As promised, today I am finally going to offer you a little sneak peak at the Road Hammers’ new release, Blood, Sweat and Steel. If you’re a country fan, you will definitely want to pick this one up when it gets a physical release at the end of the month. Their music has that modern flair, yet keeps true to a more traditional southern sound. The songs range from uptempo numbers full of attitude to laid-back songs that are good for a hanging out and relaxing. Here are a few of my personal highlights:

"Working Hard at Loving You"- This is one of the uptempo songs and is sung with attitude and confidence. It’s about doing what you can to make the person you love happy. The chorus goes "It’s not a 9-to5 situation when you’re doing what you love to do. Your kiss is my compensation. Working hard at loving you."

"I’ve Got the Scars to Prove It"- This is probably my favorite song. It’s what I’d call the most mature one of the bunch. This is a slow number about being scarred by love. One of my favorite lines is "These marks are here to remind me where I went wrong, what made me strong and how I moved on."

"Overdrive"- Another uptempo one with a lot of harmonica in it. It’s one of those songs whose energy is catching... you will not be able to sit still while this one is on! It’s about only feeling alive when you’re going at a crazy pace.

Overall, a really nice effort and I’m looking forward to seeing where they go from here. Be sure to check your local music store or amazon to get your copy when it’s released at the end of this month.

In other news, Sara Evans tied the knot again. Congrats and much luck to her... with the way celeb marriages have gone lately, she may need it!

Brad Paisley is working hard on that instrumental album. Here’s a neat story courtesy of GAC about a strange coincidence that happened behind the scenes. I hope radio will embrace this CD, but I’m not holding my breath.

Congrats to Carrie Underwood for "Last Name" getting to #1. It was a close race with Brad... can Carrie hang on to the top? We’ll see when the chart is released later in the week.

Finally, if you’re a Jewell fan, tune into GAC tomorrow to catch her new video, "I Do".It’s going to air at 8:45 AM eastern. Stay tuned, because tomorrow I am going to start bringing you regular commentary on the new season of Nashville Star. First, I will fill you in on the premiere, then later on in the day I’ll post my thoughts on the new episode. I’ll start posting on the show every Monday after that.

Well, that’s it for now. Take care and I’ll see y’all later!

Well, the nominations are in. Can't say there are any major surprises here. Who are you all pulling for to win? Here  are my personal choices...

Entertainer of the Year: Brad Paisley

Male Vocalist: Brad Paisley

Female Vocalist: This is a tough one, as several of my favorites are nominated here. Carrie will likely get it, but it would be nice to see LeAnn or Miranda win one.

Top Vocal Group: Little Big Town

Top Vocal Duo: Sugarland

Top New Male Vocalist: I have to go with Jack Ingram

Top New Female Vocalist: Kellie Pickler

Top New Vocal Duo: Lady Antelbellum (By the way... how are The Wreckers nominated here? They've been out for several years now and aren't even recording together anymore...)

Album of the Year: I say either 5th Gear or Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year: I vote for "Stay" here.

Video of the Year: My vote is for "Online" or "Stay".

Vocal Event of the Year: I choose either "Because of You" or "Til We Ain't Strangers Anymore".

There you have it! My picks for who I'd like to win at the ACM awards this year. Now, it's your turn. Am I crazy for picking Kellie Pickler? Do you think anyone other than George for Male Vocalist is robbery? Let me know!

So, I was visiting a message board today and saw a like to People.com where you can actually get free downloads of several Country Music songs. Some of the artists are Katie Armiger, Whiskey Falls and Rissi Palmer. Check em out and let me know what you think of the songs.

Speaking of Country Music songs... Arista Nashville isn't wasting much time. While "Letter to Me" is at #1 on the singles chart, Brad is now releasing "I'm Still a Guy". Cute song and definitely a good choice for a single, although I'd love to see "Mr. PoliceMan" released at some point. I can just see the video now.

Well, I guess that's about all for now, Country Music fans. Enjoy the songs and see y'all next time!!

I just get a kick out of Dolly. Check out this GAC news story about her tour postponement.In typical Dolly fashion, she sees the humor in the situation and pokes fun at her own image at the same time. Now, this is how to handle yourself. Newcomers, take note!

As if the music isn't enough, here is another reason to like Brad Paisley. I've heard of the disease the kids in this camp have and it sounds terrible. It's great that there are places out there like this that help the kids have fun even if they can't run and play in the daylight. Also, check out the quotes they include from him regarding 5th Gear. Really cool stuff.

Isn't Taylor Swift busy enough these days? Apparently not. I've seen a little clip of this video and it looks pretty cool so far. When you go to the link, go to the video airtimes section to see when her "I'm Only Me When I'm With You" video will be airing. I can't help thinking this one may just take off and hinder "Picture to Burn" on the charts. We'll see...

Well, that's all for now. See y'all next time. Til then, stay safe and "play something country!"

Wow. I can't believe I've already done 100 posts! It doesn't seem possible, but it's true. I wanna thank everyone who has been reading the blog and I hope you'll continue to enjoy it. I truly enjoy Country Music and it's been so fun writing about it for all this time. I wanted to y'all a head's up here on a couple things. Check it out:

I'm sure y'all know about the strike that has pretty much put TV at a stand still. Late Night shows haven't had new episodes since the writers walked out in November. Carson Daly was the first back and now Jay Leno is going to follow. Be sure to tune in on January 3rd when he comes back with guest Joe Nichols. It's been awhile since the Country Music Singer has been out there due to a stint in rehab. Hopefully, this is sign of better things to come.

Can't get enough Country Music videos? Well, neither can I. I regularly check out the GAC site to see what good videos will be on that day or over the next couple day. Interestingly enough, Jessica Andrews "Who I Am" will air tomorrow at 2PM. It's been quite awhile since I've seen her featured anywhere on TV and I just happened to be thinking of her when I was considering what artists I hoped will have success in 2008. Hopefully, this is a sign of good things to come for her since I did notice Shania Twain started getting more videos featured after it was announced she's coming back with a new Country Music CD is the new year. Don't forget to check out Brad Paisley's "Little Moments" at 7:03 PM that same night. This is one of my favorite videos by him and I love how he features Kimberly Williams-Paisley in it.

Well, that's it guys. 100 posts. Stay tuned for the next hundred!! Til then, stay safe and "play something country!"

Well, another year has come and gone. Personally, I think 2007 was good to Country Music fans everywhere. Sure, there was some great loss as a few of the classic country music singers of the past passed on but there was also much to celebrate. Carrie Underwood's debut CD continued to rule with some great singles. It's still selling well now, even with her new at the top of the charts. Josh Turner joined the Grand Ole Opry while Charlie Daniels was invited to join. Sugarland released one of their best song yet and managed to rule the charts with it, even though it was a very simple song. Alan Jackson, Vince Gill and other well respected performers came back with successful albums that were also well-reviewed. 2007 also brought us one of Brad Paisley's best works yet, 5th Gear and LeAnn's Family. Country artists also held the top three spots on the Billboard 200 for what was said to be the first time.

GAC continued to be my favorite way to see Country Music Videos and keep up with what's next. In a time when so many other video channels are abandoning the music for reality fare, the channel has been a good option for music lovers everywhere.

As we end one year and begin another, Country is also giving us much to look forward to. New Country Music CDs from Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain and others are scheduled for early this year. I hope these releases can kick retail butt like some of the releases from late 2007, continuing to prove that if a quality CD is released, the fans will buy it. I also hope that the new singles from Lila McCann, Danielle Peck and LeAnn will be huge hits. The women need to get more radio play and these three are too talented to not be successful.

Well, that's all for this year!! I hope you all have a wonderful night and please do stay safe! Remember to make sure you've got a safe ride home if you're going out drinking. Happy '08, everyone!!

Well, Country Music fans... it looks like it was a pretty quiet week this week. From what I can see the top ten seems virtually unchanged so I'm not going to post the top 10 this week. I will, however, mention a few singles...

Both Brad Paisley and Gary Allen have hit the top 10 on the Country Music songs chart this week. Brad's "Lett to Me" comes in at #9, while "Watching Airplanes" is at #10. Go them! Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood's "All-American Girl" has moved up to #22 after only a few weeks out. It also earned a "Greatest Gainer" designation. Speaking of jumps... Sugarland just might begin 2008 with a #1 hit. This week, "Stay" came in second to Taylor Swift's "Our Song".

In other Taylor Swift news, the Country Music singer told GAC that she is hard at work already on her follow-up CD. Can lightening strike twice? We'll see. Afterall, it did for Carrie Underwood. Her second Country Music CD, Carnival Ride has already been certified 2X platinum.

That's all for this post. Check out some more Year-End Review coming soon. Til then, take care and "play something Country!"

Good morning one and all!! There's some good news on the singles front, Country Music fans. Carrie Underwood is releasing "All American Girl", while LeAnn is releasing "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine" for their second single. I would have liked to have seen Carrie put out "Flat on the Floor" next to really mix it up, but there's plenty of time for that later. Right now, I guess "AAG" is not all that bad of a choice. It's a Carrie-written track and very catchy. LeAnn, on the other hand... I can't think of another song I think would have been better than this for a second single. It's a very catchy anthem kind of song that fans will surely love. Still waiting to see "What I Cannot Change" or "Nothing Wrong" get released eventually, though.

In other Country Music news, I got Brad Paisley's Christmas CD the other day (or, more acuarately, the B/F got it for me as an early present). It's a great listen! Brad did several holiday classics as well as writing some new tracks for it. For the classic tunes, Brad chose a very simple Country arrangement musically and sang them in a very low-key way. It's a nice change from the over-singing that often happens with Christmas songs.

Well, that's about it for now. Tomorrow starts all our Christmas festivities, so I might not get back to posting until the 26th. If I don't post until then, have a great holiday everyone!! Meanwhile, why not post a comment here letting me know what some of your favorite Chistmas songs are? I'd love to hear them! Also, what do you all think about Carrie and LeAnn's single choices? Later y'all! Take care, and "play something Country!"

Hey there, Country Music fans. It's me again, ready to offer up some more news and reviews. Once again, I'll be looking at the year in Country music today with some of my favorite album tracks of the year. Some of these were actually released this year, others I discovered this year. Here they are, in no special order.

Sugarland's "Mean Girls" from Enjoy the Ride. The first time I heard this song, I was hooked. It's a fast-paced song that talks about the sometimes catty nature of women. Jennifer's Vocals are awesome, full of attitude and they're clearly just having fun with it. I dare you to put this one on and not get up and dance (or at least sing along!)

Brad Paisley's "Hey Mr. Police Man" from 5th Gear. Again, this is a fast track that really makes you wanna move. The guitar playing in the song emphasises just how talented a musician he really is. The lyrics are not deep by any means, but they're catchy and clever. Like Sugarland, he's just trying to have a good time with this one and it works.

Kellie Pickler's "My Angel" from Small Town Girl. This is a very simple and uncomplicated track that wins my vote for personal reasons. It's about Kellie's relationship with the Grandmother who raised her. I had a very similar relationship to mine. She shaped a lot of my childhood and this one always makes me think of her.

Taylor Swift's "Picture to Burn" from her self-titled Debut Country Music CD and Carrie Underwood's "Last Name" from Carnival Ride. I put these two together because I already mentioned them in previous blog posts, but I wanted to make a brief mention of them as favorites for the year.

Chris Young's "White Lightening Hit the Family Tree" and "Flowers" from his self-titled debut. All I have to say about this one is, if you have family you are around often, you're going to relate to this. It's all about a family reunion that goes crazy and he sings it perfectly. The second song is totally different, as Chris takes on the role of a man who killed someone he loves in an accident after he'd been drinking. The first time I heard it this year, I just about fell off my seat. It's very moving.

Well, that's all for now. Join me another time when I share some more of my favorites (and not so favorites) in music this year. Til then, take care and "play something country!"

Last time, I shared some stuff I loved about 2007. I have more of those in store. This time, Country Music fans, I thought I would share a couple things that disappointed this year.

Miranda Lambert's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and LeAnn Rimes' Family. No, I'm not contridicting my good reviews of them. They're two of my favorite Country Music CDs. What I am disappointed in, however, is how they've done so far. They deserve far more attention and sales then they are getting. Hopefully Miranda's "Gunpower and Lead" and LeAnn's "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine" will help the CDs have a much better 2008.

Brad Paisley's "Ticks". That was just... strange. Normally, I love Brad's funnier stuff, but this song did nothing for me. Thankfully, he released "Online" and "Letter to Me" and redeemed himself.

CMT. I got even more into Country Music thanks to finally being able to get CMT and GAC on cable, since they are the only music stations on regular cable to actually play music videos. Sadly, CMT seems to be trying to follow in VH1 and MTV's footsteps and become yet another network to peddle reality TV shows about tricking cars and other lame stuff like that. These types of shows seem to be on CMT more often than not. The only reason I like Home At Last is because it is a show actually about a musician and showing what he deals with. The other stuff, I couldn't care less. If I did, there are plenty of other channels to choose from. Most people turn on a music channel because they want to hear music or see shows about music. And labels wonder why the industry is suffering...

Well, Country Music fans... that's all for now. I'll be posting more this weekend about some more favorites and not-so-favorites. Enjoy em!! Feel free to post your own in the comments. Til next time, take care and "play something country!"

Good morning, Country Music fans. Grammy Nominations were announced yesterday, so here is a look at some of the categories along with some commentary.

Female Vocal Perfomance: "Simple Love", Alison Krauss; "Famous In A Small Town", Miranda Lambert; "Nothin' Better To Do", LeAnn Rimes; "Before He Cheats", Carrie Underwood; "Heaven, Heartache And The Power Of Love", Trisha Yearwood. This is a really tough category. Sure, Carrie will most likely take it, but the others are really good and can give her a run for her money. My personal hope is LeAnn gets it. Carrie’s had tons of recognition for this song already and "Nothin’ Better to Do" is a great track. It’s also LeAnn’s only nod this year.

 

Best Collaboration with Vocals: "Days Aren't Long Enough" Steve Earle & Allison Moorer; "Because Of You" Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson; "I Need You" Tim McGraw & Faith Hill; "Lost Highway" Willie Nelson & Ray Price; "Oh Love", Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood. This is a category where anything can happen, in my opinion. I love most of the songs in this category, too, so I’ll be happy with anyone who wins. The only one I think has no shot is "Days Aren’t Long Enough". I’ve never heard it, so I can’t comment on the quality of the song. I just think one of the more high-profile nominees will take it.

" ; ", . This is a category where anything can happen, in my opinion. I love most of the songs in this category, too, so I’ll be happy with anyone who wins. The only one I think has no shot is "Days Aren’t Long Enough". I’ve never heard it, so I can’t comment on the quality of the song. I just think one of the more high-profile nominees will take it.

Best Country Music Album: Long Trip Alone, Dierks Bentley; These Days, Vince Gill; Let It Go, Tim McGraw; 5th Gear, Brad Paisley; It Just Comes Natural, George Strait. While my personal vote goes to Brad, I think this really comes down to George and Vince.

While my personal vote goes to Brad, I think this really comes down to George and Vince.

In other Grammy news, Taylor Swift is up for Best New Artist (Otherwise known as the Kiss of Death award), Brad Paisley is nominated in the Instrumental category for "Throttleneck" and Sugarland was completely left out. What’s up with that?

Well, that’s all for now, Country Music fans!! Don’t forget to check out Movies Rock tonight to see Carrie Underwood sing The Sound of Music. Also, LeAnn Rimes and Joss Stone perform on Crossroads tonight on CMT. Movies Rock is on at 9 PM Eastern until 11 PM. Crossroads starts at 10PM. You can also catch a repeat of Crossroads tomorrow at 10 AM. Til next time, take care and "play something Country!"

Trisha Yearwood has a bone to pick with all the ticket scalpers out there. According to a story on CMT, the Country Music singer was furious when she found out that tickets to her shows with husband Garth Brooks were going for hundreds of dollars on some sites. I can't really blame her. I'd be furious about it too. The fans are the ones getting hurt when scalpers snatch up all the tickets they can. She is hoping a solution can be reached to stop scalpers from getting tickets, but let’s face it: that’s gonna be a tough one.  Garth just released his latest Country Music CD Ultimate Hits, while Trisha’s release Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love is being previewed on some sites.

Is it just me, or does Billy Ray Cyrus look like a whole other person now? He looks so different from his 90s heyday, I probably wouldn’t have recognized him in his new video if he hadn’t already been all over the place thanks to Hannah Montana. I have to say, though... the look works. For any fans out there who don’t know, he’s gonna be starring in a reality show on CMT with daughter Miley. I’ll post something closer to the start date to remind everyone about it. For the record? I hated "Achy Breaky Heart," and I’m glad he’s gone in a different direction musically.

Finally, I thought I’d give you a head’s up about some great Country Music Videos airing tomorrow on GAC. Brad Paisley’s "Letter to Me" will be on tomorrow at 12:16 PM. Stay tuned though, cause a few other really good videos are on right after: Bon Jovi’s "Who Says You Can’t Go Home", Gary Allan’s "Best I Ever Had" and Riss Palmer’s "Country Girl." At 2:50 PM, catch SheDaisey’s "Don’t Worry Bout a Thing" Later that day, GAC adds what I think it a really nice touch by playing Dolly Parton’s "I’m Gone" right before back-to-back Porter Wagoner videos starting at 3:07 PM. Remember, these are estimated Eastern time airtimes, so you’ll probably want to tune in a little bit before so you don’t miss anything. Check out the GAC site to all a complete listing.

Til next time, Country Music fans, stay safe and "play something country!"

It's called "Country Music's Biggest Night" and I can't say they didn't live up to the hype. This was everything an awards show should be, in my opinion. They kept it short and sweet  (2 hours) while not sacrificing quality and they kept up the pace through out the show instead of limping to a close like so many others have. I think the multi-host format was pretty good, too. Often, award show hosts might start out amusing and end up falling flat later on. Other times, the host is bad from start to finish. Having several different hosts for the night kept things fresh and fun.

Let's talk performances. I want to end things on a pretty good note, so let's get the bad ones out of the way. Taylor Swift shocked me. I kept expecting her vocals to get a little better, but it just didn't happen and I actually felt a little embarrassed watching it. Rascal Flatts also disappointed. Particularly in the second number with Jamie Foxx. Over all, though, the performances were among the best I've seen on an awards show.

The performance of the night, for me, was Sugarland. They performed "Stay" and I have to say, I loved it even better than the version on their CD. I think the lack of an organ helped out. Jennifer actually looked like she was about to cry several times during the song, and had the audience on their feet. Another highlight was Kellie Pickler's performance of "I Wonder". She actually did break down during her perfomance, but held it together enough to turn in a great vocal. Other great perfomances include Brad Paisley, who actually brough the marching band that recorded online with him to perform. Adding to the fun performance was Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler, who appeared in the video, dancing with him onstage. Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Josh Turner and Alison Krauss also did well, sounding as good or better than their recordings.

Now that that is out of the way, it's time to get down to the business of the night: awards.

Single of the Year: Carrie Underwood, "Before He Cheats"

Song of the Year: "Give it Away", George Strait

Vocal Group of the Year: Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo of the Year: Sugarland

Album of the Year:  It Just Comes Natural, George Straight

Video of the Year: Brad Paisley, "Online"

Horizon Award: Taylor Swift

Musician of the Year:  Jerry Douglas

Female Vocalist: Carrie Underwood

Male Vocalist: Brad Paisley

Musical Event of the Year: "Find Out WhoYour Friends Are", Tracey Lawrence with Time McGraw and Kenny Chesney

Entertainer of the Year: Kenny Chesney

Overall, I'm very happy with the results of the awards. Especially Brad Paisley's wins. In looking over my old predictions, I'm surprised to see that I did pretty good at guessing the winners. How did you guys do? Did you have a favorite performance? I'd like to hear about it! That's all for now! See ya tomorrow! Tile then, stay safe and "play something Country!"

Another week has come and gone, and what a week it’s been. I’m still rocking out to Carnival Ride. According to early predictions, I’m not the only one either. Carrie’s second Country Music CD is trending about 400,000-500,000 for her first week sales. In other Carrie news, she’s not only performing the National Anthem this weekend during the World Series, she’s also going to appear on a special called "Movies Rock" on December 7^th. She’s supposed to be performing the title song from one of my all-time favorite musicals "The Sound of Music." I’m interested to see what she can do with the song Julie Andrews made famous.

Opry Month continues on GAC as they induct Josh Turner into the exclusive club. That’s not all that will be going on tomorrow night, though. It will also be the debut of a brand new theme song and opening montage co-written and performed by Brad Paisley! I’m interested to see what he’s come up with, as he’s one of my favorite writers in the business right now. The program airs at 8PM eastern, so set those VCRs!

Speaking of setting the VCRs, if you aren’t a night owl, you’ll want to record this one: the 20 Funniest Videos special on CMT. It airs at 1am Saturday morning and features videos from Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, Joe Diffie and the Dixie Chicks, among others. Whose number one? You’ll have to tune in to find out!

Well, that’s it for now. Check back on Monday for another week of Country Music news and reviews. I’ve got plenty of reviews in store for you. I might even post one this weekend... in the meantime, make sure stop by the forum and post your thoughts. I’d love to see them. Til then, stay safe and "play something country!"

This is going to be a new regular feature. Each Thursday, I will share the latest charts so you know how  your favorite Country Music CDs are doing. Here are this week's rankings:

#10 Rascal Flatts, Me And My Gang. This one fell 5 spots this week. Not surprising, considering they have a new release out.

#9 Tim McGraw Let It Go. Tim fell two spots, but still managed to stay in the top 10.

#8 Sugarland Enjoy The Ride. After experiencing a jump in sales thanks to "Stay" the disc falls two spots on the new chart.

#7 Taylor Swift Taylor Swift. She’s hanging in there after falling 3 spots. Watch for sales to climb after the re-release. Especially with "Our Song" out.

#6 Cross Canadian Ragweed Mission California. The Universal South group’s disc debuts in the 6^th spot, giving us the first new CD in the top ten for the week.

#5 Kenny Chesney Just Who I am Poets and Pirates falls two spots, thanks to a couple other new releases this week.

#4 Brooks and Dunn debut in this position with Cowboy Town, making this the second new release to debut in the top ten for the week.

#3 Faith Hill The Hits. This is the final new CD to hit the top ten for the week.

#2 Reba McEntire Duets. The legendary country music singer manages to hang in the 2^nd slot after debuting at #1.

#1 Rascal Flatts Still Feels Good. The trio once again takes the top spot. Stay tuned to see if they can keep it.

Stay tuned, Country Music Fans.... with several big releases still on the way, there should be plenty of action on the charts in the weeks to come. Also... keep on the look out for a couple new singles to be released. Phil Vassar’s "Love is a Beautiful Thing" will be officially released on Oct. 29^th, while Brad Paisley will unleash "Letter to Me" a week earlier. Later on tonight, I'll post that Miranda review.  Til next time, stay safe and "play something country!"

Hey, everyone! I’m gonna send some more reviews your way in the next day or two, but for now I wanna update you on a little bit of Country Music news. Today, I want to share the Country categories for the American Music Awards.

The nominees for Male Artist are: Toby Keith, Tim McGraw and Brad Paisley. It is really hard to even begin to take a guess at who will win this one. I would like Brad Paisley to take home the award, but you can’t count out Tim and Toby after the year they all had.

Favorite Female Artist Nominees are: Martina McBride, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood. I would pick Carrie for this one hands down. Ever since her debut country music CD is 2005, she has been considered the genre’s new darling and had a highly anticipate album coming out.

Favorite Band, Duo or Group: Big and Rich, Brooks and Dunn, and Rascal Flatts. While I would prefer Brooks and Dunn to win this one, I have a feeling Rascal Flatts will pull out a win.

Favorite Album: Tim McGraw’s Let it Go, Rascal Flatts’ Me and My Gand and Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts. I think it’s going to be a battle between Carrie and Rascal Flatts. They have had the biggest discs of the genre for awhile now, so it makes sense. We’ll see what happens...

The awards will be aired on ABC on November 18^th. You won’t want to miss this, cause the show is about to make history. For the very first time, they are going to let the fans decide who walks away with the prizes. If you want to vote, go to the website and make your selection. The deadline is the 1^st of November, so don’t wait! If you want, come back and share your picks on the forum. I’d love to know who you chose.

Check back tomorrow, when I review Miranda Lambert’s Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and share a couple other headlines. Til next time, stay safe and "play something country!

For all you Sara Evans fans out there, CMT is about to make your day. Starting at 2 pm Eastern time they are going to air several programs devoted to her. First up is Big Break, where you’ll get to see Sara make an aspiring singer’s dreams come true as the newcomer opens a show for her.

Then, at 2:30 eastern, you’ll get to see her discuss her life and career on the Insider special. This will be followed by an hour long concert special called Summerfest. Sara’s new CD Greatest Hits is out now, so check it out. For newcomers to Country Music, the shows and CD are a great way to introduce yourselves to one of the more popular Country Music singers.

Speaking of concerts... if you wanted to see Brad Paisley’s "Bonfires and Amplifiers" tour and didn’t get to go, you just might have a chance still. The popular tour is going to be extended to include country music singers Rodney Adkins and Chuck Wicks. Better move fast to buy those tickets, though. The current tour is going to end in December and the new leg, starting in January, only lasts a month. You can see his full tour schedule and find out how to get tickets at his official site. Taylor Swift and Kellie Picker have been opening for most of the dates. 

Trisha Yearwood might wanna stock up on coffee. She’s going to be busy soon. The singer, who recently signed with Big Machine Records (the home of Taylor Swift), has announced she’ll be opening the concerts husband Garth Brooks has planned. The concerts are scheduled to take place during the promotional push for her new Country Music CD, Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love. Check out the official ticketmaster site for the shows to see dates and buy your tickets.

 

That’s all for today, guys. I’ll catch ya tomorrow, when I’ll share some more news and reviews. To the new forum members, welcome!! Don’t forget to post your thoughts on any of the stories you’ve seen here. You can even suggest ideas for things you’d like to see. Til next time, stay safe and "play something country!"

It was almost like I had some tapping on my shoulder last night, giving me a much-needed push. I know I blogged yesterday to let y’all know that legendary Country Music singer Dolly Parton was going to be on "Dancing with the Stars", but I somehow managed to forget in between some of the chaos yesterday. Suddenly, I notice the time- 8:35. I had missed more than half the show already! I was wondering if I was going to get to hear the new Dolly song after all. Sure enough, just as I turned it on, the co-hosts were introducing her, saying she was about to do her new song. Dolly walked out in stage in one of her trademark over-the-top outfits and the band kicked in. Talk about luck! As for the song itself, I enjoyed it. It’s a mix of both classic country and contemporary sounds that Dolly delivered with her typical enthusiasm. We all better hope we’re as energetic as her when we get older. (Personally, I think she’s the female Dick Clarke and I want to know what they do to stay this way!) The lyrics make this a great song to pick you up after a rough day. It’s all about taking the time out to appreciate what you have and pick yourself up and move on when things get bad instead of wallowing. Don’t we all need that little reminder now and then?

Yesterday, I told you that Taylor Swift was coming out with a new clip soon for "Our Song". Well, here’s another country music video to look out for: "Letter to Me" by Brad Paisley. Word is he went back to his hometown to make the video. The song is an intriguing look inside the star’s mind as he reflects on his experiences and what he wishes he could say to his younger self.

Finally, let’s wrap things up with a look at the singles chart. Rascal Flatts is number 1 with "Take Me There". Brad Paisley moved up one spot to number 2 with "Online", switching spots with Toby Keith’s "Love Me If You Can". Brooks and Dunn stayed at number 4 with "Proud of the House We Built", while Kenny Chesney’s "Don’t Blink" moved up one to number 5. As for the rest of the top ten- here’s what it looks like:

6. Luke Bryan "All My Friends Say"

7. Tim McGraw "If You’re Reading This"

8. Garth Brooks "More Than a Memory"

9. Dierks Bently "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)"

10. Carrie Underwood "So Small"

Well, there ya have it! The Country Music news for the day. Don’t forget to check out the forum to sound off on anything you’ve seen here (or anything else country). Til next time, stay safe and "play something country!"

 

I love music and the country genre in particular. I’m always checking out music news, watching concert specials, checking out documentaries, etc. One of the best series I have seen in recent years has been CMT Crossroads.

 

CMT Crossroads takes Country artists and puts them on a stage with artists from other genres. It’s a great way for a Rock or Pop fan to introduce themselves to the Country Genre. The artists featured take turns singing their own songs as well singing the other’s. One of the better ones featured Martina McBride and Pat Benetar.

 

Throughout the special, Martina let it loose, showing her voice is strong enough to handle Rock as well as Country. One of the highlights was watching Pat try her hand at trading lead vocals on "Independence Day". The two were clearly enjoying themselves and Benetar was hilarious at the end, making a show of catching her breath after tackling the tricky song. Martina later sings most of the vocals for Pat’s "We Belong", sounding amazingly like Benetar.

 

Crossroads isn’t just performances, either. Each episode features interview footage of the artists sitting together and discussing their careers and the songs they’re about to sing. Often, this leads to some amusing stories or surprising insights into the songwriting process. Martina discussed with obvious embarrassment the name of her first band and how she’d been too innocent and naive at the time to see the less-then-innocent double meaning. Pat talked about the difficulties she faced as a woman in Rock in the early 80's and how she and her husband stick together to make sure no one forces decisions about her career that are not going to be good for her.

 

Some of the other people featured on Crossroads include Brad Paisley with John Mayer and Reba McEntire with Kelly Clarkson. If you’re a fan of country or just looking for a great way to learn about the genre, this is the series for you. Be sure to keep your eyes out for future episodes. Check out the Country Music Daily forum to discuss Crossroads and anything else Country-related!

Well, Country fans, it’s that time again! The nominees for the 41^st annual CMA awards were announced recently. Here are the categories and my predictions for the winners.

 

Female Vocalist of the year nominees are: Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood. Most of the nominations here are pretty standard and expected, but there were a couple surprises. Miranda Lambert has been pretty low key for the most part this year and Faith Hill is nowhere to be seen in any category. Personally, this category seems to be Martina and Carrie’s to win. As for my choice? Carrie all the way. This has definitely been her year.

 

For Male Vocalist of the Year, we have: Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Josh Turner and Keith Urban. The only real surprise in this category is the fact Tim McGraw isn’t listed. Who will be the winner? Most likely Kenny Chesney. He seems to be an awards favorite. If he doesn’t win a category, Keith Urban usually does. Personally, I’d love to see Brad Paisley take it. He doesn’t seem to get as much recognition come awards time as the others.

 

For the Horizon Award, the nominees are: Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Little Big Town, Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swift. Not shocked by this list at all. Each one of them has done really well and managed to make a good name for themselves in the industry. I would think this award is either gonna go to Taylor Swift or Little Big Town. They seem to have the most industry hype behind them and they’ve done really well. It’s hard for me to choose someone in this category because I enjoy them all, so I’m gonna have to plead the 5^th.

 

Vocal Group of the Year nominees are: Alison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Dixie Chicks, Emerson Drive, Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts. The big shocker here is the inclusion of the Dixie Chicks, who have pretty much been left out since Natalie’s controversial comments. I’d say the Grammy success helped them here a lot. As for predications, I’m gonna call Rascal Flatts. They’ve owned the awards shows for awhile now. If anyone can beat them, it’ll be Little Big Town. My preference? I’d love to see the Dixie Chicks take it- it would be the shock of the night.

 

The Vocal Duo of the Year nominees are: Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, Sugarland and The Wreckers. This is probably one of the most standard categories yet. Not a single nominee is a surprise to me at all. The only hitch would be that The Wreckers have essentially disbanded- at least for awhile. Brooks and Dunn are the most likely winners here. If anyone can take the award away from them, although Sugarland and Big&Rich have a great shot at stealing the win. My vote would be with Sugarland, personally.

 

Single of the Year: "Anyway" by Martina McBride , "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood, "Lost In This Moment" by Big & Rich, "Ticks" by Brad Paisley and "Wrapped" by George Strait. The fact Carrie will win seems to be a no-brainer. That was one of the biggest songs of the year, afterall. I wouldn’t mind a Carrie win at all, although it’s between her and Brad Paisley for my vote.

 

Album of the Year: 5th Gear by Brad Paisley, It Just Comes Natural by George Strait, Long Trip Alone by Dierks Bentley, Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing by Keith Urban and These Days by Vince Gill. I’m a little surprised to not see Big and Rich nominated or Sugarland, but they seem to have taken care to add in some long-time artists here who haven’t gotten as much attention in recent years so that’s a good thing. I have to say I think Keith Urban will take it, although I’d love to see a Brad Paisley win.

 

Song of the Year: "Anyway", "Before He Cheats", "Give It Away", "Lost In This Moment" and "Stupid Boy". No shocks here. I’d say "Before he Cheats" is a slam dunk in this category. If anyone can take it away, it’ll be "Lost in this Moment". My vote would go with either one.

 

Musical Event of the Year: Reba McEntire with Kelly Clarkson "Because of You", Tracy Lawrence featuring Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney "Find Out Who Your Friends Are", Jimmy Buffett with George Strait and Alan Jackson "Hey Good Lookin’", Alison Krauss and John Waite "Missing You" and Vince Gill with Guest Vocalist Alison Krauss "The Reason Why". The huge shock here is the omission of Faith Hill and Tim McGraw’s "I Need You", although McGraw is nominated for his part in "Find Out Who Your Friends Are". I believe this award is Reba and Kelly’s to win. If Reba’s status doesn’t do it, Kelly’s star power can. My vote is with Reba and Kelly as well.

 

Video of the Year: "Anyway" Martina McBride, "Before He Cheats" Carrie Underwood, "Moments" Emerson Drive, "Online" Brad Paisley and "You Save Me" Kenny Chesney. I’m a little surprised by a couple of this, as they’re pretty standard videos, but there are a couple of great ones here. Once again, it’s not a smart move to bet against Carrie, although I would love to see Brad Paisley take the award. That was a funny video that was different that most of the material out there.

 

There you have it. Check your local listings for the CMA awards and tune in to see if any of these predictions came true. Don’t forget to check the Country Music Daily forum to make your own predications and discuss the nominations.