Entertainment While We Wait on ACM Nods

ACM Nominations will be out this morning. Check back for the special post. In the meantime, how about some personalized entertainment from Keith Urban.

Here’s our custom version of Keith Urban’s “Sweet Thing” video. Can you find all 12 personalization's for The Country Station? You can make one for your sweetie, too. Click here to go to Keith’s special page, then fill out all the information. Don’t question it. Just do it. Then watch your custom video to grab the embed code or email fields.



TV Calendar
February 25: Reba McEntire will be on a special edition of The Price Is Right to salute the Academy of Country Music Awards.
March 21: LeAnn Rimes stars in the Lifetime original movie Northern Lights, based on the Nora Roberts novel. The movie co-stars Eddie Cibrian and Patricia Arquette.

Craig Morgan was in Florida recently to film a TV commercial for Bush's Beans. Working with company spokesman Jay Bush and his talking dog, Duke, Craig learned a few things about how the dog looks so good in commercials. "They are powdering the dog's nose as we speak." he says, laughing. To hear it from Craig, "They are putting makeup around his eyes and nose."

On a more charitable note, several country artists are working to raise money where it’s needed most. Craig Morgan is planning his Charity Ride on March 31st in Van Leer, Tennessee. The event includes an acoustic concert, a silent auction, and a motocross and 4-wheeler ride to benefit The Craig Morgan Fund, a broader manifestation of Craig’s former Xtreme Team Makeover initiative. The Fund supports youth-based local and national charities. To help insure a successful event, Craig has invited fellow artist and motocross enthusiast Bucky Covington to ride the off-road trails alongside professional motocross riders Kevin Windham, Destry Abbott, Fred Andrews and Barry Hawk. Other music artists will be announced.

Mark Chesnutt has donated his personal Takamine guitar and case to an ebay auction to benefit the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Mark has joined an awareness campaign and charity effort to remember Dennis Linde, famed songwriter who penned “Bubba Shot the Jukebox” and “It Sure Is Monday,” as well as Elvis' “Burnin' Love,” The Dixie Chicks' “Goodbye Earl” and Garth Brooks' “Callin' Baton Rouge.” Linde succumbed to the disease in December 2006. Mark played this guitar for more than four years, and bidding is pretty swift. The winning bidder will also receive a personal telephone call from Mark with his personal thanks for participating in the auction.

Clay Walker is back out on the Pro-AM green. This week’s AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-AM Tournament finds Clay making his 12th consecutive appearance on the links. He’ll be golfing alongside Greg Kinnear, Huey Lewis, George Lopez, Ray Romano, Bill Murray and the professionals, and then he’ll perform for the invitation-only banquet hosted by Clint Eastwood.

Responsibility Matters....

Kenny Chesney’s name pops up a couple times in the news today. First, Kenny is a new edition to the Farm Aid lineup. The annual fundraising concert that benefits America’s farmers will take place in Mansfield, Massachusetts on September 20th. Secondly, scores of fans were arrested before the Poets and Pirates concert in New England last Saturday. Kenny’s concerts are known for becoming all-day events that begin in the parking lot hours before show time. This past weekend that parking lot partying got out of hand. Police routinely roam the tail gating area looking for partiers without tickets to the show. And because the 5th annual Foxboro, Massachusetts show sold out in 15 minutes, police found plenty of ticket-less persons to arrest and cite for trespassing. Other concert goers were arrested on charges of having an open container containing alcohol, minor in possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and assault due to the alcohol-fueled fights that broke out throughout the parking lot. When all was said and done, 76 people were arrested. To sadden the matter further, two friends were killed and a third was injured in a car crash after they had left the scene of the concert melee. The cause of the crash is under investigation, but allegedly the three were among those partying at the stadium without tickets.

Mark Chesnutt’s tour bus was rear ended by a drunk driver early Sunday morning as the band was heading home to Nashville after the Saturday night gig at Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth, TX. Most of the band, including tour manager Kenny Thurman, Delaney Jackson, Cary Stone Lee Kelley, Steve Ledford, Bob Gulley, Don Bradley and driver Dave Simon, were aboard the bus when it was struck by a young driver allegedly traveling over 100 mph. No one was injured. Mark was not on the bus at the time because he was flying back home to Beaumont. "I'm really, really glad all the boys are alright. Thank God." Mark said. "...in as much as I was in the air, I'd still rather drive than fly. I love the bus." The night got more interesting when police arrived on the scene. One of the cruisers had a flat tire, so while the officers were taking the reports, Mark’s tour manager changed the tire on the police car. There’s no word yet on charges files against the young male driver who reportedly had been drinking and was driving without a license. His car was totaled.

If you’re among the football faithful gathering around your TV this fall, never fear, Hank Williams, Jr. will be there to serenade you, just as he has done every year since 1989. Catch the debut of this year's new "Rowdy" tune when Monday Night Football kicks off its 39th season September 8th with a double-header. The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Green Bay Packers, followed by a game between the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders. Kickoff is at 7p (ET) on ESPN-TV.

If you watch Sunday night football, you’ll see a different country star singing the opening theme: Faith Hill. “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” debuts September 7 on NBC, with the Indianapolis Colts hosting the Chicago Bears. In addition to being invited back to sing the theme song, this year Faith will star in various commercials for Sunday Night Football including one humorous ad that shows NFL players in a kitchen, preparing game-time snacks for Faith and her girlfriends. "The promo piece is one of the funniest things I have ever seen," Faith said. "Fans will be in for a real treat getting a glimpse of these guys in the kitchen." The spots will also air during NBC's coverage of the Olympics August 8th-25th.

Outlaws, Horses, and Teen Queens

Top o’ the Monday to you. It’s Monday Music Madness today, so tune in for your chance to win a copy of Mark Chesnutt’s latest CD Rollin’ With the Flow. You’ll also notice a couple new features in the left sidebar. Sheila’s Spotlight Artist gives you a chance to get to know a topical artist a little better. First you’ll meet Darryl Worley. He’s got a hot, err, make that cool new single on the air this week, “Tequila On Ice.” Listen for it. You’ll also see the Hanson Happy Hour Humor. It’s Dana, y’all. Expect off the cuff quips and anecdotes, but you may also get an interesting thought to ponder every once in a while. Check back often. Now, country music around the web.

Bocephus did it. Lisa Marie Presley did it. Now Shooter’s done it. He joins the class of second generation artists who have recorded with deceased parents. For Shooter Jennings, it was a project that began in 1995. "I was 16 years old and way into Nine Inch Nails and Guns N' Roses, but [Dad] was really excited to do something together. So I came up with all these ideas for new arrangements of his songs and a few covers." At the time, Shooter’s dad, Waylon Jennings, recorded the vocal tracks for the album he intended to record with his son. The project was put on hold, and then Waylon passed on in 2002 with the project unfinished and unreleased -- until now. Shooter completed the project with his band, The .357s, and says that he was inspired to do a slowed-down version of his dad's classic, 'Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out of Hand' after hearing Johnny Cash's plaintive take on Nine Inch Nails 'Hurt.' But for the younger Jennings, who memorably portrayed his dad in the Oscar-winning film Walk the Line, the most important aspect of the process now seems to be relishing the time he had with his father. "I may not have appreciated it as much as I should have then," he says, "but I couldn't be happier to be doing a record with him now. It's like I'm finishing the job we started together." Waylon Forever is a nine-song collection of Waylon originals and unique covers that reflect Shooter's edgier musical taste in the Nineties. The CD should be out later in the summer.

With the movie Beer For My Horses just two weeks away, if you don’t see Toby Keith on TV, you’re surfing channels too fast. The media mania begins for Toby tonight, when he makes his third appearance on Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report. He’s got a full day of radio interviews on Tuesday. Tomorrow night, he’ll be on CNN Headline News with Glenn Beck. Wednesday includes a stop at Fox and Friends, Nick News, and Thursday, Toby will perform on ABC’s mid-morning talk-fest The View. Next week, Toby’s appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. The movie finally makes it to the theatre for everyone to see on August 8th.

Lastly, Miss Taylor. While most local high school seniors received their coveted pieces of paper in May, Taylor Swift just received her diploma – in the mail. "Education has always been at the forefront of my priorities, so I'm really glad to have my diploma," the 18-year-old singer-songwriter said Friday. Taylor attended public school for 9th and 10th grade, but when her career took off, she needed more flexibility and switched to Aaron Academy, a private Christian school that offered home schooling. "I never expected that my senior year would go the way it has," she said. "There's something really exciting about getting to live your dream and continue your education at the same time." That book education is over for the time being. While her peers prepare to move into dorms across the country, Taylor is out on tour with Rascal Flatts, and has a sophomore album coming out in the fall.

Heavy metal....

Tuesday is always a big day for CD's. You'll see in the sidebar that Mark Chesnutt's new album is out today, as well as a patriotic country CD for your 4th of July barbecuing pleasure. In addition to that, we're hearing about some pretty big sales numbers for existing albums. Troubadour from George Strait is now certified by the Recording Industry Association of America as Gold for sales better than 500,000. Still Feels Good from Rascal Flatts has now pushed over the 2,000,000 mark to reach double-Platinum status.

Unstoppable Taylor Swift owns the Billboard Country Albums Chart for the 20th week with her self-titled debut CD. That puts Taylor in good company with Carrie Underwood and the Dixie Chicks, each of whom has kept an album at number one for 20 weeks. And speaking of heavy metal, Taylor is now triple-Platinum. The RIAA has certified that Taylor Swift has scanned an impressive three million copies. And the numbers just keep adding up for Taylor. She’s now had 50,ooo,ooo streams on her My Space page, she’s gotten a Gold Mastertone for selling half-a-million “Our Song” ring tones, and “Our Song” has received a BDS Spin Award to acknowledge the song having been played on the radio more than 200,000 times.

In other news, Lee Ann Womack's next album, Call Me Crazy, is supposed to feature guest appearances by George Strait and Keith Urban. LeAnn Rimes has designed her own My Little Pony for charity. It will be auctioned off for charity this fall alongside other celebrity-designed Ponies. Carrie Underwood has lost her reign as PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian to pop singer Leona Lewis. And finally, Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart have announced plans to tour together for the first time since the No Hats Tour back in the early '90's.

And the last thing for today is the addition of the New Faces on the left sidebar. You've heard them on The Country Station, now you can see what the newer artists look like! Just click the picture links to learn more about the artists. Enjoy!