Country News Sample

March 12, 2010

» Carrie Gets Ready To Play:

A big birthday week for Carrie Underwood (who turned 27 Wednesday) was capped Thursday night (3/11) as her Play On tour opened in Reading, PA. Underwood rehearsed for the tour in Mobile, AL, coordinating set and costume changes by designer Soyon An and Michael Jackson's This Is It production designer Michael Cotton. According to the Candian Press, Underwood hinted she flies over the audience to get up-close-and-personal with fans. "We're kind of going for broke on this one just because I feel like it's time," Underwood told the news outlet. "At this point, the only thing it's about is putting on a great show, and we're going out with that in mind." Read more here.

» Play Something Country:

The ACM has added Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Taylor Swift, Sugarland and Jennifer Hudson to the ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn - The Last Rodeo lineup. They join previously announced performers Kenny Chesney, Reba, Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban. The April 19 post-ACM Awards event will be taped to air May 23 at 8pm ET on CBS-TV. Tickets benefiting the ACM Lifting Lives charity are available here.

» Livestock Show:

Opener Darius Rucker was at the butt end of Rascal Flatts' "Goat" joke at one of the band's closing American Living Unstoppable dates last Friday (3/5) in Columbus, GA. The trio turned Rucker's dressing room and set into a petting zoo and livestock show. Watch here. Flatts' final Unstoppable concert was Wednesday's (3/10) Rodeo Houston, bringing attendance for the 10-month trek near 800,000, according to their publicist.

» Back Where I Come From:

Knoxville will roll out the orange carpet April 14 for native son Kenny Chesney, who will pre-premiere his Kenny Chesney: Summer In 3D at the local Regal Pinnacle 18. The event will benefit the children's charity Variety of East Tennessee. Tickets are $25 and include admission as well as a catered reception. The movie's official premiere will take place in Las Vegas; date TBA. Get updates and view the trailer here.

» Being A Celebrity:

Donald Trump has hired Luke Bryan and Emily West for some part-time work on an upcoming Celebrity Apprentice episode. According to People, the two will be working with the contestants (Cyndi Lauper, Bret Michaels, Sharon Osbourne and others) in a Nashville-themed challenge to see which group can best promote a country superstar. "It was a little intimidating at first with so much happening around us so fast, but I just tried to have fun with it all," Bryan says of the taping. "I'm hoping that I do Nashville, country music and myself proud." The new season premieres Sunday (3/14) at 9pm ET on NBC-TV. Bryan and West's airdate is TBA.

» Download The Jukebox:

One track from Alan Jackson's upcoming album Freight Train is being made available for purchase on iTunes each Tuesday. Pre-release purchases of "Hard Hat And A Hammer" (released 3/9), "Every Now And Then" (3/16), "Where I Belong" (3/23) and Jackson's single "It's Just That Way" will count toward iTunes' Complete My Album feature when the full collection is released March 30. Details here.

» Wildhorse Couldn't Keep Me Away:

Fans in town for 2010 CMA Music Fest week will have two opportunities to see Darius Rucker live. Before performing one of the CMA's nightly concerts at LP Field, Rucker will headline his inaugural Darius And Friends St. Jude Children's Research Hospital benefit concert June 7 at Nashville's Wildhorse Saloon. "This was a chance for my friends and I to do something during CMA Music Fest week that is for the fans while drawing attention to St. Jude and their incredible efforts," Rucker says. Tickets go on sale Saturday (3/13) here. Music Fest tickets available here.

» Dynamic Duos:

ACM New Artist category voting campaigns continue as Joey+Rory offer a clever original YouTube song titled "It'd Be Nice" and Steel Magnolia offer a free live "Keep On Lovin' You" download for last-minute votes. Fan-voting at VoteACM.com closes Friday (3/12) at 5pm ET.

» In Case You Missed It:

Country artists rocked the late-night shows this week as Lady Antebellum performed "American Honey" on the Late Show With David Letterman, Miranda Lambert played "White Liar" on the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, and Gary Allan sang "Get Off On The Pain" on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Lady A also give a behind-the-scenes look at the Letterman set here.

» Crib Note:

Congrats to Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flatts) and wife Tiffany Fallon, who are expecting their second child in September. Ironically, Fallon broke the baby news to Rooney at the same Los Angeles hotel where she learned she was expecting their first child, Jagger Donovan. "We were out by the pool chilling, and she said, 'I have something to show you,'" Rooney tells People. "She opened her purse and pulled out the stick with the positive sign. I was like, 'Wow! We're going to have to stop coming to this hotel. We'll have 16 of these things before long!'"

»Hit List

Miranda Lambert has booked openers James Otto, David Nail, Randy Houser, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Eric Church, Jake Owen, Wade Bowen, Luke Bryan and Chris Young for various Roadside Bars & Pink Guitars tour dates beginning March 18. Complete schedule here.
The Provinces Of The Night movie starring Kris Kristofferson, Dwight Yoakam, Hilary Duff and Val Kilmer will make its Music City premiere during the 2010 Nashville Film Festival April 15-22. View the trailer here.
LeAnn Rimes' movie Good Intentions is on DVD this week. Details here.
SunnyD is partnering with Martina McBride to offer the Time To Shine contest. Parents are being encouraged to share a story about how their child shines, with the grand-prize winner receiving $10,000 and a VIP trip to Nashville for a McBride concert. Monthly winners will receive scholarships and other prizes. Details here.
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame will present the state's Rising Star award to Jamey Johnson and the Arthur Alexander songwriter's award to Mac McAnally during its March 25 induction ceremony. Johnson and McAnally will perform at the Montgomery event, which will also honor the Blind Boys of Alabama, Eddie Levert (the O'Jays) and others. Details here.
John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) will receive the BMI Icon honor at the organization's May 18 Pop Awards in Los Angeles. Fogerty has been the recipient of many BMI Pop and Country awards over the course of his career. More here.

Birthdays

Kristian Bush (Sugarland) (3/14)
Jerry Jeff Walker (3/16)

On TV

Friday (3/12): Blake Shelton, Top 20 Country Countdown (GAC).

Saturday (3/13): Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Jake Owen, Rodney Atkins, Opry Live (re-air) (GAC).

Sunday (3/14): Lady Antebellum, My Music Mix (re-air) (GAC).

Upcoming Album Releases

Brantley Gilbert Halfway To Heaven (3/16)
Travis Rush Feel (3/16)
Various Artists Sunday In The Country (3/16)
Alan Jackson Freight Train (3/30)
Gretchen Wilson I Got Your Country Right Here (3/30)

» Rough And Ready: Montgomery Gentry and Toby Keith send virtual Oscar congrats to Crazy Heart's Jeff Bridges ("Bad Blake") and Colin Farrell ("Tommy Sweet") by posting this shot on duo's site. Members of M&G's band the Wild Bunch backed Farrell's character in the movie's closing scene, which was filmed between sets during Keith's Big Dog Daddy tour stop in Albuquerque. Pictured (l to r) are Eddie Montgomery, crewmember, Bridges, Farrell, Keith and Troy Gentry.