Tuesday Newsday

TV Notes
Today, Kenny Chesney will sit down for and interview and perform on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. ….. Toby Keith is gearing up to take on the small screen with upcoming appearances to promote his new album, Bullets in the Gun, which hits stores tomorrow. He will stop by The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Wednesday, followed by an appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on Thursday. Toby will wrap the week with the premiere of his CMT Invitation Only on CMT. ….. And you can catch Trace Adkins tomorrow night on the Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC.

News From Around The Country
Nashville Lifestyles magazine has released the annual list of Music City’s 25 Most Beautiful People. Billy Currington, Rodney Atkins, and Montgomery Gentry’s Troy Gentry made the list. Those who are featured in the magazine represent the best and brightest doing great things in and around Nashville. ….. And speaking of Montgomery Gentry, did you see where they turned their official website pink on Friday in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month. The page will be pink for the entire month before the duo launches a brand new site on November 1st. ….. And finally, old school songwriter/producer Billy Sherrill will be presented with BMI's Icon Award during the organization's 58th annual country awards in November. Billy played a key role in expanding country music's mainstream audience in the '70s. His songwriting credits include Tammy Wynette's “Stand by Your Man,” Charlie Rich's “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" David Houston's "Almost Persuaded," and many others. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier this year.

Album News

Blake Shelton’s latest Six Pak All About Tonight has debuted at the number one spot on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, and number six on Billboard’s Top 200 chart – making it his highest charting record to date. His single and title track for the album “All About Tonight” also claims the top spot on Country Aircheck chart. Blake said, “It's a validation for me to know that fans feel the same way about this album, and nice to know that you've done something right.”

Cover art has been released for a couple of upcoming albums. Isn’t it fun to be able to see what you will looking for, rather than just see titles on a list?

Yesterday, Big Machine Records revealed the cover of Taylor Swift’s third album Speak Now. The CD will be out on October 25th.
Billy Currington’s next project, Enjoy Yourself, will be out on September 21st.

Kimmel Finds Just One of Country's Handsome Men

If you missed Jimmy Kimmel Live on Sunday night, you missed Keith Urban singing “Til Summer Comes Around Again” and participating in a skit called “The Handsome Men’s Club.” Jimmy acted as President of the men’s club, surrounded by a boardroom of handsome celebrities. Keith made a couple of flash appearances. The video has gone viral. If you watch it, know that it contains language appropriate for late night TV. …. Big Machine Records released a free Taylor Swift iPhone application this week. The program includes exclusive news, music, videos, photos, and more. Fans are also updated as soon as Taylor sends a new tweet. …. “That’s How Country Boys Roll” has become Billy Currington’s fifth trip to the top of the charts. …. And finally, Glamour Magazine has announced the 50 Most Glamorous Women In The World for 2010. Guess who represents country music? …..

1.) Leighton Meester
2.) Zoe Saldana
3.) Amanda Seyfried
4.) Kristen Stewart
5.) Emma Watson
6.) Taylor Swift
7.) Blake Lively
8.) Rihanna
9.) Freida Pinto
10.) Katy Perry

Taylor 8 Beyonce 10

Taylor Swift earned eight Grammy nominations last night, second only to Beyonce who scored ten. Three of Taylor's nominations are in the all-genre categories. Zac Brown Band was the only other country act nominated in an all-genre category – they earned a nomination for Best New Artist. During the televised nomination special, Sugarland performed “Coming Home” from their Green to Gold album. It was the first time Jennifer Nettles has played the piano on live television. Here are the country nominees:

Best Country Album
The Foundation / Zac Brown Band
Twang / George Strait
Fearless / Taylor Swift
Defying Gravity / Keith Urban
Call Me Crazy / Lee Ann Womack

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
Dead Flowers / Miranda Lambert
I Just Call You Mine / Martina McBride
White Horse / Taylor Swift
Just A Dream / Carrie Underwood
Solitary Thinkin' / Lee Ann Womack

Best Male Country Vocal Performance
All I Ask For Anymore / Trace Adkins
People Are Crazy / Billy Currington
High Cost Of Living / Jamey Johnson
Living For The Night / George Strait
Sweet Thing / Keith Urban

Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
Cowgirls Don't Cry / Brooks & Dunn
Chicken Fried / Zac Brown Band
I Run To You / Lady Antebellum
Here Comes Goodbye / Rascal Flatts
It Happens / Sugarland

Best Country Collaboration With Vocals
Beautiful World / Dierks Bentley & Patty Griffin
Down The Road / Kenny Chesney & Mac McAnally
Start A Band / Brad Paisley & Keith Urban
I Told You So / Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis
Everything But Quits / Lee Ann Womack & George Strait

Best Country Song – Songwriter’s Award
All I Ask For Anymore / Casey Beathard & Tim James
High Cost Of Living / Jamey Johnson
I Run To You / Tom Douglas, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott
People Are Crazy / Bobby Braddock & Troy Jones
White Horse / Liz Rose & Taylor Swift

Billy Currington has established an organization titled Global South Relief, which will attempt to relieve stress to various Central American countries by delivering supplies to locals. The first countries to benefit will be Guatemala and Costa Rica. Billy became aware of the desperate need for, and lack of, the most basic necessities while visiting these areas. Billy said, “They survive on very little and it serves as a reminder that I am very blessed and can provide assistance. The goal is to make this an annual trip and to reach as many countries as we can in the future to provide these people with some relief.” Billy will join several hit making songwriters to play a free show at Sloppy Joe’s in Key West, Florida this weekend in order to raise awareness for the effort. After the concert, Billy and the songwriters will travel to the two countries to deliver the supplies.

Keith Urban’s daughter Sunday was baptized recently while the family was vacationing in Italy. Nicole Kidman said, "There was a little church in the place where we were staying just outside Siena. The priest there baptised our baby and it was a beautiful time." Nicole returned to Catholicism after spending years studying Scientology with first husband Tom Cruise, although her two older children remain Scientologists.

The toymaker who already has a line of Taylor Swift dolls, has announced an expansion to the line with The Taylor Swift Performance Collection Doll Assortment line. The new line will feature dolls that sing a thirty - second highlight from one of five of Taylor’s hit songs and will be dressed in an outfit to match what Taylor was wearing in the corresponding video - plus comes with accessories, including a guitar and hair brush. Also available will be Taylor Fashion Packs which will have outfits based on real looks worn by Taylor including shoes and accessories. The new dolls will be available this spring.

Tim McGraw will star opposite Gwyneth Paltrow, Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester and will reunite with Friday Night Lights' Garrett Hedlund in the country music drama Love Don't Let Me Down. The plot follows a rising singer-songwriter (Hedlund), a fallen artist (Paltrow), her husband-manager (McGraw) and a pageant queen-turned-singer (Meester). Actor Tobey Maguire is a producer. Filming begins January.

2010 Tour Season Coming Together

The good news this morning? George Strait and Reba McEntire will tour together in early 2010. The bad news? According to the following tour schedule, George and Reba seem to have left The Pan Am off next year’s trip:

Jan. 22: Baltimore
Jan. 23: Greensboro, N.C.
Jan. 29: Knoxville, Tenn.
Jan. 30: Charlottesville, Va.
Feb. 5: Phoenix
Feb. 6: Las Vegas
Feb. 18: St. Louis
Feb. 19, Wichita, Kan.
Feb. 20: Tulsa, Okla.
Feb. 25: Atlanta
Feb. 26: Orlando, Fla.
March 4: Memphis, Tenn.
March 5: New Orleans, La.
March 6: Little Rock, Ark.
March 26: Portland, Ore.
March 27: Tacoma, Wash.
April 8: Omaha, Neb.
April 9: Kansas City, Mo.
April 10: Des Moines, Iowa

News From Around The Country
Billy Currington is the only country artist who will ride atop a float during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. … Dolly Parton, Kid Rock, Charlie Daniels and the late Ernest Tubb and Tootsie Bess will be inducted to the Music City Walk of Fame in Nashville on November 8th. … And finally, after having won $25,000 for the Arthritis Foundation on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, Bucky Covington will be a Celebrity Ambassador for the Arthritis Foundation, Tennessee Chapters for five Jingle Bell 5K Run/Walk events.

Late Night Talk Hosts Are Crazy

Eatin’ socks is nothin’ compared to David Letterman’s monologue on “People Are Crazy.” Here at the Country Station, Sheila only went so far as to (correctly) predict that the song would go number one and challenge Ernesto. David Letterman says that the people who run country music can stop now, Billy Currington has reached absolute perfection. Check out this clip of praise from Billy’s recent appearance on The Late Show.

News From Around The Country
LeAnn Rimes has been spending a lot of time in California lately. She was spotted playing golf with Eddie Cibrian last week, and it’s reported that she had police knocking on her door. According to the LA Times, LeAnn was questioned last week by LAPD after she was accused of a misdemeanor hit-and-run in Brentwood. So far no charges have been brought against LeAnn. TMZ reports that LeAnn was driving a 2009 Audi Q5 when she allegedly rear-ended a 2006 BMW X5 that was stopped in the left turn lane.

And just in case he doesn’t sell enough records, Toby Keith is expanding his little fall-back business, the chain of Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill. A new location is supposed to open late next year in Pittsburgh's SouthSide Works area. It will be the sixth location for the franchise which already operates locations in Kansas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City and Mesa, Arizona. Future locations are expected in suburban areas of Detroit and Minneapolis.

Half Off Italian Favorites

It’s Half Off Wednesday! Whoo-hoo! Today you can shop for Half Off certificates to use at Savino’s Ristorante Italiano. Just jump back to the main page to take advantage of the money saving offer while supplies last.

News From Around The Country
Billy Currington has been seen around Nashville wearing a medical boot. As an avid runner, Billy was jogging steps at a park when he accidently missed a step and broke his toe. The Farm Aid 2009 lineup is taking shape. Board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellancamp, and Dave Matthews will be there, along with Jamey Johnson, Wilco, Jason Mraz and Phosphorescent. This year’s event takes place on October 4th in Maryland Heights, Missouri, near St. Louis. DVR alert!! Reba McEntire will drop by Q Sessions Live on QVC this Friday to preview music from her new album Keep On Loving You. Gretchen Wilson and Sony Music Nashville have mutually parted ways. Gretchen will no longer record with the label as a solo artist, but both parties plan to work together on future catalogue projects. Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood played soccer on Sunday as captains for England’s Chelsea soccer team, representing the Teammates for Kids Foundation.

And finally, if you need a little mid-week entertainment, The Lost Trailers have developed their own online game using a video scavenger and I Spy. The game is featured on their MySpace page where fans watch a video to “Country Folks” and look for 20 scavenger items. Submit your answers, and then a random winner will be selected from the correct entries to win stuff like meet-and-greet passes and band merchandise.

Billy Currington Numero Uno

With recent appearances on the top of research lists and various calculations of country hits, Billy Currington has been flirting with the top of the charts. Today, Country Aircheck listed “People Are Crazy” as the #1 song of the week. It’s only a matter of time until Mediabase follows suit. Mediabase 24/7 is the chart that Bob Kingsley follows for the Country Top 40 Countdown here on The Country Station. So when Bob gives the official word that Billy is at the top of the charts, Ernesto owes you a payoff on the bet with Sheila for doubting the songs ability to be number one. Stay Tuned!! Also, watch Billy perform his hit on The Late Show with David Letterman on August 19th.

Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban are offering iTunes uses some exclusive content. The Flatts have an iTunes pass for fans to receive downloads of previously unreleased music, such as live concert recordings (“I’m Movin’ On,” “Mayberry,” “Bless the Broken Road”), studio rehearsals (“What Hurts the Most,” “Take Me There,” “Here Comes Goodbye”) and unreleased demos. The first songs were made available yesterday, and additional titles will become available every Tuesday through September 1st. A total of 28 recordings are scheduled for release on iTunes this summer. Meanwhile, Keith released an iTunes Originals pack yesterday. It includes six newly recorded live in-studio songs and exclusive interviews.

Yesterday Gary Allan received a permanent restraining order against a woman accused of stalking him. With three hours of testimony from Gary and members of his band and management, Gary denied speaking to or emailing the woman who defended herself by alleging that Gary repeatedly called her.

Feel Good Friday Entertainment

Martina McBride’s 10th studio album, Shine, will be released next week. Accordingly, Martina will be everywhere to promote it. Look for Martina on the current cover of First Magazine, and on NBC’s Today Show on Tuesday (3/24) and Wednesday (3/25). Next, it’s off to Live with Regis and Kelly on Wednesday, as well as a taping of the Rachael Ray Show for April 6th and A&E's Private Sessions for April 5th. Martina is also scheduled to appear on upcoming episodes of Chelsea Lately and Ellen DeGeneres. And then there will be pieces on Access Hollywood, CNN, CMT Insider, GAC's Headline Country and GAC Nights, TV Guide Channel, Fox News Feed, Better TV, CBS Newspath, ABC.com, Out.com, AOL's The Boot, The Tennessean, Shape, Nashville Lifestyles, OK! Magazine and US Weekly. Whew! Martina fans may need a larger scrapbook.

March Madness is upon us, and Billy Currington is inviting you to match wits. Billy’s filled out his NCAA bracket, and made his Final Four picks. Now he’s inviting fans to fill out their own bracket to play against him for a basket full of cool prizes. One Grand Prize winner who beats Billy’s bracket will receive a collection of his CD’s. Five first-prize winners will receive a copy of his latest release Little Bit Of Everything. To play, you have to become a member of CBSsports.com before Thursday, March 19th. Check out his NCAA bracket by entering the group password "billy".

News From Around The Country
Randy Owen has been honored with the Development District Association Of Appalachia’s (DDAA) first-ever Donald R Myers Humanitarian Award for his work in his hometown of Ft. Payne, Alabama. With his latest single topping the charts, Darius Rucker becomes the first male artist in 15 years to have his first two singles reach the #1 position. Rascal Flatts has shattered all sales records with the first-week sales of the digital single, “Here Comes Goodbye.” 126,000 copies is the most any one single has ever sold in it’s first week in country music history.

And finally, for a Feel Good Friday, how ‘bout we relive Wednesday night’s Idol?

BS From Strait-laced George?

No-nonsense George Strait is going to have a little BS on his tour this summer. Blake Shelton has been added as the middle opening act to the tour which previously announced Julianne Hough will be warming up the crowd. Blake says that he’s recently been rediscovering George’s music, “Lately I’ve found myself really in to George Strait. Going back and digging into his older stuff and those early days, the middle days and even ‘til now. I just have so much respect for him, and between him and Conway, you can hear those two and even Glen Campbell all over (Startin’ Fires).”

Luke Bryan has been named honorary chairman of National Hunting and Fishing Day, September 26, 2009. Congress established National Hunting and Fishing Day in 1972 to recognize hunters and anglers for their leadership in fish and wildlife conservation, and the day has been formally proclaimed by every U.S. President. “I feel very proud to be a part of this,” Luke said. “I’m looking forward to the coming year. I hope to help grow awareness of what hunters and anglers do for conservation, and just promote hunting and fishing overall. It’s so important for young people to get involved in the outdoors. I couldn’t imagine my life and career without the time that I’ve spent hunting and fishing.” Luke is in good company with other country stars who have previously served in this role, including Hank Williams, Jr., Travis Tritt, Tracy Byrd, and Jeff Foxworthy.

News From Around The Country
Bucky Covington will be going overseas on his first European USO Tour. He’ll be spending a couple of weeks in February entertaining US troops in Germany and Kosovo. Billy Currington is celebrating his third number one of his career with "Don't." Taylor Swift's Fearless spends its seventh week at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. This marks the most weeks any CD has spent at number one since Usher's Confessions spent nine weeks at the top in 2004. Little Jimmy Dickens has transferred from an area hospital in Nashville to a nearby rehabilitation center. He is recovering from brain surgery, and is expected to only spend a short time at the rehab center. And finally, here’s an interesting bunch. Dolly Parton, Paul McCartney, and Michelle Branch are just a few of the artist Yusef Islam, formerly known as Cat Stevens, has recruited to appear on his upcoming spring album.

It's Good To Be Friday!

It’s a Feel Good Friday and Aaron Watson hits Whiskey Dicks TONIGHT in El Paso. 8pm. All ladies age 21 and up are admitted free for Aaron Watson; guys 21 and over pay $10. Ages 18-20 may attend the show, but both genders pay $20.

Tim McGraw gets to deliver the game ball to the pitcher’s mound in Game Three of the World Series in Philadelphia. The Phillies picked Tim as a symbolic gesture to honor his father, the late Tug McGraw. Tug pitched the Phillies to a World Series win in 1980 and was the last pitcher to close-out a Series win for the team. Tim says, “(It’s been) fifteen years since they’ve been in and I guess ’80 was the only World Series they’ve ever won when Tug was pitching. And it’s pretty cool. My little brother Mark lives in Philadelphia and then my other little brother Matthew lives in Kentucky so we’re going to try and all get together and catch a game.” And if you missed it, Tim’s first children’s book, My Little Girl, went on sale this week.

The end-of-the-week numbers are rolling in, and it’s good news/bad news for Kenny Chesney. Kenny’s new album Lucky Old Sun sold 176,000 copies this week, enough to top the Billboard Top 200 chart. However, it marks the lowest sales debut of a Kenny album since Everywhere We Go came out in 1999 to the tune of only 30,000 copies sold. Kenny also holds the top spot on the Billboard Country Albums Chart, and Billy Currington’s new CD Little Bit of Everything debuted at number 2. That was enough to push last week’s chart topper Tim McGraw Greatest Hits 3 down to 4th place; Sugarland Love On The Inside nudged to 3rd; and Darius Rucker Learn To Live Rounds out the Top 5.

As far as singles are concerned, Bucky Covington has reason to celebrate! This week, Bucky scored his first #1 single with “I’ll Walk” topping the Music Row Breakout Chart.


The rest of the Top 10 are:

1. Bucky Covington/I'll Walk/Lyric Street
2. Lady Antebellum/Lookin' For A Good Time/Capitol
3. Taylor Swift/Love Story/Big Machine
4. Carrie Underwood/Just A Dream/Arista
5. Tim McGraw/Let It Go/Curb
6. Sugarland/Already Gone/Mercury
7. Montgomery Gentry/Roll With Me/Columbia
8. Blake Shelton/She Wouldn't Be Gone/Warner Bros.
9. Trace Adkins/Muddy Water/Capitol
10. Rascal Flatts/Here/Lyric Street

Keep sending in your Carrie Underwood Campaign Signs! All signs must be submitted before final judging on Thursday, October 30th. The Carrie Underwood Carnival Ride Tour will be at the Pan Am Center on Monday, November 3rd. See all the contest details here.

It's Like Kenny In Your Living Room

The rack of new CD’s released today offer quite a bit of bonus music. The first crack at the new Kenny Chesney CD is the Deluxe Edition of Lucky Old Sun, which contains four bonus tracks that will not be on next week’s regular edition. Expect the latest album to have more of a stripped down feel as opposed to the party theme of the last record. Little Big Town offers A Place to Land – part two – today. It’s the new and improved version of an album that failed to materialize substantial hits when it was released on a smaller label. The band switched record labels, added four new tracks, and now the collection has been given a second wind. Included on the upgraded disc is the collaborative single “Life In A Northern Town.” The track can now be found on Sugarland’s latest CD, Love On The Inside and Little Big Town’s CD. One would imagine that Jake Owen will get a turn to put the song on his next CD as well. Other notable new releases are Billy Currington A Little Bit of Everything, and John Michael Montgomery Time Flies. As the title suggests, you’ll hear a little bit of country, a little bit of pop, and some soulful tracks on the new Currington CD. The new JMM project allows fans to catch up through song on how the 90’s hitmaker has been feeling in the last few years. As with all CDs, a few of the tracks are purely for fun, but there are one of two tracks that really take the listener back to the familiar era of big John Michael Montgomery ballads.

News from Around The Country
George Jones is planning to build a country music-themed attraction in Dothan, Alabama, that will include an 11,000-seat amphitheatre, museum, and casino. George envisions the attraction to be like Branson, MO, with additional restaurants and theatres. George and his wife also plan to build a home in the area. Willie Nelson is planning an album of western swing music. Collaborating with Asleep At The Wheel, look for Willie and The Wheel in February 2009. Taylor Swift is becoming quite the world traveler. She recently performed in Europe, now she’s scheduled to perform at the CMC Rocks Festival in Australia next March.