Dierks Helps Fan Propose

Prior to a recent performance in Montana, Dierks Bentley held a meet and greet with his fans when a man asked if he could propose to his girlfriend during Bentley’s hit, “My Last Name.” While Dierks declined that request because it’s difficult to do mid-concert, he confesses that “he sweet-talked me,” so Dierks arranged for the man and his girlfriend to board the bus after the show for a private performance of the tune, during which the proposal would take place. Taking their seats on the bus, Dierks strummed his acoustic guitar and sang the romantic tune, letting the young man sing along with him and even handle parts of the song on his own. The girlfriend remained clueless about the reason for the private concert until her man produced a ring box from his pocket. After the proposal, the fan beamed as he clutched onto his new fiancé. He remarked, “That was the most amazing thing.” It was all caught on tape and serves as episode 31 of Dierks’ “DBTV” web series.

Jackson, Brooks Among Songwriters Hall Of Fame Inductees

Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks are among this year’s five inductees to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. They will be inducted in the songwriter-artist category. In addition, John Bettis (“Top of the World,” “Slow Hand”), Thom Schuyler (“Love Will Turn You Around,” “16th Avenue”) and Allen Shamblin (“I Can’t Make You Love Me,” “The House That Built Me”) will be inducted in the songwriter category. During the ceremony, the Nashville Songwriters Association International will also present awards for the year’s best song, songwriter and songwriter-artist, as well as the Top 10 “Songs I Wish I Had Written.” The ceremony will take place October 16th in Nashville. Tickets are $200 each. A limited number of seats are available to the public.

Jason Aldean Issues ‘Tattoos on This Town’

Jason Aldean released his latest single, “Tattoos on This Town,” yesterday. It’s the fourth single from his current album, “My Kinda Party.” Aldean has been launching his concerts with “Tattoos on This Town” on his “My Kinda Party” tour. His upcoming tour dates with guests Chris Young and Thompson Square include Thursday in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Friday near Pittsburgh and Saturday near Chicago.

Alan Jackson To Perform 9/11 Concert In Washington, D.C.

Alan Jackson will perform at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on September 11th to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Patti LaBelle and soprano Denyce Graves will also sing at “A Concert for Hope,” airing live on numerous ABC affiliates. In the days following the 9/11 tragedy, the National Cathedral served as a sacred national gathering place for mourning, reflection and prayer. Jackson premiered his original song about 9/11, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” on the 2001 CMA Awards in Nashville.

Sara Evans Videos Premiere

Sara Evans premiered her new music video, “My Heart Can’t Tell You No,” yesterday in three separate versions on CMT, iTunes and VEVO. Each outlet premiered an alternate ending to the video. “I am so excited about releasing this video,” said Evans. “It’s a different kind of video than anything I’ve ever done before. We had so many wardrobe changes, and the plot is so full of drama. I can’t wait for my fans to see it.” “My Heart Can’t Tell You No” is the follow-up single to Evans’ fifth No. 1 single, “A Little Bit Stronger,” from her album “Stronger.” Evans is on the “Flatts Fest” tour running through September 18th.

Bentley Hits No. 1

Dierks Bentley’s “Am I The Only One” takes the No. 1 position on both the Billboard Country Singles and the Country Aircheck/Mediabase charts this week. The song becomes Bentley’s eighth career chart topper as a singer and a songwriter and is the lead single from his upcoming album, scheduled for release in early 2012. Bentley took over the top from Lady Antebellum’s “Just a Kiss.” Bentley will kick off the first leg of his “Country & Cold Cans Tour” October 6th in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. Special guests Jerrod Niemann and Eli Young Band will open for Bentley on the 22-city run that wraps in Denver on November 19th.

Tammy Wynette Marker On The Country Music Trail

Tammy Wynette fans can follow the footsteps of her career. Her marker on the Mississippi Country Music Trail has just been revealed. It’s in eastern Itawamba County, close to where Wynette was born in 1942. The marker features facts about Wynette and about her career.

Fire Destroyed Trace Adkins’ Buck Owens Guitar

As each day passes Trace Adkins becomes more aware of the power of the material things he lost in his house fire. Trace says one thing that’s irreplaceable is a red, white and blue guitar Buck Owens had given him. Adkins says the friendship he had with Owens is one of the things he cherishes. The guitar was displayed in his family room. Adkins came to Bakersfield last week to perform in a sold-out posthumous birthday celebration for Buck Owens.

Faith And Tim Become Barbie Dolls

Mattel has introduced the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Barbie dolls. They come together as a gift set for $69.95. The set is on back order right now but is expected to ship around September 1st. The Hill doll is wearing a black lace and silver-sequined floor length gown, and the McGraw doll is in a black suit and tie, patent leather boots, his signature black cowboy hat – and a scruffy 5 o’clock shadow. Faith and Tim will celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary this October.

Rascal Flatts - Artist of the Day

Rascal Flatts

• Rascal Flatts is Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney. Cousins DeMarcus and LeVox founded the group and later added Rooney. After landing a record deal with Lyric Street Records, Rascal Flatts recorded the trio’s self-titled debut. The album arrived in 2000 and “Prayin’ for Daylight” became the group’s first smash single, hitting No. 3 on Billboard’s country chart.
  
• “Melt” appeared in October 2002. Co-produced by the band, “Melt” sold a million copies in eight weeks and yielded the band’s first No. 1 country hit, “These Days.”
  
• Their first two albums, 2000’s “Rascal Flatts” and 2002’s “Melt,” have been certified 2x multi-platinum and 3x multi-platinum, respectively, while 2004’s “Feels Like Today” and 2006’s “Me and My Gang” have each received 5x multi-platinum certifications. 2007’s “Still Feels Good” is certified 2x multi-platinum. Their sixth album, “Unstoppable,” was released in April 2009 and has been certified platinum.
  
• “Unstoppable” was the biggest country release of 2009. It was also the third biggest debut of the year for all genres. The album holds the hits “Here Comes Goodbye,” “Summer Nights” and “Why.”
  
• Rascal Flatts teamed with Justin Bieber for the music video for “That Should Be Me.” The video is for the remix of Bieber’s song from his album “Never Say Never - The Remixes.”
  
• Rascal Flatts’s latest album, “Nothing Like This,” has gone platinum. Their latest hit single, “I Won’t Let Go,” marks their 13th career No. 1 hit. It is the second consecutive No. 1 single from “Nothing Like This.” The album, their first on Big Machine Records, debuted at No. 1 on the country album sales chart and became one of only four country acts to debut six consecutive studio albums at No. 1.
  
• Rascal Flatts are currently on the “Flatts Fest” tour, which also features Justin Moore, Sara Evans and Easton Corbin.
  
• Official Web site: www.rascalflatts.com

Merle Haggard Briefly Hospitalized

Merle Haggard canceled his weekend show at Billy Bob’s in Fort Worth due to a non-specified medical condition. Doctors at a Fort Worth hospital ordered the singer to postpone his upcoming performances. Haggard, 74, returned to his home in Redding, California, where he is under the care of his personal doctors. Haggard’s show at Billy Bob’s has been rescheduled for October 23rd. Tickets will be honored on the new date. Refunds also are available. Haggard’s upcoming new album, “Working in Tennessee,” will be available on October 4th.

George Jones To Celebrate Birthday At The Opry

George Jones will celebrate his 80th birthday at the Grand Ole Opry. His birthday is actually September 12th but the Opry celebration will be a day later on the 13th. Jones will be serenaded by several Opry members, including Alan Jackson, Montgomery Gentry, Joe Diffie, Pam Tillis and Oak Ridge Boys. Performances are also expected from special guests Jamey Johnson and others. George Jones has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry more than half his life. He became a member 55 years ago.

Alabama To Headline Concert To Help Tuscaloosa Tornado Victims

Alabama is getting ready to hit the stage for their first headlining concert in seven years with the group playing a benefit show to aid those who continue to deal with the aftermath of April’s deadly tornadoes. The September 2nd concert at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater will also feature singer-songwriter Jon Pardi, as well as the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra. The members of Alabama previously organized the star-studded benefit concert, “Bama Rising,” which included performances by Sheryl Crow, Martina McBride, Luke Bryan, Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley, and raised in excess of $2 million. Tickets for the new concert begin at $21 at Ticketmaster.

Katie Armiger Set To Make Grand Ole Opry Debut

Katie Armiger plans to celebrate the release of “Confessions of a Nice Girl (the True Confessional),” the deluxe edition of her 2010 album, by making her debut at the Grand Ole Opry on September 23rd. “Confessions of a Nice Girl (the True Confessional),” which features the new single “I Do But Do I,” will be available for digital download beginning September 20th. The collection is a revamped version of her 2010 album, “Confessions of a Nice Girl,” which spawned the Top 40 single, “Best Song Ever.”

Brad Paisley Jams With Rolling Stones’ Ron Wood

Brad Paisley brought out Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Wood as a surprise guest during an encore at his Wednesday night concert at the O2 Arena in London. The pair performed “Let the Good Times Roll,” while support act Darius Rucker joined them for “Alcohol.” Paisley’s next U.S. tour date will be September 9th in Tampa. His current single is “Remind Me,” a duet featuring Carrie Underwood.

Montgomery Gentry ‘Rebels On The Run’

Montgomery Gentry will release a new album, “Rebels on the Run,” on October 4th. The project is their first for the independent label Average Joe’s Entertainment. The duo exited Columbia Records late last year. The album’s first single is “Where I Come From.” They joined the Grand Ole Opry in 2009 and are scheduled to perform there on September 13th.

Keith Urban Saves Kids From Homework

Fourth graders at the Burks Middle School in Monterey, Tennessee, have a new hero. Because of Keith Urban, they are going back to school this year to the news that they will not have to do homework all year. Their teacher, Patty Sloan, went to Urban’s Knoxville concert recently with a sign that said: “I told my class no more homework for the rest of the year if I got my picture made with you.” She got the idea when she learned that Urban hated school as a kid. Urban brought Sloan onstage and they had their picture taken together. Her class is said to be on top of the world.

Taylor Swift’s ‘Haunted’ To Be Featured In ‘True Blood’

HBO’s vampire smash “True Blood” is adding some Taylor Swift. Next week’s episode will feature “Haunted,” from Swift’s “Speak Now” album. In an interview with Rolling Stone, the show’s music supervisor Gary Calamar confirmed the song will be used “in a racy, sexy scene.”

Willie Nelson - Artist of the Day

Willie Nelson

• Willie Hugh Nelson gave his first public performance when he was four and got his first guitar at the age of six. He played honky-tonks as a teen and earned his money as a door-to-door salesman, eventually getting a job at a radio station. By the time he graduated he had his own radio show.
  
• After a brief stint in the Air Force, Willie, at the age of 23, single handedly, recorded, financed and sold his first song, “No Place For Me.” His first charting single was 1962’s Top 10 hit “Willingly,” a duet with Shirley Collie. His first No. 1 hit was 1975’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”
  
• Nelson’s career has spanned six decades and more than 200 albums. He is the president and one of the founding members of Farm Aid. He has charted over 80 times on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles, including more than 20 No. 1s. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993.
  
• In 2009, Nelson’s releases included “Naked Willie,” “Willie and the Wheel” and the critically acclaimed “American Classic.”
  
• Willie Nelson signed with Rounder Records last year and released the album “Country Music,” a compilation of standards produced by T-Bone Burnett. The album peaked at No. 4 in Billboard’s Top Country Albums, and No. 20 on the Billboard 200. It was nominated for Best Americana Album in the 2011 Grammy Awards.
  
• In May 2010, Nelson quietly cut off his signature back-length braided hair.
  
• Nelson is a major liberal activist and the co-chair of the advisory board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. He also owns the bio-diesel brand Willie Nelson Biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oil. Nelson is also the honorary chairman of the Advisory Board of the Texas Music Project, the official music charity of the state of Texas.
  
• Willie Nelson was recently inducted into the Agricultural Hall of Fame for his role as founder and president of Farm Aid. His induction coincided with the 26th annual Farm Aid concert.
  
• Official Web site: www.willienelson.com
  

Alan Jackson Plays To Over 30,000 In Scandinavia

Alan Jackson just returned from a Scandinavian tour which included three shows in Sweden and Norway. During the run, Jackson played to more than 30,000 enthusiastic fans. Songs like “Good Time” and “Remember When” were clear crowd favorites, as was his current hit “Long Way to Go,” which had people dancing and singing along. In Norway crowds were especially moved as Jackson paid tribute to victims of recent bombing and shooting tragedies in the country during his performance of “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning).” At both shows, the names of those who lost their lives were shown on the video screens against a backdrop of roses and the Norwegian flag.

Chely Wright To Wed This Weekend

Chely Wright and her fiancée Lauren Blitzer are gearing up for their wedding this weekend. “And so begins the fun,” Chely tweeted on Monday. “Friends and family are driving/flying in from all over for our special day! @lulublitzer and I feel lucky!” The singer and her partner, who serves as Development Director for the non-profit organization Faith in America, announced in April that they would be married at the Connecticut home of Lauren’s aunt on August 20th. While Chely and Lauren both reside in New York City, at the time of their engagement, New York had not yet become one of the six U.S. states to legalize same-sex marriage. Chely said the wedding would be an outdoor ceremony with both a reverend and rabbi officiating; she is Christian and her fiancée is Jewish. Chely also said that both she and Lauren will wear white dresses, but no veils, joking, “We both like our hair too much!”

Toby Goes International

Toby Keith’s upcoming album “Clancy’s Tavern” will be released globally October 25th, and five days later, he’ll open a 12-date European tour in Edinburgh, Scotland, before taking his music to seven countries. The title is an homage to Toby’s grandmother and the supper club she ran that served as his earliest education in music and performing. The debut single, “Made In America,” is in the top 10.

Chesney Sets Record

Kenny Chesney performed the biggest ticketed country show in New York/New Jersey history, topping the area’s previous record holder, Willie Nelson’s 1983 festival with Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and Linda Ronstadt. About 55,000 fans attended the concert. During the free-for-all encore, Chesney dished out covers, including Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream” and Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker.” New York Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher and New York Jets coach Rex Ryan joined Chesney onstage in the night’s final moments. The show was one of a dozen stadium dates on Chesney’s “Goin’ Coastal Tour,” the No. 1 grossing country tour of 2011 according to Pollstar.

Shania Twain Auctions Off Shoes That Caused Embarrassing Fall

Shania Twain is turning an embarrassing tumble into money for charity by auctioning off the high heels she was wearing at the CMT Awards in June. Twain memorably fell to her hip while walking to the presentation stage, but recovered gracefully. Bidding at press time on the eBay item No. Item number 230659721756 was at $6,100 for the size six, autographed BCBG Max Azria high heels. Proceeds go to her Shania Kids Can charity, which provides food and support to underprivileged kids in Canada through the school systems. Bidding wraps August 22nd.

Sugarland Planning Memorial Service For Indiana Victims

Sugarland are resuming their tour tomorrow in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as well as planning a memorial service to honor victims of the tragedy at the Indiana State Fair. But they plan to wait until grieving families have “time to go through their own services” before moving forward. “Until that time we are holding vigil for them,” the band said yesterday. “We join them on their mourning benches. And we stand in the gap asking God to offer them peace and healing.” Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush said that part of their own healing process was to get back on the road and resume their tour, despite sustaining huge losses during Saturday’s stage accident that left five people dead and dozens injured. They’ll have to replace all of our their instruments and equipment, calling their destroyed set “a loss that is insignificant in light of the tragedy.” 

New Taylor Swift DVD Set For Release In October

Taylor Swift’s “Journey to Fearless,” a two-hour DVD featuring behind-the-scenes footage of the singer-songwriter’s preparations for her first headlining tour, will be released October 11th. The DVD features 13 songs including “Love Story,” “You Belong With Me,” “Today Was a Fairytale” and “Our Song.” Swift provides the narrative, home movies and personal photos that chronicle her life and career leading up to the release of her multiplatinum “Fearless” album. Portions of the DVD content aired last year on the Hub network as a three-part miniseries.

The Judds - Artist of the day

The Judds

• Naomi and Wynonna Judd became country music’s sole successful mother-daughter duo and practically owned the country charts during the 80s. The Judds shot to stardom with a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Had a Dream (For the Heart)” in 1983, followed by heartfelt ballads such as “Mama He’s Crazy” and “Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Old Days).”

• After launching their career with Curb/RCA Records, The Judds sold 20 million albums in just six years. All but two of The Judds’ 16 radio singles between 1984 and 1989 topped Billboard’s Country Songs chart.
  
• By 1989, The Judds were one of the top-grossing and most popular touring acts in America, earning more than 60 industry awards, including multiple CMA, ACM and Grammy awards.
  
• At the height of their career, Naomi Judd announced her impending retirement at the end of 1991 due to health complications. Their subsequent tour sold more concert tickets than any artist that year except for The Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones.
  
• The pair reunited on December 31, 1999, for a New Year’s Eve show, prompting a successful reunion tour, multi-media partnership and CBS Special in 2000.
  
• Ten years later, after a performance at the 2009 CMA Music Festival, the duo decided to tour another time for their 2010 tour, “The Judds: The Last Encore.” The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) documented their journey. In April 2011, their six-episode docu-series, “The Judds” debuted with the highest rated premiere outside of OWN’s launch week.
  
• The Judds were recently named No. 15 of Billboard Magazine’s Top 25 Country Artists from 1985-2011.
  
• Naomi Judd and Laura Prepon will star in the Lifetime TV movie “Iris Johansen’s The Killing Game,” a telefilm based on the best-seller. The film will air in September.
  
• Official website: www.thejuddstour2011.com
  

Concerts At Indiana State Fair Show Moving To New Venues

Upcoming concerts at the Indiana State Fair in Indianapolis will be relocated to another venue as state officials continue the investigation into Saturday’s stage collapse at a Sugarland concert that killed five people and injured at least 45 others. The fair will not present any additional concerts at the outdoor grandstand area. New venue options include Conseco Fieldhouse, the Verizon Wireless Music Center and the lawn at White River State Park. There will be Lady Antebellum concerts, however. Fair officials said Lady A canceled in the wake of the tragedy. Lady Antebellum was slotted for Friday.

Currington, Thompson To Play CMA Songwriters Series In NYC

Billy Currington and Josh Thompson will head to New York City’s Joe’s Pub to celebrate its grand re-opening with two nights as part of the CMA Songwriters Series. The shows will be October 6th and 7th for two shows each night. Currington, with 10 Top 10 hits and seven No. 1s, will play the first night. Thompson, who had a hit with “Beer on the Table,” will play the second night. Performing both nights will be Scotty Emerick, David Lee Murphy and the host Bob DiPiero.

Bentley To Launch Fall Tour

Dierks Bentley will kick off the first leg of his “Country & Cold Cans Tour” on October 6th. Special guests Jerrod Niemann and the Eli Young Band will open for Bentley on the 22-city run that wraps November 19th. Fan club members can purchase tickets for the first date, which is in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, beginning today at www.dierks.com; tickets for the general public will go on sale Friday through Ticketmaster. Additional tour dates will be announced over the coming weeks. Bentley’s current hit, “Am I The Only One,” is in the Top 5. Bentley is currently in the studio finishing up his sixth studio album.

Rodney Atkins Ready To ‘Take A Back Road’

Rodney Atkins will release his new disc, “Take A Back Road,” on October 4th. The title track to the new album, the fastest rising single of his career, is currently sitting inside the Top 10. Atkins is spending most of his summer on a non-stop touring schedule that kicked off in Nashville on June 7th. He hosted and organized the first annual “Music City Gives Back” concert in Nashville benefitting the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Atkins is currently working with Pillsbury’s Biscuitfest platform that will focus on promotional opportunities in over 30,000 outlets across the U.S. coupled with Atkins’ fall tour culminating with a trip to the annual CMA Awards. Atkins is also keeping busy with an upcoming GAC shoot for the popular “ORIGIN” series and will be shooting the video for “Take A Back Road” in several locations in the coming weeks.

Lady A ‘Owns The Night’ With New Tour

After selling out every city on the group’s first-ever headlining tour, Lady Antebellum announced yesterday that they’ll launch the first leg of their “Own the Night 2011 Tour” on Nov. 11 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Both the tour name and trio’s upcoming album, “Own the Night,” were inspired by the album’s second single, “We Owned The Night.” The first leg of the 21-city arena tour will feature special guest Josh Kelley and a combination Eden’s Edge and Randy Montana in the opening slot.

Jennifer Nettles Horrified Over Stage Collapse

Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland says she watched video of the Indiana stage collapse “in horror.” Nettles says she was moved by the grief of the families and the “heroism” of the fans and rescuers. Jason Owen, who manages marketing and press for the band, says Sugarland was in a prayer circle before their performance. Band members were held off stage by the tour manager because of the weather before the stage collapsed. All Sunday events at the fair were canceled, but the fair reopened Monday morning with a memorial service honoring those who were killed. During the ceremony, the victim’s names were read as bouquets of flowers were carried across the stage. The service closed with the crowd singing “Amazing Grace.”

Scotty McCreery - Artist of the Day

Scotty McCreery

• North Carolina native Scott Cooke “Scotty” McCreery won the tenth season of “American Idol” in May. At age 17, he is the second youngest Idol winner behind Season 6 winner Jordin Sparks and the youngest male to win.
  
• A week after winning, Scotty made country music history when his debut single, “I Love You This Big,” earned the highest debut for a new artist’s first single on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart since at least 1984. The song, which hit the Top 20 in seven weeks, is one of the fastest-rising debut singles for a new country artist in history.
  
• McCreery will release his debut album, “Clear As Day,” on October 4th. He is featured on the “American Idols Live! Tour” that runs through September.
  
• Scotty recently made his Grand Ole Opry debut and performed with Josh Turner at Nashville’s LP Field during CMA Music Fest.
  
• Official website: www.scottymccreery-official.com
  

Willie Nelson Joins Farm Hall Of Fame

Willie Nelson said he was proud to be inducted into the Farmers Hall of Fame in a big farm state like Kansas. Nelson’s induction into the National Agriculture Hall of Fame in Bonner Springs this weekend coincided with the 26th annual Farm Aid concert in Kansas City, Kansas. “Well, Kansas is right in the middle of everything ... in the farm belt and if anybody understands the situation, they know it here,” said Nelson, who has performed at every Farm Aid since its inception. Nelson was joined by a slew of country stars at the induction and then took the stage at Farm Aid late Saturday night.

Randy Houser Defends Tracy Lawrence

Randy Houser was there when Tracy Lawrence was charged with disorderly conduct recently – and he says Tracy is getting a bad rap. The charges stem from an altercation with event promoter Elmer Cole Jr. after the “Smokin’ Country” concert in Bloomville, Ohio. Both men reportedly threw punches after a heated argument – but Randy insists that Cole was the one acting out of line. “Tracy was asked to cut his set short due to a storm, and then my set was canceled in its entirety due to that severe weather,” Randy tells The Boot, adding that Cole “was upset when his show was forced to cancel.” An argument turned physical between Lawrence and Cole after Lawrence’s tour bus became stuck in mud, and Randy said “it was made very clear that we were on our own.” “I believe Tracy had a right to speak to Mr. Cole. What happened after that, I don’t know, but I will say that Tracy appeared sober and cool-headed right before he walked down to speak with him. I know that Mr. Cole could have handled the situation with much more professionalism than what was demonstrated.” When police arrived, Tracy had blood running down his face and told officers, “Hi, my name is Tracy Lawrence. I would like to file charges on Elmer Cole. He punched me in the face and pulled a gun on me.” Cole denies having a weapon. Both men have since filed written pleas of not guilty.

Kellie Pickler To Make Acting Debut On ‘90210′

Kellie Pickler will debut her acting talents on the classic “90210” this fall. Pickler will portray Sally, who just happens to be a country singer. Sally is the cousin of the cowboy character Austin. Pickler is only expected to appear on the season premiere episode. In her brief television stint, she performs her latest single, “Tough.” The kick-off fall episode of “90210” airs on September 13th.

Vince Gill Celebrates 20 Years As Opry Member

Vince Gill celebrated his 20th anniversary as a member of the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday. Among those joining Gill onstage throughout the night were his wife Amy Grant, daughter Jenny Gill, Jimmy Dickens, Emmylou Harris, Martina McBride and The Time Jumpers. Gill opened the show before a sold-out crowd by performing “Gotta’ Travel On” in honor of Opry member Billy Grammer, who passed away last week. Gill accompanied himself on Grammer’s 1959 hit on a Grammer Guitar he’d purchased just weeks ago. Gill shared that he hadn’t been able to accept the Opry’s first invitation to play the show more than 20 years ago because it conflicted with accompanying Jenny at her grade school talent show. Closing the show, Gill said, “in the immortal words of Mr. Roy [Acuff], ‘You better sing the one that brung ya’” before performing the first song he ever sang on the Opry, “When I Call Your Name.”

Alaina CD Due One Week After McCreery

Laura Alaina will release her debut album, “Wildflower,” on October 11th, one week after Scotty McCreery releases his debut. Alaina, 16, was the runner-up on Season 10 of “American Idol” to McCreery. The project’s debut single is “Like My Mother Does,” which she performed first on “Idol.” The video was released last week and can be seen on CMT and GAC. The CD title comes from the song “She’s a Wildflower.”

Luke Bryan’s Back On The Farm

Luke Bryan released his new CD, “Tailgates & Tanlines,” last week and now his “Farm Tour” is ready to gear back up. Bryan’s tour will continue for a third consecutive year with six shows in late September and early October. The shows start September 29th in Clemson, South Carolina, and wrap October 7th in Carrollton, Georgia. Tickets are available now at www.lukebryan.com/farmtour and through the local area retail outlets soon. Proceeds from the concerts will be made available as a scholarship for a student from a farming family attending a local college in each community where the shows are taking place. Bryan is currently on Tim McGraw’s “Emotional Traffic Tour” and will headline “CMT On Tour: Luke Bryan – Tailgates & Tanlines” kicking off September 14th.

Lady Antebellum To Make Their ‘Saturday Night Live’ Debut

Lady Antebellum is set to make their “Saturday Night Live” debut as musical guests on the October 1st episode. Hosting that night will be actress Melissa McCarthy of “Mike and Molly” and “Bridesmaids” fame. Lady A’s Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood are in rare company. Country acts are not often asked to play on “SNL.” In the past 10 years, only Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, the Dixie Chicks, Faith Hill and Keith Urban have represented Nashville on the show.

Keith Urban Helps Habitat For Humanity Grant Family’s Wish

Keith Urban presented a Knoxville, Tennessee, mother with the keys to her brand-new home from Habitat for Humanity. Keith joins fellow artists Brooks and Dunn and Martina McBride who also have Habitat homes named after them on Knoxville’s “Music Row.” At the ceremony Friday afternoon, Urban, who was in Knoxville for a concert, said he was honored to be a part of the program. “It’s a beautiful thing when a house is so much more than walls and windows and a roof. It’s a place where a family can start making memories,” said Urban. Urban presented the keys to Olum, who is also a big fan of the superstar. He also joined her on a tour of her new home she will share with her mother and 11-year-old son, Zion.

Five Killed At Sugarland Concert

A stage collapsed during a strong storm at the Indiana State Fair on Saturday, killing at least five people after steel scaffolding flew into the crowd just before Sugarland was slated to play. About 40 people were injured. A burst of wind apparently toppled the rigging with people running, screaming and shouting to get out of the way. Opening act Sara Bareillis had already finished playing. An announcement was made about possible severe weather and what to do in case an evacuation was necessary. The disaster came a few minutes afterwards, at 8:44 p.m. Sugarland and Bareilles canceled their show scheduled for yesterday at the fair. The wind gust was a “fluke” that no one could have anticipated, the governor said.

Brad Paisley - Artist of the Day

Brad Paisley

• Brad Paisley released his debut solo album, “Who Needs Pictures,” in 1999. The record produced two chart-topping singles: “He Didn’t Have To Be” and “We Danced.”
  
• 2004’s “Mud On The Tires” was his third consecutive album to sell more than a million copies. 2005’s “Time Well Wasted” landed at No. 1 and was 2006’s CMA and ACM Album of the Year. The 16-track collection includes the chart-topping “Alcohol,” “When I Get Where I’m Going,” “The World” and “She’s Everything,” 2007’s first country chart-topper.
  
• Paisley’s album “5th Gear” was released in June 2007. The first five singles – “Ticks,” “Online,” “Letter To Me,” “I’m Still A Guy” and “Waitin’ On A Woman” – all hit No. 1.
  
• Brad released his 7th album, “Play,” in 2008. The first single, “Start a Band,” became his 13th No. 1 hit and his ninth consecutive No. 1.
  
• Paisley scored another No. 1 hit with his single “Water” – his 17th No. 1 single overall and his fourth off “American Saturday Night.” He is second only to Sonny James as the solo country artist with the most consecutive No. 1 singles in country chart history.
  
• Brad has won three Grammys and been named best Male Vocalist for the last three years by the Country Music Association and the last four by the Academy of Country Music – the only artist ever to garner that distinction three or more times in a row. Among his many other awards, he has also received Album of the Year honors from both the CMA and the ACM. He also won the Male Artist of the Year at the inaugural American Country Awards in 2010. He made his Grand Ole Opry debut in 1999 and became a member after 40 appearances.
  
• Brad Paisley’s first single is the title track off his upcoming album, “This Is Country Music,” which is sitting in the Top 10 on the country charts.
  
• Paisley released a double album of studio and live recordings, “Hits Alive,” in November 2010.
  
• Paisley’s website has announced a new beta game titled “Brad Paisley World.” The game is modeled after other Facebook games such as “Farmville” and features original animation. The game provides a new way for fans to interact with each other and view exclusive material that would otherwise be unavailable.
  
• Brad has two songs on the “Cars 2” soundtrack, “Nobody’s Fool” and “Collision of Worlds.” In December 2010, he released “This Is Country Music” as the title track to his eighth studio album, released in May 2011. The album’s second single, “Old Alabama” (with the group Alabama), dropped in March and became Paisley’s 19th No. 1 hit. “Remind Me,” with Carrie Underwood, was released in May and has hit the Top 5 and been certified gold.
  
• Brad is currently on the road with his “H20 II Tour.”
  
• Paisley will release his first major book, “Diary of a Player: How My Musical Heroes Made a Guitar Man Out of Me,” in November.
  
• Official Web site: http://bradpaisley.musiccitynetworks.com