August 31, 2009 - Singer Bradley Walker and bluegrass group The Grascals will perform on the Muscular Dystrophy Association's 2009 Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon on Monday, Sept. 7. Together, The Grascals and Walker will perform the bluegrass standard, Will You Be Loving Another Man after which Walker will sing the... »»»August 31, 2009 - Carrie Underwood released the cover of her third release, "Play On," today. The cover features Underwood sitting at a table with her chin resting on the palm of her hand.
Due Nov. 3, "Play On" draws its title from the name of a song on the new album. Since the release of her debut album, "Some... »»»August 31, 2009 - Brad Paisley will join Keith Urban, Faith Hill and others in an October concert to raise money for the Country Music Hall of Fame, it was announced Monday.
Urban announced the Oct. 13 concert during his show Saturday at the Sommet in Nashville. The fundraiser is billed as Keith Urban and "Very Special Friends.... »»»August 31, 2009 - Sugarland will release a 10-track holiday-themed record titled "Gold And Green" on Oct. 6. The disc will include five original songs co-written by lead members Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush - City of Silver Dreams, Coming Home, Gold And Green, Maybe Baby (New Year's Day) and Little Wood Guitar.... »»»August 30, 2009 - Keith Urban will hold a concert in October in Nashville to raise money for the Country Music Hall of Fame, he announced Saturday. Billed as Keith Urban and "Very Special Friends," the show will be held Oct. 13 at the Sommet with the slogan "We're All for the Hall."
Members of Urban's fan club can... »»»August 28, 2009 - The Grand Ole Opry is joining the fight against breast cancer by going pink during two Opry performances Fri., Oct. 2. On each of the night's shows, Opry member Carrie Underwood will take the stage to flip the switch, turning the Opry's signature barn backdrop pink in support of the groups Women Rock... »»»August 28, 2009 - Saguaro Road Records is asking all Tanya Tucker look-alikes to upload their photos and compete to see who best resembles singer. Photos must be uploaded to tanyacontest@gmail.com by Sept. 20 along with their name and contact information.
Shortly after, three finalists will be selected.... »»»August 27, 2009 - The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has released its official calendar for 2010.The calendar features 12 portraits of Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.... »»»August 27, 2009 - Reba McEntire has the best selling CD in the country with "Keep On Loving You," while Jason Aldean tops the Billboard country song chart for the week ending Sept. 5 with Big Green Tractor. Aldean takes over for Taylor Swift whose You Belong to MeOn the album chart, "Hannah Montana: The Movie" was third, up three.... »»»August 27, 2009 - Larry Knechtel, a member of 1970s soft rock band Bread, who played with everyone from Elvis Presley to Simon & Garfunkel and the Dixie Chicks, died of an apparent heart attack Thursday, Aug. 20 at 69.
As a session keyboardist and bassist, Knechtel played with acts including Hank Williams Jr.... »»»August 27, 2009 - Jack Ingram is partnering with KC Masterpiece Barbecue Sauces and Marinades.
The campaign includes "Eat and Greets" with Ingram at select tour dates beginning in September, where contest winners will be invited to a backstage barbeque before each show. Ingram will make public appearances on behalf of... »»»August 27, 2009 - Final nominees for the 2009 CMA Awards will be carried live on Wednesday, Sept. 9, by Good Morning America on ABC with Darius Rucker and Lee Ann Womack hosting.
The 43rd Annual CMA Awards will be broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 11 (8-11 p.m. ET/delayed PT) on ABC and... »»»August 26, 2009 - Kenny Chesney will debut a song next week to coincide with the college football season. This is Our Moment will air ESPN's college football game and studio telecasts during Dick's Sporting Goods Kickoff Week (Sept. 3-7) and Championship Saturday (Dec. 5) as well as select contests throughout the season and bowl games.... »»»August 26, 2009 - Reba McEntire's first new solo studio album in six years - and her first on her new label The Valory Music Co. - debuts at number 1 on both the Billboard Top Country and the Top 200 Albums charts.
"Keep On Loving You" was McEntire's first disc to go number 1 on the Top 200. McEntire holds the record as... »»»August 26, 2009 - Mike Herrera's Tumbledown is releasing a video today for their new single Butcher of San Antone through the Hot Topic's Shockhound web site.
The track is the second single from he bands self-titled debut album, released through End Sounds earlier this year. Herrera is best known as the front-man of... »»»August 26, 2009 - Randy Houser will join Oprah & Friends Radio Network host Dr. Maya Angelou during her program on XM 156 and Sirius 195 today at 7 p.m. eastern and again on Saturday, Aug, 29 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Aug, 30 at 7 a.m. eastern.
During the interview, Houser discusses his new album, "Anything Goes," family,... »»»August 26, 2009 - After only 14 weeks since its release, Jason Aldean's Big Green Tractor is number one. Aldean assumes the top spot from Taylor Swift and You Belong to Me. This is the second consecutive number. one hit from Aldean's third album "Wide Open."
"This thing has just taken on a life of its own...... »»»August 26, 2009 - Rosanne Cash will be the subject of the Americana Music Association's Festival and Conference 2009 Keynote Interview. The interview, conducted by author/journalist Michael Streissguth, will take place Thursday, Sept. 17.
Cash is releasing The List, a collection of cover songs culled from more than... »»»August 26, 2009 - Jack Ingram established a new world record - most radio interviews in a 24-hour period. Ingram established the Guinness World Record in promoting his new disc "Big Dreams & High Hopes." Ingram recorded 215 radio interviews within 24 hours, hitting most of the 50 states, Canada, Ireland and Australia.... »»»August 26, 2009 - The reigning CMA Male and Female Vocalists of the Year, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, will reunite to host the 43rd Annual CMA Awards. This will be the second consecutive time that Paisley and Underwood hosted the event, which airs live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m.... »»»August 26, 2009 - Luke Bryan will host the America's Opry Weekend Number One Party radio special Labor Day weekend. The country newcomer will take a break from summer performances across America to spin some of his favorite songs that have hit the top of the charts, including live Opry performances of those tunes by his... »»»August 25, 2009 - Jerry Lee Lewis's first single, from his forthcoming new studio CD will be released by Shangri-La Music. This will be Lewis' first country release since the 1970s.
The track will be available digitally starting today on all digital service providers. Produced by Steve Bing and Jim Keltner, and... »»»August 25, 2009 - Faith Hill will do the opening theme honors for NBC Sunday Night Football, Waiting All Day for Sunday Night. Hill's effort debuts this season on Sunday, Sept. 13, the first Sunday Night Football broadcast of 2009 featuring the oldest rivalry in the NFL as the Green Bay Packers host the Chicago Bears in... »»»August 25, 2009 - Jack Ingram is attempting to do what no one else has ever done and shatter the world record for the most radio interviews in one day. He booked 215 radio interviews in 24 hours to launch his new album, "Big Dreams and High Hopes," which drops today.
A representative from Guinness Book of World Records... »»»August 24, 2009 - Opry Country Classics returns this fall for an eight-week run beginning Sept. 10. Among the artists scheduled for fall shows are Jamey Johnson, George Jones, Marty Stuart, Moe Bandy, Terri Clark, Jimmy Dickens, Larry Gatlin, Vince Gill, Ray Price, Joe Stampley, Mel Tillis, Pam Tillis, and Tanya Tucker.... »»»August 24, 2009 - Willie Nelson will play at his hometown bar in Maui, Hawaii for another installment of the MySpace Music Secret Show franchise on Tuesday, Aug. 25, the day his new Blue Note album "American Classic," is released. The show, which will also feature a special guest appearance by indie rockers Band of... »»»August 24, 2009 - Darius Rucker celebrated his country CD debut, "Learn to Live going platinum fore sales of 1 million units with a party in Nashville last week. The celebration continues tomorrow with a number 1 party for his latest song Alright going number one.
All three of Rucker's singles (Don't Think I Don't... »»»August 24, 2009 - Gloriana returns to New York City this week opening for Taylor Swift on her "Fearless 2009 Tour" at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 27. While in town, the group will have their first national television performances live on Good Morning America and the Today Show, both on Friday, Aug. 28.... »»»August 24, 2009 - Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie signed with Rural Rhythm Records. The new single, I Don't Care Anymore will be included on the "2009 Rural Rhythm Records Sampler" released at the IBMA World of Bluegrass.
Bill Emerson and Sweet Dixie are currently in the studio recording their new album scheduled for release early 2010.... »»»August 24, 2009 - With her first-ever covers album "The List" due on Oct. 6, Rosanne Cash and her band will showcase several of its songs at an invitation-only performance event at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville on Sept. 15.
Cash accepted this invitation to return to Nashville at the event... »»»August 21, 2009 - Justin Townes Earle, The Flatlanders and Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit are the latest artists to confirm their appearances at this year's Americana Music Association Honors & Awards show. Set for Sept. 17 at th Ryman Auditorium, the Americana Honors & Awards ceremony will toast winners in six member-voted... »»»August 20, 2009 - George Strait enjoyed the best selling CD in the country last week with "Twang," while Taylor Swift remained first on the Billboard song chart for the week ending Aug. 29 with You Belong to Me. Striat displaced Sugarland's "Live on the Inside," which fell to fourth.
On on the song chart, Darius Rucker... »»»August 20, 2009 - Randy Kohrs released the first single from his next album due this fall.
"Quicksand," his second project on Rural Rhythm records, includes Devil of the Trail as the first single.
As is evident by his previous four CD's, resonator guitarist and Kohrs enjoys story telling in his songs.... »»»August 20, 2009 - Love And Theft are getting ready with a media blitz for the release of its debut disc, "World Wide Open," on Aug. 15.
Love And Theft's Brian Bandas, Eric Gunderson and Stephen Barker Liles are kicking off next week with a performance at a radio station show in Atlanta Sunday night after which they'll... »»»August 19, 2009 - George Strait's new release, "Twang," will be number one onthe Billboard charts as the best selling album int he U.S of any style when charts are released Wendesday. The disc sold 155,000 units. This is the fourth time in Strait's career that a
new release has debuted in first on the Billboard 200... »»»August 19, 2009 - Carrie Underwood formed a fund to help her hometown area of Checotah, Okla. - the C.A.T.S. - Checotah Animal, Town, and School Foundation.
"My hometown is extremely supportive of me, and I feel blessed to be able to create something as a way of giving back; to say thank you," she said.... »»»August 18, 2009 - Reba McEntire led the list of the new releases out today. She makes her label debut after spending years on MCA Nashville with "Keep on Loving You" (Valory). The disc contains the single Strange.
Delbert McClinton hoped to be more than an "Acquired Taste" (New West) with a more bluesy sound on the... »»»August 18, 2009 - Retro rockabilly group Heavy Trash - the duo of Jonathan Spencer and Tom Verta-Ray - are returning to action with a new CD and tour. The New York City duo will be out with their third album, "Midnight Soul Serenade" on Oct. 27 on Fat Possum.
Spencer first was with Pussy Galore, then with Blues Explosion and Boss Hogg.... »»»August 18, 2009 - Following their headlining album-release show at Red Rocks in the Denver area Aug. 28, Yonder Mountain String Band will join Dave Matthews as openers on four dates this September. Their first date with DMB, Sept. 1 in West Valley City, UT, coincides with the release of their new album 'The Show' (Frog Pad).... »»»August 18, 2009 - Brian Setzer offered two new songs from a forthcoming fall release on iTunes today.
"Songs From Lonely Avenue" drops Oct. 13 on Surfdog Records. But he released Trouble Train and Lonely Avenue today. A few more songs are coming out next week through iTunes as... »»»August 18, 2009 - Alan Jackson played to 40,000 fans in Scandanavia last week, including thousands who waited nine hours in the rain to see him.
Jackson played Skien, Norway, Eskilstuna, Sweden and Bergen, Norway, where 20,000 fans waited 9 hours in the rain.
Jackson's "Norwegian Favorites" hit number one on the... »»»August 18, 2009 - Former Confederate Railroad member Warren "Gates" Nichols died Friday of pancreatic cancer in Austell, Ga. He was diagnosed about one month ago.
Nichols, 65, played on the group's hits Queen of Memphis and Trashy Women. He was a member of the band for 17 years until retiring last year to spend more... »»»August 15, 2009 - Dierks Bentley will host his fourth annual Miles & Music for Kids celebrity motorcycle ride and concert on Sunday, Oct. 11 in Nashville. Sponsored by Nationwide Insurance, all proceeds from the event will benefit the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, a Children's Miracle Network Hospital.... »»»
|
|
Country News Digest
 CST
 CST
August 15, 2009 - Nanci Griffith, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Raul Malo and The Greencards were added to the line-up for the upcoming 2009 Americana Music Festival in Nashville, Sept. 16-19.
Griffith will play as part of an in the round along with Elizabeth Cook and Mary Gauthier on Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Station Inn.... »»»August 13, 2009 - Guitar great Les Paul, whose guitar bears his name, died Thursday at 94 in White Plains, N.Y. Paul ws an innovative guitarist, who had an influence on the country field as well. Paul released two albums with guitar great Chet Atkins in the 1970s. Paul enjoyed much of his success with his then wife Mary... »»»August 13, 2009 - Taylor Swift scored another number 1 on the Billboard country song for the week ending Aug. 22 with You Belong to Me taking over for Darius Rucker's Alright, which fell to second. As previously reported, on the album chart, Sugarland's "Live on the Inside" CD/DVD debuted at first on the overall top 200 chart.... »»»August 13, 2009 - Alison Krauss + Union Station didn't tour or put out a CD in the past year, but that didn't keep them from being busy enough to capture nine International Bluegrass Music Assocatiion awward nominations, which were announced Thursday.
Union Station members Dan Tyminski, Barry Bales and Ron Stewart... »»»August 13, 2009 - CMT has the online and television exclusive to Toby
Keith's new animated video for the title track from his upcoming album, American
Ride, The politically-charged video will
make its world television debut on CMT on Friday, beginning at 6 a.m. ET/PT, and will air every hour on the hour during CMT's... »»»August 13, 2009 - Suffering from a respiratory infection, Tracy Lawrence was hospitalized Tuesday in Nashville. The physicians have diagnosed him with early signs of pneumonia for which he is currently receiving treatment.
Lawrence had to cancel his Aug. 13 scheduled appearance at the Wildhorse Saloon in Lufkin, Texas.... »»»August 12, 2009 - At a donation ceremony wreathed with her songs, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum today paid tribute to 1997 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, the late songwriter Cindy Walker.
Museum Director Kyle Young announced that when Walker died on March 23, 2006, she bequeathed the writer's share of... »»»August 12, 2009 - Sugarland will have the number one selling CD in the U.S. when the charts are out Thursday thanks to "Live On the Inside," a CD/DVD. The release sold 76,000 units and is only available at Wal-Mart.
The duo takes over the top of the country charts from Taylor Swift's... »»»August 12, 2009 - Tim McGraw will help kick off the new football season on "NFL Opening Kickoff 2009 Presented by EA Sports" simulcast on NBC and NFL Network on Thursday, Sept. 10 from 8 -8:30 p.m. The show honors the six-time Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh. The live pregame broadcast,... »»»August 11, 2009 - George Strait and newcomer Justin Moore top the list of new CDs out today.
Strait's "Twang" contains 13 songs, including current hit single Living for the Night and several songs he wrote. This marks the first time the Texas superstar wrote any songs since his debut. Tony Brown once again produced.... »»»August 11, 2009 - James McMurtry goes live with a new CD/DVD release due out in October.
This will be the Texan's second live disc with "Live in Aught-Three" released in 2004.
"Live in Europe" drops Oct. 13 through Lightning Rod Records, a document of McMurtry's first European tour, on which he was joined by... »»»August 10, 2009 - Brooks & Dunn are breaking up. In an announcement today on the duo's web site, the group said they would release one more CD before going their separate ways. The announcement cited no particular reason, other than "it's just time."
This will end a long career in which Ronnie Dunn and Kix Brooks won... »»»August 10, 2009 - One-time Nashville Star winner Buddy Jewell signed with a new label, ALL Entertainment.. A first single is due in mid-September.
ALL Entertainment is the culmination of Brad Allen's 20 years of experience in the music business, weaving his record label management, production and publishing experience... »»»August 10, 2009 - Why Don't We Just Dance is the debut single from Josh Turner's forthcoming album entitled "Haywire," to be released on Nov. 10.
The song will be available to radio stations across the country Wednesday, Aug. 12 at 1 p.m. eastern time
"'Why Don't We Just Dance' caught my ear from the very first... »»»August 10, 2009 - Lady Antebellum is introducing the lead single, Need You Now, off their forthcoming Capitol Nashville sophomore album to radio stations across the country today. The single goes for official adds on Aug. 24.
The song comes on the heels of the number one success of Run to You.
Written by group... »»»August 10, 2009 - The Bob Dylan Show with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz. on Tuesday, Aug. 11 fell victim to the heat. The show was cancelled and will not be rescheduled.
Tuesday's high is predicted to be 108 degrees with temperatures over 100 for the week.... »»»August 10, 2009 - Juno-Award winning singer/songwriter Corb Lund makes his New West Records debut with "Losin' Lately Gambler," a new album propelled by stand-up bass and steel guitar set to his yarns about down-and-out cowboys, whiskey and ranching on Sept. 29.
>The disc was recorded in Nashville and produced by Harry... »»»August 10, 2009 - Carrie Underwood will be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in September, along with Oklahoma artists and performers Rocky Frisco and Ramona Reed.
"All three of this year's inductees are worthy recipients of this honor. Each is recognized world wide for their musical talent, and we are... »»»August 9, 2009 - Steel Magnolia won the second Can You Duet competition on CMT. The duo consists of Meghan Linsey of Ponshatoula, La. and Joshua Scott Jones, of Charleston Ill., who get a recording contract from Big Machine Records.
A couple both on and off the stage, the Nashville residents won support from the... »»»August 7, 2009 - Luke Bryan and Capitol Records Nashville are holding a contest to get video interpretations of Do I, the first single from Bryan's second album. Contestants are encouraged to listen to the song, consider its meaning and capture that in a 60-second video.
Videos should be as original, personal and creative.... »»»August 7, 2009 - Whisperin' Bill Anderson returned to the recording studio this week with an album due before the end of the year.
Anderson teamed-up with his producer/engineer, Rex Schnelle to start recording a new CD at studios in Nashville. Anderson said the album will contain songs he wrote with such collaborators... »»»August 7, 2009 - Raul Malo will appear on NPR's Weekend Edition on Sunday, Aug. 9. Malo will talk about his new disc, "Lucky One, along with playing music. Malo will be on in the second hour of the... »»»August 6, 2009 - Darius Rucker has another number one single. Alright topped the Billboard country songs chart for the week ending Aug.15, taking over for People Are Crazy by Billy Currington, which slipped to second. Taylor Swift was first on the album chart again with "Fearless."
Rucker now has three number one... »»»August 6, 2009 - Producer, musician and Jim Rooney will be honored by the Americana Music Association with the Lifetime Achievement for Producer/Engineer award at the 8th Annual Americana Honors & Awards ceremony, scheduled for Thurs., Sept. 17 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.
In a career spanning more than 50... »»»August 6, 2009 - Billy Currington canceled four shows in the wake of his injuries last weekend in the deadlystage collapse in Canada.
Currington said on his web site that he was given doctor's orders to cancel shows tonight in Sikeston, Mo., tomorrow in Indianapolis, Saturday, Aug. 8 in West Allis, Wisc. and Sunday, Aug.... »»»August 6, 2009 - Miranda Lambert will start a "Revolution" before her third album is even out.
On Sept. 24, Lambert will perform the entire album in sequence at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Lambert also intends to close out the set with hits from "Kerosene" and "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Tickets for "Revolution at... »»»August 5, 2009 - An outgoing Sirius XM country music official will partner with Kenny Chesney's No Shoes Radio.com.
Current Sirius/XM vice president for country programming Jon Anthony will be the general manager and program director for the Chesney venture. Anthony leaves the satellite radio company Aug. 15.... »»»August 5, 2009 - Lee Ann Womack will host the second Annual ACM Honors, an evening dedicated to recognizing the special honorees and off-camera category winners from the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The event will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 22 in Nashville.
Those being honored include Special Award... »»»August 5, 2009 - Luke Bryan will release his sophomore Capitol Records Nashville album, "Doin' My Thing," Oct. 6. The follow-up to his number two debut album, "I'll Stay Me," that produced the hit singles All My Friends Say and Country Man is being driven by Bryan's current power ballad Do I.
"I can't wait for my fans... »»»August 4, 2009 - Rodney Atkins wants to hear about the worst 15 minutes of your life. The current single from "It's America" is a honky tonk sing-along that pokes fun at a guy giving up the "good" things in life - beer, cigarettes and women.
Fans can email Atkins a photo, video, or just a good story about the worst 15... »»»August 4, 2009 - Live recordings of the Zac Brown Band's performance at this year's Bonnaroo will be available today as an iTunes exclusive EP for one week. The package will feature performances of two songs from the band's debut "The Foundation."
The track listins is:
1. Toes
2. Free / Into the Mystic
3.... »»»August 4, 2009 - Lorrie Morgan is going Broadway.
Morgan was cast in the Broadway-bound production of the hit movie "Pure Country." She joins fellow singer Joe Nichols to headline the new musical that is expected to open on Broadway in early 2010. Nichols takes on the role of 'Rusty' (Dusty in the movie), made famous... »»»August 4, 2009 - Steve Martin will tour in support of his first CD with the Steep Canyon Rangers backing him up.
Martin released "The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo" on his own and then the CD was picked up by Rounder. He played gigs in New York, Nashville and Los Angeles, but now will open his tour Sept.... »»»August 4, 2009 - Katie Armiger releases her new single, Gone, to radio today. The ballad is one of the first songs that Armiger wrote both lyrically and musically on her own.
"Gone was inspired by a glance in my rearview mirror and how it's always sad to leave my family behind when I hit the road," said Armiger.... »»»August 3, 2009 - Kevin Costner and Modern West escaped Saturday's deadly accident at a Canada country music fest, issuing a statement that he felt "how lucky we are to be alive."
Costner and his manager Nick Meinama were caught underneath the stage, which collapsed, but wiggled to safety. Neither was hurt.... »»»August 3, 2009 - Billy Currington issued a statement Monday afternoon in the wake of Saturday's accident at a festival near Edmonton, Canada that killed one fan, saying he would make a full recovery.
Due to severe storms and tornado weather activity on Saturday night, the stage at the Big Valley Jamboree music... »»»August 3, 2009 - The CMA Songwriters Series, which has played to sell-out crowds in New York City for the past five years, goes on the road this fall with a show in Los Angeles on Sept. 15 and Chicago, Oct. 2 and 3.
The Los Angeles show will be at the House of Blues with Chicago shows on Oct. 2 at Joe's Bar, and Oct.... »»»August 2, 2009 - Billy Lee Riley, best known for his 1957 hit single Flying Saucers Rock and Roll died over the weekend at 75 in Jonesboro, Ark. He had fought colon cancer since May.
Riley was a member of the Sun Records stable of artists, which included Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis.... »»»August 2, 2009 - One concert goer was killed at a country music festival in Canada after the stage collapsed with Billy Currington playing. The singer was unhurt, but at least 60 others were injured, including a member of his band.
The accident occurred at the Big Valley Jamboree in Edmonton, Canada. It was not clear who died.... »»»
|
