March 11 , 2010

On Top And At Home

Lady Antebellum played the first of two sold out shows at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium last night. Before the show began, Hillary Scott talked about the trio's first real concert in her hometown:

"It's exciting to be home and to know that we are gonna see so many familiar faces in the crowd. Not only our fans but our friends and family and they are rooting for us, you know, it's not… I mean there's definite nerves there because a lot of our friends are in the industry, but we're gonna focus on the fans and just playing our music and having a great time. I mean we're just excited to be playing a show to then go home and just sleep in our own bed…I mean, that's so rare."

Meanwhile, Lady A's "Need You Now" returned to #1 on the all-genre Billboard Top 200 albums chart with 126 thousand in sales this past week. The feat marks the first time an album has returned to the top spot after a three week absence in over a year. (The last time it happened was in December of 2008 when Taylor Swift's Fearless climbed from #2 to #1 in its fifth week on the chart.) Lady A also lands at #1 the Country Albums chart.

Hillary says the news was a great wake up call:

I mean, to wake up to that email this morning was definitely a shock. You hope and pray for one week at number one let alone a couple and so we are very, very excited and not to mention an exciting way to start a day then play a show at the Ryman… It doesn't get much better than that." (Charles) "Yeah."

Blake, Danny & Easton Chart Albums

Blake Shelton will definitely celebrate with a six pack as his new Six Pak album, Hillbilly Bone, debuts at #3 on the Top 200 chart, making it this week's highest charting debut album on that chart and the highest debut of his career. The new album also came in at #2 on the list of Top Country Albums, selling over 71 thousand copies its first week out.

Blake shares that his Hillbilly Bone Six Pak was a unique undertaking:

"Once we found out what the minimum amount of songs would be considered an album, we decided, 'Alright, how do we make this album feel complete with six songs?' And it wasn't easy because, man, it's hard enough to narrow it down to 10 or 12 songs when you're makin' a record and you're writin' and lookin' for songs... It's probably the hardest project that I've ever had to put together because you're already siftin through the best of the best in Nashville, and then you sift again. The whole album, I think, is fun... I just wanted the whole thing to be easy to listen to and not somethin' you had to think real hard about."

Meanwhile, Danny Gokey's debut album, My Best Days, brought out the fans, with first-week sales of more than 65 thousand copies. The accomplishment nets Gokey the best opening-week sales by a debut country male since Billy Ray Cyrus' "Some Gave All" in 1992. The album's total sales also earn My Best Days this week's highest chart entry by a debut artist, landing at #4 on the Top 200 and #3 on the Country Albums chart.

Newcomer Easton Corbin's self-titled debut album comes in at #10 on the Top 200 and #4 on the Country Albums chart, with sales exceeding 43 thousand. The accomplishment marks the highest debut of a Universal Music Nashville male artist over the last seven years. Easton shares, "I am humbled and amazed at the thought of that many people going out and buying my record the first week. It just shows you how powerful country radio is when it comes to getting your music to the people. I am very appreciative of my label and all of their hard work."

Rounding out the Top 5 on the Country Albums chart is Taylor Swift's Fearless.

When The Flatts Were Starving

Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus says the fact they had to struggle early on in their career and play in small clubs - sometimes to just three or four people - really worked to their advantage in the long run. He claims it was a great learning experience and taught them how to be entertainers.

Jay shares that he wouldn't trade how he and his Flatts partners came up in the ranks of country music for anything, and he actually has fond memories of when the trio played cover songs to small crowds to get by:

"When you have to starve for your craft it's more beloved to you when you have success and we've literally had to do that. I mean, there were times where Gary and I we would be sitting at the house in the middle of the night and the lights would go off [laughs]. Those are the kinds of things that make us really, really appreciate the blessings we have now as an act. We learned so much about ourselves in those setting and doing those songs that had formed us and forged our lives was such a treat for us to do and sometimes, honestly, I miss those settings."

Chesney Set For Knoxville Movie Premiere

Knoxville TV station WVLT is reporting that Kenny Chesney is set to present his first concert in Knoxville in nearly seven years. Chesney is expected to attend the premiere of his Summer in 3-D concert on April 14 at the Regal Pinnacle 18. The premiere is being held to raise money for Variety of East Tennessee, a children's charity that has hosted similar events in the past. Kenny's last show in the Knoxville area was June 7, 2003 when he played to more than 63 thousand fans at Neyland Stadium. Tickets to the fundraiser will reportedly cost 25 dollars and include a catered reception as well as a viewing of the 3-D concert. Chesney will also talk to the audience about the film.

Carrie's Ready To "Play On"

Carrie Underwood's "Play On" tour kicks off in Reading, Pennsylvania tonight. Carrie has been rehearsing since last month in Mobile, Alabama, but it's all been kept very hush-hush. Civic Center Manager Jay Hagerman, who in the '70s and '80s managed major tours for Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney and Wings, Bob Dylan and the Bee Gees, tells AL.com he was blown away by the scope and scale of Underwood's "Play On" tour, noting, "The technology is beyond anything I've ever seen. The clarity of the sound system is unbelievable."

Craig Morgan is looking forward to hitting the road with Carrie and tells AOL's The Boot, "This is just perfect. It's a great mix, and I'm excited about this tour. I have understood that she and I are going to be doing a duet every other night or so at the end of the show. She'll bring me back out, which is very cool, and I just love her for that." Apparently not all tour partners are the best match. Morgan recalls, "Someone [once] got on my last nerve at the beginning of a tour. It was in a few shows early in my career, and it's an individual who's no longer in the business, but he was just a complete butt-head to the fans, and I just had no respect for him because of that."

From "In Color" To Black & White

Jamey Johnson fans will be happy to hear that he plans to release two new albums this year. Ironically, the country rebel who is known for his hit song "In Color" is now recording in black and white! According to Rolling Stone's spring music preview, The Guitar Song, slated for July, will feature more upbeat material, and Jamey calls this project the "white" album. He's also working on a more somber "black album," which will focus more on songs about hard times and the tough economy. The yet untitled CD is expected to be released in the fall. So, why two albums in the works? Johnson says he's been on a creative streak for over a year that's been "an epic journey through honky-tonk-ville." He shares, "If I record all this material, I fully intend to get it out."

In other Jamey news, he will be inducted into The Alabama Music Hall of Fame during the 13th Induction Banquet and Awards Show to be held in the Convention Center in Montgomery, Alabama on March 25. Johnson, who was born in Enterprise and grew up in Montgomery, will be honored with Alabama's Rising Star Award.

Keith's Okay With Sharing Personal Songs

Keith Urban has never been one to talk about his personal life much, unless it's through his music. While addressing fan questions on his website, Keith revealed that even though so many of his songs are written from a private place, it's not difficult to record them and have everyone hear them. Urban claims his songs are "not too personally divulging - just honest," and he never thought about not recording a song because it's too personal. So what kind of atmosphere does Keith like to be in when he's writing? A quiet one! He doesn't like to have the radio or TV on. He usually starts with a beat, and enjoys writing with a bunch of drum machines to create a groove first. After that, he may come up with a guitar riff, the story, and then the melody.

Martina Asks Kids To Shine

Martina McBride is encouraging the shining moments of children in a national marketing campaign. McBride is partnering with her tour sponsor SunnyD to connect with her fans who share an optimistic and youthful outlook with the brand. Martina says, "Every child has their own unique qualities and interests and as a mom I know how important it is to help nurture those attributes. I love that SunnyD is celebrating and encouraging the spirits of kids nationwide and am honored they asked me to help. I can't think of anything more important to champion than our children's future."

Consumers are encouraged to pick up a bottle of SunnyD, go to sunnyd.com and share a brief story about how their child shines. The grand prize winner receives 10 thousand dollars and a VIP trip to meet Martina at a performance in Nashville. Check out the new video and audio of Martina that was developed for the "Time to Shine" promotion and enter the contest!

Wy Is Goin' Home

Wynonna Judd will be performing at the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in her native Kentucky later this year. The 2010 Games will feature world championship competitions in eight equestrian sports at the Kentucky Horse Park from September 25 through October 10. On the evening of September 25, Wynonna will perform "My Old Kentucky Home" in a pinnacle moment of the Opening Ceremonies. She says, "I could not be more thrilled to have the opportunity to return home to my roots. Kentucky holds such a sacred place in my heart and to have this honor to share the home I so dearly love with my friends and family brings me great joy." The Games will be the largest sporting event in America this year and are renowned to be the world’s most prestigious equestrian competition.

Tidbits

-- Take a look at the picture of the gigantic bruise that Brad Paisley got from that infamous spill on stage last weekend. Brad tweeted an unbelievable photo that is also posted on NashvilleGab.com.

-- Keith Urban has announced that 2009 American Idol winner Kris Allenwill be the opening act on several of his 2010 tour dates. The first chance to catch Kris on the tour will be at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on April 23. You may recall that during the Idol season finale last May, Keith and Kris shared the stage for a duet of Urban's "Kiss A Girl."

-- Steel Magnolia's Top 15 hit, "Keep On Lovin' You," has become the highest charting debut single from a male/female country duet act in the 66-year history of the Billboard Top Country Songs chart.

-- Danny Gokey will be in Nashville this weekend to play both shows at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday. He made his Opry debut earlier this year. Danny also plans to meet fans at a CD signing from 5:30-6:30 PM local time at The Opry Shop.

March 10 , 2010

Another Flatts Baby

Rascal Flatts' Joe Don Rooney and wife Tiffany Fallon are expecting their second child. Joe Don tells People, "We're a little more prepared but the same excitement is there. There's such fulfillment in being a father and it's going to be two-fold now, which is so cool." The couple are already parents to 21-month-old son, Jagger Donovan. Tiffany, who is due in September, told Joe Don that she was pregnant when they were staying in the same Los Angeles hotel where he learned they were expecting Jagger. Joe Don explains, "It was late January and we were out by the pool chilling and she said, 'I have something to show you,' and 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!' But life just couldn't get better." He adds, "We are so excited to bring another child into our lives. Our son Jagger has been the biggest blessing!"

Joe Don hints that they will want to find out the baby's gender, noting, "Tiff's all about decorating rooms, so she's got to know. She's got to prepare the nest." He is also preparing to be present to greet his new son or daughter. Rooney shares, "I'll be on tour this September and the Rascal Flatts machine is not stopping for anybody. But I have to be there. I'll rent a jet or something if I have to!"

Taylor Among Most Glamorous Women

Taylor Swift has landed on Glamour's list of the "50 Most Glamorous Women in the World" for 2010, coming in at #6. The magazine notes, "She's awesome... she writes her own music, plays and sings it and is a great entertainer. She always looks beautiful and is so ladylike all the time. She is definitely a woman to respect in the music industry!" Leighton Meester [Gossip Girl] tops the list, which also includes Nicole Kidman, Katie Perry, Lady Gaga, Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez, among others.

Speaking of Taylor's fashion sense, the country princesshas donated a pair of her shoes to the Wish Upon a Hero Foundation's "Hero in Heels" fundraiser. The annual fashion show, which benefits women with cancer, is held every spring and auctions off footwear provided by various celebs. RTT News reports that Taylor's donation will be auctioned off at the fashion show along with shoes from other celebs including Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Scarlett Johansson, Colbie Caillat and Maria Sharapova.

Freight Train To Be Alan's Last For Label

Alan Jackson tells Billboard that his upcoming 18th album, Freight Train, will be his last for Arista Records. He explains, "My contract is up after this, so I guess I'll be doing something for somebody or on my own. I don't know yet. I haven't really thought about it that much. I guess it's time to start thinking about it now." Alan also discussed possibly retiring from music, but it doesn't seem likely. He shares, "I've always said there's not much to retire from. It's not really hard work. This is a business. This is a job. You have to work, commit and be dedicated. It's also fun and rewarding, and it's not near as hard work as most of my fans have to do for a living. It's hard to complain."

Freight Train is due in stores March 30; however, an exclusive iTunes Countdown pre-release began this week with the album track "Hard Hat and a Hammer." Each pre-release will count toward the purchase of the full album through iTunes Complete My Album feature. The subsequent tracks include "Every Now and Then" (available March 16) and "Where I Belong" (available March 23).

The Birthday Girl Plans A Big Show

Carrie Underwood's "Play On Tour," kicks off tomorrow in Reading, Pennsylvania at the Sovereign Center, with special guests Craig Morgan and Sons of Sylvia. The tour is directed by Raj Kapoor who brought in top name collaborators including Michael Jackson's "This Is It" production designer, Michael Cotton.

Carrie, who celebrates her 27th birthday today, says that all of her ideas and plans for the show have come to life, and the tour is going to be huge:

"It's gonna be a good year. We're gonna pull out all the tricks and really up the touring, like really make it a big, big show."

The "Play On Tour" is currently slated to run through June 20 in Saskatoon. Underwood's previous trek, 2008's highly successful "Carnival Ride Tour," wrapped after 137 shows with over 1.2 million fans in attendance. All of Carrie's new tour dates can be found on her website.

Miranda's Love Doesn't Need a Title

Blake Shelton recently said that he and girlfriend Miranda Lambert may get married someday and it sparked a media blitz since Shelton is usually coy about marriage talk. So, now it's Miranda's turn to pipe in on what she thinks about marrying her longtime boyfriend:

"You know, people put us on the spot all the time about when we're getting engaged and all this, but I think we're just becoming a real couple. I mean, we've had so many ups and downs and so many things in our career and it seems like just recently we've really got a real relationship going and it's great. So, what ever that leads to is awesome, but I don't think it has to have a title. It's just fun to be with someone you love that loves the same things that you do."

Billy, A Boat And A Bad Girlfriend

Billy Currington has a hard luck story about a former girlfriend that he recently shared with a Chicago radio station. A while back, Currington's girlfriend decided to leave him but goodbye wasn't quite enough so she decided to get even. While Billy was out on tour, the girlfriend called the city and reported that there was a nuisance in the street. That nuisance was Billy's fishing boat parked out along the curb. The city came and hauled Billy's boat off and like cities often do, after having it impounded for a while they auctioned it off. Billy's girlfriend then bought the boat and resold it.

Chris Almost Turned Down Latest Hit

Chris Young's Top 20 hit "The Man I Want To Be" is climbing the country charts. He shares that it's quite ironic that the song is one of his favorite tracks on his latest album and became the title cut.

Chris explains that when he was recording the project, the publishers of the tune walked into the studio to play it for him:

"They were like, 'You have to hear this song. It's this new ballad. It's called "The Man I Want To Be,"' and I had already gotten it in my head we had cut too many slow songs on the record, so stupid artist that I was being that day, I was like, 'Oh, we can't cut anymore ballads. We've cut two and we've got one more that we got to cut. I don't want it to be really slow. I don't want somebody to pop a Benadryl and open up the record to go to sleep... So, they're like, 'You just need to listen to this song.' And so I finally walk in the back room and I'm like, 'I'll just put it in, listen to part of it and pass and then we can go back to recording what we were doing.' I got through like the first chorus and I'm like, 'If I don't cut this I'm an idot.'"

Easton's Wal-Mart Experience

Country newcomer Easton Corbin released his debut, self-titled album last Tuesday. According to All About Country, Easton wanted to be the first one to purchase it, so he went to Wal-Mart at midnight on the release date. Unfortunately, the salesperson didn't quite share his enthusiasm. Easton shares, "We got there, and they hadn't actually gotten the CDs out there on the shelf yet, so I went up to the lady and was like, 'Hey, do you have a CD by a guy named Easton Corbin?' She's like, 'Yeah, I got it right here.'" He continues, "So she handed it to me, and we were actually filming just to get footage of me buying my first CD in the store, and I asked her, 'Hey, have you ever heard of this guy Easton Corbin?' and she was like, 'Yeah, it's you.'" At this point, Corbin felt the need to coach her a bit. He notes, "I was like, 'Well, act a little more excited, we've got you on camera here,' and she was just like, 'Woo-hoo.' I'll never forget that night. That was pretty funny." Easton has a Top 5 hit with his single, "Little More Country Than That," and it's still moving up the charts.

Jason Celebrates #1

Yesterday afternoon, Jason Aldean celebrated the chart-topping success of his hit "The Truth" at a #1 party on Music Row. The song, which has been a favorite at Jason's live shows, has been played more than 80 thousand times on country radio, so Country Radio Broadcasters presented Aldean with a certificate of achievement. CMT reports Aldean told the crowd his producer brought him a demo of "The Truth" and that they first listened to it in his car. He said he knew instantly he wanted to record it, noting, "From day one, it was my favorite song on the record."

Jimmy Sets Halfway Mark

Jimmy Wayne, who is continuing his 16 hundred-mile Meet Me Halfwaywalk to Phoenix, is just outside of Oklahoma City and is expected to hit the halfway mark of his walk on April 1 in Amarillo, Texas. Word is he got a little lonely last week on his journey when his cell phone died. Jimmy tells Country Aircheck that "the world got bigger all of a sudden" when hebraved two days in the woods without a phone to communicate with others. He shares, "These deserted back roads go for miles and there's no one. When my phone went out, there was really no one. I thought I was alone when I left Nashville with that backpack, but I wasn't until my phone went out." For information about donating to Wayne's cause, visit meetmehalfway.jimmywayne.com.

Laura Bell's Giddy On Up

Newcomer Laura Bell Bundy's major label debut album, Achin' And Shakin', is slated for release April 13 on Mercury Nashville. The lead single, "Giddy On Up," has been described as "a breath of fresh air" and "nothing short of a new female anthem" amongst industry critics since the premiere of the music video on January 18. "Giddy On Up" has received almost one million streams in a month and has sold over 30 thousand digital singles.

Tidbits

-- Darius Rucker will host his 1st Annual Darius and Friends concert in Nashville at The Wildhorse Saloon on June 7 to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Tickets to the event will go on sale this Saturday at wildhorsesaloon.com. Rucker, who toured St. Jude last year, shares, "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. It's going to be a great night of music and stories."

-- LeAnn Rimes' straight-to-DVD movie, Good Intentions, is finally in stores this week. LeAnn shot the film back in 2007, which also stars former 90210 heartthrob Luke Perry.

-- Zac Brown Band's CMT Crossroads with Jimmy Buffett is set to air March 19 at 10 PM, ET. For a sneak peak, visit bit.ly/ZBBCMTCross.

-- Brooks & Dunn will receive the Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award during the T.J. Martell Foundation Honors Gala on Monday, March 22. After 20 years together and 23 chart-topping singles during their iconic career, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn are leaving on top as the best-selling duo in country music history.

March 9 , 2010

Alan The Working Man

Alan Jackson makes a living singing about the working man, and while he may be a superstar with a big house and a lot of money today, it wasn't always that way. As Alan shares, he was once a real blue collar working man:

"You know, I'll tell ya, I know I still write about a lot of that kind of stuff... I'm lazy and I don't do anything now, but, you know, there was a time Denise and I laugh about it every now and then, but not long after we were married I worked at the Kmart warehouse in Newnan [Georgia] for a couple of years and I drove a forklift and I worked the second shift."

Jackson's current single, "It's Just That Way" is already a Top 20 hit and continues to climb the country charts. The song will be featured on his new album Freight Train, which lands in stores on March 30.

New Gary Tunes Today

Today marks the release of Gary Allan's new album, Get Off On The Pain. There will be a regular version and deluxe version that includes an extra song, "Long Summer Days," and three live versions of past hits.

Gary describes his new project and hints at what fans can expect:

"I think [with] this album, Get Off On The Pain, I think we managed to get a piece of the other ones, just so it's got some history to it, if that makes sense. I feel like the song 'Fly By Night' - that kind of captured some of the Smoke Rings essence. So I feel like we've got pieces of the other albums, but at the same time I feel like we broke new ground to stuff that I haven't done before with songs like 'Kiss Me When I’m Down' and 'That Ain’t Gonna Fly.' To me, 'That Ain’t Gonna Fly' almost gets into the Beach Boys kind of realm. So I think for me, [I'm] always trying to pioneer into something that I haven’t done just so that it keeps evolving for me, but I think we managed to lock down some of the past."

Get Off On The Pain includes Allan's first hit from the CD, "Today." The title cut is the second single. Look for him to make an appearance on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight.

Billy Scores Another #1

Congratulations to Billy Currington whose single "That's How Country Boys Roll" snags him his third consecutive #1 and fifth chart-topper overall. The feat ends the multiple-week run at the top for Josh Turner's "Why Don't We Just Dance" on both the Mediabase and the Billboard Country Singles charts. It also marks the first time Billy has been a writer on a #1 hit.

He reveals how the song was born:

"Actually, it was weird, 'cause we went to Key West, the guys I wrote it with [Brett Jones and Dallas Davidson], and we had no plans of singin'. That was our main thing to go to Key West to go fishin' to get away from Nashville and music and all that stuff. First night, one of the boys brings a guitar and, of course, breaks it out. And we're like, 'Hey, man, put that up!' [laughs] But he started on this riff and he's like, 'This riff, man, I can't get it out of my head.' And so we're like, 'Oh, yeah, I like that.' It went from there, and that's kind of how the song was written."

Currington adds, "Thank you to radio, Universal, the songwriters and the fans! I'm very blessed to have another #1 single."

Dierks Gives Bluegrass Album Details

Dierks Bentley has a new CD due out this summer titled Up On The Ridge. He's said many times that if he hadn't discovered bluegrass, he never would have become a country singer or landed a record deal. His love for country was kindled by the energy and artistry of bluegrass, and he's never lost his passion for it. Dierks shares, "This album won't come as a surprise to my hard core fans. They've asked me, 'When are you going to make a bluegrass record?' And I was just waiting for the right time." With a grueling tour behind him, Bentley felt liberated to pursue this project of the heart. He explains, "I didn't want this to be 'Dierks Bentley and friends' or a 'Dierks does bluegrass' kind of album. I wanted each song to have something special about it, and in the end I think each song really does have its own thing going on."

Up On The Ridge features Bentley working with some of the finest acoustic musicians in the world, including long-time collaborators the Del McCoury Band and a magical new musical partnership with Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers. The album also features a number of vocal and instrumental contributions ranging from Alison Krauss and Miranda Lambert to Tim O'Brien and Sam Bush, among many others. Dierks wrote some of the songs, but there are unexpected sources, such as Bob Dylan. Bentley elaborates, "It's my version of bluegrass music. It's not just banjos cranked up to eleven. It throws out a big net."

Cheetos And Style

Miranda Lambert tells OK! Magazine that when she and Blake Shelton have a fight, he knows just what to bring her to make up. She says, "I love Cheetos, but I try not to eat those, so I usually go with a 100-calorie pack of Cheetos, which aren't near as good. Every time if I've ever had a fight with a boyfriend or anything they always bring me Cheetos to make up... It's just the way to my heart." Miranda also talks about style and what she likes to see her boyfriend wear. She shares, "Well, I learned I'd better like plaid, because that's what he's gonna wear... plaid shirts, Wranglers and boots. That's what I like him in. You always know it's him. He's definitely who he is in his style, and doesn't care if people like it."

Headed For The Top

Easton Corbin's debut single, "Little More Country Than That," has made a huge splash at radio as it's in the Top 10 this week and still climbing. With a big hit the first time out of the chute, Easton admits he knows how lucky he is for his career to take off so quickly:

"It's been a really fast ride to be honest with you - compared to, you know, a lot of these artists. A lot of artists it takes 10 years plus to even get any kind of headway. And you know, I've come to town here and it's been such a blessing. The important thing is being hooked up with the right folks and I've been fortunate enough to meet the right people and that makes a difference, I think."

Last week, Easton released his self-titled debut album.

The Zac Brown Band's Plans

For their second Nashville release, Zac Brown Band will offer a live DVD/2-CD set with six new tunes called Pass The Jar, due out on May 4. The group recorded the concert at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta in October, according to CMT. The DVD features 18 performances with guest appearances by Kid Rock, Little Big Town, Joey & Rory, Shawn Mullins, Angie Aparo and Aslyn.

Frontman Zac Brown tells the Minneapolis Star Tribune that as a youngster his influences didn't always match those of his classmates. He said, "When everybody my age was listening to Nirvana, I was listening to James Taylor, Jim Croce, Dan Fogelberg, Gordon Lightfoot [and] Cat Stevens. James Taylor is the single biggest influence I have, period. The James Taylor Greatest Hits tape, I stretched three of those till they just snapped." For Zac, their music is about breaking down doors. He explains, "We have songs that go reggae, funk and bluegrass. The world is ready for that diversity, as long as the quality of it is there. There is so much exposure to so many things because of the Internet. I am Southern and I am country, but I love great music of all kinds."

Trisha's Second Cookbook Is Set

Trisha Yearwood will release her second cookbook, Home Cooking With Trisha Yearwood: Stories And Recipes To Share With Family And Friends, on Tuesday, April 6 from publisher Clarkson Potter. It's the follow-up to her best-selling 2008 collection of recipes, Georgia Cooking In An Oklahoma Kitchen. Once again, Trisha teamed with her mother, Gwen Yearwood, and sister, Beth Yearwood Bernard, for her latest project, and husband Garth Brooks wrote the forward this time as well. Trisha will embark on a book tour on April 7 at Barnes & Noble in Princeton, New Jersey that is slated to hit 14-cities before wrapping up April 25 at the L.A. Times Book Festival.

Matt's EP On iTunes

With his breakthrough single "The Call" steadily making its way up the country charts, Matt Kennon is set to release the digital-only EP today, also titled The Call. It is now available on iTunes, Amazon.com and all other key digital outlets and will include the title track along with "The Man I Used To Be" and "Some People Piss Me Off," two tracks from Kennon’s forthcoming debut album. Matt shares, "I'm just really excited to get this EP out there and be able to share some more of my record with people who have been introduced to my music through 'The Call.' I think these three songs will give people a pretty good sense of what I'm all about." Kennon self-titled debut album is scheduled for release May 11.

Golf And Country Music

Jake Owen, who used to be a competitive golfer, says that he sees an interesting parallel between playing golf and playing music for a living. He tells Florida's Palm Beach Post, "Golf is a solitary sport and you keep your own score. You can cheat if you want. My dad always used to say that to me: 'Son, you can cheat if you want to but you're cheating yourself.' You have to face that." Jake continues, "In music, it's also a solitary activity. You can sit down and write your own songs, but in a roundabout way you can cheat yourself about how hard you're working. More than anything, you can't become great at golf without working really hard at it. It doesn't just come easy and neither does music."

Danny Lands Eyewear Deal

Country newcomer and former American Idol finalist Danny Gokey has signed his first long- term endorsement deal: a two-year marketing agreement with Wisconsin Vision. Under the agreement, Gokey will wear up to 60 pairs of Wisconsin Vision glasses, be featured in Wisconsin Vision Milwaukee-area marketing campaigns including television and outdoor advertising and social media, and make personal in-store appearances. Danny shares, "Milwaukee will always be home and supporting area-based businesses is important to me. I'm known for my eyewear. With Wisconsin Vision I will not only have the best in fashion, but also the most accurate lenses available made right here in Wisconsin by a family-owned company."

Gokey's first Wisconsin Vision television commercial premieres in early May with filming scheduled for later this month. Outdoor advertising also starts in May while documentary-style videos featuring Danny are expected to be posted on wisconsinvision.com, his Facebook fan page and other social media outlets in late March.

The Catch 22 Of Life On The Road

Justin Moore's 2010 will be filled with solo shows and a run on Brad Paisley's upcoming "H20 Tour," which means he'll be spending a lot of time traveling on the bus. Justin admits that as an artist you don't want to be away from home all the time, but that's the only way to get out and make new friends and fans on the road. He shares, "As cliché as it is, we all do this kind of stuff because we love to walk on stage and play our music for people... that's it, period. And the more people that get to hear our music, the more we can come to their town and play for em'." Moore adds, "I heard Jack Ingram put it perfect one time. He said, 'We don't get paid to play music, we get paid to be away from our families,' and I completely agree."

Tidbits

-- Just in case you missed it, check out Keith Urban's performance from Sunday night's Jimmy Kimmel Live "After The Academy Awards." He performed "Til Summer Comes Around" and was part of Kimmel's hilarious Handsome Men's Club skit.

-- Taylor Swift's "Fearless 2010 Tour" began its run through U.S. arenas last weekend, wowing Florida crowds with sold-out shows in Tampa, Orlando, and Ft. Lauderdale/Sunrise. Taylor plays seven different instruments over the course of the two-hour show, which features three acts and eight costume changes. The 39-date tour is visiting arenas and stadiums in 31 cities in 25 states and provinces in the U.S. and Canada over the next three months.

-- Carrie Underwood is headlining this year's Stadium of Fire on July 3rd in Provo, Utah. It's a huge Independence Day celebration broadcast to U.S. military men and women in over 100 countries!

-- John Rich's home on Love Circle has apparently been the victim of a vandal. He recently posted on Twitter that he would give anyone one thousand dollars if they gave him information on who vandalized his gate.

-- Phil Vassar has partnered with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for their annual St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. A brand new home located in the Westhaven community of Franklin, Tennessee, valued at 550 thousand dollars will be awarded to one lucky winner. Phil will kick off the campaign with a free concert at The Factory in Franklin on March 24. He shares, "St. Jude is an amazing organization and I'm more than happy to lend my time for such a worthy and necessary cause."

March 8 , 2010

Country At The Oscars

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill were excited to attend last night's Academy Awards and walk the red carpet. Tim had mentioned on ABC's Good Morning America last week that the Oscars would be a new experience for him and it was "nice" that his movie The Blind Side was nominated for Best Motion Picture. (It lost to The Hurt Locker.) Of course, McGraw and Hill were also rooting for his co-star, Sandra Bullock, to capture Best Actress in a Leading Role and indeed, she won her first Oscar!

Country music as a whole also got a vote of confidence from The Academy with Crazy Heart. Jeff Bridges, who stars as faded country music star Bad Blake in the flick, won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Bridges' co-star, Maggie Gyllenhaal, was nominated for her work in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, however, she lost to Mo'Nique who starred in Precious. Also of note, Ryan Bingham and T-Bone Burnett won the Oscar for Best Original Song for "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart.

Brad Takes A Tumble At Final Show

Brad Paisley's "American Saturday Night Tour" made its final stop at the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, South Carolina Saturday night and on the final note of the encore finale ("Alcohol"), Brad fell from the stage about six feet and landed "freaking hard" on his side! He bounced back up, finished the show and thanked the audience and told them good-bye. Once Paisley left the stage he was transported to the local hospital via ambulance to be checked out – all is well, only badly bruised. He was discharged from the hospital and was returning to Nashville. Brad tweeted that he’s looking forward to seeing the accident on YouTube. Check out hisTwitter for an update and photos at twitter.com/paisleyofficial or visit bradpaisley.com.

Taylor Talks To Elle

Taylor Swift graces the cover of April's Elle magazine which reads "Gorgeous, talented, smart, rich – and we still like her." In the feature, she reveals that she has "had countless opportunities to do some really bad things." She continues, "And then people start combing through everything I do trying to find the next mistake and misperception, which leads to more scrutiny. Like, if I go to a bar, even if I'm not drinking, who's to say that a source isn't going to say that I was doing something I shouldn't have been doing?" Taylor explains, "So it's not only about your own moral compass, but the moral compasses of other people that you don't know."

In the article Swift reveals a few more things. When asked who she thinks is hot, she answers, "Um, well... Taylor Lautner," her co-star in Valentine's Day, whom she casually dated last year. She admits her love life often fuels her writing, noting, "A letdown is worth a few songs, a heartbreak is worth a few albums." So, is Taylor really "fearless?" She shares, "I overthink everything. I overanalyze everything." Swift also confesses her biggest fear of "making a bunch of bad decisions and embarking on a painful, slow, devastating tailspin." As for yearning to go to Nashville as a child, the country princess shares, "I just got it into my head that there was this magical place that I needed to go to because that was where dreams come true."

Reba Crosses Generations

Reba McEntire shares that she celebrates her longevity in the music business and the fans that have stuck with her along the way:

"I've got fans when we started who have aged with me and then their children – they introduced my music and everything I do to their children and now they're introducing them to their grandchildren and those children are, you know, growing up and I hope I make it another generation because it's fun. It's fun for them to walk up and say, 'Here's my grandkid and she loves your tv show and she loves your music.' It's really amazing. In a way, it makes me feel even older, but in a way, so grateful. More grateful than anything that I've gotten to do what I love to do for so long, so it's a good feeling."

Reba's current single, "I'll Keep On Loving You," is climbing the country charts.

Keith's World Of Music

Keith Urban lives and breathes music all the time - not only when he's working as an artist or songwriter, but also when he's relaxing at home. Keith reveals in a video on his website, "I love music... even in our house we have music all through the house." You might hear classical, swing, jazz from the 40s or 50s or some reggae at any given time. He quips, "I de-stress by just not hearing my own music for a change." Urban shares, "The house has a really good, cool vibe just because we keep the music kind of mellow and [it] makes a good energy in the house."

Keith recalls that the first concert he attended was when his dad took the family to see Tom T. Hall when he was five years old. Soon after that, they went to see Johnny Cash, and he remembers it vividly, noting that it was "a really profound night." However, the concert that was life-changing for Urban was when John Mellencamp performed Down Under in Brisbane in 1988 on "The Lonesome Jubilee Tour." Keith recalls it was "like an epiphany concert" at a time when he was trying to figure out what he should do. He elaborates that "a huge light bulb went off," noting, "[John] was amazing. It was the most amazing band and he was an amazing entertainer and it just changed my life."

Swift On Your iPhone?

Taylor Swift's official iPhone application will be available in the iTunes app store tomorrow! Filled with many interactive features, such as Facebook and Twitter connectivity, the app is an exciting new way to stay plugged in with the superstar. The app is enabled with push notification so that any time she releases new music, videos, photos, etc. you'll be instantly updated on your iPhone! You can also see Swift's most up-to-date tour information, share photos from the shows and find other Taylor fans in your area.

Quality Time For The Turners

In June, "Why Don't We Just Dance" chart-topper Josh Turner and his wife Jennifer will be celebrating their seventh wedding anniversary. Now with two toddler boys at home, Josh admits that their relationship can get a bit challenging at times.

He shares that his marriage is strong because he and his wife work on their partnership daily:

"She and I are always praying for God to protect our marriage because, you know, this business can be pretty grueling and pretty challenging and that alone can take a toll on somebody's marriage. And then when you throw two children in the mix, it makes it even harder to have quality time together and so we've just always made it a priority to spend one on one time with each other whether it's taking a walk or going out to eat or just, you know, going to bed early so we can have a conversation."

Blake Defines Country Music

For Blake Shelton, country music is about "real emotions and real things that real people go through and real feelings that real people have." He elaborates to The 9513, "The bigger picture is that it's music that has the ability to adapt. It's always music that people - generations - take ownership of. They don't want to let go of their decade, or their two decades. And I love that about it, that each generation has its own decade or so that they’ve staked their claim on. 'Man, that was the good years of country music,' you know?"

Blake acknowledges that country music has changed a lot through the years, noting, "You'll hear a lot of people in my parents' generation bitchin' about how country ain't country no more - well, the music they were listenin' to wasn't country to their parents. It'll always be that way." And that's what Shelton loves about country music - "there are no boundaries because it has its own way of stayin' true." Last week, Blake's Hillbilly Bone hits stores. It's the first in a planned series of two six-song releases dubbed "Six Paks." The second, as-yet untitled Six Pak is tentatively scheduled for August.

Gary's Got A New Guitar

Last summer, Gary Allan lost his guitar, which was signed by Merle Haggard, George Jones, Waylon Jennings and Buck Owens, when his musical equipment was destroyed when a tornado hit Alberta, Canada, where Gary was set to play a show. In the meantime, he had to borrow the instruments that he needed, but now, Allan has found a suitable replacement for his guitar. According to AOL's The Boot, Gary told the audience at one of his shows he found his new guitar in Alabama. He explained, "I had to drive two hours from my house in Nashville to meet the guy halfway. We met in the back of a Shoney's parking lot for about a half hour or 45 minutes." The 1948 Gibson J-200, which Allan jokes is his "brand new 'wife,' is a perfect fit for the singer. He shares, "When all your stuff gets smashed, everybody gives you new stuff. And when you've been playing the same guitar since you were like 12, that's a lot like dancing with somebody else's wife." Gary's latest album, Get Off On The Pain, hits stores tomorrow.

David Looks To March Madness

Sports fanatic David Nail is looking forward to a little March Madness this month as Selection Sunday, which is March 14, approaches and conference tournaments are now underway. For his picks on just who will do well as part of the big dance, David considers the options. He shares, "Kentucky looks like the Los Angeles Lakers when they walk out on the floor. They are the most athletic, long, just athletic team I think I've ever seen on a college basketball floor. That being said, the unfortunate thing is that they're all 18 years old, they're all young." Nail confesses, "Duke's awful. I hate Duke, too, sorry. I love Duke fans, can't cheer for your basketball team." He continues, "North Carolina is one of my teams. They're awful this year. I don't even know what's wrong with the Tar Heels."

So, just who will make it to the final game in Indianapolis? David shares his option:

"If I was unbiased, I would probably say Kansas, but I'm a Missouri fan and we hate Kansas, so I can't give Kansas any credit. Missouri's my favorite team, my second favorite team is whoever's playin' Kansas. If I was paid to be an analyst, I would have to be objective and say that Kansas is pretty ridiculous, but I'm gonna go with Syracuse or Villanova, two Big East teams. I just like Villanova. I love their coach Jay Wright. I'm goin' with them. Villanova and Syracuse."

Check out if Nail was lucky in his selections when the men's NCAA Championship is played on April 5. Meanwhile, David's single "Turning Home," from his debut album, I'm About To Come Alive, is currently climbing the country charts.

Little Big Town’s New Addition

The stork delivered a boy to Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook Friday night in Nashville! Their first child, Elijah Dylan Westbrook, weighed in at 7 lbs. 14 oz. Karen tells People magazine, "We've been waiting for this for a long time, and can't tell you how thrilled and blessed we both feel." Jimmi shares, "Karen is going to be an incredible mom. She has always been so good with children." He jokes, "Beside, she's done a great job raising me to become a responsible adult!"

Baby Elijah will have a couple of playmates on the road: two-and-a-half year old Daisy Pearl, who is the daughter of Kimberly Roads Schlapman, and two-year old Penelopi Jane, the daughter of Phillip Sweet. Kimberly comments, "Our hearts are bursting with joy for Karen and Jimi. We have dreamed of this moment with them for a long time. We can't wait to welcome another little angel onto our bus!" Be listening for Little Big Town’s first single, "Little White Church," off their upcoming album to hit radio soon. They will hit the road in May with Montgomery Gentry, Jamey Johnson and Jack Ingram on the "Country Throwdown Tour."

ZBB In "Overdrive"

While it may seem like Zac Brown Band became an overnight success in country music, it was 10 years in the making, but for the group, the past 18 months have been a whirlwind. Bass player John Driskell Hopkins tells Salt Lake City's Deseret News, "It indeed has gone into overdrive. You notice it especially after you get home. When you're locked in the bus it's harder to notice. You get home and start watching TV, it really comes to light." He adds, "It's been a complete roller coaster. It's been absolutely crazy. But it's been good every second."

Last week, ZBB grabbed four Academy of Country Music nominations, including one for Entertainer of the Year. Hopkins credits the band's frontman for their great live shows. He shares, "We've never played for less than three hours except for rare occasions. Zac [Brown] is a master at keeping the crowd entertained and occupied. He never lets them stop. It really has prepared us for the bigger crowds. It's just like playing to 10 smaller crowds, you break the crowd into sections." Currently, ZBB is watching their single "Highway 20 Ride," from The Foundation, climb the country charts. The guys are also due to hit the studio after completing their tour to finish up their new album. After that, they're set to head out on the road with the Dave Matthews Band.

Treating Country Right, Church-Style

Singer-songwriter Eric Church has oftentimes been compared to people like Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash, who were known for their rebel ways in country music. Eric tells the News-Democrat, "It's not like I set out to be like them, with the whole outlaw thing. Just like they didn't do it like that. It's just something that happens, when you do something right, and we feel that we are." He even finds that his fans aren't necessarily the country type. Church explains, "The number one comment I get, especially from young people is, 'I'm not really a country fan, but I like you.' I have to explain to them, 'You don't understand: Country is the coolest format there is. It's the most real format there is. We have the history, and we have the true artists.'" He continues, "I try to go out there on the road and be an ambassador for it because I love country music so much, and I want to treat it right."

Tidbits

-- See Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott's alter ego, "Sheila the Crewmember," go undercover on Tim McGraw's "Southern Voice" tour on the trio's latest webisode. They can also see Lady A on tonight's episode of The Late Show With David Letterman on CBS.

-- Rascal Flatts' appearance on CSI definitely paid off for CBS, the television network that airs the popular show. According to Country Aircheck, the episode won the hour with 15.6 million viewers and achieved a 9.4 rating/15 share.

-- Fans can join their favorite country artists in supporting the ninth annual Birdhouse Thing, which benefits Nashville's W.O. Smith Music School. According to The Tennessean, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, Wynonna, Josh Turner, Vince Gill, Kellie Pickler, Sara Evans, Jason Aldean, Chris Young and more have decorated and signed birdhouses for the auction, which takes place March 11 at 5:30 PM, local time.

-- This year's Juno Award nominations have been announced. Taylor Swift is up for her sophomore project, Fearless, in the International Album category. Competing for Country Album of the Year are Emerson Drive's Believe, Terri Clark's The Long Way Home and the Road Hammers' The Road Hammers II, according to Country Aircheck. The Junos take place on April 18.

March 5 , 2010

Gary Tells How He's Dealing With The Pain

Gary Allan's new CD is titled Get Off On The Pain, and he says the title cut is very autobiographical. Gary has experienced some deep pain in his life, including the death of his wife, Angela Herzberg, who committed suicide in 2004 after suffering from depression and migraines.

Gary says that for all his fans that are still so compassionately concerned as to how he is doing now, he shares some personal, raw emotions on his new album, including a song called "No Regrets":

"That song, obviously I wrote about my wife - my wife had passed away. And I guess I just wanted you to know the state of mind that I’m in now. Those songs are always really hard to write but I feel like country music has always dealt with life... I know when my wife passed it was really hard to talk about things. Well, writing songs about them, the therapy of that was so healing for me - having your friends come over and talk about it every day... I had a friend that's in a similar situation and he doesn't write and didn't go to any kind of counseling, and the difference between me and him that I saw is that you can't mention his wife without him falling apart. I'm able to talk about it; I'm in a good place about it. I guess you learn that you are never in control and you just have to accept the cards that you're dealt."

Get Off On The Pain is due in stores Tuesday. For more candid conversation and great live performances, Allan's fans will want to be sure to catch his GAC special Gary Allan: Live From the House of Blues, premiering tomorrow at 10 PM, ET.

Political Ambitions?

Throughout the years, Tim McGraw has expressed an interest in the arena of politics, which he says he has "always been fascinated by," but don't look for Tim to jump into the political field anytime soon. He shares just what might make him want to venture into that territory:

"I've been very lucky and fortunate and been able to really make something out of my life from where I came from, and I feel like it's because of where I live and the place that I grew up and the country that I live in that I'm able to do that. So I feel like that you are obligated to a certain extent to try to help and do what you can whether it be politics or not. Politics to me is something that I would never go do just to say I've done it, but if there's something that I feel like I can step into and make a difference and do some good then I think it's just a matter of if the time lines up with the cause and the reason in my life. Then it would be something that I would be interested in, but it's not something that I would go pursue."

Currently, McGraw's single "Still" from his Southern Voice album is climbing the country charts.

From 27 Cents To Big Bucks!

When fans see Rascal Flatts today, they see one of the superstar groups of country music selling out tour dates, achieving #1 hits and making some serious cash, but it wasn't always that way. Gary LeVox tells The Huntsville Times, "We didn't get paid anything that first year. We worked tips. One night, after we got through at 3 AM, we had the tip bucket there, and when we got done – and this is as honest as I'm here talking – there was 27 cents in that bucket." That worried Gary. He explains, "I said to myself, 'I may have to go back to Ohio. Please don't tell me somebody didn't put a quarter and two pennies in there.'" But, things changed when Joe Don Rooney joined LeVox and Jay DeMarcus and the trio soon found themselves with a record deal. Fast forward 10 years later and Rascal Flatts have achieved heights – both professionally and personally - that not even they dared to dream of. Gary reveals, "When we first started, you hope to have longevity, but you can't dream that big. It's been an amazing ride. I've got two kids, nine and five, Joe Don is a dad and that whole thing. It's been crazy and amazing and we're blessed, blessed and feel like we've got another 10 years in us."

Reba's Just A Country Girl

Looking at superstar Reba McEntire, fans might get a little starstruck when they think of her #1 hits and dazzling concerts and numerous awards, but Reba tells the Cabot Star-Herald she's just real. McEntire shares, "I am not the glamorous person people may think I am. People who know me know I'm not. I'm the same person I was growing up in southeastern Oklahoma." And, that may be the secret to her success. She explains, "One of the reasons my music has lasted as long as it has is because I am a person that they can relate to and my music is what they can relate to." Reba's current single, "I Keep On Loving You," continues to climb the country charts.

Billy Eyes Song Of The Year Trophy

For this year's Academy of Country Music Awards, Billy Currington is up for two nominations – Single of the Year and Song of the Year for his #1 hit "People Are Crazy." Billy reacts to the honor and shares why he wants the song to win:

"You know, when I woke up, I had a text that said, 'Congrats on your two nominations,' [laughs] from someone at the label, and I guess I didn't know that they were nominating at the moment, you know? But, that was pretty to cool to get a little surprise. I'll take those. I'm thankful for [songwriters] Bobby [Braddock] and Troy [Jones]. I really want them to get somethin', you know what I mean? Bobby, he's been around so long. They're gettin' older. I think I want see 'em get an award on this song."

Tune in to see if Currington wins when the ACM Awards air live April 18 on CBS live from Las Vegas.

Faith Rocks!

Faith Hill will tap into her inner rocker chick when she performs at this year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 15 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Joining Faith at the event will be Train's Pat Monahan, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, Wyclef Jean, the Bee Gees' Barry and Robin Gibb, among others, according to Countrynow.com. ABBA, the Stooges, Genesis, the Hollies and Jimmy Cliff are all set to be inducted as a part of this year's Hall of Fame class. The ceremony will air live March 15 on Fuse.

Miranda's Dual Personality

Miranda Lambert has a reputation as being a strong woman in the field of country music and that's a-okay with her. Miranda tells Knoxville, Tennessee's Metropulse.com, "Well, being a born-and-bred Texan, I guess I've just got that fiery personality as part of my heritage. I've learned to stand up for myself and not take any crap, so I suppose that self-assertiveness, not necessarily in a violent way, holds true on and off the stage." She adds, "Plus, there is a certain amount of role-playing with some of my songs – I may have down those things, just in my head!" But, Lambert shares that she does have a softer side. Miranda explains, "I have the regular 25-year-old-small-town girl [side] that likes to make cupcakes and live on a farm, and then I have this rowdy, crazy, head-banging, rock-star-girl side; that is my life on the road." Lambert feels that her current album, Revolution, displays more of her "personal life" than her previous projects. She reveals, "As a songwriter you can sometimes hide behind the lyrics and not let the listener know the real person behind them. In Revolution, I feel like I didn't hold anything back from my fans. I let them in on every aspect of where I am at in my life right now."

Miranda is continuing to garner critical acclaim as well as gaining more and more fans. Her latest achievements include six nominations at the upcoming Academy of Country Music Awards, and although she is pitted against her fellow country artists in a race for awards, Lambert knows that at the end of the day, they have her back. Miranda says, "This may sound strange, but in country music a lot of artists are very supportive of one another. Yes, it's competitive, but truly it's just like a large family. There is room for all kinds of artists and as a group we make up a pretty diverse spectrum." She continues, "I love what Zac Brown Band is doing and Jamey Johnson. I'm a fan of so many artists coming out these days."

Country Bachelor Young

Hey, ladies... Chris Young is currently single and available. Chris claims that it's very important for him to be in love and says tells AOL's The Boot, "If you're going to stay with somebody in a long-term relationship... that's a big deal." So, what is he looking for in a girl? He shares, "1. You've got to be okay with staying up late, because I don't operate on the same hours as a normal person. 2. Being somebody that's okay with going to McDonald's or going to Morton's [Steakhouse]. You've got to be able to do both, because sometimes I feel like one or the other. 3. You've got to have a good sense of humor. I crack jokes about stuff all the time, so that's a big thing for me. 4. You've got to be into music. [And] 5. You've got to love going to go see a good movie." Young also reveals what turns him off in a woman. He shares, "Probably the biggest thing is if somebody got really jealous of everything, like time and space. I just like to be laid back. So if somebody wasn't really able to be laid back, that would probably really bother me."

Chris admits he doesn't have a lot of room in his schedule to date right now. He says his priorities are "God and family up there at the top and then directly under that is career." He notes, "All of those take up a whole lot of time... There's always room to make time for things in your life, but right now I'm just pretty focused on the career and family."

Jack Visits The Land Of Oz

Jack Ingram shares that he is looking forward to beginning something this weekend that he's never done before:

"Well, I'm going to Australia for 10 days, eight shows in 10 days, I think, so that's going to be cool to go see a completely new audience that's never seen me, I've never seen them and that's always exciting and fun. It's my first time to go Down Under. I want to see if the toilet water goes counterclockwise and if the waves crash the other way. That's really all I'm interested in."

Jack kicks off his Australian tour on Saturday in Sydney at CMC Rocks the Snowys. He then embarks on shows throughout the country with fellow artists Doc Walker and Steve Forde. Ingram says, "I hear that Australian's love their music, love their beer and love to have a real good time... I think we're going to have a lot in common." Once he returns to the States, Jack will continue his "Acoustic Motel" tour in Atlanta on March 23 before heading to the East Coast.

More Artists Up For CMA Music Fest Fun

More names have been added to the Nightly Concerts lineup for this year's CMA Music Festival. Tim McGraw will be making his first appearance since he was Kenny Chesney's surprise guest during Kenny's 2001 performance at the Nightly Concerts at LP Field. Alan Jackson will bring his tunes to life for fans at CMA Fest this year, as well as Billy Currington and Kellie Pickler. The 2010 CMA Music Festival takes place in Nashville, June 10-13. Tickets are on sale now and range from 110 to 185 dollars. In order to purchase, call 1-800-CMA-FEST, visit CMAfest.com or ticketmaster.com.

Awkward Moment!

What has to be one of the most awkward moments in country music history is revealed in the book, Tammy Wynette: Tragic Country Queen, which was released this week. According to The New York Times, Tammy Wynette, who was often called The First Lady of Country Music, got a little more than she bargained for at a performance in Mississippi in which the former President Ronald Reagan attended. Wynette's hairdresser Jan Smith shares that the Commander in Chief "kissed Tammy!" She continues, "Ronald Reagan definitely had a thing for Tammy. After it was over, Tammy said to me, 'Oh, my God, Jan, that was so embarrassing! He swabbed my tonsils!'" Smith says, "Well, Nancy Reagan got real out of joint about it."

In other Wynette news, her entire collection of professional memorabilia is now at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The move was aided in part by Tammy's widow, George Richey. The items include 14 stage costumes and Wynette's numerous awards from Grammys to her three CMA Female Vocalist of the Year trophies to her ACM Pioneer Award, as well as notes from Presidents Gerald Ford, George H. Bush and Reagan.

Tidbits

-- On Sunday night, look for Keith Urban to perform his current single, "'Til Summer Comes Around" on Jimmy Kimmel Live: After The Academy Awards. The show will air immediately following the late local news. Robert Downey Jr. will also introduce the world premiere of the new Iron Man 2 trailer.

-- Martina McBride and The Courtyard Hounds (Emily Robison and Martie Maguire of the Dixie Chicks) are among the many artists who have been added to "The 2010 Lilith Tour." For information on the event, visit lilithfair.com.

-- Lady Antebellum announced that Josh Kelley (brother of Lady A's Charles Kelley) and Randy Montana will join the trio's back to back sold out concerts at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on March 10 and 11. Kelley and Montana will debut a selection of new music with short acoustic sets prior to Lady A's headlining debut on the historic stage. Charles shares, "It's funny to think about all the bands Josh and I started when we were little kids in Augusta... My favorite was named 'Spork,' and I was the drummer! We've come a long way, that's for sure. I'm so proud that we’ll be on the Ryman stage together on the same night... It'll be a family affair all the way around." Hillary Scott shares, "And, I’ve known Randy for a really long time because we're both from Nashville. We respect him so much as a songwriter, and we are all three just big big fans."