May 31, 2007 - Atlanta-based 1720 Entertainment announced the launch of a new country division and have opened their doors to a new office in Nashville. The company's flagship artist, singer/songwriter Rissi Palmer, will release her debut single "Country Girl" to country radio Monday, June 4. Palmer's debut... »»»May 31, 2007 - Dierks Bentley will partner with the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and virtual community Second Life to become the first ever country artist to stream a live performance to online residents from 100 countries around the world when he kicks off "Superstars of the Bluebird" week at the Nashville venue on... »»»May 31, 2007 - Martina McBride, 'American Idol' winner Jordin Sparks, American Idol contestants Blake Lewis and Melinda Doolittle will join the live broadcast of the "Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular."
McBride will open this year's event with her hit single "Anyway" from her ninth studio album "Waking Up Laughing.... »»»May 31, 2007 - For the third straight week, Billy Currington's "Good Directions" has not been moving in any direction, and that's fine with the singer because he's been number 1 on the Billboard country song chart, this time for the week ending June 9.
On the album chart, Carrie Underwood retook the top spot with... »»»May 30, 2007 - Currently in the studio between dates, finishing the follow-up to the triple platinum The Road & The Radio, Kenny Chesney will release "Never Wanted Nothing More" as the first single. The song was written by bluegrasser Ronnie Bowman and Chris Stapleton.
"Only in country music can you get laid and... »»»May 30, 2007 - Toby Keith has been chosen to be inducted into the Oklahoma Hall
of Fame.Keith and seven other honorees will be celebrated at the induction on Nov. 8 in Oklahoma City. The hall was established in 1928 and has 613... »»»May 30, 2007 - Tim McGraw's Academy of Country Music Awards show performance of "If You're Reading This" drew such a response that it was 35th on the Billboard singles chart last week without even being recorded by McGraw. That may be change, according to McGraw's manager.
Radio stations are playing the live version... »»»May 30, 2007 - After one week out of the top spot, Carrie Underwood regained it on the Billboard country album chart with "Some Hearts." That means Gretchen Wilson only was able to stay at the top for one week with her new disc, "One of the Boys."
"Some Hearts," now in its 80th week on the chart, sold 51,000 units,... »»»May 30, 2007 - Chely Wright, founder of Reading, Writing & Rhythm, will host for the seventh consecutive year the Reading, Writing & Rhythm Benefit Concert & Auction June 5 in Nashville.
Wright established Reading, Writing & Rhythm in 1999 with the objective of improving the quality of music education in America's... »»»May 30, 2007 - Jedd Hughes, an Australian native with one album under his belt, recently signed with Capitol Nashville, he confirmed Wednesday.
Hughes said he was "almost done with the new record...Probably won't release the album till next year." Hughes said he worked on the record with Tom Bukovac, who he describe... »»»May 29, 2007 - Miranda Lambert, whose second album "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" debuted at number one earlier this month, recently wrapped up opening for Dierks Bentley at Topeka's Kansas Expo Center. Throughout the tour, she heard rumors about Bentley's final-night pranks and antics so she decided to get him before he... »»»May 29, 2007 - Porter Wagoner will receive the International Fan Club Organization Tex Ritter Award at the 40th Annual IFCO FunFest Show on Monday, June 4 in Nashville.
Ritter was a friend, supporter and long-time member of IFCO. Following his death on Jan. 2, 1974, IFCO collaborated with his wife, Dorothy, to... »»»May 25, 2007 - Josh Turner will perform three songs live at the National Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol Sunday, May 27. Turner will sing the
National Anthem, "America The Beautiful" and a cover of Willie Nelson's
"Always On My Mind" during the hour and a half special that airs on PBS
beginning at 8 p.m.... »»»May 24, 2007 - A free concert featuring Jason Michael Carroll, Elizabeth Cook, Jennifer Hanson, Tanya Tucker and Darryl Worley will kick off the CMA Music Festival in early June in Nashville.
"What a great way to get the celebration kicked into high gear than to have a free parade and concert on the Chevy Music Tour... »»»May 24, 2007 - The first ever Big State Festival will be held on Texas in October, featuring Tim McGraw, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, Trace Adkins, Dierks Bentley, Gary Allan, and 40 other acts in a 2-day event launched by the producers of Austin City Limits Music Festival.
The Big State Festival, slated for Oct.... »»»May 24, 2007 - Chances are very high that when the music of Montgomery Gentry comes to mind, the poetry of Maya Angelou does not. But the two managed to perform together this week in Tennessee at Angelou's behest.
Angelou invited the duo to open her appearance this week at Nashville's Tennessee Performing Arts Center... »»»May 24, 2007 - Gretchen Wilson hit the top of the Billboard country CD charts for the week ending June 2 with "One of the Boys," Selling about 75,000 units, the disc was also the fifth best selling CD of any genre. Wilson claimed the number one position from Carrie Underwood's "Some Hearts," which fell to second.... »»»May 24, 2007 - Special Consensus announced the addition of mandolin player Ashby Frank to the band. Frank will first appear with the group at Bill Monroe's Music Park in Bean Blossom, Ind. on June 13th. Frank replaces mandolin player Ron Spears, who joined Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.
Special Consensus' Greg Cahill... »»»May 22, 2007 - Rascal Flatts is participating is in a religious-themed CD of contemporary Christian songs done country-style. Time Life is slated to put the 16-song disc produced by Teddy Gentry of Alabama and Mike Curtis in September, according to Curtis. The disc was recorded in Nashville and Muscle Shoals, Ala.... »»»May 22, 2007 - The Derailers' Brian Hofeldt was uninjured after his car was allegedly hit by a drunk driver on Mother's Day on his return home from a Dallas show to spend Mother's Day with his family.
The driver "unexpectedly" swerved into Hofeldt's lane and sent his car off a 15-foot low-water crossing bridge,... »»»May 21, 2007 - Phil Vassar's first single for his new record label is "This is My Life."
has got himself a new label deal, a new co-producer, and a new album.
"Gas prices are out of control, our schools aren't safe and there are no
in-betweens any more," Vassar said. "It's really getting worse every day,
and there... »»»May 21, 2007 - Billy Currington tops both the R&R and MediaBase charts for the second consecutive week with "Good Directions," the third single off his sophomore album Doin' Somethin' Right. This is the second number one hit of Currington's career joining the previous chart topper "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right.... »»»May 21, 2007 - Eric Church proved you can go home once again as he gave a benefit performance Sunday before more than 4,000 people at South Caldwell High School's Spartan Stadium in Hudson, N.C.
Residents of Church's hometown of Granite Falls and the surrounding North Carolina counties turned out.... »»»May 21, 2007 - Opry Plaza Parties, a series of free summertime concerts held by the Grand Ole Opry, are set to launch on Memorial Day Weekend, Saturday, May 26 with a show by Mandy Barnett. Plaza Parties will run every Saturday night through July 28 beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the Opry Plaza concert stage located in the... »»»May 21, 2007 - Tracy Byrd is teaming up with Wal-Mart and Children's Miracle Network to bring a free concert to America's most charitable community. Continuing a month-long celebration of the 20th anniversary of its partnership with Children's Miracle Network, Wal-Mart is giving shoppers even more incentive to help... »»»May 21, 2007 - Michael McCall and Stephanie Ledgin were named winners of the Charlie Lamb Excellence in Country Music Journalism Awards. These awards, named in honor of Music City journalist Charlie Lamb, are presented to McCall in the "contemporary" category and Ledgin in the "career" category.... »»»May 20, 2007 - Country Music Hall of Famer Porter Wagoner celebrated his 50th anniversary as an Opry member during a sold-out performance Saturday. Fellow Opry members Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless and Marty Stuart, who is producing a new album on Wagoner titled "Wagonmaster," due in stores June 5, joined him on stage... »»»May 18, 2007 - With two hit singles under their belt on their second release, Sugarland will try to turn the trick again. "Everyday America" will go to radio for adds Monday, May 21st. The duo - Jennifer Nettles and Kraig Bush - co-wrote the song along with Lisa Carver.
This will be the third single from their... »»»May 18, 2007 - Carrie Underwood's "Some Hearts" is RIAA-certified sextuple platinum for sales of six million copies. One of only two female country debuts ever to reach this milestone, "Some Hearts" ranks alongside Leann Rimes' "Blue" as the best-selling debut by a country female in RIAA history.
The disc was released Nov.... »»»May 17, 2007 - Love Everybody: Big & Rich, a spotlight exhibit focusing on the careers of one of country music's most irreverent and innovative duos, will open on June 6 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
When Big Kenny Alphin met John Rich in 1998, both were already music industry veterans... »»»May 17, 2007 - Travis Tritt's first single for his new label, "You Never Take Me Dancing," will be released Monday. The song, written by Richard Marx, was co-produced by Randy Jackson of American Idol fame and Tritt. This marks Tritt's first single for Category 5 after previously being on Warner and Sony.... »»»May 17, 2007 - Country music icon Merle Haggard is going a different musical root and label with his next release. He will go the bluegrass root on "The Bluegrass Sessions" on Del McCoury's label, out Sept. 18.
The 12-song collection is comprised of 4 newly written songs by The Hag. Among the older Haggard songs are... »»»May 17, 2007 - Ronnie McCoury, a member of Del McCoury's Band, will release a bluegrass children's disc in August. McCoury will offer 16 songs, a combination of children's songs and well-known bluegrass classics. While the title is to be determined, the self-produced disc will be Aug. 21 on McCoury Music.... »»»May 17, 2007 - The stars of ABC's "All My Children," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" will make their first appearance during the 2007 CMA Music Festival, June 7-10, in Nashville. The four-day celebration will air as a special, "CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock," Monday, July 23 on ABC.... »»»May 17, 2007 - Billy Currington notched a number one 1 single on the Billboard country chart for the week ending May 26 with "Good Directions." Currington took over for Sugarland's "Settlin'," which slipped to second. On the CD chart, Carrie Underwood returned to number one with "Some Hearts," replacing Miranda... »»»May 16, 2007 - Carrie Underwood continues her commercial success with "Some Hearts" because her debut album will return to the number one spot ont he Billboard country album chart when it is released Thursday. Miranda Lambert's "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" had been number one in its debut week. It was unclear ow far sales... »»»May 16, 2007 - For the third straight year, Kenny Chesney won the Academy of Country Music entertainer of the year award, but it's not being old hat for the superstar.
"It's a little unbelievable," said Chesney. "For a kid who just wanted to sing, just wanted to get to Nashville, just wanted to write good country... »»»May 16, 2007 - Shania Twain said she will have an album out in 2008 and is currently writing songs.
In an interview with GAC in Las Vegas at the Academy of Country Music awards in Las Vegas, Twain said, "Right now I'm in a very serious songwriting mode, so I'm focusing a lot on that, doing a lot of soul searching.... »»»May 15, 2007 - Gretchen Wilson will try to see if she can return to the form of her debut disc, while John Anderson is probably happy just to be back.
Wilson shot to stardom with "Here for the Party," but her follow-up 'All jacked up," lacked the sales power or hit making of the debut despite being a solid disc.... »»»
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Country News Digest
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May 15, 2007 - Kenny Chesney won the biggest award at the Academy of Country Music awards, entertainer of the year.
Chesney, who accepted the award from Shania Twain, said, "When I first started playing music, I was in college, I would go rent all of my equipment and put it in the back of the pick up truck.... »»»May 15, 2007 - Six-time ACM Award winner and Top Male Vocalist nominee Brad Paisley delivers the network television debut of his newest hit single, "Ticks," tonight at the Academy of Country Music Awards telecast on CBS. "Ticks" is the first single from Paisley's June 19 album release, "5th Gear," the follow-up to his... »»»May 15, 2007 - Brooks & Dunn and Alan Jackson kicked off their 2007 co-headlining tour this past weekend with packed amphitheatres in Virginia Beach, Va., Charlotte, N.C. and Raleigh, N.C.
Each performed separate sets, but hit the stage together to perform the Luther Dixon/Al Smith blues classic "Big Boss Man.... »»»May 15, 2007 -
Kenny Chesney wins top honor -- click for
complete coverage.
George Strait was nominated for eight awards, but who will be the big winner when all is said and done will be decided tonight at the 42nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
The annual event features a slew of performers... »»»May 15, 2007 - Faith Hill will debut her new single, "Lost," Tuesday on the Academy of Country Music Awards. The song was completed just this past week and will be the first single from her forthcoming greatest hits package entitled "The Hits."
"When we heard the final playback of the song, I don't think that there... »»»May 13, 2007 - Mel Tillis was invited to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry Saturday. Tillis' formal induction will take place on June 9.
After taking the Opry stage to perform two songs, Tillis was approached by Opry member Bill Anderson who asked "how would you like to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.... »»»May 11, 2007 - Tammy Cochran, who had two albums on Sony and one hit with "Angels in Waiting" about her late brothers, resurfaced with a record deal with Shanachie. An album she self released earlier this year will be out in July.
"Where I Am," a collection of 12 originals, will be out July 24.... »»»May 10, 2007 - Sugarland settled in at number 1 on the Billboard country song chart for the week ending May 19 with "Settlin'." The duo took over the top slot from Rascal Flatts' "Stand," which fell to second.
Miranda Lambert debuted in first with her second album, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." She took over from "Some... »»»May 10, 2007 - Faith Hill, Toby Keith, Martina McBride and Big & Rich with special guest John Legend will perform at the 42nd annual Academy of Country Music awards event in Las Vegas May 15.
Shania Twain will participate, although her exact role was not disclosed.
Sara Evans, Heartland, Brad Mates of Emerson Drive, Dr.... »»»May 10, 2007 - Trisha Yearwood left the only label she has ever been with, MCA Nashville, for Big Machine Records. An album is slated to be released in 2008.
Yearwood had been with MCA for 16 years, but she had a long relationship with Scott Borchetta, president and CEO of Big Machine.
"This move is far from random,... »»»May 10, 2007 - Country veteran Gene Watson signed a record deal with Shanachie Records, which will result in his first album in four years this September.
This marks a continued foray by Shanachie into country since the label released albums by Daryle Singletary, David Ball and Confederate Railroad earlier this year.... »»»May 10, 2007 - "Reba Duets," a disc featuring Reba McEntire singing songs with others including Kelly Clarkson and Kenny Chesney, hits stores Sept. 18. The 11-track album was produced by Tony Brown and McEntire.
Guest appearances include performances by Ronnie Dunn (of Brooks & Dunn), Vince Gill, Don Henley, Faith... »»»May 9, 2007 - Toby Keith is set to embark on his fifth USO tour to the Persian Gulf and Germany. Keith will perform, meet with troops and tour a variety of job posts.
Keith previously traveled
to Africa, Cuba, Belgium, Kuwait, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Italy, Germany
and numerous times to Iraq and Afghanistan for the USO.... »»»May 9, 2007 - Miranda Lambert will top the Billboard country album chart when it is out Thursday for the second consecutive time with "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." The album sold 53,000 units, according to Billboard.com. Her 2005, "Kerosene," also topped the country chart. The new release is the sixth best selling album in the U.S.... »»»May 8, 2007 - New York-based record label Robbins Entertainment, started by the man who had one of the leading rap labels a decade ago, is making a long-planned expansion into the country music market, opening Robbins Nashville.
Phyllis Stark joins the label as vice president of A&R after a career in journalism,... »»»May 8, 2007 - Tim McGraw's 11th album, "Let It Go," was certified platinum for sales of 1 million records. This is McGraw's 10th album to sell one million copies or more. To date, McGraw's album sales total 35 million. He is the 7th best selling artist since the inception of the BDS System in 1991 behind Garth... »»»May 7, 2007 - Brad Paisley continued his 2007 Hershey's Presents Bonfires and Amplifiers Tour this past weekend with stops in Evansville, Ind. and Moline and Champaign, Ill., playing to more than 25,000 fans. And the pranks started as well thanks to Jack Ingram, Taylor Swift and Kelli Pickler, Paisley's opening acts on the tour.... »»»May 7, 2007 - Country Music Hall of Fame members guitarist Harold Bradley, country-pop hitmaker Sonny James and current superstar George Strait were honored Sunday at the hall by fellow hall of famers with the receipt of a medal commemorating their election to the hall.
Chairman of the Board E.W.... »»»May 7, 2007 - Taylor Swift's hit single, "Tim McGraw," was certified gold digitally, a feat accomplished by only eight other country artists.
Only 10 other country singles have ever been certified Digital Gold. Others achieving that status were Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Big & Rich, Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood,... »»»May 6, 2007 - The International Bluegrass Music Museum went to the internet for radio by launching the RBI: Radio Bluegrass International, a non-commercial, 24-hour internet radio station, May 1, 2007. The station streams from the museum's website at www.bluegrassmuseum.org.
The fully licensed and encrypted stream,... »»»May 4, 2007 - 903 Music, the label started by Neal McCoy and also home to Darryl Worley, is closing its doors, according to Billboard magazine.
"The truth is that after two great years of success due to the hard work of a lot of wonderful people, we flat ran out of money, end of story," McCoy said in a statement on the Billboard.... »»»May 4, 2007 - Blake Shelton recent Raindance II fundraiser in his hometown of Ada, Okla. raised more than $100,000 for Project Rebuild to distribute throughout Oklahoma for families affected by natural disasters such as wildfires and tornadoes.
The three-day event included an archery tournament, team roping and... »»»May 4, 2007 - The Academy of Country Music added a second night of free concerts in Las Vegas during The Week Vegas Goes Country! as part of ACM activities later this month.
In addition to the previously announced May 13 concert featuring Montgomery Gentry, Emerson Drive and Gretchen Wilson with special guests... »»»May 3, 2007 - Carrie Underwood's recording of The Pretenders' classic, "I'll Stand by You," became the first iTunes exclusive track to debut in the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Entering the chart in 6th for the week ending May 12 in Billboard, "I'll Stand by You" was recorded by Underwood to accompany... »»»May 3, 2007 - There was some good news and bad news for Carrie Underwood on the Billboard charts for the week ending May 12. The good news was that "Some Hearts" was back atop the album chart, going from fourth to first. Last week's number one, the self-titled debut from Bucky Covington, slipped all the way to seventh.... »»»May 3, 2007 - The two-day 4th Annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf
Classic last weekend raised more than $500,000 raised for Ally's House Charity, the most the organization has received at an event.
Several hundred friends from country music and Oklahoma joined Keith on April 27 and 28 in Oklahoma City, in his on-going... »»»May 3, 2007 - Jason Aldean will again host his annual Concert For The Cure during CMA Music Festival in Nashville to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Following his stadium appearance, Aldean will headline the late night show with special guests stopping by throughout the night to lend support and... »»»May 3, 2007 - Jennifer Hanson is coming out of hibernation with the announcement Thursday that she signed with Universal South Records. Her first single, titled "Joy Ride," written by Hanson, Victoria Shaw and Nick Brophy, will hit the airwaves this summer.
Hanson previously had been on Capitol Nashville where she... »»»May 3, 2007 - Taylor Swift carried on a one-woman crusade to meet Brad Paisley and did so last week in the opening of their 2007 tour togther, but payback doubtlessly will come later from Paisley, a big prankster.
Swift vowed to carry around a cardboard stand-up of Paisley until she met him.... »»»May 2, 2007 - Wrangler will continue to sponsor Darryl Worley during his 2007 Darryl and Dickel Tour. Wrangler maintains representation for Worley as he launches into his tour with his latest album on 903 Music, "Here and Now" and his newest single, "Living in the Here and Now."
A special promotion allows customers... »»»May 2, 2007 - More than a year after its release, Carrie Underwood's "Some Hearts" once again is number 1 on the Billboard album chart, which will be officially out Thursday, with sales of 44,000 units, according to Billboard. Underwood took over from Bucky Covington's self-titled debut.
Martina McBride's "Waking Up... »»»May 1, 2007 - Mary Chapin Carpenter canceled her summer tour, she said on her web site Monday. Carpenter recently finished the spring leg of The Calling tour "during which time she experienced pain from a recent back injury. She was subsequently hospitalized for a pulmonary embolism, possibly as a result of her... »»»May 1, 2007 - Martina McBride recently joined Terri Clark in the studio to record "Nashville Girls," a track from Clark's forthcoming BNA Records debut album, "My Next Life," which will be released in August. Clark had spent her entire career on Mercury Records until this CD. The song will also feature guest vocals... »»»May 1, 2007 - Billy Currington's sophomore album "Doin' Somethin' Right" went platinum with more than one million units in sales, delivering him his first
R.I.A.A. (Recording Industry Association of America) platinum
certification. The third single from the same album, "Good
Directions," is currently fourth on the... »»»May 1, 2007 - Dann Huff, producer of Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban, was named Tuesday the producer of the year by the Academy of Country Music. Huff's award was one of a number of musicians, radio personnel, venues and others announced prior to the actual awards, which will be held May 15 in Las Vegas.... »»»
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