Carrie Underwood continued to spread country music around the globe by taking her international “Blown Away Tour” to Ireland and to the United Kingdom. Her sold-out dates in Dublin and Belfast were not only her debut performances, but also marked her first visit to the countries of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Underwood wrapped up her trip in London by closing the “C2C:Country To Country” Festival at the O2 Arena.

At the sold-out Belfast show at Waterfront Hall during St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Underwood invited a couple who happen to be some of her biggest Irish fans onto the stage where the gentleman proposed to his girlfriend of 10 years. As Underwood and the teary audience looked on, his girlfriend said yes to thunderous applause from the enthusiastic crowd.

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Back in the States, Luke Bryan entertained over 75,000 fans at the Houston Rodeo. It marked Bryan’s first performance at the Houston Rodeo as a headliner and the largest crowd of his career. At the close of the show, the rodeo reported that this was the second-largest crowd in their history.
“I may have said it last year,” Bryan said from the rodeo stage, “but I grew up dreaming of playing the Houston Rodeo. To sell this place out on a Saturday night is a country boy’s dream!”

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More than 40,000 people from over 35 countries joined the Jason Crabb Love Is Stronger CD Release Celebration held recently at Free Chapel, where Pastor Jentezen Franklin welcomed Jason Crabb along with special guests, producers Jay DeMarcus (of Rascal Flatts) and Wayne Haun, and New York Times Bestselling Author Andy Andrews.
A very special moment came when producers of the project, DeMarcus and  Haun were asked to join Crabb onstage for a look behind the making of the project, Love Is Stronger.

 

Grammy-Winning The Mavericks will host a benefit for Manuel Cuevas Jr. of “Wear it Out Manuel” Fame. The Mavericks will perform at the benefit to show their support for Manny Jr. as well as to raise awareness for diverticulitis. Raul Malo of The Mavericks notes, “We are honored to be a part of such a special night for such a special friend.”
The event will take place on April 23 at the Cannery Ballroom (One Cannery Row, Nashville, TN 37203). General admission until April 22 is $20.00. General admission on April 23 is $25.00. Stage Level VIP tickets with private cash bar and food is $45.00. A private table for four next to the stage, access to private cash bar and food is $400.
Manuel “Manny” Cuevas Jr. has followed in his father Manuel’s footsteps by becoming an internationally known fashion designer. His father was responsible for making Johnny Cash the “man in black” and designed countless costumes for “The King” himself, Elvis Presley. Growing up with an “artist and costumer” extraordinaire for a father, Manuel Jr. couldn’t wait to try his hand at designing. He currently owns and operates a design studio, workshop, and retail store all located in east Nashville, Wear it out Manuel.”
Unfortunately, last year Cuevas was rushed to the hospital with intestinal complications from Diverticulitis, and endured a number of very intricate surgeries that left this father of three unable to work. Diverticulitis is a condition where small bulging sacs in the large intestine become inflamed or infected. It can be dangerous by causing tears in the intestine or the narrowing of the colon. A benefit concert and auction in Manny’s name has been coordinated by fellow Nashvillians to show support for his family and help them get back on their feet financially.
To order tickets or leave a donation, visit wearitoutmanuel.com/splash or call (615) 953-0111.

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Tim Rushlow, former front man for Little Texas, will continue with the second installment of “Rushlow in the Round” on Tuesday March 26), featuring songwriters Danny Myrick (“She’s Country” and “Truck Yeah”), Danny Orton (“Stand” and “Fall Into Me”) and Leslie Satcher (“When God-Fearing Women Get The Blues” and “Troubadour”).
“Rushlow in the Round” is an interactive show where the stories, questions from fans and songs go to a deeper level than your typical writers’ night. “I have always thought that a crowd deserved more than just the traditional set up quote ‘Here’s another song and it goes like this,'” says Rushlow.
“Rushlow in the Round” will take place on the last Tuesday of every month in the Reverb Room inside the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Nashville at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are $10 for the general public and $5 with active military ID.

 
 

Nashville resident Sheryl Crow will headline the Music City Center grand opening and free outdoor concert on Monday, May 20. Festivities are open to the public during the two-day celebration taking place on Sunday, May 19 and Monday, May 20.
The concert will highlight the multiple genres of music represented in Nashville, including pop, gospel, country and bluegrass. The concert also will feature performances by The Time Jumpers, the Grammy-nominated bluegrass act featuring Vince Gill; Fisk Jubilee Singers; and Mikky Ekko, a singer-songwriter who was most recently featured in Rihanna’s chart-topping duet “Stay.”
“I can’t think of a more fitting way to open the Music City Center than with a diverse lineup of great music representing the best of what Music City has to offer,” Mayor Karl Dean said.
The concert will take place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, May 20. The star-studded lineup will be followed by a fireworks display produced by Pyro Shows.
“The opening of the Music City Center is an important milestone in the city’s history, and I am honored to have been asked to perform,” Crow said. “Nashville is home to some of the world’s best musicians and songwriters, and that creativity is one of the many reasons why I live here.”
Mayor Dean will present his State of Metro address at the Music City Center at 10 a.m. on May 20 as part of the grand opening festivities. A free open house will take place both Sunday and Monday.
The grand opening is being organized by the Mayor’s Office, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. and the Nashville Convention Center Authority.