NEWS - Page 3899 of 4476

Dierks Bentley Wraps Fall Tour, Plays The White House

November 22, 2011/by Eric T. Parker

Dierks Bentley with Eli Young Band

Dierks Bentley wrapped the first leg of his 2011 Country & Cold Cans Tour this weekend with sold out shows in Boise, Bozeman, and Denver. The tour featured Eli Young Band and Jerrod Neimann and will resume in February 2012 with first dates scheduled internationally in Canada and Australia.

“It has been a great run…the fans came ready to party. The crowd in Boise set a record for beer sales!” laughs Bentley. “I’d say that’s a pretty good way to wrap up this leg of the tour.”

Dierks was recently at the White House with Lauren Alaina, The Band Perry, Alison Krauss, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett, Darius Rucker, James Taylor and Mickey for a live-stream taping of PBS’ sixty-minute special, Country Music: In Performance at the White House, which will formally air on PBS Wednesday (11/23), at 7 PM/CT as previously posted by MusicRow.

“No matter who you vote for or what you believe, [The White House] is one of the greatest symbols of our country. It is our nation’s ‘Home,’” says Bentley. “I’m honored to have been asked to perform there, and when I sing this song, I will definitely be thinking about all of the men and women in the military.”

Bentley will also engage fans by releasing a customizable version of the official music video for “Home,” the title track from his upcoming album due February 7. Fans will have the ability to upload photos into the video and download or share virally from his official website. Customized videos can be created here.

Paisley’s “Diary” Hits NYT Best-Seller List

November 22, 2011/by Eric T. Parker

Brad Paisley’s first major book, Diary Of A Player, was released on Nov. 1 and is celebrating its second consecutive week on the New York Times Best-Seller List.

Co-written with David Wild, contributing editor to Rolling Stone and Emmy-nominated television writer and producer, Diary of a Player reached No. 34 on the New York Times Hardcover Nonfiction chart for Nov. 22.

The book was memorably spoofed on the Nov. 9 CMA Awards by co-host Carrie Underwood, who tossed it over her shoulder when Paisley asked if she’d been reading anything interesting.

Published by Paisley with Howard Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, Diary of a Player serves as Paisley’s salute to the guitar gods of country, blues, and rock & roll who have shaped his life. “No matter how I have changed, learned and evolved as a person, the guitar has been a major part of it, and really the only constant,” Paisley wrote as an explanation of the book in the liner notes for his album Play. “You can get through some real tough moments with that guitar on your knee. When life gets intense, there are people who drink, who seek counseling, eat, watch TV, pray, cry, sleep, and so on. I play.”

Nashville Artists Cover McCartney For Charity

November 22, 2011/by Sarah Skates

Backstage at the “Let Us In” benefit concert at The Ryman Auditorium. (L-R) Matthew Stevens from Stevens Management, Premiere Radio Network's Robin Rhodes, Chuck Wicks and David Ross CEO of Reviver Music and Producer of the "Let Us In" Campaign.

Numerous stars performed at the Nov. 7 Let Us In concert to benefit The Woman and Cancer Fund at Nashville’s legendary Ryman Auditorium. The concert was hosted by actor/musician Jeff Daniels, who performed along with SHeDAISY, Sarah Darling, Steel Magnolia, Phil Vassar, Cheyenne Kimball, Jordyn Shellhart, Chuck Wicks, Blue Sky Riders and others.

Many of the same artists contributed an original version of a Sir Paul McCartney song for a compilation album. “Let Us In” Nashville – A Tribute To Linda McCartney is available for purchase, and proceeds will benefit The Women and Cancer Fund.

Darling’s track “Blackbird” is streaming here and the full album is on MSN’s Listening Booth.

Track listing
1. SHeDAISY – “With A Little Luck”
2. Timothy B. Schmit, Mark Hudson, Laurence Juber, Denny Seiwell – “Every Night”
3. Sarah Darling – “Blackbird”
4. Steel Magnolia – “Maybe I’m Amazed”
5. Phil Vassar – “Lady Madonna”
6. Blue Sky Riders (Kenny Loggins, Georgia Middleman and Gary Burr) – “Junk”
7. Cheyenne Kimball – “Mull Of Kintyre”
8. Juliana Cole – “Bluebird”
9. Ricky Skaggs – “Listen To What The Man Said”
10. Jeff Daniels – “Heart Of The Country”
11. Nikki Shannon Fernandez – “I Saw Her Standing There”
12. Jordyn Shellhart – “I Will”
13. Chuck Wicks – “No More Lonely Nights”
14. Nancy Siranni – “Calico Skies”
15. Samantha Landrum – “Pipes Of Peace”
16. Tommy Emmanuel – “She’s A Woman”

One Week Left For No Shave November

November 21, 2011/by Freeman

Dang, does something itch around here? Oh, my bad, that’s my unshaven face and neck. There’s one week left in No Shave November benefiting St. Jude and some of us (including yours truly) have yet to pick up a razor.

The bearded masses of Music Row have been busily raising funds (instead of grooming) to help the cause, and the current total raised stands at $19,231.75. The goal for Nov. 30 has been set at $20,000, so make with the clickin’ and give already. Donations can be made here.

On Nov. 30, participants will gather at The Moose Music Row barber shop for the “Beard Bash,” where prizes will be awarded and a “No Shave November Champion” will be crowned by a panel of celebrity judges. Which, as you can see below, ain’t gonna be me. Maybe there’s a Mr. Congeniality?

(L-R): BBR Management's Shawn Pennington, R&J Records' Tim McFadden, Magic Mustang Music's Keithan Melton, and some dude in a purple shirt.

Cumulus Radiothon Today, And More Benefits

November 21, 2011/by Caitlin Rantala

• All local Cumulus radio stations are commercial-free today (11/21) from 5 a.m. – 7 p.m. for their annual radiothon to raise money for the Nashville Rescue Mission. $2.26 will provide a meal for a homeless person. To donate call (615) 312-1500 or click above. Cumulus stations include Supertalk 99.7 WTN; 92Q Nashville’s Big Station, WQQK; 95.5 FM WSM; Classic Hits 97.1, WRQQ; and i106 All the Hits, WNFN.

• There is also a benefit tonight (11/21) at Music City Bar & Grill for songwriter Earl Clark, to help with his medical costs. He is behind the hits “Renegades, Rebels and Rogues,” “Can’t Break it to My Heart,” “I Know it’s Not the End of the World,” and “I Found Jesus on the Jailhouse Floor.”

• The Springs Music Hall in Salado, TX is proud to present Kinky Friedman and B.J. Thomas on Sat., Nov. 26, benefiting The Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch. Thomas’ credits include “Hooked on A Feeling,” “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” and “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head.” Tickets are on sale for $35 and can be purchased online here.

Willie Nelson Offers Classic Covers Today

November 21, 2011/by Eric T. Parker

Willie Nelson will honor 14 country singers and songwriters from the past 70 years with his new collection, Remember Me, Vol. 1, hitting stores today (11/21).

Songs from Ernest Tubb, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Merle Haggard, Kris Kristofferson, Rosemary Clooney, Porter Wagoner and Ray Price are brought to light again by Nelson and longtime friend and producer James Stroud. Their recording sessions yielded more than 30 songs, half of which are slated to appear next year with the release of Remember Me, Vol. 2. The two-disc set is be released through Stroud’s R&J Records.

Remember Me, Vol. 1 track list below (original hit-making artist, year and peak Billboard position):

1. Remember Me (Ernest Tubb, 1950, No. 5 Country)
2. Sixteen Tons (Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1955, No. 1 Country & Pop)
3. Why Baby Why (George Jones, 1955, No. 4 Country)
4. Today I Started Loving You Again (Merle Haggard, 1970)
5. I’m Movin’ On (Hank Snow, 1950, No. 1 Country)
6. That Just About Does It (Vern Gosdin, 1989, No. 4 Country)
7. This Old House (Rosemary Clooney, 1954, No. 1 Pop)
8. Sunday Morning Coming Down (Johnny Cash, 1970, No. 1 Country)
9. Smoke That Cigarette (Tex Williams, 1947, No. 1 Country)
10. Slowly (Webb Pierce, 1954, No. 1 Country)
11. A Satisfied Mind (Porter Wagoner, 1955, No. 1 Country)
12. Roly Poly (Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, 1946, No. 3 Country)
13. Release Me (Ray Price, 1954, No. 6 Country)
14. Ramblin’ Fever (Merle Haggard, 1977, No. 2 Country)
*15. More And More (Webb Pierce, 1954, No. 1 Country) *iTunes exclusive

Awards Ratings Showdown: CMAs Trump AMAs

November 21, 2011/by Sarah Skates

Swift won top honors at the AMAs, and was also profiled on 60 Minutes.

The American Music Awards pushed ABC to a third-place finish in last night’s (11/20) TV ratings race, averaging about 12 million viewers, according to EW.com. By comparison, about 16.3 million fans tuned into the Nov. 9 CMA Awards, also on ABC. Taylor Swift was a big winner at both ceremonies.

Also last night, CBS won the 7 PM/ET hour and placed second in the 8 PM/ET hour thanks to an NFL game that ran over, and a profile of Swift on network mainstay 60 Minutes.

Overall, NBC’s Sunday Night Football won the night with 14.8 million pairs of eyes. This info according to Zap2It.

Embedded below:

• Members of Nashville’s Hot Chelle Rae talk to The Hollywood Reporter about their AMA win last night.

• See more of Swift’s interview on 60 Minutes Overtime.

TV Time: Artists Score Performance Slots, Guest Spots

November 21, 2011/by Sarah Skates

• Fresh off their American Music Awards win for Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group last night (11/20), Lady Antebellum is getting ready for back-to-back television appearances. The trio is scheduled to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s outdoor concert stage tonight (11/21) at 11 PM/CT on ABC. Tomorrow night (11/22) at 8 PM/CT they will debut “Dancin’ Away with My Heart” on ABC’s Dancing With The Stars.

• Craig Morgan will appear in an upcoming episode of the hit Lifetime series Army Wives. He taped the performance scene recently in Charleston, S.C. In turn, the singer tapped TV star Angie Harmon (Law & Order) for his new video, “This Ole Boy.”

• Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” will be performed Tuesday, Dec. 6 on Fox’s hit show Glee.

• the JaneDear girls will make their television series debut in an episode of The CW’s Hart of Dixie. The bane will perform “Shotgun Girl” in an episode airing Mon., Nov. 28.

• Gloriana will appear on NBC’s The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on Thanksgiving Eve (11/23). The audience will be made up of members of the armed services and Gloriana is set to perform “Soldier Song.” The band’s new single “(Kissed You) Good Night” is currently climbing the charts.

Church To Convert Audiences on Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour

November 21, 2011/by Freeman

In what may be an early contender for rowdiest country tour of 2012, Eric Church has announced his headlining The Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour hitting 50 cities starting in January. Church’s third album Chief has drawn heaps of critical praise, and originally sold 145k copies in its first week of release. His current single “Drink In My Hand” is sitting pretty at No. 3 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart.

Joining Church on the trek is the equally rowdy Brantley Gilbert, who recently hit No. 1 with his first single for Valory Music Co., “Country Must Be Country Wide.” Additional guests on select dates include The Cadillac Black, Blackberry Smoke, Sonia Leigh, Jon Pardi, and Drake White.

“We have been building our entire career for this tour. It is truly the culmination of a lot of blood, sweat and beer that has brought us to this point in our career,” says Church. “I have always trusted our fans to deliver with their dedication and passion, they have always exceeded my expectations. I have never been more excited to begin a tour than this one. The band and I are committed to emptying the tank every night and delivering the best show we can.”

Announced dates for The Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour are included below. Additional dates will be scheduled in Portland, ME; Lowell, MA; Indiana, PA; Oklahoma City, OK; Jonesboro, AR; Orange Beach, AL; New York, NY; Binghamton, NY; Reading, PA; Atlantic City, NJ; Estero, FL; Orlando, FL; Tallahassee, FL; Las Vegas, NV; Tupelo, MS; Bossier City, LA; Auburn, AL; Evansville, IN; St. Louis, MO; Pikeville, KY; Columbus, OH; Lexington, KY; Bloomington, IL; Springfield, MO; Birmingham, AL; Nashville, TN; Toledo, OH; Chicago, IL; Youngstown, OH; Minneapolis, MN; Topeka, KS; and Morrison, CO.

Eric Church—The Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour
January 19       Fort Smith, AR            Fort Smith Convention Center
January 20       Cape Girardeau, MO   Show Me Center
January 21       Southaven, MS            Desoto Civic Center
January 26       Madison, WI               The Alliant Energy Center
January 27       Saginaw, MI                The Dow Event Center
January 28       Terre Haute, IN           The ISU Hulman Center
February 2       Savannah, GA             Savannah Civic Center
February 3       Knoxville, TN              Thompson Boling Arena
February 4       Norfolk, VA              Ted Constant Center
February 16     Greenville, SC              Bi-Lo Center
February 17     Salisbury, MD              Wicomico Civic Center
February 18     Greensboro, NC         Greensboro Coliseum
February 23     Battle Creek, MI         Kellogg Arena
February 24     Cleveland, OH              Wolstein Center @ CSU
February 25     Ft. Wayne, IN               Allen County War Memorial Col.
March 1           Portland, ME              Cumberland County Civic Center
March 2           Lowell, MA                  Tsongas Center at UMASS Lowell
March 3           Indiana, PA                   Kovalchick Center
March 8           Oklahoma City, OK      Chesapeake Energy Center
March 10         Orange Beach, AL        Amphitheater at The Wharf

Swift, Shelton and Lady A Take Home AMA Awards

November 21, 2011/by Caitlin Rantala

Last night’s (11/20) American Music Awards show was filled with big wins for country music. Taylor Swift walked away with Favorite Country Female Artist, Favorite Country Album and Artist Of The Year. Swift has now won ten AMA awards, claiming Artist Of The Year twice.

Also for country, Blake Shelton took home Favorite Male Country Artist, while Lady Antebellum won Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group.

Nicki Minaj, who won Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Artist and Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album for Pink Friday, took a moment to thank Swift on stage for her “Superbass” success. A viral video of Swift rapping Minaj’s song went viral earlier this year and Minaj credits the country singer with the single’s popularity.

Still recovering from throat surgery and unable to attend, Adele notably tied Swift in number of awards with Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist, Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist.

Casting Crowns also took home its second AMA, winning Favorite Artist in the Contemporary Inspirational category. Also from Nashville, Hot Chelle Rae won Sprint New Artist of the Year.

And while she didn’t win any category awards, after her performance of “The One That Got Away,” Katy Perry was honored with a special AMA Award of Achievement for being the first woman in the history of pop music to have five No. 1 singles from one album.

The show included live performances by Jennifer Lopez, Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Drake, Minaj, David Guetta, Pitbull, Marc Anthony, Lil Jon, Gym Class Heroes, Adam Levine, will.i.am, Enrique Iglesias, Ludacris, Maroon 5 and Christina Aguilera. LMFAO closed the night out their “Party Rock Anthem.”