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

Big Machine Records Unveils Artist Performance For Brickyard 400

BigMachineRecords.com will be the presenting sponsor of the 2011 Brickyard 400 race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 31st. This is the first time a record label has ever presented a nationally-televised race in the 100-year history of The Speedway. In addition to the race, the event will feature performances by Big Machine Label Group artists such as Rascal Flatts, Reba McEntire, The Band Perry, Justin Moore, Brantley Gilbert and Thomas Rhett. There will also be opportunities to purchase artist merchandise at the Big Machine Label Group booth where clothing, music and more will be for sale.

Trace Adkins Wants His Fire-Damaged Home Torn Down

Trace Adkins and his family have been living in a cabin ever since a fire on June 4th destroyed their Nashville home. While the Louisiana native is grateful they have another place to stay, he admits the entire ordeal has been a challenging one. “The insurance company declared it a total loss, and now they have to figure out what that means and assign a value to it,” Trace tells CMT. “It takes ridiculously long. I just want to get what’s left of that house torn down. It looks sad. It’s the eyesore of the neighborhood. We all want to get it gone.”