, and enjoyed a low-key celebration with family and friends. Martina said, “It doesn’t get much better than this.”