Album News

Martina McBride shares three new songs from her October 11th album, Eleven, on the latest installment of Unplugged. The show debuts tonight on CMT.com.

Lady Antebellum is teasing fans with a sneak peek of the songs on their upcoming new album. The 30-second snippets of all 12 tracks are available now on the Amazon music site. Own the Night will be officially released on September 13th.

Music fans and movie buffs will want to be looking for a deluxe, 10th anniversary re-release of the ‘O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack to hit stores this week. The expanded edition includes the original music plus 14 new tracks on an additional disc.

And finally, in addition to his new album, Here for a Good Time, George Strait has a greatest hits album coming out in September. The CD, which is part of the Icon series of releases, will include 11 of his hits. Here for a Good Time comes out September 6th. The Icon Hits CD is scheduled for release on September 13th.

Follow Up On The Indiana Stage Collapse

A little over a week after the tragic stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair, further details are emerging. First, the fairly good news. There's a touching story of heroism surrounding Maggie, a 3-year-old little girl who was in the “Sugarpit” section of the audience at the time the stage fell. Her mother was knocked unconscious and left unable to stand due to a leg injury. According to the Indianapolis Star, at least seven strangers pitched in to help bring Maggie to safety as the little girl had sustained a life-threatening injury to her arm. An assembly-line style system of police officers, doctors and fans helped move people out of the area. The mother and her little girl have been reunited but both have a long recovery ahead of them. Maggie was wearing a tutu at the concert which had to be cut off due to her injuries. But, according to reports the little girl received two new tutus from friends over the past week. The Star also reports that she received a balloon bouquet to her hospital room from Sugarland.

Next is the sad news. A sixth person, Jennifer Haskell, a 22-year old student of Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana is the latest victim to have died of injuries suffered during the horrific stage collapse. She was studying to become an athletic trainer. At least 40 people were hurt in the tragedy and several of them still remain in the hospital.

The succession of events leads next to the first wrongful death lawsuits being filed. According to Reuters, the suits were filed on behalf of one of the victims and her family member, who was among the injured. The suit names Mid-America Sound Corp, Live Nation Worldwide and Lucas Entertainment Group. The Indiana State Fair Commission has hired a New York engineering company to coordinate and conduct a structural investigation into the collapse, while a Washington, D.C. based firm will analyze the fair’s preparedness and response to the tragedy.

In today's lighter news, Martina McBride, Darius Rucker and Lady Antebellum have been added to the entertainment lineup for the MDA Labor Day Telethon. Their performances were taped at the Opry earlier this year and will be played during the annual program. The telethon airs on Sunday, September 4th. And finally, look for the new video from Sara Evans for “My Heart Can’t Tell You No” to world premiere today on CMT.

It Sure Is Monday

So Trevor Bayne became the youngest driver to ever win the Daytona 500 yesterday, and country stars entertained. Dierks Bentley and Brad Paisley each performed prior to the start of the race, and Martina McBride covered the National Anthem. Brad also drove the pace car at the race, commenting on Twitter that it was the most “ridiculously exciting thing” he’s ever done. Other celebrities participating in the events of the day included movie director Michael Bay, and actors Josh Duhamel and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley who gave the command to drivers to start their engines. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Glenn Beck were also spotted in attendance.

You may be hearing more and more about the Boot Campaign from some of your favorite country artists. Organizers have asked celebrities to be photographed in a pair of military boots as a way to show support by walking in their shoes. Joe Nichols is just one star participating, and he said that it is a very cool way to tribute the military. Joe found another way to pay tribute to the military by featuring a couple of American heroes in his video for “The Shape I’m In.”

And finally, if your anxious to get an inside peek at The Judds, the new series will premiere on April 10th on the Oprah Winfrey Network. For the first time on television, you’ll see the private and public lives of Naomi and Wynonna Judd. The six-episode show follows the mother-daughter duo as they hit the road for their first and final concert tour in ten years. Cameras capture their emotional journey as they work to heal their relationship, reconnect with their fans, and share the spotlight once again.

The Allure of Taylor Swift

Last Friday, Taylor Swift performed an unprecendented concert onboard the largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas. Taylor's concert happened while the ship was docked in Cozumel, Mexico. The only people in attendance at the limited-capacity AquaTheatre were those who had been on the cruise all week and won tickets to the show by participating in a variety of Taylor-themed activities. Taylor and her band came aboard for the concert, after which they departed to prepare for the upcoming Speak Now World Tour and the ship sailed on. Now that the passengers are home, videos of the event are hitting the web. Check out this rare live performance of Taylor singing "Better Than Revenge" posted by one of the front and center concert-goers. Audio is low due to the outdoor amphitheatre. Depending on how the success of this event is judged by the cruiseline, could we be seeing this kind of port-side entertainment more often on cruise ships?


Ten of Toby Keith’s most prominent music videos will be compiled on an upcoming DVD, 10, a name derived from the number of awards Toby has won for videos throughout his career and the number of videos on the DVD. Look for it March 8th. Here are the videos you’ll see:
1. “Should’ve Been A Cowboy”
2. “How Do You Like Me Now?”
3. “Courtesy Of The Red, White, And Blue (The Angry American)”
4. “Beer For My Horses” feat. Willie Nelson
5. “I Love This Bar”
6. “American Soldier”
7. “As Good As I Once Was”
8. “American Ride”
9. “Bullets In The Gun”
10. “God Love Her”

And if you want a really good sports superstition story, you’ll be happy to know that The Pittsburgh Steelers’ lucky streak with Martina McBride continues. Martina is now 3-0 when it comes to singing the National Anthem at a Steelers playoff game that ended in the team headed to the Super Bowl. The Steelers will face the Green Bay Packers February 6th in Dallas. (Don’t forget to visit the contest page back on the main website to enter to win The Big Game Party for 20 people!)

The Baby Boom Continues

After a long-term relationship, they married in 2008 and have been trying to start a family for some time. Jewel and Ty Murray have announced that they’re expecting their first child later this year. Jewel is currently working on a second children’s album and filming her new reality show, Going Platinum.

A country music dance-venue marketing company, Marco Club Connection, has released its top-10 list of the year’s most-requested country dance-club songs. Each year, the company surveys a panel of more than 240 club owners, DJs, and dance instructors from across the country to compile its top-10 rankings. And the results are:

TOP COUNTRY DANCE CLUB HITS OF 2010
1) “Stuck Like Glue” – Sugarland
2) “All About Tonight” – Blake Shelton
3) “Hillbilly Bone” – Blake Shelton and Trace Adkins
4) “Need You Now” – Lady Antebellum
5) “Giddy On Up” – Laura Bell Bundy
6) “Country Done Come To Town” – John Rich
7) “Roll With It” – Easton Corbin
8) “Why Don’t We Just Dance” – Josh Turner
9) “Turn On The Radio” – Reba
10) “Pretty Good at Drinkin’ Beer” – Billy Currington

News From Around The Country
Tickets to Alan Jackson's third show in Brisbane, Australia sold out in 23 minutes. The show had to be added to Alan's original schedule due to demand. March 4th through March 12th will be Alan’s first tour in the land down under. To open, he’s taking along Miranda Lambert and newcomer Jasmine Rae, who is from Australia but now lives in Nashville. …… Rodney Atkins has been selected as the cover person for the debut issue of Country Music Profiles magazine. For the cover story, Rodney discusses his music, family, and more. The premiere issue also includes an interview with Eddie Montgomery. Country Music Profiles will be distributed nationwide in music stores and various mass-market outlets. ……. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has asked Garth Brooks to help him promote tourism in his state. The two appear together on the steps of the Virginia State Capitol in a public service announcement where Garth comments on the state’s beautiful landscapes and people. Garth recently visited the state as a producer on the made-for-TV movie, Unanswered Prayers. …… Martina McBride is back in an Atlanta recording studio working on the follow-up to her 2009 album, Shine. The new album will be Martina’s first since joining her new label, Republic Nashville, which is part of the Big Machine Label Group. …… If your New Year’s resolution was to hit the gym a little more often, you may find some encouragement in Keith Urban’s “Put You in a Song.” The tune has been recognized as one of the best workout songs for January 2011. Keith’s hit was the only country song to make the list on a fitness website.

Old School Is New Again

It was a big night last night as country music returned to the Grand Ole Opry and Blake Shelton was asked to become a member. After Blake and Trace Adkins performed “Hillbilly Bone,” Trace then took the microphone and teased Blake about his tweets. He then said, “The Grand Ole Opry has decided they’re going to tweet you.” An image then popped up on a screen that said “Blake, you’re invited to join the Grand Ole Opry.” Trace then turned to Blake and said, “I’m officially here and have the authority to ask you to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.” Blake accepted the invitation and gave Trace a big hug. Blake’s fiancé, Miranda Lambert, was in the audience smiling ear to ear with the news. As for the upgrades made during the post-flood renovations, the Grand Ole Opry now has 3 new HD projection screens are stage, 18 newly themed dressing rooms including Friends & Neighbors (dedicated to celebrity guests of the Opry), Into the Circle (showcasing quotes from artists on their debut nights), and The Roy (in honor of Roy Acuff). The only original part that remains of the backstage is the Post Office. The names are in alphabetical order except for Little Jimmy Dickens. His box should be on the top row according to his last name, but in order to reach his box it’s been moved to the middle row.

Family and friends gathered recently at at Loretta Lynn’s museum in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee Friday to celebrate 50 years of making music. It was that long ago that Loretta wrote her breakthrough hit “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” It’s a rarely mentioned factoid that she had to take out six verses before she recorded it. At the time, she had no idea the impact the song would have on her career. Loretta said, “I just thought it was another song of people talking about their life ya know. I didn’t think about it ever being anything. But it was a smash and I’m real proud. I’m proud to be a coal miner’s daughter, I am.”

Joe Bonsall from The Oak Ridge Boys has released his eighth published book, From My Perspective, which is a collection of commentaries and stories about life, music, faith, and America, all told in Joe’s perspective. Look for it at your favorite book retailer.

Martina McBride’s latest online video gives you a view of Martina’s experience at a Naval Air Station before a recent concert. Check out Martina and her entourage watching a flight demonstration, and experiencing what it feels like to sit in the pilot seat of an aircraft. At the end of the day, Martina was presented with a plaque which featured two command jets.

It's Country Music "Today"

Five country artists will serve as co-hosts with Hoda Kotb during the fourth hour of the Today show this week. This morning, it’s Blake Shelton in for Kathy Lee Gifford (who offered her Spanx and dressing room to Blake as a “thank you” for taking her place). Martina McBride will co-host tomorrow, John Rich takes the seat Wednesday, followed by Trisha Yearwood on Thursday, and Josh Turner on Friday.

Country music fans can now find all of their favorite artists at their fingertips with the launch of CMT’s new iPhone app, CMT Insider. The app kicks off today with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Taylor Swift’s new video, “Mine.” Throughout the week, the app will update with the latest news, photos and information about Friday’s global world premiere video.

Miranda Lambert will release her first performance DVD, Revolution: Live By Candlelight on October 12th. The six-song DVD features rare, acoustic performances of five songs, including her back-to-back #1 singles, “White Liar,” and “The House That Built Me.” As an added bonus, the DVD also features one of her favorite songs, “Love Is Looking For You,” from her Kerosene album. The upcoming DVD will also include exclusive, never-before-seen footage of the stories behind the songs. The DVD was filmed in an intimate setting – a dimly lit stage surrounded with candles – which actually set off the fire alarm while recording!

Feel Good Friday

Kenny Chesney will release his album Hemingway’s Whiskey next month. The deluxe package will include two bonus tracks, as well as a conversation about each song. Kenny created the special edition as a thank you to fans that have been with him from the beginning. Also be looking for the DVD.

Blake Shelton will release a Greatest Hits album in November. After eleven years in the business, Blake is happy to put 15 tracks on the project. The songs include everything from “The Baby,” to “Hillbilly Bone.”

Martina McBride will be one of many celebrities performing at the annual Stand Up To Cancer special. The one-hour event will air on September 10th on multiple channels including, VH1, ABC, and CBS. The special raises money for cancer research by featuring celebrity entertainment and stories from celebrity cancer survivors.

And finally, here’s something interesting to think about. The computer security software company McAfee has posted a list of the most dangerous Internet celebrities to search, and Keith Urban’s wife Nicole Kidman made the list. Statistics show you have a 10-percent chance of getting a computer virus after searching her name. Here are the Top 12:
1.) Cameron Diaz
2.) Julia Roberts
3.) Jessica Biel
4.) Gisele Bundchen
5.) Brad Pitt
6.) Adrianna Lima
7.) Jennifer Love Hewitt
8.) Nicole Kidman
9.) Tom Cruise
10.) Heidi Klum
11.) Penelope Cruz
12.) Anna Paquin

Tuesday Newsday

Weren’t we just talking about a rash of babies expected by the stars? There’s word of another one as Josh Turner and his wife, Jennifer, have announced the impending arrival of their third child. The new baby will join big brothers, Hampton who is three, and one-year-old Colby. Josh is actually responsible for the couple finding out that they were pregnant again. Josh says that Jennifer had been acting “a little different” so he encouraged her to take a pregnancy test. The test came back negative, but he refused to believe it. So Jennifer took another test that proved his theory right! Perhaps they’ll have another boy, which may set some sort of new precedent for having three boys in the family, as opposed to the set of three girls that so many artists are raising. Makes you wonder if Brad and Kimberly Paisley are paying attention to all these babies, and if they’d try for a third son. Mark Chesnutt is the first other artist to come to mind who has three sons versus daughters.

News From Around The Country
Cheyenne Kimball of Gloriana turns 20 today. She’s the youngest member of the group. ….. Jaron and The Long Road To Love is scheduled to perform his hit “Pray For You” tonight on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. ….. Reba McEntire is featured on the September cover of the Cowboys & Indians Magazine. …. And finally, Martina McBride has been speaking recently about her friendship with Kid Rock, as well as her view on cross-genre music. Martina helped Kid Rock kick-off the CMT Music Awards this year as they performed “Cowboy” with a handful of other country artists. And she’s featured on the track “Care” along with rapper T.I. on Kid Rock’s upcoming album, Born Free. Martina commented, “Everybody says to me, ‘well that’s a weird pairing, you and Kid Rock.’ But it doesn’t feel weird when we’re together and we’re performing. It’s just exciting to me that he has singled me out to be part of his project. I think that’s really cool. And it’s an honor.”

It's a Monday-like Tuesday

Keith Urban is featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the recording process of his new album on his website. Keith has been in the studio for almost seven weeks and from here on out, the website will post a new album blog each week. The most recent blog revealed that unlike most artists who stand up while they record their vocals, Keith prefers to sit in a brown leather chair. And if you wondered what became of Keith’s favorite guitar, the one that he received the first time he came to the United States, it was saved from the Nashville flood. Keith said, “I managed to salvage out of the water and I’m having it rebuilt. I don’t know if it’s going to sound very good but it’s one of those things to me, even if it had to go up on the wall, I would never part with this guitar.”

Though Martina McBride is still on her Shine All Night tour, she still has family vacation plans for the summer. Describing her summer plans, Martina said, “Let’s see. We’re kind of having a low-key summer. The girls have gone to a couple of camps, just day camps, you know, sports camp. And we have a trip planned to the West coast. And we’re really looking forward to that because the only time we really get out there is during the summer because of the tour schedule and the school and all that. So we’re looking forward to spending some time together on the bus.”

And finally, bargain hunters, rejoice! The Judds are having a vintage merchandise sale. Where else can you get those highly-desired cassette tapes of The Judds hits for one dollar? Old t-shirts, postcards, posters, and CDs can be snapped up for cheap at the online vintage sale until the end of the month.

Wednesday In The Country

Forbes Magazine has released its 2010 Celebrity Power List, a measurement of entertainment-related earnings over the past 12 months, as well as exposure in print, television, radio, online, and social media. Oprah tops the list, but representing country music is Taylor Swift at #12, Kenny Chesney at #54, Rascal Flatts at #62, Toby Keith at #67 slot, and Keith Urban landing in spot #76.

Blake Shelton’s BSers Fan Club has a new way to entertain themselves – call Blake with a clever pick up line. The new single, “All About Tonight” has influenced the contest that is looking for the best pick-up line. Contestants can call 615-942-0746 and leave a message with their most clever line, for a chance to win a prize pack. Blake will choose the winner in August.

Meanwhile, Martina McBride has a new contest of her own. She has partnered with Cheerios in the "Do What You Love" contest which encourages fans to take care of their own hearts. Contestants will write a 150 to 250 word essay describing how they take care of themselves, and the winner will receive a weekend in Nashville. The winner and a guest will spend a weekend in August taking a tour of Martina and her husband’s Blackbird Studio, listen to new music with her, as well as a private tour with Martina of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The winner will also receive two VIP tickets to Martina’s concert.

News From Around The Country
LeAnn Rimes is scheduled to perform for the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular in New York City. The special will air on NBC on July 4th. …….The Recording Academy will honor Loretta Lynn during the Grammy Salute To Country Music, Tuesday, October 12th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. During the tribute, Loretta will be presented with the Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award. ….. And finally, you may want to utilize your DVR’s search function to find all of Dolly Parton’s upcoming TV appearances. She’ll be making the rounds to promote her TV special, Dolly Celebrates 25 Years of Dollywood. The anniversary special will feature Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, and Kenny Rogers, and it’s scheduled to premiere this Saturday, July 3rd, on the Hallmark Channel.

Monday's Musings

With only 3 weeks to go until Brooks & Dunn hit Las Cruces with The Last Rodeo Tour, it’s about time The Country Station gave away some more tickets – especially since the show is sold out. So this week, we want to hear about how your “Mama Don’t Get Dressed Up for Nothin’” – except to see Brooks & Dunn. Write us a short letter about why your Mom deserves to get dressed up and go to the concert. All the details are on the contest page on the main website. Daily runners-up will receive a pair of tickets to the show; the best story will be chosen on Friday to win front row ticket’s and a Mother’s Day package with dinner and flowers. Good luck.

News From Around The Country
So where’s Jimmy Wayne these days? If it seems as though it’s been a while since we’ve heard from him, it has. Jimmy too six days off from his Meet Me Halfway walk, and he jokes, “Taking six days off just reminds me that I'm not supposed to be doing this. I'm not supposed to be putting myself through this." Last Saturday, Jimmy picked up the walk where he left off in Clovis, NM. He completed 14.5 miles during his first day back on the road, and hopes to continue raising awareness for at-risk teens aging out of foster care systems. ….. If you want to see Martina McBride’s Badonkadonk prank on Trace Adkins during the last show of the Shine All Night Tour, check out this video. ….. Be watching for a future episode of CMT’s 330 Sessions featuring Reba McEntire covering Beyonce’s “If I Were A Boy.” ….. And finally, here are a few things that you may not have known about Brad Paisley. The list was release by Gibson Guitars, who recently unveiled Brad Paisley’s own signature guitar.

· Paisley’s grandfather gave him his first guitar and lessons at age 8. It was a Sears Danelectro Silvertone.
· Paisley’s first major gig was opening for The Judds.
· Paisley majored in music business in college.
· Paisley met wife Kimberly after writing a song about one of her films.
· Paisley watches football with William Shatner.
· Mark Twain is a personal hero.
· Paisley wrote a tribute song to Les Paul on his mostly instrumental album Play.
· Paisley is creating a TV show based on Nashville.

Close Enough To See Them Sweat

We started in the 5th row, and we’ve been moving the seats closer and closer to the stage each day this week. Today, FRONT ROW seats are up for grabs just for being the lucky 7th caller when you hear three songs in a row from Brooks & Dunn. Tickets for The Last Rodeo Tour at the Pan Am on May 23rd go on sale tomorrow morning at 10am.

News From Around The Country
OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network is announcing that Shania Twain will be starring in her own series on the network. The series Why Not? With Shania Twain is described as “her climb back to the top, a personal journey filled with risk, revelations and unexpected adventures.” Expect a "docu-series" rather than a reality show. The network will launch the one-hour episodes on Jan 1st, 2011, into 80 million homes.

Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, and Taylor Swift have all donated autographed high heels to the Wish Upon A Star Hero Campaign. The heels will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting women with cancer. Miranda’s are listed for $89, Martina’s are $295, and Taylor’s are listed as priceless. Um, where are Kellie Pickler’s red high heels?

And finally, in preparation for their 2010 tour, The Judds are inviting fans to participate in their Name That Tour Contest! The Judds said, “Fans are our family of choice and this tour is truly a family affair. So, it just felt right to ask them to help us name the tour. After all, they are the reason we are embarking on this journey together one last time.” Visit www.wynonnna.com by April 23rd and follow the directions to enter the contest. The winner will take home $500 in tour merchandise, a personal “thank you” video message from The Judds, and a mention in the 2010 Commemorative Judds Tour Book.

Haiti Tops the Charts

As expected, the digital download album of music from the Hope for Haiti Now all-star benefit for Haitian earthquake victims has debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 all-genre albums chart. This is the first time an all-digital album has achieved that feat. It features performances by Taylor Swift and Keith Urban. To date, the telethon has raised over $66 million.

In the wake of the disaster, other celebrities are joining relief efforts. Martina McBride and Tim McGraw are working with the Red Cross. Martina blogged on her website, “Donating to the Red Cross couldn't be easier. Just text the word 'Haiti' to 90999 and a ten dollar donation will be added to your cell phone bill.” Tim set aside his work on the film, Love Don’t Let Me Down, to create public service announcements encouraging donations for relief efforts. Meanwhile, Julianne Hough is helping victims via Plane to Haiti, an organization preparing to send a airplane full of medical supplies and staff to the island nation.

One more relief effort is coming in the way of a re-recording of "We Are The World." The cast is still being assembled for a recording session next week. We can be pretty sure that big-name crossover country artists will be invited. Producer Quincy Jones says that on the 25th anniversary year of the song, the timing is right to help Haiti. The original 1985 single raised money for famine relief in Africa.

ACM Nominations are starting to roll in. Luke Bryan, Jamey Johnson and Chris Young received early nominations from the Academy of Country Music yesterday. The three are nominated as the Top New Solo Vocalist, a category that replaced the separate male and female vocalist categories of previous years. In addition, the Top New Vocal Duo nominees are Bomshel, Joey & Rory and Steel Magnolia. The Top New Vocal Group nominees are Eli Young Band, Gloriana and The Lost Trailers. Interactive fan voting begins on February 26th to determine the winners. The winners in each category will compete for the Top New Artist honor, which will be decided by online voting starting April 1st and awarded in Las Vegas on April 18th.

Happy 2010

Last Friday night in Timmins, Ontario, Shania Twain braved the below freezing temperatures to carry the Olympic torch through her old stomping grounds. She took the flame the last 400 yards to Hollinger Park where she lit it in the Olympic cauldron . Shania’s dash is part of the torch’s journey to Vancouver for the Winter Olympics that kick off February 12th. It was so cold outside – 16 below zero – that when red beach balls were tossed into the crowd to celebrate, they fell apart in a matter of seconds. "I know that sounds crazy, but it wouldn't be Timmins if it wasn't 40 below with the wind chill factor!" she said.

Country stars find the most interesting charity endeavors. If you’re around New York City Times Square anytime soon and need to use the restroom, you can take care of things with the help of Martina McBride. She and several other celebs have designed toilet seat lids for Charmin Restrooms, a stunt is for the company’s Go For Good campaign. For every patron at the free New York City Times Square location, Charmin will give a buck (and up to 10-thousand dollars) to the star’s favorite non-profit organization.

Next Summer's Big Concert In A Theatre Near You

Kenny Chesney won’t be touring next summer, but fans will now have another way of seeing him in concert starting this April when Kenny takes his stage show to 3D theatres. Shot over six nights in five cities - Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Seattle, Boston and Indianapolis -- with 22 3-D camera rigs, the film is called Summer in 3D. Kenny says, “It was an amazing - and at times scary - experience to have cameras that close, in the air, on a blimp… cause they are everywhere. But to see what this film captures: all the energy, the thrill and an even better focus on some of the most rocking nights we've ever had, all I can say is… wow.”

Tonight, Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw and Martina McBride are among the country artists who will be profiled in a new ABC special, In the Spotlight With Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville, the one-hour special will also feature interviews with Rosanne Cash, Vince Gill and Loretta Lynn about their musical families. In addition, President Barack Obama, Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts will take part in a segment about their favorite country songs.

Tuesday Newsday

Taylor Swift now has her own signature model guitar to be built and distributed by Taylor Guitars. The “Taylor Swift Baby Taylor” guitar is based on the company's ¾-scale dreadnought guitar and it’s built with a laminate body and a solid spruce top. The top of the special-edition guitar is decorated with a screen-printed rosette design and the word "love" three times within a vine motif. It also includes her signature and the title of her latest album, Fearless, near the bridge. The guitar's list price is just under 400-dollars, but it is expected to be sold for around 300-dollars when it becomes available later this month.

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will be part of the judging panel for a Peanuts Look-a-like Contest celebrating the comic strip’s 60th Anniversary. Garth and Trisha will be joined by Jill Schulz, daughter of Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, and SuperNanny Jo Frost on the judging panel. Submissions will be taken online at peanutsphotocontest.com until November 3rd. Once the panel selects the finalists, the winner will be picked through an online voting process. The contest benefits Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

News From Around The Country
Brad Paisley has teamed with actor Zach Quinto, producer Mark Schwann and writers Neal Dodson and Matt Bomer to create and co-produce a TV show for the CW Network, tentatively titled Nashville . The show will focus on the music business, but Brad says, “Look for some of your favorite country music stars to make their acting debuts on the show -- either by playing themselves or as a character in the script." …. Congratulations to Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney. They are the only country artists up for a Billboard Touring Award. Taylor is up for the Breakthrough Award. Kenny is up for his 6th “Top Package” award. ….. Craig Morgan's video, "God Must Really Love Me," won the video of the year trophy from the Inspirational Country Music Awards. In related news, Craig and Chris Young will travel to Iraq and Germany later this month on behalf of the Stars for Stripes organization. …. Martina McBride is one of subjects of the ABC-TV special In The Spotlight. There are rumors that Tim McGraw and Carrie Underwood will also be featured. Martina shot her segment of the show last Friday, and it will air on November 10th. …. Sugarland’s Love On The Inside album has just been certified double-platinum. Jennifer and Kristian now have a triple-set of double-platinum awards for all three of their albums. …. And finally, Bucky Covington has a headline gig coming up in front of NASCAR fans. Being a NASCAR fan himself, it’s only appropriate that he play a free post-race show following the NASCAR Nationwide Series Kroger On Track For The Cure 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park coming up Saturday in Memphis.

Brooks and Done Number One

It’s only befitting that country’s top duo go out in style. Brooks & Dunn top the Billboard Country Albums chart this week with Number 1’s … And Then Some. Kix and Ronnie are in the process of preparing for their farewell tour next year, but will be taking the time this Sunday to stop by A&E’s acclaimed interview & performance series, Private Sessions.

Today’s Taylor Talk. People Magazine has released its annual best and worst dressed list. Taylor Swift is the only country singer to make the Top Ten. She gets the title “best sparkle.” The magazine says, “Swift is country music's reigning princess, and she is always dressed appropriately in shimmering frocks.”

News From Around The Country
Paul Abdul’s show Vh1 Divas airs tonight. Martina McBride will team up with Jordin Sparks for their first ever collaboration on the show. …. Tim McGraw will be starting his next movie role this winter in Austin. The only details leaked so far is that he will be working with an Academy Award winning actress. … And finally, Brad Paisley and wife Kimberly WIlliams-Paisley have designed a new room at Target House, a long-term housing facility in Memphis for families of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital patients. The room was designed with classic country style to reflect Brad's style as an artist and musician, yet it also mirrors the Paisley's cabin home. Families using the romm will get to check out a Fender guitar chandelier, horse-saddle stools, and a vintage Ms. Pac-Man game table.

Buffalo Wild Wings Comes To Town

Happy Monday. Today’s the grand opening of Buffalo Wild Wings on Mall Drive. Do join The Country Station for the celebration this afternoon from 4 – 7pm.

News From Around The Country
In country music over the weekend, LeAnn Rimes confirmed her split with husband of 7 years, Dean Sheremet. Tonight, Martina McBride’s song “I Just Call You Mine” will be played during the season recap segment of the Bachelorette finale. Brad Paisley wrote an exclusive blog entry for CNN.com about his performance at the White House. Brad recalled choking up on "Welcome to the Future" -- a song about progress and diversity – while singing it to President Obama. Brad wrote, "Being able to deliver that message personally to one of the people who ushered in this new era is really one of the most completely, artistically satisfying moments I've ever had." And coming up on August 14th, Tracy Lawrence will be given an honorary Citizenship of San Antonio, Texas proclamation. He is receiving the honor due to his many visits to the city over the past 15 years and philanthropic efforts.

It's All About The Fans

While in Nashville for CMA Music Fest last week, a popular activity for many fans is to attend Fan Club Parties. These gatherings provide fans intimate access to his or her favorite artist, as well as the opportunity to socialize in person with other fans met in online fan club forums. Most parties include meet and greet access to the artist, which is oftentimes as fun for the artist as the fans, since the artist normally only sees the hardcore fans a few at a time as he or she travels around the country. At a fan club party, all the familiar faces are in one place at one time! The parties also include a private performance from everyone's mutually favorite artist - sometimes acoustic, sometimes full band - but typically just a few songs. More generous artists have been known to throw a full blown concert for the gathering of faithful. Others will play games, hold activities, or put themselves on the hotseat for fan Q&A - which is the most dangerous interview they'll ever do because fans want to know about everything! Any way it's done, it's always a special treat to be able to spend exclusive time with one's favorite artist. And CMA Music Fest Week is when it all happens, since so many fans are already in town. Here is a sampling of some of this year's Fan Club Parties:

GARY ALLAN - JUNE 9 - Nashville
BUCKY COVINGTON - JUNE 10 - Rocketown
ALAN JACKSON - JUNE 10 - Cadillac Ranch
TRACE ADKINS - JUNE 11 - Belcourt Theatre
MARTINA McBRIDE - JUNE 12 - Limelight
SARA EVANS - JUNE 12 - Rocketown
JOSH TURNER - JUNE 13 - Rocketown
MIRANDA LAMBERT - JUNE 14 - Nashville Palace