Hello, Country Music fans! How's everyone been? Me, I've been crazed as usual, but I wanted to stop in and share a few thoughts about some Country Music shows out there....

Let's get the bad out of the way first: Nashville Star. Now, I know that pop and rock has become a huge part of the Country sound and I don't exactly mind that. I think it's great when people mix genres and try new things like that. Still, for a show that is supposed to be finding a "country star", I don't understand what they're doing anymore. Several contestants now have performed in this competiton for 3 weeks and have not once done a song by a country artist. To me, that is really messing up the heart of what this show was supposed to be about- talented country acts. For them to have a theme night like this and invite Danity Kane of all people to perform just proves the network is slowly destroying this show. Don't even get me started on the back-up dancers...

With that said, I do see some very talented singers in here I want to stick around to watch. So, let's go through the contestants, shall we?

Pearl Heart: They've had me from the first episode, when they did a great version of the Dixie Chicks "Wide Open Spaces". Their bluegrass version of "Love Shack" has only cemented my support for them and I hope they stick around for quite a while yet.

Laura and Sophie: Jewel was right about the novelty aspect of their act, but I still like them. Underneath it all are two talented girls who I hope will stick together through all this craziness and learn a lot from it. Are they ready for a deal? Not sure, but I think they have great potential. I just want to ask their Mentor what he was thinking by having two young girls sing a song like "PYT". Billy Ray's Micheal Jackson joke at the end just added to the creepiness factor.

Ashlee: I  thought she did a nice version of the song, but I don't get why John Rich was trying to make her vamp it up like that. Much luck to her. By the way... am I the only one who thinks she looks and sounds like Jewel

Gabe: Odd song choice, but he made it work for him. I just don't think it was the best of the night.

Justin: The less said, the better. He was deserving of his ticket home this week.

Coffey: Beat boxing and yelling out random things every phrase is NOT the way to get the older crowd interested. And while we're at it: you are NOT country (not even "new country") not matter how many cowboy hats you put on. Try American Idol next year or maybe America's Got Talent.

Alyson: Great voice, bad arrangement. She really needs to start being more of a risk taker if she's going to stay alive in this competition.

Shawn: She's not a bad singer at all and she takes chances... I like that. Let's see how far these risks can take her...

Tommy: Adore him. He's got a good voice and he's just fun to watch perform. He has this great energy about him on stage and I like his song arrangements.

Finally, Melissa: Melissa, girl? Love your voice when you relax and stop trying so hard. Still... watch it now... you've had two weeks in a row with Pop songs. Time to get a bit more country.

On a final NS note... Thank you for bringing in a co-host to do most of the talking NBC... it's about the one good move you've made yet.

On a happier note.... I got a chance to catch The Road Hammers on GAC and enjoyed every minute of it. That lead singer is one smart (and tough) cookie. I liked his attention to detail when discussing the band's contract and how he seemed to be looking out for the others. It's also the first opportunity I have had to see them perform their music live and they were great during that showcase. Looking forward to the next episode. Check out the GAC website for more about the show and airtimes.

Well, that's about it for now. Keep checking back, though, because I will be sharing a review of the latest CD by Jeremy McComb as well as some info for anyone who maybe isn't familar with him yet. Til then, take care and "play something country!"

Hey all! Don't forget that today is the day the Road Hammers CD Blood, Sweat and Steel is released in stores. You'll definitely want to check this one out. Speaking of the band.... check out their GAC show this week to get a look at what life is like for a band attempting to win over audiences in a new country. Should be cool.  Here are airtimes, courtesy of GAC:

06/26/2008 8:30 PM
07/03/2008 8:30 PM 
07/10/2008 8:30 PM

Check out their page on the GAC website to get more airtimes and episode descriptions. GAC isn't going to stop there, though. They're also going to give you a look at Jewel and her path to becoming a country star when they make her the focus of Origins on the 28th at 9 PM. All times are eastern, btw.

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!

Hi, everyone! Just wanted to update y’all on a couple cool things coming on TV this week. First, don’t forget to watch Carrie Underwood become the latest member of the Grand Ole Opry. It airs at 8 PM eastern on the 10th, with a "Road to the Opry" special right before it, at 7:30.

On the 9^th, you can catch Sara Evans and Maroon 5 on CMT Crossroads. That airs at 9PM eastern. They’ll not only be doing eachother’s songs, but a cover or two as well. Check the CMT site for details and other airtimes.

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

I reviewed them a little while back. Well, now GAC is going to be airing a series all about them. It's gonna be a limited series documenting their attempts to break into the American industry after having been successful in Canada. Should be interesting. I don't really like how some people feel the need to let it all hang out in a series all the time, but I do like these short ones that are focused on the business and what goes on behind the scenes of recording a disc or planning a tour. I think it does the job some want the other shows to do (humanizing the person and making them relateable) while not going too far. It also makes me respect an artist much more after I've seen all the work they've put in first hand.

Are you going to check this out? What do you think of the idea of this series? Let me know! I'd love to hear your thoughts. Til next time... take care and "play something country!"

GAC has a new TV series coming in May and Phil Vassar is the first subject! The series, called Origins, will feature feature Phil performing and visiting different places where he got his start. This reminds me of several MTV specials that had a similar "going back to the beginning" theme.

GAC has the full story and premiere date in their news section. I'm kinda excited to see this. I hate what MTV and CMT have turned into, programming wise, but I love ideas like this one. It's a way to break up the monotony of nothing but videos while still keeping it about the music. Something the other networks need to re-learn. I'll be watching, that's for sure. Will you? Comment to let me know! Til next time... take care and "play something country!"

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....

So, you may have heard by now that Josh Gracin's album We Weren't Crazy is going to be released around the end of April (yes, finally...). Well, he's kicking the promo into high gear to get ready for it. He'll be on GAC Nights on April first at 10 PM to tell the fans all about his new release and other stuff. It will also air at 2 AM for the night owls out there.

If you can't get enough of former Idols turned Country stars, Kellie Pickler's latest Opry Live performance will be repeated that day, too. Look for it at 8PM and midnight. It debuts this weekend. That's all for now. Take care and I'll post again on Monday!

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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.  

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!"

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!"

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.

Hey all! Just wanted to let you know that LeAnn's new video for "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine" starts airing on GAC today at 4:26 PM eastern time.

In other video news, SHeDaisy's back on GAC. They're airing three videos by the trio starting at 5:31 PM. Guess that Best of promotion is kicking into high gear.

Finally, to see a really great Carrie Underwood performance check out "How Great Thou Art". It airs at 6:37 PM. Remember, all airtimes are Eastern and you'll want to tune in a minute or two early to make sure you catch em. Til next time... take care and "play something Country!"

There’s some good news today, Country Music fans. I saw on the GAC site that Dolly Parton’s new video will air tomorrow at 6:55 PM. The video is for her new song "Better Get to Livin". Should be interesting to see what she has in store for fans! It also aired this morning, but I found out about it just as it was ending.

Speaking of videos, if you’re looking to get into the holiday spirit, there are several videos coming on back-to-back starting at 3PM. Have I mentioned I love GAC? I love being able to turn on a music channel and actually hear music.

Stay tuned for chart watch and another year-end review post in a little bit. Til then, take care and "Play Something Country!"

It’s that time again. Families are decorating the tree, making vacation plans and stations are playing holiday music. To help you get into the spirit of the season, check out these holiday Country Music Videos on GAC tomorrow:

2:08 AM Jim Brickman, "Coming Home For Christmas"

3:12 AM Michael Martin Murphey "Two Step 'Round The Christmas Tree"

3:54 AM SheDAISY "Deck The Halls"

7:26 AM Jim Brickman "Sending You A Little Christmas"

8:26 AM Dale Watson "Honky Tonk Christmas"

5:56 PM Lonestar "My Christmas List"

6:57 PM Eddy Arnold "One Christmas Eve Long Ago"

Remember, all these times are Eastern and are estimates, so you will want to tune in a minute or two early to make sure you catch em. You can always keep up with your favorite videos on the GAC site, too. I love that feature. Too bad more stations don’t do this.

I’m a huge music fan, so I am always into any show that goes behind the scenes to show you what exactly goes on during the making of a CD, video or tour. The new GAC series, The Hitmen of Music Row, is right up my alley. It follows 4 of the most successful writers of Country Music songs today through their daily lives and shows them writing and performing the hits of such artists as Phil Vassar, Kenny Chesney and others. They are also the ones behind Phil Vassar’s new single "Love is a Beautiful Thing". The episode I watched showed clips of Phil talking about the hitmen and how you make sure to put a song on hold when it’s sent your way, which just goes to prove how successful they’ve been. Another great part of the series is when they get to talking about how they came up with some of their hits. They describe getting inspired to write "Hell Yeah" (performed by Montgomery Gentry) after hearing a fan screaming at a show. The men have a great chemistry together that makes them infinitely entertaining. It’s definitely worth checking out.

In other Country Music News, CMT really loves Carrie Underwood. For the second time in the past few months, she is going to take over the channel! It all starts on October 19^th, when Carrie shows up on the Top 20 Countdown at 2 pm Eastern time. On the 20^th, she’ll be featured on the Insider following a repeat of the countdown at 11 AM Eastern. They’ll also air her "In the Moment" special that documented the making of her debut CD, Some Hearts. Still haven’t gotten enough Carrie? Don’t worry- CMT is also going to have a series of 30-minute specials called "Carrie Music Television" where she’ll play her favorites. Some of the themes include Girl Power, Get the Party Started and Best Live Performances. You won’t want to miss this. Check the CMT site for airtimes. The specials start on 20^th.

I guess that’s all the news for today. Don’t forget to check out the forum to post your opinions on anything Country-related. Until next time, stay safe and "play something country!"

Hello again, Country Music Fans! It's me again, ready to share some news with you. First of all, Diamond Rio fans are in for a treat next week. Oct 9^th marks the release of their country music CD, A Diamond Rio Christmas: The Star Still Shines. In other yuletide news, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler and more are featured on the new Christmas compilation Play Something Country. You can get a copy of Pickler's version of "Santa Baby" on itunes.

Speaking of Kellie, you can catch her on GAC's Opry Live along with Pat Green and Trace Adkins. The encore airing is scheduled for 8 PM eastern tonight so make sure to tune in!

I managed to catch Gretchen Wilson's new clip "You Don't Have to Go Home" today on GAC. While the video is a bit predictable (a concert clip) it manages to work because she displays so much energy on the stage and you just can't help but get caught up in it. As for the song... it's everything you'd expect from the Redneck Woman: a high-energy rocker that takes a look at last call time in a bar.

Since we're on the subject of Country Music Videos, I thought I'd clue you in on a couple airing tonight on GAC. You can see a video from LeAnn Rimes followed by Taylor Swift's new video starting at 7:33 PM. A fitting combination, wouldn't you say? Make sure you tune in a little early so you don't miss them.

That’s all the news for now. Check back tomorrow for more! Also, don’t forget to stop by the forum to sound off. Til next time, stay safe and "play something country!"

Hey everyone! It’s a new week, and I’m back with some more Country Music News. Let’s get started with a look at the new issue of Country Music Weekly (Dated Oct. 8^th). Besides a great interview with Reba McEntire, the new issue features a chat with Brooks and Dunn. They talk about life, kids, their 17-year partnership and more. Check it out! You can also see a short version of the article on CountryWeekly.com.

Martina McBride fans have something more to celebrate this holiday season. According to reports, she is planning to re-release White Christmas tomorrow. The country music CD’s re-release is going to have new artwork and some extra songs.

A little while back, I shared some of my favorite Country Music Songs. For those that haven’t heard these yet, you have a chance to see some on GAC today. Here are some airtimes for ya: Alan Jackson’s "The Talkin’ Song Repair Blues" will air at 3:51 PM, Kenny Chesney’s "Don’t Blink" will be on at 4:22 PM and Brooks and Dunn’s song "Believe" will air at 10:25 PM. Remember, all airtimes are eastern and are estimates, so you’ll want to tune in a couple minutes early to make sure you catch them.

Well, that’s about it for now. Check back tomorrow for more news and reviews. Look for a new feature coming to the blog in the next couple of days and don’t forget to check out the forum so you can sound off on anything related to Country Music. Til next time, stay safe and "play something country!"

Chris Young rose to stardom after winning the Nashville Star title. Now, he’s coming back to TV! You can catch Chris perform all his big hits on the GAC Riverfront series starting in October. The first airing will be on the fourth at 8:30 PM Eastern time, with repeats to follow. The series is hosted by Blake Shelton and features some of the best in the business as they perform at the CMA Music Festival.

Travis Tritt is hitting the road to promote his new disc, The Storm. So far, tour dates are listed from October 6^th through December 1^st. Check with his official site to see if the tour  is coming near you!

Dolly Parton is going to appear on Dancing with the Stars tomorrow- to sing. According to a report, the legendary country music singer has turned down other offers to appear because they wanted her to dance, something she says she can't do. The appearance is in support of her upcoming disc Backwoods Barbie.

Finally, Keith Anderson will release a new Country Music CD on October 9^th. The disc is titled C’mon and is already available for pre-order at Amazon.com. His previous disc has scored him several hits such as "Pickin’ Wildflowers" and "XXL". The latest single off his debut is "Sunday Morning in America".

Well, that's all the news for now! Check back tomorrow, when I'll start sharing reviews of some of my favorite Country Music CDs. Don't forget to stop by the forum to share your thoughts on these stories or anything else Country Music! Til then, stay safe and "play something country!"

Hi, again! I’m back to fill you in on what's new in Country Music! If you want to comment on any of these stories or have anything else you want to discuss related to Country Music and it’s artists, be sure to stop by the forum after you're done. I’ll be looking forward to what you have to say! And now, here’s the news for today!

The Grand Ole Opry is a dream venue for any Country Music artist, and Keith Anderson was on that stage a couple days ago taping an episode of "Opry Live" for the channel Great American Country (GAC). He not only performed at the Opry, he hosted the TV version of the show as well! Join him on September 15^th at 8PM Eastern time when it airs on GAC. Martina McBride and Sara Evans are also performing on the episode. A repeat will air at midnight.

Besides the Opry epsisode, Keith can be seen on CMT Insider as they take you the number 1 party for "Lost in the Moment". Keith co-wrote the song with performers Big and Rich. The show will also air on the 15^th at 2 PM eastern.

Speaking of TV listings... I was recently on the GAC website trying to find out when the Offstage with Denise Jackson special was going to repeat when I discovered something cool. If you want to make sure you catch your favorite Country Music videos, just stop by the website and check their listings. It shows the estimated time that each video will play every day. As for the Offstage special- I didn’t see any listing for it but if I do, I’ll be sure to share. The special discussed Denise’s book "It’s All About Him". The book discusses the issues that almost led to the end of her relationship with Country star Alan Jackson and how they were able to come back from the brink. She also shares a funny story about Alan bringing her a leaf blower and helping her to dry her hair with it when no hair dryers could be found. Talk about being helpful!

Well, I guess that’s it for today. Don’t forget to watch the CMT Top 20 Countdown today to see the premiere of Carrie Underwood’s new video "So Small". From the still I saw, it looks like it’s going to be a good one.