Artist News: Luke, Brad, Dierks, Bucky & More

Luke Bryan And Longhorn Team For Sweepstakes
Live at LongHorn and Luke Bryan have teamed up to host a new sweepstakes to give fans the chance to win the ultimate country music experience. Two grand prize winners will get to meet Bryan and ride on a tour bus with him throughout the Midwest. They’ll also receive VIP passes to his concerts at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and at Country Thunder in Twin Lakes, WI, as well as round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations. Click here to enter the Cross Country With Luke Bryan Sweepstakes.

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Jypsi Plays “Grammys On The Hill”
Arista Nashville’s Jypsi will be among the special guests participating in the two-day Grammys on the Hill event today (4/14) and tomorrow (4/15) in Washington, D.C. Today, Jypsi will perform the national anthem to open the Grammys on the Hill Awards. Hosted by songwriter Paul Williams, the annual event honors outstanding legislators who work to improve the environment for music makers, as well as artists who use the power of music to improve all our lives. This year’s honorees will include country superstar Garth Brooks, U.S Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin and U.S. Representative Darrell Issa.

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Chicks Pick The Hits
The Dixie Chicks will release a compilation of their own favorite material on June 1 as part of Legacy Recordings’ Playlist series. Titled Playlist: The Very Best of Dixie Chicks, the 12-track album includes two songs from Wide Open Spaces, three songs from Fly, three songs from Home and four songs from Taking the Long Way. The 12 songs were remastered for the CD release. The band is getting ready to join the Eagles on an eight-city tour in June.

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Bucky Gives Back
Bucky Covington is among the American Idol finalists who will be volunteering at a Nashville food bank on April 21 to coincide with the charity-themed episode of the series, Idol Gives Back. Covington, who was a season five finalist, will be volunteering with Bo Bice and Mandissa (from season four) as well as Melinda Doolittle and Phil Stacey (from season six). As previously reported, Carrie Underwood (winner of season four) will perform during the episode. Feeding America, a nonprofit organization, is one of the beneficiaries of American Idol’s charitable activities.

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In keeping with his latest single, “Water,” Arista Nashville artist Brad Paisley will headline the AquaPalooza 2010 signature event with a concert at The Reserve on Lake Travis, near Austin, Texas, on July 10. Smaller AquaPalooza festivals are held throughout the U.S. as part of the promotions sponsored by Sea Ray boats. Paisley’s concert is free, although there will be no land access to the concert which is expected to attract thousands of boaters. Paisley’s H20 World Tour begins May 21 in Virginia Beach, Va.

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Capitol Records Nashville artist Dierks Bentley has announced a few of the Texas artists who will join his Miles & Music for Kids celebrity motorcycle ride and concert in Dallas-Fort Worth on Sunday, Apr. 25. Joining Bentley for the post-ride jam at Billy Bob’s Texas will be Brandon Rhyder, Kristen Kelly & The Modern Day Drifters and Roger Creager along with a few more surprise guests. All proceeds will benefit the Children’s Medical Center Dallas and Cook Children’s Medical Center of Fort Worth. Since it began in 2006, Miles & Music for Kids has raised over $1 million. Tickets for the event start at $20 and are available through Ticketmaster.