It's New Music Tuesday!

Tuesday’s are album release days, so before we look at the news, let’s talk about the music that makes The Country Station, well, “country.,” According to the CD/DVD Release Date Calendar on the right, several albums are coming out today. You're hearing all the associated new singles on the air. …. This week at the station, we’ve kicked off our new music feature, so you can plan on discovering the new songs at 8:04am, 1:04pm, 4:04pm, and 10:04pm. Write and let us know what you think about them. ….. And as far as live music is concerned, quite a few shows are coming to our area in the next couple of weeks: Friday night, Josh Grider will be at Hurricane Alley, and John Michael Montgomery will be at Whiskey Dicks down in El Paso. Next Wednesday night, Jason Boland and the Stragglers will be at Hurricane Alley. And then on October 2nd, it’ll be time for the big fall concert at the SNM State Fair; it’s Reckless Kelly this year.

News From Around The Country
Mel Tillis was honored with the Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award last night during the ACM Honors event. It’s one of many awards he has received during the years including being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. In other Mel news, his first comedy album, You Ain’t Gonna Believe This, hits stores today. In the 23 cut album you’ll hear three new songs and the jokes that kept his fans laughing during his 13 year run in Branson, Missouri. He’ll be on Fox & Friends tomorrow morning to promote it. ….. Dierks Bentley’s Miles & Music For Kids event was held in Seattle, Washington last Saturday. Despite the rain, it raised $50,000 for the Seattle Children’s Hospital. Last year, Dierks partnered with several charities to expand the success of the event to six cities across the country in 2009 and 2010. ….. Keith Urban’s wife, Nicole Kidman, is returning to Broadway to star in Sweet Bird of Youth. The story is a “sultry tale of a gigolo and a faded movie star” and will begin production next fall. So that’s why Keith and Nicole recently purchased the penthouse with the automobile-elevator to their floor! … And finally, congratulations are in order for the youngest member of Gloriana, Cheyenne Kimball. Over the weekend, the 20-year-old and her boyfriend, singer-songwriter Casey Twist, announced their engagement.

Concert Tonight at the Fair!

Josh Grider returns to his hometown tonight to perform at the SNM State Fair and Rodeo! Don't miss the chance to be the first to buy his new CD, Sweet Road To Ride. The CD is not being released until next Tuesday, but hometown fans will be able to buy a copy tonight. Desert Wind opens at 8; Josh performs at 9 in the Budweiser Pavilion. Admission is included in your fair ticket.

Tomorrow night, the Eli Young Band will rock the Pavilion. The Ivey's open at 9: Eli Young Band will be on at 10. All concerts are included in the fair admission. Don't miss the chance to hear from the Eli Young Band tomorrow afternoon after 1 pm - on the air with Sheila!

News From Around The Country
Last year, Dierks Bentley went to Norway to perform at the Nobel Peace Prize concert; this year, Toby Keith will be there to represent country music among the variety of performers. The 2009 Peace Prize winner will be announced on October 9th and given to its recipient on December 10th. … What will Dierks Bentley be doing this year? Well to start, he will be singing his new single, "I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes," on two late night TV shows in October. He'll appear on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien on Monday. He'll also tape The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson the next day for an episode airing on October 12th. … The Zac Brown Band took part in a charity not-normally associated with many country artists. They performed in Charlotte, North Carolina for the (Red) Nights Concert Series which raises money to provide AIDS medication in Africa. According to organization’s website joinred.com, Red Nights is a charity organization spear-headed by U2 front-man and humanitarian Bono. …

Half Off Concert Tickets!

It’s Half Off Wednesday! This week, you can save half on a family four-pack of tickets to the Southern NM State Fair and Rodeo! That’s an excellent bargain any day, but even more valuable when you consider that you could choose to use your tickets for admission the day that Josh Grider or the Eli Young Band plays live! Check here for all the details.

No Kenny in '10. Kenny Chesney is taking a break next year, and will not do the major stadium tour that has become nearly an annual event in some markets. Kenny insists that he is not quitting, he is only scaling back to recharge his batteries, reconnect with family and friends, and work on some new music.

Gretchen Wilson will be presented today with the National Coalition for Literacy's Literacy Leadership Award during a reception at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. The event is sponsored by the NCL and the Center for the Book. Gretchen has taken a high-profile role in promoting literacy after earning her GED last year. The award honors those who have made extraordinary contributions to improving literacy and raising awareness of adult literacy in the U.S.

News From Around The Country
Wynonna will be the special guest on the 2009 Santa Train going through Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia to deliver toys to children this Christmas. … Joe Nichols has been invited to perform his single "Believers" at a ceremony honoring His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Proceeds from the concert will go to the Missing Peace Music and Art Program, the Dalai Lama's Foundation. … Toby Keith will receive the Nashville Songwriters Association International Songwriter/Artist of the Decade (2000-2009) award on October 18th. … And finally, Luke Bryan has announced his first 17-date headlining tour this fall to kick off his sophomore album, Doin’ My Thing, which drops October 6th.

Another Chance to Buy First

We’re beginning to feel all kinds of privileged here in Las Cruces. Last week, John Arthur Martinez made his new album, Purgatory Road, available for the first time at the Harvest Wine Fest. It’s official release date is tomorrow, so Las Crucens got the CD more than a week before anyone else – including the hard core fans who pre-order! Well stand by for the second strike of lightning, because your second chance to buy an album before its release date is coming up! Josh Grider will make his new CD, Sweet Road To Ride, available to fans in Las Cruces on October 1st when he performs at the Southern New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo. That’s five days before its release on October 6th.

Are you ready for some football? Hank Williams, Jr. kicks off the 40th season of Monday Night Football tonight with this song:

2009 MNF Open Lyrics
For 40 years runnin' it's football's home
We’ve seen the greats carve their names in stone
From Earl to Walter, Barry and Bo
Even Johnny U played on this show!!
The NFL's best shine under these lights
Cause legends are made on Monday Night
Are you ready for some football!!!
A Monday Night Party
This is Hank and I'm ready to get this big bash started
Get the teams on the field, kick it off, that’s right!
'Cause All my rowdy friends play here on Monday Night!
Showtime!!

We’ve seen great games all the big names
They’re building blocks in this hall of fame.
Broadway, Elway, Montana and Rice
We've seen an LT not once, but twice (Taylor and Tomlinson)
Fathers, Sons and Brothers….A Family Tradition
It’s Monday Night Football….The 40th Edition!!
Ready...
C'mon and get ready
I mean really ready
Are you ready for some football!!!
A Monday Night Party
Where primetime pigskin officially started
Get those helmets crashing, the crowd is psyched!
All my rowdy friends are here on Monday Night!!!

Bocephus has won four Emmy awards (1991 – 1994) for his MNF videos, and this year marks an unprecedented 21 years of association with the organization. This year’s opening video presents a Hall of Fame theme; it was shot earlier this summer at the Parthenon in Nashville, TN.

Taylor Swift had a big weekend. Saturday night she played a hometown show in Nashville, with no less in the audience than Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (and probably their three girls.) As a surprise, Taylor invited Faith onstage to sing “The Way You Love Me.” Tim remained in the audience, but he was featured in a video called “Crimes of Passion,” as one of many men who’ve been “vicitims” of Taylor’s songwriting.

Last night was the MTV VMA Awards in New York. Taylor Swift won for Best Female Video for “You Belong With Me.” It was a simple win that might have otherwise gone overlooked in pop culture had it not been for Kanye West stirring the pot. Now it’s something for everyone to talk about. Just after Taylor started her acceptance speech, acknowleging that a country singer is winning a VMA Award, Kanye appeared on stage. "Yo, Taylor, I'm really happy for you, I'll let you finish, but Beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time," Kanye declared, "One of the best videos of all time!" By the time he gave the mic back to Taylor, her time was up, so she couldn't do much more than leave the stage. The nest presenter, Justin Bieber, made a point of saying, "Taylor Swift deserved that award." Later in the show, Beyoncé called Taylor back to the stage.For his part, when his name was read later in the show to introduce the best male video nominees, Kanye was booed again, and the crowd started chanting Taylor’s name. This kind of a display of disrespect recalls another reaction in 2004, when Gretchen Wilson beat Kanye for the best new artist award at the American Music Awards. He suffered a similar meltdown.

PS: Do you like the new banner? Your humble scribe was feeling creative this weekend. For those that are identification-challenged, the group is (L to R) Taylor Swift, Zac Brown Band, Sugarland, Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Bucky Covington, and Tim McGraw.

Some Things We Forget, and Some We Don't

Some things we will never forget. Today is Patriot Day. Trace Adkins is taking part in acknowledgements of the 8th anniversary in Shanksville, PA. Trace will sing the national anthem at today’s service honoring the 40 people who died when United Airlines Flight 93 crashed on September 11, 2001. The keynote speaker at today’s service will be retired U.S. Army General Colin Powell, who served as secretary of state during the 9/11 attacks. Later tonight, Trace joins Toby Keith to perform in Pittsburgh.

Some things can be easily forgotten. Like CMA Nominations. Oops. When the announcements were made on Wednesday, the CMA inadvertently left off Brad Paisley’s and Keith Urban’s “Start A Band” collaboration from the Musical Event of the Year category. Apologies have been made. Here is the way the list should read:
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
Brad Paisley featuring Keith Urban- “Start A Band”
Brooks & Dunn featuring Reba McEntire- "Cowgirls Don't Cry"
Kenny Chesney (with Mac McAnally) - "Down The Road"
Lee Ann Womack (duet with George Strait)- "Everything But Quits"
Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis- "I Told You So"
The Raconteurs featuring Ricky Skaggs and Ashley Monroe- "Old Enough"

And finally, on a Feel Good Friday, Taylor Swift has announced October 27th for the release of her new CD/DVD combo, Fearless Platinum Edition. The newly re-packaged material will include 6 new songs, 50 new photos from the Fearless Tour, and video extras, including her “Thug Story” video with T-Pain. The new tracks include: “Jump Then Fall,” “Untouchable,” “Forever & Always (Piano Version),” “Come In With The Rain,” “SuperStar,” and “The Other Side Of The Door.”

Be sure to check the CD/DVD Release Date Calendar for some other new releases that we’ve learned about this week: local favorite Josh Grider Sweet Road to Ride on October 6th, and the finally-named I’m Alright from Bucky Covington on November 3rd. (all cd releases are subject to change.)

Ready for Memorial Day Weekend

It's Friday! ! School's let out for the summer, Memorial Day Weekend is upon us, and it's time for some R&R! This Sunday is K-Great 104 Country Day at the Southern New Mexico Wine Fest. Join us to enjoy the music of The Moonshiners at 12:15 and The Josh Grider Trio at 3:15. Enjoy your rest on Monday, please recreate responsibly, and remember the real meaning of the long holiday weekend: the nation's fallen soldiers.

News From Around The Country

Jack Ingram is set to appear on the Lifetime show Army Wives. The show captures the live, love, and challenges of military families. He’ll perform his new song “Barefoot & Crazy,” on an episode which airs in August. Jason Michael Carroll will throw the first pitch, sing the National Anthem, and sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. Reba McEntire fans looking for a tropical vacation better work on some reservations in a hurry. Reba gets a chance to do a working vacation at the Bahamian Atlantis resort on July 3rd. The 81st Legislature of the State of Texas filed the appointment of Willie Nelson as their 2009 Texas State Musician. And finally, heading into Memorial Day Weekend, don’t forget that The National Memorial Day Concert, from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol is Sunday night on PBS. Hosted by Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna, the 90-minute concert features Trace Adkins singing “Till The Last Shot's Fired.”

Josh Grider plays TONIGHT at Take II. Doors open at 7. Tickets are $10. Don’t miss the show, Josh says that he has some new music to share.

Yesterday, Rascal Flatts helped build the newest schoolyard playground in Birmingham, AL. The playground was part of their ACM Humanitarian Award. The boys in the band kept busy all day. Gary LeVox helped unload mulch, Joe Don Rooney painted a panther – the school’s mascot – on a wall, and Jay Demarcus helped build a rock wall and painted part of Europe on a 3D globe. The guys also ate lunch with the elementary school students. As a special surprise, each class took turns entertaining the band as they worked. One class did a dance to “Achy Breaky Heart,” and another did a line dance to “Bob That Head.”

American Music Awards nominees have been announced, and you get to vote. The show will air on ABC November 23rd. In the country categories, the nominees are:
Male Artist:
Garth Brooks
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley

Female Artist:
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Band/Duo/Group:
Brooks & Dunn
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland

Album:
Garth Brooks Ultimate Hits
Rascal Flatts Still Feels Good
Carrie Underwood Carnival Ride

Vote Here.

News From Around The Country
Despite Tim McGraw’s disappointment with his Greatest Hits 3 CD, it is now his 11th album to debut at #1 on Soundscan. According to People Magazine, Brad Paisley and his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley are expecting their second child in April. Taylor Swift has done plenty of opening gigs, and has been headlining smaller venues to prepare herself for the enivitable – headlining the tour. That chance is coming in 2009. Taylor’s record label promises details soon.