Yes, there is a huge question mark there. I'm starting to wish the show hadn't moved from USA and that isn't a slam on the contestants. I think most of them (with the exception of Coffey and Model dude) are good. I particularly like the Navy man, the sister trio and the teen duo (can't believe they're not twins, btw!). No, my beef is with the show itself.

Nashville Star has always been the less flashy, more talent-oriented alternative to shows like American Idol. Now, NBC is turning it into it's own version of the FOX show. Between showing bad auditions (had they ever shown the audition process, btw? I don't remember ever seeing that before...), pointing out the celebs in the audience and the new and not improved flashy set I don't recognize the show anymore.

My biggest beef is with the song selection. Now, I'm not a purist. I like a little rock and pop in my country just fine. Still, I don't know why they're bothering with a "pop goes country" night next week. Between the first two episodes, they've featured more pop songs than all the other seasons of this show plus Can You Duet combined!

Hopefully, in the next couple weeks Coffey and Mr. Model will get the boot and then we can focus on the really country people. Don't get me wrong, Coffey is talented. He's just bugging me with his pop selections. His style of singing is far more suited to American Idol or America's Got Talent.

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully, the next time I write about NS, there will be something good to report. If not... well, maybe NBC will kill it and it will go back to a smaller network in it's old form. Talk to y'all later.

I had never heard an Andy Griggs CD before, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I put "The Good Life" into my computer's CD player. I'd heard a couple ballads that had been released off his other CDs, but that was it. Imagine my surprise to hear something totally different than what I was expecting. The songs are a mix of modern country and southern rock, delivered with confidence, attitude and a little bit of a gritty tone.

One of the best songs is Tattoo Rose. Which, by the way, came up as the title of the CD when I played it on real player. It's a fun song that definitely needs to be released as a single. I can just hear it on Country radio now.

Another great track is "It's All About the Money".  What I like about this is it mixes fun, upbest music with a lyric that is a bit darker and more cynical. Basically, it's about people using others for what they've got and doing shady things to get what they want. This is another one I think would make a great single.

The last track I wanna highlight is called "Shadows". It's a mid-tempo song about trying to escape bad or painful memories. He sings the song with passion and a trace of frustration. It's definitely worth a listen.

If you don't want to wait until the release date to get it, it's now available through online retailers. Pick up a copy, you won't regret it. Well, I'm out of here for now. Take care and "play something country!"

Hey, everyone!! It's been a long time, I know, but I'm back and ready to share some stuff I got through the grapevine.

First off- Andy Griggs' new CD is getting a physical release in just 6 days. Check back tomorrow, when I'll give you a preview of it. He released a digital version a little while back. I'll also be offering you a sneak peak at the Road Hammers' new CD. That one comes out on June 26th.

In the meantime, why not check out the Road Hammers on TV? Their new single "Girl on the Billboard" is playing on GAC and CMT Pure now. The single officially gets released on the 9th of June. Their TV series I mentioned earlier airs on the 12th at 8:30 PM. I'll be there to give you the rundown on the show. Finally, if you want to see them live, they'll be performing at the CMA Music Fest on on June 6th in Nashville.

Do you want to see your picture on a billboard? Well, you can... sort of. In honor of their new single, The Road Hammers are also offering fans the chance to e-mail their picture to girl_on_the_billboard@yahoo.com. The pictures will end up on a special billboard-themed widget on their MySpace page. Gotta hand it to Country artists... they get pretty creative with their promo.

In other Country Music news... how about those CMAs? My personal hightlights where Miranda Lambert's performance of "Gunpowder and Lead", LeAnn's "Family" performance and Miranda's "album of the year" win. I seriously never saw that one coming. Good for her! I just hope it brings her greater air play and attention in the Industry. As for Sugarland's and Kellie Pickler's new songs? I'm on the fence right now. I wasn't too thrilled, but I can see them growing on me in time. We'll see.

Shania fans are stil probably shaking their heads over the Lange-Twain seperation. I have to admit, I never saw that one coming either.  What makes it even worse are reports that he was supposedly messing around with a secretary. I hope that's not the case. Either way, Mutt's being unusually candid, talking to People several times recently about the split and rumors surrounding it. Guilty conscience, perhaps?

Well, I guess that's about all for now. Take care and see y'all soon!

Good evening, everyone! It's that time again! Time to find out how all your favorite artists are doing this week on the Billboard charts. There are two new entries this week. Surprisingly, most of the chart is largely unaffected by this.

10) Trace Adkins Hits collection continues it’s slow move towards the bottom of the top 10 this week by dropping one slot.

9) After a 3^rd place debut, Phil Vasserdrops all the way down to #9 on the latest chart.

8) Garth Brooks has fallen out of the top 10 this week. In his place is former American Idol contestant Phil Stacey’s self-titled debut.

7) Carrie Underwood keeps her spot from last time, as does everyone else up until the #4 slot.

6) Alan Jackson, Good Time.

5) Lady Antebellum

4) James Otto, Sunset Man.

3) After a first place finish last week, Goerge Strait drops two spots this week.

2) Taylor Swift is another one who manages to hold her spot from last time, also earning a "Greatest Gainer" title.

1) Finally... Tim McGraw is back at the top of the chart with his new release titled Greatest Hits, Limited Edition. Well, that’s it for this week. If you wanna see the other rankings and singles chart, check out the billboard site.

Sad news today, guys. Singer Eddy Arnold has passed away just a few days before his 90th birthday. With songs like "Make the World Go Away" and his duet with LeAnn Rimes "Cattle Call", he earned himself a place as one of Country's greats. It's hard to believe his career lasted over 60 years. That's such a rare and amazing feat in the business these days. Check out the full article about his passing here. Condoloances to Family, friends and fans.

Good evening, everyone! It's that time again! Time to find out how all your favorite artists are doing this week on the Billboard charts. There's another new entry this time, so let's see how that affects things...

10) Kenny Chesney's Poet's and Pirates CD finds itself back in the top 10 this week after moving up one spot. He also has a single, "Better as a Memory" in the top 10 of the singles chart.

9) Trace Adkins Hits collection is still going strong, thanks to a great single and all his exposure on the Apprentice. Still, he moves down one spot this week.

8) Garth Brook's hits collection switches spots with Trace this week, making for an interesting battle. Can't wait to see who comes out the winner.

7) Carrie Underwood drops two spots this time with Carnival Ride. With her new video sure to be on CMT and GAC any day now, I'm sure that will change soon. Btw... is it just me, or is this album era being rushed a bit? Comment and let me know...

6) Alan Jackson's new CD stays put this week, one of only 2 to do so.

5) Lady Antebellum drops 4 spots this week after their debut came in at #1.

4) James Otto is the other one bring some stability this week. He maintains his position from last time with Sunset Man.

3) Phil Vasser debuts in 3rd place this week with Prayer of a Common Man.About time this one was released....

2) Taylor Swift moves up one spot this week with her own debut CD. Which, btw, just went triple platinum.

1) Finally... I was a bit surprised by this one. George Straight's Troubadour takes back the top spot. I guess I have gotten used to whatever CD just came out being #1. For more chart positions, and to see the singles chart, check out the billboard site.

Even though "Last Name" was only released a few weeks back and has still not peaked, her label is looking to the future. According to this, XM radio's Highway 16 will play two possible singles and let fans decide which will win. It starts at 7 PM eastern time, so tune in! If you don't get a chance to listen, check the blog's comments to see what the choices are.

EDIT: XM Radio listeners chose "Just a Dream" over "I Know You Won't" with 84% of the vote. According to Pulse, other people's stations are doing the same thing. Will the label ultimately listen? Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out the video for "Last Name", courtesy CMT. I'm loving it. It's fun, energetic and I'm looking forward to seeing it on TV.

In other news, looks like Tim McGraw is jumping on the fragrance bandwagon. He'll be releasing his own later this year. I guess we can expect a fashion line and hair products or something next. Hey, it's the next logical step in the celeb marketing playbook. Good luck to him. I'm sure his fans would prefer a decent single, though...

Sorry it's been a few days. Lots of stuff going on around here and I had to get caught up. Anyway... I've had the chance to check out CMT's Can You Duet? competiton recently, and I'm liking what I see so far. There were a few really great acts and the judges honest and all without being downright nasty. Can CMT keep it up and actually come up with a good after after the fiasco that was Gone Country? We'll see. For now, I'll keep watching and enjoying the music. I'd have to say off the top of my head my favorites right now are the twins who sang "Flat On The Floor" and "His Eye is On the Sparrow". Who do you like? Comment and let me know! I'd love to hear your thoughts. Til next time... take care!!

Good evening, everyone! Here I am again with a look at the country music charts. There’s a new #1 this week, so let’s get started!

10) Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ Raising Sand just barely hangs on to the top 10 this week, dropping two spots.

9) Garth Brooks’ latest is also hanging on by a thread after dropping 3 spots on the chart.

8) Trace Adkins managed to only drop one spot this week, probably thanks in part to his latest hit single "You’re Gonna Miss This".

7) Sugarland makes a return to the top with Enjoy The Ride, moving up four spots.

6) Alan Jackson newest release, Good Time, dropped two spots on the chart this time.

5) Carrie Underwood’s Carnival Ride hangs on to it’s position from last week. This is one of only two CDs to do that this time.

4) James Otto’s "Sunset Man" drops two after debuting in the runner-up spot last week.

3) Taylor Swift is the other artist to hang on to her spot from last week.

2) George Strait is once again in second place, his third week on the chart. That means there’s a brand new CD at the top this time...

1) Lady Antebellum. Their self-titled debut does exactly what many though it would, coming in on top. I’m really looking forward to hearing this one. Unfortunately, it wasn’t in my local store when I went there. Ah, well. Maybe next time.

There you have it: the top 10 in Country Music according to Billboard. Check out their site for other rankings and to see where your favorite country music songs stand. Til next time.... take care!

After so many weeks of having practically the same country music cd chart each time, things have been getting shaken up a bit. This is partly thanks to some new releases. Hopefully, a few others (Lady Antebellum, anyone?) will shake things up even more. For now... here is your top 10 according to Billboard:

10) Carrie Underwood’s Some Hearts makes it’s way back to the top 10 this week yet again. I’m starting to think her third album won’t even be able to knock this one off the charts. Good for her.... this kind of CD doesn’t come along often.

9) The Eagles dropped one spot with Long Road Out Of Eden this week.

8) Robert Plant and Alison Krauss also fall one spot. I think they may pick back up again, though, after their CMT win. Same goes for the next on the list....

7) Trace Adkins drops one spot this week, but is still going strong. Maybe a Greatest Hits package isn’t such a horrible idea afterall....

6) Grath Brooks could argue that. He dropped one spot, but is still doing alright. His Ultimate Hits have gone 5X platinum already.

5) Carrie Underwood’s Carnival Ride stays put this week at #5. Just wait, though... the Last Name video should help it out a lot.

4) Alan Jackson dropped one as well this week with Good Time. As does...

3) Taylor Swift. Is anyone seeing a pattern here? Yes, one new release has had room made for it. Whether or not it can overcome Taylor’s great CMT performance and win is yet to be seen. In the meantime...

2) James Otto takes the runner up spot with Sunset Man it’s first week out. If you were paying attention last week, you know what that means.

1) George Strait’s Troubadour is once again at the top of the chart. Can he hold off all the new releases coming out over the next few weeks? We’ll see. Until then, take care and "play something country!" Also, don't foget to check out Billboard's site for even more rankings and to see how your favorite songs are doing.

Does anyone remember the Guns N Roses videos from the early 90s that were supposed to tell a story from start to finish? Well, according to a blog post being discussed on Pulse Music Board, Carrie Underwood’s "Last Name" tells what happened pre-"Before He Cheats". The country music video is even said to feature the same guy from the "BHC" and the infamous Red truck (that thing's been getting a lot of milage in her videos...).

If you wanna read more, check out the discussion here. I love the idea for this video. It seems like her videos are getting more fun and creative with this album and I’m curious to see what else gets released from Carnival Ride. Personally, I want "Just a Dream" and "Flat on the Floor" to get released as well. Maybe even "The More Boys I Meet". Now, that could have a fun video...

What do you all think? Is this video concept a good idea? Are you wondering "where’s the Pinto"? What should be next? Sound off and let me know! Til then, take care and "play something country!"

Hi, everyone! Sorry for the absense.... my computer was giving me trouble signing online, so I couldn't get on to  post. To make it up, I'm gonna have a few posts coming. Each one will be dated a different day, so make sure you open the main page so you can see what I've been writing about! Ok, enough of that... who watched the CMT awards? I did and loved most of it. Let's talk about some highlights, shall we?

The first one would be seeing LeAnn Rimes win for collaborative video for her video with Bon Jovi. She's a great singer and writer and I feel like she's been ignored too much in the past fews years. It's great to see her getting a little acknowledgment. Hopefully, it translates to the ACM awards in May...

Another really great moment was Kellie Pickler winning her first award. She was so clearly shocked and happy to win and flustered, too. It was kinda cool and endearing to see her struggling to figure out what to say. It was nice that she managed to make fun of herself a little too over her reaction. I love a person who doesn't take themselves too seriously.

Another really gret moment was the "Life in a Northern Town" performance. Sugarland, Jake Owen and Little Big Town sound amazing together and I think it was a great choice for them. It was nice to see the other half of Sugarland get a little singing time, too.

Finally... I'm going to eat my words a bit here. I admit I have issues with Taylor Swift as a live performer. I think she sounds best in a studio where someone can fix all the imperfections. Imagine my surprise then, when she busted out a very bluesy intro to "Picture to Burn" that sounded great! Things suffered a little once she got back into the faster tempo, but even that sounded better. She seems to have definitely grown as a performer.

One bad moment, though, was Billy Ray and Miley. Don't get me wrong... they were pretty funny for the most part as hosts. Miley got in some great digs and Billy Ray had great reactions to them. My problem came when they sang. Billy Ray sounded just fine, but Miley... well, let's just say I don't really see her having a major singing career once Hannah Montana is over. Maybe she'll improve with time. Right now, I'm not a fan of her vocals at all.

Well, that's about it for now. I'll see y'all next time. Meanwhile, let me know what you thought of the CMT awards. Who was your favorite? Did someone win you didn't want to? I'd love to know...

they go and say this. I gotta say, I completely agree. Yes, a video can elevate (for me, at least...) an alright song. I've liked quite a few songs even more after seeing their videos. Still... if a song is really bad, I just don't care how cool the video is- I'm still going to change the channel. It's nice to hear artists saying the same thing... now, if only some pop singers could join in on that as well....

Once again, the Country Music charts are giving me that Deja Vu feeling. Here's the top 10 Country Music CDs according to Billboard:

Did anyone see Dolly Parton on American Idol last night? I usually don't watch it, but Dolly being on it was too big a draw. I'm still impressed by how classy she is, being totally sweet and complimentary to each of the contestants she was mentoring. I'm confused by what actual mentoring really went on, though. All the show aired was her watching them sing a few seconds of her song, her saying they're great and then making a comment to the camera about them. Anyway... I was actually surprised to say I enjoyed quite a few of the covers of Dolly songs- most of them did great with em (even if Simon didn't agree). Here are my favorites:

"Little Sparrow", "Coat of Many Colors", "Here You Come Again", "It's All Wrong, But It's Alright" and "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind". If you want to read a little more about the night, check out this GAC story about it. All the performances are available on Itunes, btw. I just may have to get a couple of em...

There are quite a few changes this week, so let's get right into it. Here is what Billboard says are the hottest Country Music CDs...

10) Trace Adkin’s American Man: Greatest Hits Volume II is back in the top 10 this week. No doubt helped by his Apprentice success...

9) The Eagles Long Road Out of Eden fall 4 spots this week, but still manage to hang on to the top tier of the chart.

8) Sugarland, meawhile, had a bit of a bumpy Ride. Their CD drops 2 spots this week.

7) Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts picks up yet more steam this week, moving up 3 spots. Good for Carrie!

6) Robert Plant and Alison Krauss gain a little ground, moving up one spot this week.

5) Garth can’t seem to catch a break lately.... He moves down one spot yet again..

4) Rascal Flatts’ Still Feels Good makes a big leap, going all the way up to #4 this week, their 27^th week on the chart.

3) Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride is still going strong, hanging on to its position for a second week.

2) Alan Jackson drops one spot this week with his new release, Good Time.

1) Taylor Swift will not be denied! She once again moves up to the top spot, depsite some really good competition. How long can this keep up? We’ll just have to see.

Well, that's it for today. Check out GAC tomorrow, cause there are gonna be playing a couple of favorites of mine. Sugarland’s "Baby Girl" will air at 12:48 PM Eastern, while Jo Dee Messina’s "My Give a Damn’s Busted" airs at 6:50 PM eastern. By the way, according to people on the Pulse boards, Jo Dee will have an album release date soon. Looking forward to it...

I saw Taylor Swift's new video yesterday on GAC and well- I'm not thrilled. I can't say it's a horrible video, cause it's not. I'm just not as impressed with it as I was with other videos out. It starts off with Taylor and a friend stalking an ex and fuming over the fact he's letting another girl drive a car he never let her drive. It then mainly focuses on performance footage of Taylor and her band in front of a burning set, while adding in some clips of her singing the song in a couple differnt set-ups. At the end of the video, Taylor snaps out of a daydream and tells her friend that she's "over it" and they drive off, tossing a burning photo out the window.

I will say this- she has definitely gotten very comfortable in front of the camera and she's a natual performer. This should keep her fanbase very happy... as long as the parents don't start complaining about how the burning picture being thrown out the window is a fire hazard. It should be pretty interesting to see what she ends up coming out with next. If you wanna see the video for yourself, check out the GAC website. They should have the video available for streaming as well as the times it will air on TV.  

Since I started reading her blogs on CMT's site, I've found myself agreeing more than once with her. With this post? She becomes my hero. She's right... it really is getting to be a bit annoying watching these politicians wives sitting there stoically and quietly in front of tons of cameras while their men admit to being dogs. It really is about time they did what she suggested and pull a Carrie Underwood on their cheating butts.

I know poilitics is, for the most part, really PC and wives are expected to do this. Still, I want to see them act human. Show a little anger. Kick their butts to the curb if that's what you want to do. It'd be a nice change of pace. It's unlikely to happen, but still- it's nice to dream.

Ashton Shepard is one of my favorite new Country Music artists. She’s got a very Gretchenesque voice and a more traditional musical style. Because I’m such a fan, I thought I’d share this interview I found with her on GAC. She talks about a lot of different things from starting up in Nashville to the "too country" issue. I especially love the part where she talks about hiding her song notebooks. You have to read that part in her own words to get the full impact, but it's cool and too funny. I have to admit, I'd probably do the same thing in her shoes.

Well, it's here. "Picture to Burn" is going to air at 4:11 Eastern time on GAC. Check it out, I hear it's gonna be pretty good. I'll report back after I see it to share my thoughts. I hope y'all will do the same.

Well, I've gotta get going. See y'all next time and take care!

Hi, Country Music fans. Well, it's that time again- here are the top 10 Country Music CDs according to Billboard. Can't say I'm not too surprised by the charts this week...

10) Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts makes a comeback again. Between the Opry invite, the successful tour and "Last Name" debuting pretty high, Carrie's CDs are likely to be a hot commodity for a long time to come.

9) Kenny Chesney moves up a spot with Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates.

8) Rascal Flatts Still Feels Good stays at #8.

7) Robert Plant and Alison Krauss manage to slip a bit this week, going from #5 to #7.

6) Sugarland, meawhile, stays put at #6. I'm thinking the only things that's going to push this one down at all is a new CD by them.

5) The Eagles Long Road Out of Eden moves up 2 spots this week.

4) Garth is having a really hard time getting himself back at the top. He moves down one spot this week.

3) Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride is also getting a boost from all her successes lately. It's moved up one spot this week.

2) Taylor Swift, another seemingly unstoppable CD, is staying put at #2 again this week. Let's see what happens once the "Picture to Burn" video is airing all over GAC and CMT...

1) Finally, Alan Jackson gets another week at the top with his brand new release, Good Time. By the way, if you liked "It's All About Him", keep an eye out for a new book by Denise Jackson coming soon.

Well, that's it for today. Don't forget to tune into GAC tonight at . 8:30 PM Eastern time for Introducing Lady Antebellum. It's going to give fans a look into the creation of the group, recording their album and more. Til next time... take care and "play something country!"

If I didn't know any better, I'd say I had a hand in picking the performers for the CMT Awards. Since so many of my favorites are going to perform there this year, I'm actually pretty excited about the show. I'm not usually into awards shows, but the Country Music ones are always fun for me to watch. The level of talent (98% of the time) is far superior, in my opinion, to most shows.

Most of the time, there are only a few people I care about seeing on these shows. The CMT Awards are gonna be a little different in that I like almost every person performing on there (with a few exceptions). Here's the list so far. I've put em in order of favorite to least favorite:

LeAnn Rimes, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Sugarland ,Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Toby Keith

Stay tuned for airdates and other news as it's announced and don't forget to go to the website and vote for your favorites in each category.

I just saw Jewel's "Stronger Woman" for the first time and have kind of a mixed reaction to it. I love the song itself, and think it's got a great message to it. It's all about being confident in yourself and not conforming to what other people think you should be. I just don't think the vocal was her best. I don't know why, but it just seemed off.

As for the video? Very nice. It's an artsy kind of clip that shows Jewel performing while the scenes cut to other women dressed up in typically "girl" stuff. During the video, Jewel slowly strips herself of make up and other frills until she's got a simple, natural look. The other women in the video do the same. It's a simple video that fits the message of the song nicely.

Btw... I was just browsing GAC's site and saw that Taylor Swift's video for "Picture to Burn" is scheduled to air in the middle of the night. Keep an eye out, because the last time I saw a video scheduled like that, it entered into pretty regular rotation within the next day or so.

I'm excited, cause I was just browsing the Pulse music boards and found out that Chris Young has a new CD scheduled for August 26th. He's one of my favorite Nashville Star winners and I hope this album does really well. check my past posts for my reviews of him.

In other good album news, Gretchen Wilson and Kelly Pickler also have been given release dates. They are September 2nd and September 9th. It's really funny to see that, considering Taylor Swift was just talking about one of the new songs they wrote together. I just wonder how she and Gretchen will end up faring on the charts.

I also noticed that GAC seems to be jumping on these new releases. When the SHeDaisy Greatest Hits came out, they started playing their music more. Now that Chris Young has a release date, his "Drinking Me Lonely" is getting airplay again as well. Looks like they're cluing in, huh? Well, that's all for now. Tune in tomorrow for more! In the meantime, take care and "play something country!"

I just got done watching Carrie Underwood perform "I Told You So" on the Grand Ole Opry. After her performance, Randy Travis came onstage and asked Carrie to be a member of the Opry. Of course, Carrie said yes. Or more accurately... "let me think about that..." with a big ole smile on her face. What a great moment! You could genuinely see the surprise on her face and she about burst into tears when Randy said her official induction is May 10th. Congrats to her.

In other Opry news, Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town also performed and absolutely nailed it. Lady Antebellum in particular sounded practically the same as their CD. Check GAC's site for other airtimes if you missed it.

So I just got done seeing Taylor Swift be interviewd on Country Music Across America about her new video "Picture to Burn". That's not the biggest news to come out of that, though. She also shared a little tidbit about a song she and Kellie Pickler wrote together that just may show up on Pickler's second  CD.

The song, according to Taylor, is called "The Best Days of Your Life" and is pretty much a kiss-off song ala "Before He Cheats" and "Picture to Burn".  Taylor says that it's an amazing song that is going to be a big one for her. She shared the hook with the audience as well: "It's too bad you already had the best days of your life". Sounds pretty interesting and I'm looking forward to getting to hear it.

As a side note, the host mentioned how when Kellie, Taylor and Carrie are in a room together, everyone gets intimidated and they say "here comes trouble". Taylor laughed and said they're good girls. Pretty cute moment. The episode also featured LeAnn Rimes talking about her latest video for "A Good Friend and a Glass of Wine". She also discussed writing Family and hosting the Colgate Country Competition. If you missed it and want to check it out for yourself, check GAC's website for airtimes.

It's that time again! Here are the Top 10 Country Music CDs according to Billboard.

10) Kenny Chesney, Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates. He went up one spot this week... expect more increases since he's going on tour.

9) Dolly took a huge chart hit this week, dropping from the #2 spot with Backwoods Barbie.

8-6) Rascal Flatts, The Eagles and Sugarland. All three acts kept their positions from last time. I hope things start shaking up soon, the charts are starting to look a little routine!

5) Robert Plant and Alison Krauss drops one spot, switching places with...

4) Carrie Underwood. Her Carnival Ride CD moves up one spot. With "All-American Girl" doing so well and "Last Name" being released soon, expect this one to make a jump again.

3) Garth Brooks finds himself in the same position this week with Ultimate Hits.

2) Taylor Swift is once again denied the top spot by a new release. Let's see what her new single "Picture to Burn" does for her.

1) Alan Jackson, Good Time. The country music singer debuts on top with his latest. Will he keep the top spot next week or will Taylor once again rule? Will another new release keep them both down? Check back next week to find out!

Meanwhile, on the singles side, Carrie Underwood spends her second week on top with "All-American Girl". New songs by Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Rodney Atkins and Trace Adkins are slowly closing in to try and take over. LeAnn is back on the chart at #49 with "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine, while Taylor Swift's "Picture to Burn" is already nipping at the top 10. Brad Paisley and Kellie Pickler are also on their way there with "I'm Still a Guy" at #22 and "Things that Never Cross a Man's Mind" at #16. Well, that's all for now. Check back next time for more news and reviews. Take care!

Since I didn't get the chance to get a blog posted yesterday, here's a few things I came across today and want to comment on:

Go Carrie Underwood!! I was reading the Pulse boards today and saw that "Last Name" has been confirmed as her new single. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks and I think it's gonna be a massive hit.

Here's one reason I like Taylor Swift.... she's totally image concious. Normally, I'd hate this kind of thing, but I appreciate her owning it. So many people today try to hide the fact they throw out a lot of spin or avoid anything controversial. She loves what she's doing and is serious about protecting it as well. I can get behind that.

Finally, there's a new issue of Country Weekly out now. Check out the website to see some web excerpts about Alan Jackson, Sara Evans, Josh Turner and more.

I know, I'm a little late on this, but I had to comment on this weekend's epsiode of Gone Country. As a country music fan, I think he made the wrong choice hands down. I'm amazed that he ripped into Diana the way he did for not "sounding country" and then picked the one who was the least country... not to mention had the weakest voice.

The choice was hands down completely hypocritical and I will definitely not be tuning in should CMT and the fans actually let him have another shot at this. Good luck breaking into country, Julio- you'll need it.

As for the others....

Maureen- had a great song, sounded country....the only problem was her weaker vocals.

Carnie- Loved the song. Her voice was a bit better, but we'll see if she can break into the business by herself.

Sisqo- eh. Great performer, but just didn't seem like he fit into the country thing enough.

Bobby Brown- Great song, powerful delivery of it. I could see that being a soul hit.

Dee- I adore him and his song/performance was a lot of fun.

Diana- Hands down the best singer and she had a great song. She also seems to really want to break back into the Country world.

I hope each of them ends up releasing their songs and finding success with them, even if they don't go country.

I love checking out new artists on MySpace. There are so many talented people that are now being given a new outlet to get their music out to the people and promote themselves. One of these people is Minnie Murphy. She is signed to the same label as The Road Hammers and is currently working on an album she has said will be called The Adventures of Minnie Murphy.

The thing that strikes me about Minnie right off is her voice. It’s like a cross between Julie Roberts and Christina Aguilera with a little Dolly thrown in the mix. When I was listening to the tracks, there were three that stood out.

"Tennesses Tango"-  This is probably one of the most unique songs on her profile. It's got, obviously, a tango sound to it with very jazzy vocals that are just fun.

"Unstoppable"- This is a fun, up-tempo track that according to a MySpace post came about when she was having a bit of a rough time career-wise and needed to remind herself it's gonna be alright. She sings the tune with confidence and a pure country twang. Definitely one of those rousing anthem songs.

"Mississippi River"- This is, by far, my favorite song on her profile. It's a haunting tune with a bluesy sound that Minnie fills with emotional vocals that inspired that Aguilera comparison I made. According to her MySpace blog, it was written as a tribue to the late Jeff Buckley.

If you wanna check these (and some other tunes) out for yourself, check out her MySpace page. You'll also be able to keep up with all the latest news.

Canada's done it again! The Country that brought us Shania Twain and Emerson Drive has a new export coming to the states: The Road Hammers. Formed by Jason McCoy, a solo artist who wanted to do something new, the band debuted on a CMT Canada series. Ever since then, they've been topping the charts there and winning awards.

Their first US single, "I Don't Know When to Quit", is currently climbing up the charts and winning over new listeners. The song is an up-tempo number influenced by the Southern Rock acts of the past. It had a curious effect on me, making me wanna get up and move while giving off a laid-back vibe that is good for just hanging out and relaxing.

Lyrically, it's not the most unique song. Like many hits, it discusses being deep in love with someone and not wanting to let go. Still there are a few interesting lines. One in particular that caught my attention was the opening. McCoy sings, "If I drink one, I drink a hundred; try to have a little fun. Might not come in until the sun comes up, I've got a tendency to get carried away. Girl, I'm just made that way".

Each lyric is delivered convincingly by McCoy. His vocals are interesting- country without being overly twangy. I think the laid back vibe I mentioned is partly to do with McCoy's deep and rich vocals, along with the vocal arrangement.

This is overall a great track that is sure to be a radio favorite. Check out their MySpace page to listen to the song and keep up with that they're up to next.

GAC has announced that Brad Paisley is going to go out on tour again this year. This time, he's calling it the Paisley Party 2008. His most recent Bonfires & Amplifiers tour was a huge hit and featured Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swift.

I have to say, it's been a great year for Country Music tours. Fans are getting to see some great shows between the Carrie/Keith tour, the Carnival Ride tour and the Kenny Chesney/LeAnn Rimes tour. Let's not forget 2 Worlds, 2 Voices, either. I just wish I actually had the time and all to get to any of these shows. All well, there's always possible DVD releases right?

If any of you out there do get a chance to attend one of these shows, please write and tell me all about em. I'd love to hear straight from fans how the shows were. Check back another time when I review the new Road Hammers single and introduce you to Minnie Murphy.

Hello out there, Country Music fans!! It's me again, bringing you a look at what's tops on the Country Music CD charts. There's a few changes and some nice surprises this time...

10) Carrie Underwood's Some Hearts. Yeah, not much of a surprise here- if this was the late 90's she'd have crushed Shania's sales with the legs this release has had.

9) Chris Cagle drops 8 spots this week with his latest release, My Life's Been a Country Song. This, of course, means there's another CD at #1 this week.

8) Rascal Flatts' Still Feels Good stays in the #8 spot this week.

7)  Long Road Out of Eden by the Eagles drops two spots this week.

6) Sugarland also holds their spot from last week with Enjoy the Ride.

5) Carrie Underwood's Carnival Ride rebounds this week. Not surprising, considering word just leaked that the first week of her solo tour has sold out.

4) Robert Plant and Alison Krauss also hold thier position from last week.

3) Ditto with Garth Brooks.

2) One of the best surprises this week is Dolly Parton. Her Backwoods Barbie jumped all the way from #48 to take the  #2 spot. The album's new single is "Jesus and Gravity".

1) Well, that didn't take long. After being out of the top spot for one week, Taylor Swift has come back to assert her dominance. Let's see if she can hold off Dolly again.

There you have it- the top 10 selling Country Music CDs according to Billboard. Check back next time for more news and reviews.

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!

Hey, Country Music fans! I was checking out the MySpace pages for Lila McCann and Jessica Andrews and they've put some great songs up! Lila's best, in my opinion is "Star of the Show". It's a cross between a ballad and uptempo number about fame. Another good one, "Your Juliet" is an uptempo song about wanting to be treated like you're special once in awhile.

Jessica, meanwhile, has a really great track on her page. It's called "Poison's in the Sugar" and it's one of the best songs I've ever heard from her. It's a very bluesy number that she sings the hell out of. The lyrics, from what I can tell, are about a guy who may not be the best choice, but you can't stay away. Another track, "Fall Like the Rain", is a bit of a shocker. It's a very poppy song that I can see Britney or someone putting out in their heyday. It's still a good song, it's just very different from what I'd expect from Jessica.

In other news, I just wanted to add I saw the latest episode of Gone Country and I am SO disappointed in it. I'm hanging in there until the end, cause I want to see a couple of them perform their songs in the finale, but wow- what a mess! John Rich sat there like a king of a throne berating Diana Degarmo relentlessly over the fact her vocal wasn't "country" enough. Forget the fact that I didn't think Bobby Brown, Sisqo or Julio sounded in the least country... they got a pass. Diana, however, who actually has a great voice got chewed out for it. And where does John Rich get the idea that Country singers don't sing like her at all? Has he even *heard* a Martina McBride or Faith Hill CD lately? That said, I did like Bobby's song, much to my surprise. Maureen's and Diana's were pretty good as well from what I could tell. The quality of the demo clips wasn't the greatest. Here's hoping for some great performances next week and that CMT never lets John Rich do a show about finding a Country singer again.

Well, it finally happened! Taylor Swift got knocked out of the top spot on the chart this week. Not much else appears to have changed, though. Here's where some of your favorites stand in the top 10 Country Music CDs charts according to Billboard.

10) Kenny Chesney knocked Reba out of the top 10. Kinda funny, given he's been knocked out of her duet "Every Other Weekend".

Well, that's about it for now. See y'all next time with more Country Music News and Reviews. Til then, take care!

LeAnn Rimes has a new video out for "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine". Check it out on CMT's website. If you're like me and have a hard time getting videos to play right online, keep an eye out. It'll probably be on CMT soon. From what I could see of it, it looks like it's a good one, although not quite a "Nothing Better to Do".

See ya later with more Country Music news and reviews! Til then, take care!

Nasville Star is changing more than their network next season. According to the official website, the contest is opening up to a wider variety of acts. They're auditioning soloists, duos and trios in various country styles. They've also lowered the age requirement. Should be interesting to see where this goes.

Nashville Star aired on USA for 5 seasons before this change. No word on when the new season is airing, but when it's released, I'll be sure to share. Also, look for recaps when the series starts airing.

Well, that's it for now. Check back next time for more news and reviews. Take care!

CMT is taking the family-friendly thing to the extreme. According to their website, this year's CMT awards is going to be hosted by Bill Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus. They're supposed to be performing too, along with Carrie Underwood, Sugarland, Brad Paisley and others. Check out CMT's story for more details and when the show will air. I know I'm ready for it!

Here's a friendly reminder for all you SHeDaisy fans out there: they're gonna be featured on "The Collection". For anyone who hasn't seen the series, artists show up and play their music videos and chat about them with host Storme Warren. His Faith Hill edition was one of my personal favorites, so let's see what they do! It premieres tomorrow at 9PM. Check their site description for additional airtimes.

If you didn't know, Dolly's new album came out today, along with a few others. I'm curious to see what she's come up with this time around after hearing "You Better Get to Livin'". Apparently, there's a couple of cover tunes on there as well. Go her! In other release news, Phil Vassar also has an official release date ofter several delays. Here's a little story about it from GAC.

Hey, Country Music fans!! How's it been going? I know- long time, no post. Unfortunately, I was sick for a few days and could not even get myself to sit up and write. But, I'm back and ready for action and I've got a bit of a bone to pick with you, CMT!

Gone Country. It's a great idea. For people who aren't Country Music fans, the chance to see several musicians put together a Country Music song and remake their image could be an interesting way to show the genre off. Too bad CMT didn't think so too.

The whole time I was watching the latest episode, I found myself asking "when are they going to sing already??" They've spent the whole time so far spitting watermelon seeds, shoveling poo and all kinds of other "Country" things, but there was only one time they were actually shown performing. When I saw the clips, I assumed we'd actually see some this time and boy was I wrong.

The spent the whole episode (except for a brief montage of three of em singing a line from their song and Julio mocking a horrible one they were trying to give him) picking out clothes and being interviewed. Has anyone every actually seen Country stars dress like that after the 1970s? John Rich is a bit out of touch, in my opinion, if he thinks those outfits are going to fly for a modern artist.

On the whole, I'll say Gone Country is an expiriment that failed horribly. Well, ya know, unless the goal was to turn people off the genre. Let's hope we see some great performances in that last episode and Diana wins it. Then, I think this show might have a shot at some redeption.