Underwood; McBride; ABC Goes Country

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carrie-underwood-play-on-album-coverTo celebrate Carrie Underwood’s Nov. 3 release of Play On, Underwood will travel to New York City where she will perform on The Late Show with David Letterman (11/2), sing in Lincoln Center on Good Morning America (11/3) and appear on Live with Regis and Kelly (11/5). Underwood is also preparing for her performance and co-hosting duties at the 43rd Annual CMA Awards, live from Nashville’s Sommet Center on ABC, Nov. 11.

The new CD pairs the artist again with Mark Bright who produced her previous album, Carnival Ride and seven tracks from her 2005 debut album. The first single from Play On, “Cowboy Casanova” sold 110,236 digital copies according to the label, making Underwood the only solo country artist this year with debut single sales above 100k units.

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Martina McBride will appear on Oprah today (10/26) in an episode that was filmed earlier this month at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas. The show will feature a performance medley including songs such as “Ride” and “This One’s for the Girls.” After the show, Oprah.com will feature an exclusive web stream of McBride singing “I Just Call You Mine.”

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image003In celebration of “Country Music’s Biggest Night,” The 43rd Annual CMA Awards, ABC will feature country music programming leading up to the awards. Highlights include Taylor Swift on Dancing with the Stars Results Show (10/27), Carrie Underwood on Good Morning America (11/3), Kellie Picker on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (11/8), Brad Paisley and Underwood performing live in Nashville on Good Morning America (11/10), and various artists on In The Spotlight with Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville. The CMA Awards will air Wed., Nov. 11 live from the Sommet Center in Nashville.

McGraw’s Early Sales Numbers And 2010 Tour

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Tim McGraw has more than 60 dates on the books for his Southern Voice Tour, opening Feb. 11, 2010 in Omaha. The album of the same name was released on Tuesday (10/20), so first week sales tallies aren’t in yet, but HitsDailyDouble’s building chart has it as the top selling Country title. It is McGraw’s tenth collaboration with producer Byron Gallimore and his first studio effort since Let It Go was released in 2007.

McGraw has loads of summer dates scheduled, currently going through Aug. 15 in Virginia Beach, VA. The tour will feature support from Lady Antebellum for the whole run, with the opening slot being filled by The Lost Trailers for the first leg, and Love And Theft for later dates.

For the arena run, McGraw has partnered with Outback Steakhouse, giving restaurant patrons special access to offers and events surrounding the tour. The “Outback’s Rewards Program” will launch in January 2010, giving away points that can be redeemed for McGraw merchandise, concert tickets, VIP passes, music downloads and an opportunity to register for the text and win sweepstakes. Sweepstakes winners will receive a trip for two to a McGraw concert in Australia.

Paisley Run Ends; Swift and Evans Gear Up

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Keith Urban made a grand exit at the end of his tour earlier this week. Now Brad Paisley’s American Saturday Night outing is winding down. Meanwhile, Sara Evans is planning a Christmas tour, and Taylor Swift is already selling out her 2010 outing.

_1One of Paisley’s dreams came true this week when he played at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where he gave a 9/11 tribute during the performance of “When I Get Where I’m Going.” The tour completes the 2009 run with  weekend shows in Baltimore, MD; State College, PA; and Uncasville, CT. Paisley says, “To play Madison Square Garden has been on my wish list of accomplishments for a long time and to finally achieve it is unbelievable. I love New York—there are more country music fans in New York City than most people think.”

The first round of tickets for Swift’s Fearless 2010 tour went on sale this morning, and all 15 shows sold out within minutes, including four dates in the New York area selling out in two minutes. Joining her for 37 concerts in North America, plus seven shows in Australia will be Kellie Pickler and Gloriana. Swift is set to host Saturday Night Live on Nov. 7, and will be one of the few artists to also serve as the musical guest that evening. Next week Swift visits Dancing with the Stars (Oct. 27) and Ellen (Oct. 29).

saraSara Evans has a new holiday release and tour in the works. Her four song collection, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, will be released digitally Nov. 3 and has traditional favorites as well as “New Again,” a song she wrote with Sony labelmate Paisley. Evans will kick off her Celebrate the Season tour Nov. 27 in Worley, Id. The outing spans a dozen West Coast dates through Dec. 14. Each show will contain a set of holiday music as well as a set her hits.

Urban Taxi; Terri Clark Tour; Free Bucky

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Keith Urban (see video above) ended his tour’s North American dates in a taxi. While playing the final bars of “Better Life,” the Aussie guitar hero left the stage at Buffalo’s HSBC Arena, walked through the hallways and into the street where he hopped a cab. The sold out crowd, watching the exit on the digital video screen were unsure at first if it was real or just a stunt but soon realized when the confetti flew that the show had ended.

The-Long-Way-Home-300x300Terri Clark has embarked on a Canadian tour that will visit 22 cities in about six weeks. “For me, I realized the people in Canada, they were the ones with my kind of heart… They taught me how to love music, how to really embrace it without compromise. They come to the shows; they get loud; they’re not afraid to have anything less than the best possible time. That is something to honor… to pay attention to… and so, I’m determined to make The Long Way Home as literal as possible.” The tour, named after her just-released CD available in Canada and the U.S., began in Halifax, Nova Scotia Oct. 19 and will end in Vancouver, BC on Nov. 22. Clark has won the Canadian Country Music Association Fan’s Choice Award more than any other artist.

Bucky Covington will headline a free show following the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kroger On Track For The Cure 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park on October 24. The Lyric Street artist and former American Idol contestant is currently at radio with “Gotta Be Somebody” from his upcoming CD I’m Alright scheduled for release in spring 2010. The single debuted last week on the MusicRow Country Breakout chart.

Chesney Sets Festival Dates

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chesneyKenny Chesney may not be mounting his huge tour in 2010, but he will play several summer dates, including two just-announced festivals. He has signed on for the Enterprise, Alabama Bama Jam & Arts Festival and Baton Rouge’s Bayou Country Superfest.

“For us to be able to get out there and rock at a few of these festivals, it means we can do the big show people expect without having to put 6 months into getting ready for it,” explains the entertainer. “I honestly don’t think people realize how much work goes into one of our tours: I am looking at technical stuff that needs building in November… I am working on video in December and January… then we start rehearsals.”

His 2009 Corona Extra sponsored Sun City Carnival Tour was one of the best selling tickets of the year.

Other artists set for Bayou Country Superfest, the new event at LSU’s famed Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, are Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and Brooks & Dunn. Held over Memorial Day Weekend 2010 (Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30), the two-day celebration will also include Jason Aldean, Kellie Pickler, Jake Owen, David Nail, Gloriana, and Justin Moore.

Also announced for Bama Jam are Jake Owen, and Blackberry Smoke.

Country Overseas: Underwood, Lady A

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Carrie Underwood spent last week visiting with Asian media and promoting her upcoming album, Play On, set for US release Nov. 3. While in Singapore, she performed as part of the grand opening of ION Orchard, a futuristic shopping center with luxury retailers, and internationally award-winning architecture. It is also the largest open-air sheltered venue in the city. The concert was broadcast live throughout the city and screened on the ION Orchard’s façade.

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Kenny Rogers and Lady Antebellum last month performed at the Gstaad Festival in Switzerland. It was part of Lady A’s first overseas concert tour. Nashvillian Trisha Walker-Cunningham is the Talent Buyer/Producer of “Country Night Gstaad” in Switzerland and the Festival de Craponne in France.

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Lady Antebellum with Gstaad promoter Marcel Bach

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Heading across the ocean next are Craig Morgan, Chris Young, and GAC host Nan Kelley. They are going on the Stars for Stripes tour to bring devoted service members stationed overseas a much-needed taste of home. The outing will visit military bases and hospitals in Iraq and Germany this month for a series of acoustic concerts featuring Morgan and Young with Kelley serving as emcee.

CMA Songwriters Series In Nashville

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Randy-Houser

Randy Houser

The CMA Songwriters Series, which usually shares the Nashville songwriting tradition with other cities, is set to play the home turf on Nov. 10, the night before the CMA Awards. Universal Records South artist Randy Houser will be the featured artist/songwriter when the 9:30 PM show takes place at Limelight. Hit tunesmiths Brett James, Rivers Rutherford and Victoria Shaw will join Houser in performing and also sharing the stories behind the hits.

The series, which has played to sell-out shows in New York City for the past five years and recently held performances in Los Angeles and Chicago, is known for its intimate setting and allowing fans to hear songs by the people who wrote them.

Tickets for the Nov. 10 CMA Songwriters Series, $10, are on sale at www.limelightnashville.com or by calling (615) 780-3098.

The CMA Awards are set for Nov. 11 at the Sommet Center.

It’s Official: Garth Set For Wynn Residency

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Garth at the press conference.

Garth Brooks is planning a five year residency at the Wynn hotel and casino in Las Vegas. The one-man show will run Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights for 15 weeks per year. Brooks and casino magnate Steve Wynn revealed details today from a Vegas press conference. Concerts begin December 11, 2009.

“I told him he couldn’t afford me, I was wrong,” joked Brooks during the announcement this afternoon from the Wynn. As part of the deal, Wynn had to buy Brooks a plane to get him to and from his Oklahoma home quickly.

Tickets will be priced at $125 for all levels, with the first five weekends set to go on sale Sat., Oct. 24 at 8 AM/PT (details below). About 200 seats per show will be available exclusively to Wynn hotel guests.

Confirmed dates are December 11, 12, 13; January 1, 2, 3 and 22, 23, 24; and February 12, 13, 14 and 26, 27, 28. Concerts will be 8 PM, with an additional Saturday night show at 10:30 PM.

Though it is being billed as one-man show, Brooks is promising surprise guests.

The late entertainer Danny Gans most recently occupied the Wynn Encore theater, before he passed away. “This room is for special moments of entertainment,” said Wynn, reiterating that he plans to maintain only superstar level acts in the theater when it is not in use by Brooks.

Brooks’ charity partner is Teammates For Kids and some proceeds will benefit them.

Brooks revealed this morning that he is officially ending his retirement. Following much speculation, he shared the news at a press conference in Nashville and then took the press with him to Las Vegas for  another event.

It has been almost 11 years since Brooks did a full-scale tour. The 47-year-0ld reiterated today that he will not be touring or recording until his youngest daughter, 13, graduates from high school in about five years.

With more than 128 million albums sold, Brooks is the best selling solo artist in U.S. history. He is the only solo artist in RIAA history to have six albums top the 10 million mark. In the midst of one of the most successful careers in music history, Garth retired in 2001, delivered his last record for Capitol Records and moved back to Oklahoma to raise his children.

With a $5 service charge and a $13 tax, the total ticket price is $143. Tickets may be booked by calling 702.770.7469 or online at www.wynnlasvegas.com/boxoffice.

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Garth Brooks and Steve Wynn at the Las Vegas press conference.

ZBB, Friends To Save Georgia Theater

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zbbZac Brown Band keeps adding to the line-up for its Georgia Theatre benefit show at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. The Oct. 30 date will include Little Big Town, Joey + Rory, Shawn Mullins, Aslyn and Oliver Wood. Proceeds from the show will go to rebuild the beloved and recently decommissioned Georgia Theatre in Athens. Prior to a devastating fire earlier this year, the establishment hosted performances by local legends including R.E.M., B-52s, Drive-By Truckers and Widespread Panic, as well as rising stars like ZBB.

“The Zac Brown Band are showing their incredible generosity and their love for the Athens music scene by hosting this benefit,” says Wilmot Greene, Georgia Theatre owner. “The presence of the Theatre in Athens has allowed bands to find an important early audience that helps to bring bigger success later. That’s a big part of the tradition of the Theatre and is an important aspect of why it needs to be rebuilt. This concert will be a huge help.”

Presented by Outback Concerts, tickets will cost $100 and are available via Ticketmaster.

IEBA Honors Touring Industry Leaders

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Chubby Checker (L) and Brenda Lee (R)

Chubby Checker (L) and Brenda Lee (R)

The 2009 Annual International Entertainment Buyers Association Honors Ceremony was held last night (10/12) at the Ryman Auditorium to honor the live entertainment industry’s elite. The show was hosted by actor Luke Perry and guests were treated to performances from Jamey Johnson, Jessie James, Lorrie Morgan, Randy Houser, Jud Laipply, Chris Young and Chubby Checker.

Brenda Lee presented Chubby Checker with the Career Achievement Award, Lorrie Morgan presented Joan Saltel with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and CAA’s John Huie presented Barbara Hubbard with the Harry A. Peebles Award for her tireless stewardship of students seeking entertainment careers.

Full list of 2009 IEBA Honorees:
Entertainment Buyer of the Year — Todd Boltin of Variety Attractions
Promoter of the Year — Outback Concerts of TN
Talent Agent of the Year — John Huie of CAA
Venue of the Year — Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Event of the Year — Bonnaroo Music Festival, Manchester, TN