Artist Updates (12/15/11)

Congratulations go out to Trailer Choir member Big Vinny who participated in the latest season of NBC’s The Biggest Loser. While he was not crowned as the show’s winner, the 27 year old Nashville native lost 184 pounds and returned to the set for a “reveal” during Tuesday’s (12/13) season finale. Vinny also recently got engaged to his girlfriend Lori Diaz, and the couple plans to wed in 2012.

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Riders In The Sky lead singer/musician Woody Paul has been selected as one of the 2012 inductees into the National Fiddler Hall of Fame. The induction gala will take place on Saturday, April 14th at Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Riders In The Sky will take center stage as headlining performers during the celebration. Known as “King of the Cowboy Fiddlers,” Woody says being inducted is an honor that is truly one of a kind. “It’s amazing…and I’ve never practiced for it!” Other inductees for the 2012 class are Herman Johnson, Kenny Baker and Keith Coleman. Previous National Fiddler Hall of Fame inductees include: Roy Acuff, Bob Wills, Dick Barrett, Johnny Gimble, Claude “Fiddler” Williams, Johnnie Lee Wills, Buddy Spicher, Rufus Thibodeaux, and Chubby Wise.

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Darryl Worley and Wynn Varble have recorded “The Fishin’ Hole,” better known as The Andy Griffith Show theme song, which is being offered through a text-to-give campaign to raise money for relief efforts from natural disasters in 2011. Fans can make a $10 donation (added to the phone bill) by texting the word FISH to 50555. As a thank you gift, a link to a ringtone of the song is sent to the donor’s phone. Funds are received by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation, with the net proceeds used to help restore levees, replace equipment lost or damaged in the disasters and re-stock fish in waters affected by flooding, tornadoes, drought and more. Donations from other parts of the country are distributed back to the state of origin’s wildlife agency.

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In celebration of Hunter Hayes receiving 100,000 Facebook “Likes,” his label threw him a surprise party on Monday, December 12. Appropriately, party goers got to feast on a Facebook-themed cake.