Brooks And Dunn Map “Last Rodeo”

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brooksdoneBrooks & Dunn are going out with a bang. After announcing their pending retirement earlier this year, the duo has planned a farewell tour launching April 23, 2010 and running through August 8, 2010. The Last Rodeo will be a celebration of their 20 hitmaking years together, with 47 shows including a yet-to-be-announced Nashville stop.

Brian O’Connell, concert promoter Live Nation’s President of Nashville Touring, is helping oversee the nationwide run. The tour follows the recent release of Brooks & Dunn’s career-spanning double-disc collection, #1s … and then some.

Hall of Fame Extends Williams Family Exhibition

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wmsThe Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum’s critically acclaimed exhibition Family Tradition: The Williams Family Legacy, Co-Presented by SunTrust and Ford Motor Company, which was originally scheduled to close on December 31, 2009, has been extended through December 31, 2011. The Museum will expand the exploration of the Williams family’s legacy with the addition of new artifacts on loan from the family and other sources. Installation will be complete in March 2010.

CMHOFAccording to Director Kyle Young, Family Tradition has been the most popular and critically acclaimed exhibit in the Museum’s history. “This is due not only to the family’s iconic stature and its influence on generations of artists,” he said, “but also because of the participation of the members of the Williams family, each of whom has generously loaned us heirlooms and artifacts, and helped to tell the truest and most complete story about their family to date.”

The museum is also preparing to unveil additions and revisions to its core exhibition, Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music, in May 2010. It will be expanded, updated, and reinvigorated with new exhibits, new themes, new content, a new look, and more video and audio.

Check out the Hall’s updated Web site here.

Martell Fun Run A Big Success

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- The T.J. Martell Foundation recently surprised the Creative Artist Agency's staff at their weekly Wednesday morning meeting with an assortment of hot, delicious Dunkin' Donuts and classic coffee as a sweet reward for leading the Music Industry Challenge in support of the upcoming 2nd annual Dunkin' Donuts Family Fun Run & Walk-A-Thon

The T.J. Martell Foundation recently surprised the CAA staff with Dunkin' Donuts as a reward for leading the Music Industry Challenge in support of the Dunkin' Donuts Family Fun Run & Walk-A-Thon.

The 2nd Annual Dunkin’ Donuts Family Fun Run & Walk-A-Thon was a sweet success, drawing a crowd of over 600 families for the recent 5K race in Nashville’s Centennial Park, and netting $30,000 for the T.J. Martell Foundation. Hosted by Eddie and Taj George and Family, the event featured energetic performances by teen favorites pureNRG, Madison Cain and actor/singer Luke Benward, plus a family picnic and games.

Taj and Eriq George with Star Wars Characters at the Dunkin' Donuts Family

Organizers Taj and Eriq George with Star Wars characters at the Family Fun Run

On race day, the final tallies came in for the T.J. Martell Music Industry Challenge and Creative Artist Agency (CAA) was named the winner for recruiting the largest team with over 34 individuals participating. As the grand prize winner, CAA is receiving the music industry team trophy and a Dunkin’ Donuts breakfast bash.

“I give the credit to CAA agent and team coach Blake McDaniel who is an avid runner and daily inspired our staff to rally around such a great cause,” said John Huie, Co-Head of CAA Nashville and T.J. Martell Foundation Board Member. “I challenge anyone else in the music business to try and beat us next year!”

Proceeds will benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation’s mission of funding innovative cancer research at the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

Rascal Flatts Opt For Digital-Only Holiday EP

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rfRascal Flatts have a new seasonal EP available only at digital music outlets. Unwrapped features the holiday classics “White Christmas,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Jingle Bell Rock” and an a cappella rendition of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas.” Bundled along with these tracks is the music video for “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” which was filmed during an overnight shoot at New York City’s historic Roosevelt Hotel.

The Lyric Street group has had major success with digital sales, amounting to a total of 22.5 million paid digital downloads.

Huffman Rice Open Bus Driver Training Program

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busChip Huffman, President of tour bus company Nitetrain Coach Co., and longtime music business executive Tandy Rice of Top Billing, have partnered to launch Huffman & Rice, offering bus driver training and driver placement. The first session of The Celebrity Bus Drivers Academy will be held Wednesday, March 3 through Saturday, March 6, 2010 at the Williamson County Agricultural Center in Franklin, Tenn.

A transportation executive for 20 years, Huffman co-founded Nitetrain Coach in 1986. The company provides 50-60 buses (all Prevost Le Mirage XL II’s, primarily slide-outs) as year-round tour transportation for artists including Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Kings of Leon, Korn and Tool.

Rice has owned Top Billing, Inc. since 1968, and has worked with such superstars as Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner. More recently he helped start the George Jones University, and was an adjunct music business professor at Belmont University.

Read more from the Nashville Post. For more information or to apply to the Academy, contact Rice at 615-297-2771 or log on to www.huffman-rice.com.

John Rich, Steel Magnolia, Carter’s Chord at Christmas Parade Tonight

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Carter's Chord

Carter's Chord

Steel Magnolia and Carter’s Chord are among the performers at tonight’s (12/4) tree lighting ceremony to kick off the Nashville Christmas Parade, where John Rich will serve as grand marshal. The tree lighting ceremony is at 6 p.m., with Rich and Mayor Karl Dean at the Public Square, near the intersection of Second Avenue and Union Street. Fireworks will follow at 7 p.m., and then the parade at 7:15 p.m.

Hosted by Piedmont Natural Gas, the parade starts at 6th and Broadway and continues east to 2nd Avenue before crossing the Woodland Street Bridge to the LP Field. The entire event will be recorded for later broadcast on Nashville TV station, Metro Channel 3.

The parade will cause road closures starting at 4 p.m. Adding to downtown traffic tie-ups tonight will a 5K run, the Gaither Homecoming concert, and regular rush hour.

The 2009 parade theme is “Share the Warmth of the Holidays.” Proceeds benefit Share The Warmth, an energy assistance program that helps those who struggle to pay their home energy bills.

“Soundstage” Sets Country Line-up

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Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw

Acclaimed PBS music show Soundstage has a Country-packed line up for its eighth season, kicking-off Jan. 21 with a concert from superstar Tim McGraw.

On Feb. 18 Faith Hill is backed by a full orchestra, to perform selections from her greatest hits. Filmed at the Sears Centre Arena in Chicago, Hill’s performance includes “The Kiss, “ “The Way You Love Me,” and Grammy Award winning songs “Breathe,” and “Cry.”

Faith Hill

Faith Hill

On Feb. 4 Three Girls and Their Buddy: Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller play an episode that captures the group’s special bond, having been in each other’s bands, produced and played on each other’s albums, covered each other’s songs, and sat in on each other’s shows over the years.

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson guests on Feb. 25 with his eight-piece band gathered round the stage to highlight songs from his first-ever bluegrass album, produced in collaboration with T-Bone Burnett. Tipping his hat to the genre, Willie puts his stamp on standards like Bob Wills’ “Trouble In Mind,” and Al Dexter’s “Pistol Packin’ Mamma,” as well as his own hits like “Whiskey River.”

The new season will also include performances from Lynyrd Skynyrd (Feb. 11) and The Fray (Jan. 28).

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Three Girls and Their Buddy: Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller

“Time” Readies Tablet Prototype [video]

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The news media, including newspapers, magazines and more is going through a time of intense change, much like the music industry. Time has proactively been developing a new interactive distribution prototype that seemingly is being groomed for a new touch screen tablet class of hardware. To date unconfirmed rumors have been flying that Apple is planning to release a similar gadget early next year.

Reports indicate that publishers are concerned they might end up with an iTunes like situation and thereby lose control of distribution. Shown below is a Sports Illustrated sample…

Charlie Daniels Christmas With Friends

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cdCharlie Daniels gathered many musician friends for his new GAC special, A Twin Pines Christmas, premiering tonight (12/3) at 7 PM/CT. Among those performing holiday favorites are The Grascals, Kathy Mattea, Aaron Tippin, Dan Tyminski and the Cox Sisters.

Chad Denning of Gamma Blast directed the shoot back in June when the temperature was in the mid ’90s. He says the artists rehearsed in shorts and T-shirts then changed into Christmas sweaters. “When we began it felt a little surreal creating Christmas in June, but it wasn’t hard to get into the Christmas spirit with such great music,” he recalls. “Dan Tyminski’s version of ‘The Christmas Song’ left the entire crew speechless because it was spot on. We shot it in one take. And, of course, Charlie was wonderful.”

Charlie Daniels and director Chad Denning

Charlie Daniels and director Chad Denning

The features Daniels, backed by the Grascals and three of his band members, performing original holiday tunes “Mississippi Christmas Eve” and “Hallelujah” before he shares the stage with Mattea for “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and Tyminski for the Nat King Cole standard “The Christmas Song.” Also included are The Grascals’ take on the Bill Monroe classic “Christmas Time’s A Comin’,” Tippin’s performance of the Daniels-penned “Christmas Time Down South,” Evelyn Cox’s “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and Suzanne Cox’s “Silent Night.”

Denning edited the concert with Grand Ole Opry veteran Tim Weeks acting as producer. And Gamma Blast created a DVD version of the concert that is part of Daniels’ Joy to the World: A Bluegrass Christmas CD/DVD package.

Swift Leads Country Grammy Noms

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taylor_swift_13557

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s stellar year continued when she snagged eight Grammy nominations— including Album of the Year, Record of the Year and Song of the Year—at last night’s (12/2) announcement.

Swift is joined in several categories by Music City rockers Kings of Leon, who tied with Country superstar Keith Urban for four nominations.

Urban is in the running for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, Best Country Collaboration with Vocals, Best Country Album, and Best Long-Form Music Video.

Sugarland, the only Country act who performed during last night’s televised nominations special, received a nod for Best Country Performance By A Duo or Group with Vocals. They’re joined in that category by Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band.

Keith Urban

Keith Urban

Swift earned nods in the Pop categories for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (“You Belong With Me”) and Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals for “Breathe” with Colbie Caillat.

Among the other Country highlights were ZBB’s nomination for all-genre Best New Artist, and Jessi Alexander and Jon Mabe’s bid for Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for “The Climb” from Hannah Montana: The Movie.

Country artists receiving two or more nods were Carrie Underwood, Lee Ann Womack, Lady Antebellum, Zac Brown Band, Jamey Johnson, George Strait, and Brad Paisley.

Tracy Lawrence received the first Grammy nomination of his career for Best Southern, Country, Or Bluegrass Gospel Album for his inspirational CD, The Rock.

When the Grammy Awards take place on Sun., Jan. 31, a new trophy will be presented for the first time—Best Americana Album. Earlier this year the “Folk Field” was changed to the “American Roots Music Field,” and the category for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana Album was divided into two categories: Best Contemporary Folk Album and Best Americana Album.

The 52nd annual Grammys will be broadcast on Sun., Jan. 31 live from the LA Staples Center on CBS.

Top all-genre and Country nominations are below, or click to see the Nashville nominees, or the full list.

Record Of The Year —“You Belong With Me,” Taylor Swift (Nathan Chapman & Taylor Swift, producers; Chad Carlson & Justin Niebank, engineers/mixers) [Big Machine Records]
—“Use Somebody” Kings Of Leon (Jacquire King & Angelo Petraglia, producers; Jacquire King, engineer/mixer) [RCA Records]
—“Halo,” Beyoncé
—“I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas
— “Poker Face,” Lady Gaga;

Album Of The Year — Fearless, Taylor Swift; Colbie Caillat, featured artist; Nathan Chapman & Taylor Swift, producers; Chad Carlson, Nathan Chapman & Justin Niebank, engineers/mixers; Hank Williams, mastering engineer [Big Machine Records]
—I Am… Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé;
—The E.N.D., The Black Eyed Peas;
—The Fame, Lady Gaga;
—Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King, Dave Matthews Band

Song Of The Year — “You Belong With Me,” Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift) Track from: Fearless [Big Machine Records; Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing, Taylor Swift Music/Potting Shed Music, Barbara Orbison World Publishing.]
—“Use Somebody,” Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters (Kings Of Leon) [RCA Records; Publishers: Martha Street Music/Songs of Combustion Music/Music of Windswept, Followill Music/Songs of Combustion Music/Music of Windswept, McFearless Music/Bug Music, Coffee, Tea or Me Publishing/Bug Music.]
— “Poker Face,” Lady Gaga & RedOne, songwriters (Lady Gaga)
—“Pretty Wings,” Hod David & Musze, songwriters (Maxwell)
—“Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It),” Thaddis Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters (Beyoncé)

Best New Artist — Zac Brown Band, Keri Hilson, MGMT, Silversun Pickups, The Ting Tings

Best Female Country Vocal Performance: “Dead Flowers,” Miranda Lambert; “I Just Call You Mine,” Martina McBride; “White Horse,” Taylor Swift; “Just A Dream,” Carrie Underwood; “Solitary Thinkin'” Lee Ann Womack

Best Male Country Vocal Performance — “All I Ask For Anymore,” Trace Adkins; “People Are Crazy,” Billy Currington; “High Cost of Living,” Jamey Johnson; “Living for the Night,” George Strait; “Sweet Thing,” Keith Urban

Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals — “Cowgirls Don’t Cry,” Brooks & Dunn; “Chicken Fried,” Zac Brown Band; “I Run to You,” Lady Antebellum; “Here Comes Goodbye,” Rascal Flatts; “It Happens,” Sugarland

Best Country Collaboration with Vocals — “Beautiful World,” Dierks Bentley and Patty Griffin; “Down the Road,” Kenny Chesney and Mac McAnally; “Start a Band,” Brad Paisley and Keith Urban; “I Told You So,” Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis; “Everything But Quits,” Lee Ann Womack and George Strait

Best Country Instrumental Performance — “Under the (Five) Wire,” Alison Brown; “The Crystal Merchant,” The Greencards; “Mansinneedof,” Sarah Jarosz; “Producer’s Medley,” Steve Warnier

Best Country Song — “All I Ask For Anymore,” Casey Beathard and Tim James (songwriters); “High Cost of Living,” Jamey Johnson and James Slater (songwriters); “I Run to You,” Tom Douglas, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott (songwriters); “People Are Crazy,” Bobby Braddock and Troy Jones (songwriters); “White Horse,” Liz Rose and Taylor Swift (songwriters)

Best Country Album — The Foundation, Zac Brown Band; Twang, George Strait; Fearless, Taylor Swift; Defying Gravity, Keith Urban; Call Me Crazy, Lee Ann Womack

Best Americana Album — Together Through Life, Bob Dylan; Electric Dirt, Levon Helm; Willie And The Wheel, Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel; Wilco (The Album), Wilco; Little Honey, Lucinda Williams