It's Friday! And almost May....

News From Around The Country
Not too long ago, there was a vote. Time Magazine has now compiled their “Most Influential” list, and Taylor Swift has been ranked at number nine. Others recognized on the list include, Robert Pattinson, Sandra Bullock, and Ashton Kutcher. ….. Meanwhile, People magazine has released their list of Most Beautiful People, and both Taylor and Carrie Underwood have made the list. This is Carrie’s fourth time being selected for the honor, as well as Julia Roberts' –who will grace the cover of the issue as the most beautiful person. …… Congratulations to Emerson Drive’s lead singer Brad Mates and wife Jana welcomed baby boy Tyler Robert at 7:04 p.m. Wednesday in Nashville. ….. Garth Brooks teamed up with NFL legend Troy Aikman to create a play area called the Child Life Zone in Denver’s Health Medical Center. The play area for children battling cancer was built with funds from both Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation and the Troy Aikman Foundation. ….. Joe Nichols says the chances of him starring as Rusty in the Broadway adaptation of Pure Country are getting slimmer and slimmer. Broadway in general isn’t doing well so the production has been pushed back causing possible scheduling conflicts for Joe. ….. Alan Jackson will dedicate his May 22nd show in Charleston, West Virginia, to families who lost loved ones in the Upper Big Branch Mining Disaster. Profits from the show will go towards a local disaster fund to assist the families of the 29 miners who lost their lives. ….. Kid Rock will be hosting the CMT Music Awards, live from Nashville on June 9th. …. And finally, just click here if you’d like to take advantage of People Magazine’s “First Look” at an upcoming ad featuring George Strait for the “Don’t Mess With Texas” anti-litter campaign.

Brooks And Done

When they’re at their peak, it’s hard to imagine any of country music’s great groups and duos breaking up. But as it’s happened before, one day the news just drops. Today’s one of those days. Brooks & Dunn are done. The letter to fans is on their website.

“After 20 years of making music and riding this trail together, we have agreed as a duo that it's time call it a day. This ride has been everything and more than we could ever have dreamed .... We owe it all to you, the fans. If you hear rumors, don't believe them, it's just time. We will release our #1's and then some" on September 8th and come see you all one more time in 2010, with The Last Rodeo Tour (dates to be announced).”

The news breaks the same week that Arista’s single-switcheroo from “Indian Summer” to “Honkytonk Stomp” paid off. The newest song showed up at the top of the Most-added list, meaning a lot of radio stations across the country were willing to switch gears with the duo. Looks like Kix & Ronnie are coming full circle with an upbeat honkytonk swan song.

News From Around The Country
Taylor Swift picked up two Teen Choice Awards on Sunday night. She was not on-hand to accept the honors because she had a concert in Omaha. But her pal Kellie Pickler and best friend Abigail walked on to the stage carrying a huge sign that said she had just won the awards. Meanwhile, Miley Cyrus picked up 6 Teen Choice Awards and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, walked away with one. … Carrie Underwood will soon be inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame. Along with two other Sooner State musicians, Carrie will receive the honor during a ceremony in Muskogee on September 17th. Carrie joins more than 50 other Okies in the hall, including Vince Gill, Toby Keith, Merle Haggard, Wanda Jackson, Hank Thompson and David Gates. … And speaking of Okies, Garth Brooks is reportedly getting closer to a deal to play Vegas. The gig would consist of a16 week stint at the Encore Hotel and Casino, reportedly beginning in October. … Emerson Drive has joined the list of country artists with an iPhone application. Get the Free app at the iTunes App store and enjoy more than 30 videos including live performances, episodes of E-Drive TV, music videos, band photos, more than 40 songs streaming, blog messages from the band, puzzle games and more. …Jake Owen will be hosting a new web series on ABC.com called Nashville Nights. The webisodes will capture memories from CMA Music Fest 2009. The five-part series will be a countdown to the CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock which will air on August 31st. … And finally, it doesn’t sound too unusual that Toby Keith rolled up to WE Fest in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota last week on his motorcycle. What fans didn’t know was that he had just come in from a 563 mile road trip! Toby had attended Sturgis Bike Week in Sturgis, South Dakota earlier last week and then decided a road trip on his bike would be more of a fun way to get to the next gig at WE Fest than the bus.

Pre-Release Hype Has Made The Climb

Hannah Montana, The Movie, opens nationwide today. It’s an extension of the TV show, but because this super-sized episode was largely filmed on location in Tennessee, there is a lot more country music throughout the movie. Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus star, but look for cameos from Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Bucky Covington, and Marcel. The Flatts and Taylor pretty much play themselves as friends of "Miley" and each sing well-placed numbers. Bucky and Marcel can be seen as band members in Miley and/or Billy Ray's bands. Last night in Nashville, the red carpet premiere saw plenty of celebrity with children in tow: Sara Evans, Phil Vassar, Martina McBride, Clint Black and Big Kenny.

If country music infiltrating the tween pop world isn’t enough for you, how about more country music on the Great White Way? Dolly took 9 to 5 to Broadway, next up is Pure Country. Joe Nichols will play the lead role in the Broadway version of the film. Joe is supposed to be going to New York City at the end of October, so that the show can start in early 2010. Joe said the production is an updated version of the 1992 movie. Asked how he feels about stepping into a role originated by George Strait, Joe said, "It feels pretty amazing. He's been a hero of mine since I was a little kid so to come along behind him … on Broadway and do something that people dream their whole lives of doing is pretty amazing."

News From Around The Country
Keith Urban debuted Defying Gravity at the top of the sales charts. It’s the first of his albums to best the number three opening slot that he’s so familiar with. Toby Keith has reportedly backed out of his next movie project due to a production conflict with his annual USO tour. Taylor Swift donated her prom dress to an online auction that helps girls give and receive the dress of their dreams; it earned $1200. And finally, all that dancing seems to be paying off. With more than one-half million profile views, Chuck Wicks ranks as the number two country artist on MySpace for the past two weeks, second only to Carrie Underwood.

And your Harley photo of the day: Brad Mates from Emerson Drive:

Is It Thursday?

Happy Birthday, Kenny Chesney - one year past 40. Fresh from his Mac McAnally duet hit “Down The Road,” which Mac wrote while he was waiting for his kids to get up on Christmas Day 1987, Kenny will be releasing his Greatest Hits 2 on May 19th.
Emerson Drive is in El Salvador working on a mission with Compassion International. Unfortunately, keyboard player Dale Wallace is stuck in Nashville. Dale was unable to board the plane to El Salvador due to an issue with his passport. He spent over an hour disputing the issue, yet ultimately had to say bon voyage to his fellow band members. Dale was disappointed about missing the trip and said, “I was really looking forward to checking out a country I have never been to, and also getting the chance to work alongside the people from ‘Compassion.’” Dale goes on to say that he will make sure he is well prepared for the band’s next trip to a far off land. Emerson Drive is working with Compassion International to help raise awareness of children living in poverty around the world.

News From Around The Country
Next Thursday, April 2nd, the Eli Young Band will be on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC.
Gloriana has been chosen by the Academy of Country Music to document their first trip to the Awards in Las Vegas for an exclusive behind-the-scenes web series at CBS.com. Dolly Parton will be on the cover of the May/June issue of AARP The Magazine, which hit newsstands Tuesday. In the candid article, Dolly discusses her 43-year marriage to Carl Dean, her best friend since third grade / assistant, Judy Ogle, and clears up rumors that have floated around her for years. Taylor Swift and Jimmy Wayne are among the musicians teaming with the Grammy Foundation and Best Buy stores to launch the SoundMatters Initiative, which encourages healthy hearing for young music fans who use portable entertainment devices. The campaign is dedicated to raising awareness of healthy hearing, prevention of hearing damage and encouraging regular hearing checkups.

Half and You

It's another Half Off Wednesday with a savings page that sports an all new look! This week you can save half with Risotto's Med Rim Bistro. Don't forget to take advantage of the "22 and You 2: Mix N Match" special. You get one appetizer, two entrees, plus soup or salad to feed 2 for only $22. Half Off certificates are available while supplies last.

What ever happened to your old Alabama t-shirts? Faded? Ripped? Twenty years and two sizes ago? Well soon you will be able to replace them and relive the good ol' days with the Country Legends T-shirt Program available at Walmart. Alabama, Kenny Rogers, The Oak Ridge Boys, George Jones, and Charlie Daniels are just some of the retro T's you'll be able to wear again. Shirts will be available at stores across America through May.

News From Around The Country
Brad Paisley launched the final leg of the Paisley Party Tour over the weekend with sell-outs in three cities. Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker are guests on the tour. Items from Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and George Strait are all up for auction in the 12th Annual Country Angel's Network online charity auction. To bid on an item, check out the website. Once again, Emerson Drive is up for a Campus Activities magazine Reader's Choice Award in the Best Major Performance category. Reba McEntire takes on hosting duties for the third time at this year's Celebrity Fight Night, March 28th in Phoenix. The event is a star-studded evening presented in honor of Muhammad Ali and raises money for local charities.

Another Feel Good Friday

The Eli Young Band is in concert TONIGHT at Whiskey Dicks in El Paso. Get your tickets at Boot Barn at Mesilla Valley Mall or online.

On the heels of yesterday’s news of the US Airways jet landing in the Hudson River, Emerson Drive lead singer Brad Mates shares his story of a recent emergency landing. Brad and his wife Jana were on their way back to Nashville from a holiday vacation in Main when their plane was diverted to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. As the plane began its descent, the captain announced to the passengers that they were going to change airports because they needed a longer runway. 10-minutes before they landed, the captain made a second announcement, warning passengers to expect a rough landing. Immediately the flight attendants went over emergency procedures and Brad remembers, “As we descended toward the airport, the flight attendants made repeated announcements to ‘duck and brace, duck and brace.’ When we touched down, you could feel the plane was moving faster than it usually does for a normal landing. When the pilots pushed on the brakes the plane vibrated, and then we finally came to a stop. I lifted my head from the crash position and looked out of the window to see several fire trucks, ambulances and other safety vehicles.” Everyone was safe. After the fact, Brad learned that the flaps on the wings would not work when the pilots had been cleared for landing, and without the flaps to help slow down the plane it basically lands at a speed unsafe for tires, brakes and control. “It was a pretty crazy, exciting, scary experience to say the least,” said Brad. “One I won't forget!”

Faith Hill will sing “America The Beautiful” as part of the pregame show for Super Bowl XLIII next month in Tampa, Florida. Faith becomes the fourth artist to ever perform the song at the Super Bowl. The others were Alicia Keys, Vicki Carr and the late Ray Charles. Sister station KSNM AM 570, News, Talk, and Sports will broadcast this year’s game live.

Taylor Swift has been in LA this week, filming her role on an upcoming episode of CSI. One of the first shots from the set has emerged. And don’t worry, kids, it’s a wig.

Holiday Clearance Sale

Today only, Half Off Wednesday is having a clearance sale! Log on early and save more than half on certificates from local businesses that you can use or give for the holiday season. All remaining offers are while supplies last.

The long-awaited photo of Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman's baby, Sunday Rose, has emerged! What a doll! Nicole calls her "a little Keithette."

Emerson Drive moved out of their old home-on-the-road yesterday. Their aging tour bus recently turned over its one-millionth mile. The milestone, (if you’ll pardon the pun), was reached November 1st at 6:07 in the morning as the band traveled across New Mexico. The band decided it was time for a new ride, and they took possession of a new bus yesterday. They’ll be taking the new bus to Columbus, Ohio for an appearance tomorrow night.

If you’re looking all over the internet for unique gift ideas, don’t miss this auction at ebay. Dolls decorated by Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Jessica Simpson, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, Dierks Bentley, Alan Jackson, Rascal Flatts, Eric Church, Faith Hill, George Strait, Wynonna, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Lady Antebellum are being auctioned for a good cause. Project Paper Doll benefits the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital in Nashville. Different dolls will be released until the auction ends December 17th. Any guesses as to who may have created this and the above examples? Comment with your guesses.

After several concerts, countless autographs, and giving his personal thanks to countless soldiers stationed throughout Iraq, Aaron Tippin has returned home from his Thanksgiving USO trip. “It is amazing how well things are going,” comments Tippin on Iraq’s current state. “Once again, our guys and gals have demonstrated that they are the best and most professional warriors on the face of the planet!” Next up, Rockie Lynne will be taking an overseas trip around Christmas to entertain the troops and hand deliver a special CD he created just for them, Songs for Soliders.

The Year of Taylor

The people have spoken. Er, voted. The Country winners of the American Music Awards:
Brad Paisley – Favorite Male Artist
Taylor Swift – Favorite Female Artist
Rascal Flatts – Favorite Band/Duo or Group
Carrie Underwood Carnival Ride – Favorite Album

Taylor Swift will be on the year-end cover of Cosmo Girl magazine, having been named the publication’s Girl of the Year. The five-page spread also declares Taylor as one of the up-and-comers who were “Born To Lead.” The photos were all shot in New York’s Central Park. You’ll also find Taylor on the cover of the December issues of Girl’s Life and Women’s Health magazines. Taylor has also earned Cosmopolitan magazine’s Fun, Fearless Female of December; she’s Allure magazine’s Face of the Month; and Seventeen magazine has declared her the Style Star of 2008.

The second generation of Emerson Drive has begun. Fiddle player David Pichette and his wife Jill welcomed their first child Emma Victoria last Friday. She is the first child for the group, who were all at one time confirmed bachelors yet have been recently falling one by one into the throws of matrimony. Emerson Drive wraps up their tour this year on December 12th and the new CD is slated for a spring 2009 release.

Jewel Strikes Again

She got him again! This time she had him arrested! It happened early Saturday morning at the Nashville International Airport. Brad Paisley’s private plane was met by two police officers who wasted no time handcuffing the guitar wizard as soon as he stepped off the plane. Brad quickly protested, "You've gotta be kidding me! I've never done anything wrong in my life." The police explained that they had a warrant for his arrest for his involvement in "some serious crimes." Brad was placed in an unmarked police car and given a further explanation of his arrest, "We have a Mrs. Jewel Murray who has filed several charges against you in the state of Tennessee for excessive noodling.” At that, Brad realized it was all a joke and broke out laughing. "Noodling? On the guitar?" Brad asked the officers before admitting, "You know what, I am guilty." Brad concedes that with Jewel’s latest prank, he has finally been trumped, "This is absolutely as good as it gets. This is the best I've ever been had." And just think, all Brad ever did to Jewel on the Paisley Party Tour was send a man to storm her set dressed as a condom. Will this be the end to the legendary Paisley tour pranks? No one knows, but Dierks Bentley better watch his back next year for burly men dressed in little white tank tops.

News From Around The Country
Check one more guy off next year’s eligibility for hottest bachelor voting. Brad Mates of Emerson Drive married Jana Raymond October 4th. Then, before the honeymoon was done, Brad played a groom in the band's new music video for “Belongs To You.” Kenny Chesney’s Poets and Pirates Tour is nominated for Top Touring Package at Billboard’s 2008 Touring Awards. The awards will be handed out November 20th in New York. Toby Keith has come in second place on a list compiled by the National Defense Examiner as a celebrity most committed to supporting our troops. Wayne Newton took the number one spot on the list. Reba McEntire is part of Barry Manilow’s new album as a duet partner on “Islands In The Stream.” Look for The Greatest Songs of the Eighties to be released on November 25th. And finally, check out Faith Hill’s latest magazine cover. Feeling a little out of shape in her current stage of life, Faith began an exercise regime of Pilates three times a week. She calls the magazine cover "a forty-first birthday present to herself."

The K-Great 104 Campaign for Carrie Underwood Continues...
PS: Are you working on your Carrie Underwood Campaign Signs? Only those who enter signs will be eligible to win tickets from The Country Station.

Josh Gracin Plays Tonight

TONIGHT Lyric Street recording artist and former American Idol Josh Gracin takes the stage at the Southern New Mexico State Fair. The show is at 10pm. The Cadillac Kings open at 9 pm. The concert is included in fair admission.

Josh Gracin is best known for his 4th place finish on the second season of American Idol. Remember this?


Since 2003, Josh has had measurable success in country music. His 2004 debut album, Josh Gracin, sold Gold and produced two Top 5 singles “I Want To Live” and “Stay With Me (Brass Bed)” and the Number One “Nothin’ To Lose.” Three more singles were released in anticipation of the second album, the third of which became the Top 10 title song “We Weren’t Crazy,” an autobiographical tune that chronicles Josh's early years with his wife, Ann Marie. Finally released in the spring of 2008, We Weren’t Crazy debuted at #4 on the Billboard Country Album Sales Chart. The current single “Unbelievable (Ann Marie)” is the 4th release from the album.

Expect tonight’s show to be full of hits and a variety of Josh’s favorite performance songs. As to the type of show that he performs, Josh says, “Every show I do, I see how strongly crowds respond to uptempo songs, I can’t wait to play these new songs to more people, because I’ve already seen how people react to them. I like to use the whole stage, running back and forth when performing, and this album gives me the material to get the job done.”

Stay tuned this afternoon because The Country Station should have a chance to talk to Josh Gracin while he’s in town, and you never know what may become of that! In the meantime, here’s your video-of-the-day preview to get you warmed up for showtime:


Now let’s take a walk down memory lane...

Country Music Through The Years at The Southern New Mexico State Fair:

2007 – Bucky Covington


2006 – Trent Willmon

2005 – Keith Anderson

2004 – Asleep At The Wheel and Blue County

2003 – Pinmonkey and Emerson Drive

2002 – Chris Cagle

2001 – Trick Pony Have a Feel Good Friday .... and be sure to check back for the Josh Gracin pictures.

Ladies Day

Ladies, (and gentlemen) it's Half Off Wednesday. Today you can save half at Masters of Hair Design. Beginning at 6 am, you can click the link here or on the main page and pick up these popular certificates while supplies last.

Here’s another little treat, ladies. Eye candy. Country Weekly readers have voted The Top 10 Sexiest Men in Country Music. Complete rankings in the latest issue.

Tim McGraw
Blake Shelton
Keith Anderson
Jeff Bates
Keith Urban
5. Jack Ingram
4. Chris Young


3. Toby Keith
2. Gary Allan
1. Trace Adkins

George Jones, Barbra Streisand, Morgan Freeman, Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey will be honored at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors. The annual ceremony recognizes lifetime achievements in the performing arts. President Bush will present the medals December 7th in Washington. George first hit the charts in 1955 and since then has won two Grammys, numerous CMA and ACM Awards, has been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and still headlines nearly 100 shows a year. "I am completely overwhelmed to be the recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors," said George. "I can't believe that I have been included in the same company as previous winners that are country music legends: Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Roy Acuff and Willie Nelson. "Since I was a young man, I have just done what I love and that is sing country music, and I never dreamed that something this special would happen to me. I am completely humbled and will be proud to accept the award!"

Emerson Drive joins the roster at the Valory Music Company and becomes part of the CCMA All-star Band. The Valory roster includes multi-platinum recording artist Jewel, Jimmy Wayne and Justin Moore. “On behalf of all the guys in the band, we are excited about this new agreement between Emerson Drive, The Valory Music Co. and Midas Records and feel that this opportunity will boost Emerson Drive to the next level of our career,” states Emerson Drive’s Brad Mates. The next album is out in early 2009, and a new single should be on its way to The Country Station in the coming months. Meanwhile, as part of Canada’s Country Music Week, The CCMA held their annual Industry Dinner & Gala followed by the All-Star Band Awards & Jam Session. Emerson Drive members were named to the “cream of the crop” of Canadian musicians. Dale Wallace (keyboards), David Pichette (fiddle), and Mike Melancon (drums) were all named to the 2008 CCMA All-Star Band. This makes Wallace’s 4th (2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008), Pichette’s 3rd (2005, 2006 and 2008) and Melancon’s 2nd time as a member of the CCMA All-Star Band.

Monday Musings

Bon Anniversaire! That’s a French Happy Birthday to Brad Mates. The lead singer of Emerson Drive is 30 today.

Looking at the week ahead of us, Jerry Hardin announces the winner of the 8-track collection today, the Dallas Season 9 DVD giveaway begins today, and Dierks Bentley will be overseas.

Dierks Bentley is playing sold out concerts in England, Ireland, Norway, and France this week. "We've always tried to focus on playing new places or spots you maybe wouldn't expect to see a country singer," said Bentley. "Whether it is a gig in France or a rock festival like Lollapalooza, the goal is always the same: to bring some new fans back to Nashville with us." When Dierks gets home next week, he’ll do a show at the annual Lollapalooza in Chicago, and then finish up the summer with fairs and festivals. This fall, Dierks will be working on his fourth studio album. "This is definitely the most time I've ever spent making an album," said Dierks. "I started writing for it in December 2006, and I have put these songs through four different studios, countless sound checks and dressing room strummings, and a couple have even made it into the live show at some point or another. I've really enjoyed having the time to let the album and the songs develop fully." To keep you entertained while Dierks is out of the country, here’s a bit of his last show in New Mexico.



News of Note:
Rissi Palmer has a new video coming out this week for “No Air” (the video was shot on the Caribbean island of Providenciales), and Tim McGraw will star in the 2009 film Get Low with Robert Duvall. Julianne Hough will be back on Dancing with the Stars this fall. No cast announcements of partnerships yet, but she is under contract for two more seasons before she can focus on music full time. And if this were smell-a-blogger, you could check out Jessica Simpson’s new fragrance, Fancy. Guess you’ll just have to wait until August 15th. And no, Reba McEntire’s hit was not the inspiration for the product.

And finally, it’s not exactly country news, but it’s still pretty cool. Comedian Billy Crystal has joined Robert DeNiro and other prominent figures on the board of directors for the National September 11th Memorial and Museum. This isn’t Crystal’s first attempt to aid New York City. The 60-year old funnyman performed at a benefit concert just a month after the tragedy, and co-hosted eight Comic Relief telethons that were broadcast on HBO. The National September 11th Memorial and Museum has so far raised more than 350-million dollars in hopes of building a memorial to represent the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Tuesday Newsday

It's the middle of the month and country stars are popping up in random places faster than weeds watered in the rain.

Randy Owen is featured in the latest episode of CMT's Unplugged At Studio 330. You can see Randy play acoustic versions of "Braid My Hair" and "Let's Pretend We're Strangers In The Night" from his upcoming solo album, One On One, as well as Alabama hits like "Feels So Right" and "Mountain Music."

Word is out that Georgette Jones, daughter of George Jones and Tammy Wynette, will make a guest appearance in an upcoming episode of the TV series Sordid Lives - as the ghost of her late mother! Georgette will also sing several of her mother's songs in the episode. Starring Rue McClanahan (Golden Girls) and Caroline Rhea, the show is about a Texas family who takes in an ex-con, played by Olivia Newton-John. Sordid Lives premieres July 23rd on the Logo Network. Also look for this 2nd generation budding musician on her father's upcoming album. George and Georgette duet on an autobiographical song she co-wrote, "You, Me and Time."

Last week in Las Vegas, Andy Griggs became the first country artist to participate in the World Series of Poker. He started with $20,000 in chips and ended the first day with over twice the amount ($51,050 in chips, to be exact). On day two he put down the money and got back to business by singing the National Anthem and "It's All About The Money," a new song from his new album The Good Life. By the third day, Andy was the only celebrity left in the tournament and finished the event among the top 12 percent of players. You can see footage of Andy as the World Series of Poker airs every Tuesday beginning July 22 on ESPN.

And finally, look for Dierks Bentley and Emerson Drive to perform at the Canadian Country Music Awards on September 8th in Winnipeg.