Big Honors From The Industry; Big Honors From The Fans

Today’s news opens on the concert ticket front. Our friends at Axis Radius Entertainment have changed the local ticket vendor for El Paso concerts, generally held at Whiskey Dicks and Take II. You can now buy your tickets at Horse ‘N’ Hound, 991 W. Amador. Tickets are now on sale for Lady Antebellum at Whiskey Dicks on March 27th and for David Allan Coe at Whiskey Dicks on February 15th. DAC tickets are $20 in advance.

The latest inductees into the Country Music Hall of Fame have been announced. Barbara Mandrell, Roy Clark, and Charlie McCoy will participate in May’s official medallion ceremony. It’s interesting that all three of this year’s inductees used television to further their respective careers. Barbara hosted her own NBC variety show in the early 1980’s, showcasing her talents alongside her sisters Louise and Erlene. (Somebody needs to put Barbara Mandrell and The Mandrell Sisters on DVD!) Her vocal and instrumental talents led her to become the first repeat winner of the CMA’s Entertainer of the Year award. Roy Clark spent a good bit of his career as the “pickin’ and grinnin’” co-host of Hee Haw. He, too, won a CMA Entertainer of the Year trophy. And session-player Charlie McCoy has ties to both Barbara and Roy. In addition to being a member of the Hee Haw band for 18 years, you can hear Charlie’s musicianship Roy’s "I Never Picked Cotton" and Barbara’s "Sleeping Single In A Double Bed" and "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want To Be Right." Over his career, Charlie was nominated 13 times for the CMA’s Instrumentalist of the Year honor, and he won it in 1972 and ’73.

Recently, we told you about Toby Keith and Taylor Swift getting into the fashion business. Add Trent Tomlinson to that list. Trent and his wife, Jessica, recently opened a clothing boutique in Mooresville, North Carolina. According to Trent, Tempt boutique features men’s and women’s clothing and will also offer swimwear since they are located by Lake Norman. Trent plans on designing some clothing items in the future.

The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) has named a famous musical entertainer, three U.S. legislators, a major U.S.company, a volunteer bugler, and two Congressional staff members as recipients of its highest awards for 2009. As he is about to embark on his 8th USO Tour, Toby Keith will receive the MOAA Distinguished Service Award for his exceptional support of military people. Over the years, Toby has performed more than 100 shows for the USO.

And finally, it’s almost ACM season! Julianne Hough, Kellie Pickler, Leann Rimes and Jessica Simpson will announce nominees for the 44th annual Academy of Country Music Awards on February 11th. The show will be held April 5 in Las Vegas. Again this year, fans will be allowed to vote, but in different categories. Remember last year? Fans voted in the Entertainer of the Year category and Kenny Chesney opined that that category should be held to a higher regard.

Well this year, for the first time, the three newcomer categories – Top New Male Vocalist, Top New Female Vocalist, and Top New Vocal Duo or Group – will be opened up for fan voting through gactv.com from Friday, February 13th through Thursday, March 5th. The winner in each of the three categories will be announced March 9th, and will move on to compete in a brand new Academy of Country Music Awards Category: Top New Artist. Voting for the Top New Artist Category will begin on March 16th, and will close on April 5th, with the winner announced during the ACM's. Good luck to all the pending nominees in these categories, as fans can be voracious voters.