Who Are Country's Sexiest Men?

If you can't get enough of Lady Antebellum after the great El Paso performance, catch the trio performing on next week’s Dancing With the Stars finale. Monday, the remaining three finalists and their partners will perform with the winner to be announced on Tuesday. The remaining three finalists on this season of Dancing With the Stars are talk show host Ricki Lake, reality TV personality Rob Kardashian and actor J.R. Martinez.

Bradley Cooper may have been named People’s 2011 Sexiest Man Alive, but Tim McGraw wasn’t far behind. The actor-singer is credited as one of the mag’s Sexiest Men Alive and tells the publication that he keeps fit by doing two-hundred push-ups and crunches a day. Also featured in the issue – which hits newsstands Friday – is LeAnn Rimes’ husband, actor Eddie Cibrian, who is in the section "25 Sexy Chests to Be Thankful For."

Trace Adkins has been voted as “Country’s Sexiest Man” by readers of Country Weekly magazine. Trace will appear on the cover of the magazine set to hit newsstands on Friday. To thank his fans for the honor, the country star has made a live version of his next single, “Million Dollar View,” available for download on his website TraceAdkins.com through November. “Million Dollar View” is the follow-up to his Top-10 hit, “Just Fishin’,” from his album, Proud to Be Here. Trace will perform on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on December 7th.

Weekend Entertainment

Weekend entertainment saw Trace Adkins on the big screen, and John Rich survive another episode of Celebrity Apprentice. On the little screen, it was all about camping, a subject that none of the city-slicker celebrities on either team seemed to know anything about, short of supermodel Niki Taylor. She volunteered to lead the women; the men appointed Gary Busey. Both teams were equally as lost and disorganized. The women were more interested in decorating and making things pretty than concerning themselves with the functionality of the RVs. Then men appeared scattered and lost under the nonsensical direction of Busey and the less than ambitious efforts of teammates. For the first time, John Rich stepped up from under the radar to contribute a jingle to the project, which Jose Conseco and Richard Hatch felt was too hokey. The conversation escalated and John Rich flat out defended country music fans after Richard Hatch questioned their intelligence. In the end, the camping company loved the jingle, and the hastily thrown together camping experience depicted on the men’s side. Whereas the women made a great sales pitch of the RVs, they fell short of promoting the brand, so chock up another loss for Team ASAP. Niki Taylor took the firing without a fight. Trump called her a class act for accepting the blame for her team’s loss.

On the big screen, The Lincoln Lawyer made its box office debut this weekend at number four with $13.4 million. The film stars Matthew McConaughey as a lawyer who conducts business out of the back of his Lincoln town car. Trace Adkins plays the leader of a biker gang in the movie and shared a few scenes with McConaughey. During the filming, Trace discovered he had something in common with Matthew, “You know, we come from the same part of the country, same oil patch. His father worked in the same oil field I worked in. You know, we just sat around and talked about a bunch of the old bars we used to go to around there. It was weird that we’d been to the same places but never run into each other.”

Upcoming Movies

CMT has announced that LeAnn Rimes, Ricky Shroeder, and Laura Bell Bundy will star in two upcoming original films slated for this summer. Ricky Shroeder and Laura Bell Bundy will star in To The Mat, which tells the story of a laid-back ex-wrestler (Schroder) who’s trying to keep his family’s down-and-out southern wrestling school above water. When his mother hires an uptight Wall Street consultant from New York (Bell Bundy) to help get the books in order, these two opposites must find a way to get along and save the family business. The film is currently in production and set to premiere in August. Reel Love stars LeAnn as a successful, big city girl who returns to her small town roots after a family emergency. Her character then embarks on a soulful, comedic journey to reconnect with family and friends and find meaningful romance along the way. Filming will begin in late April with a premiere set for September.

Loretta Lynn has had to postpone a few shows on her current tour to make way for a much-needed knee surgery to correct some pain she’s been feeling while on stage. She did take time to sit down with Philly.com and talk about her music saying that it’s changed quite a bit since her younger years, but says fans will have to either “accept it or forget it.” She also says she’s working on several new projects and plans to work with rocker Jack White again soon. Loretta is scheduled to perform at the Inn of the Mountain Gods on May 12th.

And finally, don’t forget that Trace Adkins’ latest film The Lincoln Lawyer hits theatres on Friday. He’s had parts in several sitcoms, T-V movies as well as three big screen films, but Lincoln Lawyer is by far the biggest film he’s earned a role in. He says one way he could tell this film was a bigger deal than ones he’d worked on in the past was by the amount of yelling on the set. Trace said, “A lot more producers on this movie. There were like five or six producers on this movie and they were always yelling at the director at the same time usually. I guess the more dollars at stake, the more yelling there is.” Trace stars alongside Matthew McConaughey who plays a lawyer that’s on retainer with Trace’s biker gang.

Mid-week. Ready For Vacation?

Is it time to start planning for the Annual CMA Music Fest already? How time flies. The yearly country music love fest will take place June 9 – 12 in Nashville, and plans for entertainment are emerging. Reigning CMA Entertainer of the Year, Brad Paisley, and New Artist of the Year, Zac Brown Band, will join Easton Corbin, Sara Evans, Ashton Shepherd, the JaneDear girls, Josh Turner, Little Big Town, and Chris Young for the nightly concerts at LP Field. More details will be released in coming weeks.

Trace Adkins is going to make a side-kick out of that puppet, yet! Look for Trace tonight on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. He’s bringing along the puppets that costar with him in his “Brown Chicken Brown Cow” video. There’s a video on Trace’s website that has Trace and his puppet counterpart reminding people to tune in. Trace promises to be funny while on the show and the puppet – well he admitted to sleep during their appearance.

And finally, Billy Ray Cyrus and Patty Loveless are judging a songwriting competition to help raise awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Songwriters are challenged to write a motivational song to encourage people to take control of their health. The winner has a chance to perform their song at the CMA Music Festival. You can log on to the host website to vote for your favorite song and support the cause.

It Sure Is Monday

Alan Jackson’s upcoming Australian tour seems like it will be quite successful after tickets sold out within hours of being put on sale. Ticket sales for the four March dates in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane sold so quickly that the tour was extended with a third show in Brisbane. This is Alan’s first tour to the land down under. Reached on his boat about adding another Australian tour date, Alan said, “I‘m a Southern man, and that‘s about as far South as we can go – let’s go do it!”

Last Thursday, Garth Brooks lent a helping hand to Habitat for Humanity in Birmingham, Alabama. Garth and 300 other volunteers helped paint a house, hang towel racks, and lay sod. He said, “One of the biggest misunderstandings about Habitat is that they give away homes for free. They don’t. These people work their butts off.” Former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter will help Habitat for Humanity complete the remaining six houses in Birmingham.

There’s sad news from the Josh Turner household today. Josh’s beloved bloodhound Moses, who appeared in Josh’s “Everything is Fine” video, has passed away due to a kidney failure. Moses was only six, and Josh and his wife got him shortly after they married. Josh said, “Moses was a special part of our family. It’s been a very hard time for us. He was the best dog there ever was.” Last year, Josh even listed Moses as one of the five things he’s most thankful for in an article for People magazine.

And there’s news you wouldn’t expect from Jaron & The Long Road To Love. It turned out that some people were not amused by a recent practical joke that Jaron played in Pennsylvania. Jaron spotted a mascot’s uniform for a local baseball team during an awards dinner, and he thought it would be great fun to wear it to a local country radio station the following morning. Unfortunately the uniform was reported missing, and local police and the media were notified about a public theft valued at 5-thousand dollars. Once Jaron walked into the station with the suit, police were informed and arranged the suit to be returned safely. Jaron said, “Sometimes we don’t think too far in advance, but it’s all in good fun. We need to not take ourselves so seriously. It’s just a stuffed animal.”

And finally, there’s more work for the DVR this week. You can catch Trace Adkins tonight on E!’s comedy talk-show, Chelsea Lately, followed by an appearance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson tomorrow.

So Much For Turning Off In-Flight Electronic Devices

At the United Nations in New York City on October 25th, CMT and MTV Networks will host an international streaming event and online contest to celebrate the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, Speak Now. The online contest, “Speak Now With Taylor Swift In New York City” will give fans a chance to see Taylor perform live in New York and join her on a cross-country flight to Los Angeles where they will have a chance to speak one-on-one with Taylor mid-air. Taylor’s performance will stream live on CMT.com at 3 PM Mountain on October 25th. Click here to enter for a once in a lifetime experience with Taylor.

Sugarland will be celebrating their Thanksgiving with a performance on this year’s CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. The two hour show honors everyday people who are changing the world. The duo will perform “Stand Up,” a track off of their upcoming album, The Incredible Machine.

News From Around The Country
Selling 183,000 physical CDs – astounding by today’s standards - Kenny Chesney has the number one album this week on both Billboard’s Country Albums chart and Top 200 Albums chart with Hemingway’s Whiskey. Rounding out the rest of the Billboard Country Albums chart is Zac Brown Band’s You Get What You Give at number two, Billy Currington’s Enjoy Yourself at number three, Jamey Johnson’s Guitar Song at four followed by Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now at number five…… Trace Adkins will travel back to the Middle East soon to visit and perform for troops on his third USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour. Trace has traveled on two USO tours since 2002 which took him to Bahrain, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He has also received numerous military honors in recognition of his patriotism, including the 2007 USO Merit Award, Wounded Warrior Project's 2010 Talkhouse Award and the 2010 Medal of Honor from the Daughter's of the American Revolution. …. And finally, Zac Brown Band will headline the free NASCAR Championship Drive concert in Miami, Florida. For those that can’t make it to the fan fest, the concert will be streamed live on NASCAR’s official website. Zac couldn’t be more excited to headline the show and said, "Over the past few years we've had the opportunity to participate in a few NASCAR events and it's always fun for the whole band. Not only does everyone make us feel at home when we're on the track but we have a great respect for the sport itself." The event will begin on November 18th, with a parade prior to the fan fest concert.

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.

Housewives Are Desperate for Schneider

John Schneider is going to be back on TV, and it’s not just in Dukes of Hazzard re-runs on CMT. John is going to be picking up a part on Desperate Housewives as the father of Brian Austin Green’s character, “Keith.” Nice to see that he can put the fatherly acting skills back to use since his character of Clark Kent’s father, Jonathan, was killed off Smallville several seasons ago. John says that he pulls inspiration for his more mature roles from Uncle Jesse’s character on the Dukes of Hazzard, played by the late Denver Pyle, “Loved us dearly, but was never afraid to tell us like it was. Was never afraid to say, ‘Boys, sit down!’ Here’s a couple of things, I’m going to tell you these things.’ Knowledge imparted from “Uncle Jesse” served ‘Bo’ and ‘Luke’ well.”

Keith Urban is one of many famous faces taking part in a new campaign for the American Cancer Society. The organization’s campaign “More Birthdays” features different celebrities performing their own renditions of “Happy Birthday.” Artists will also create or donate artwork. Keith says, “I love the spirit of the American Cancer Society's More Birthdays campaign because it celebrates life. The marking of time, especially when spent with family and friends on that special day, helps to remind us of the little things that are most important to all of our lives.” Keith’s rendition will also be turned into advertisements for television, online outlets, and custom e-cards.

This Christmas season, Trace Adkins will serve as a celebrity narrator for Disney World’s Candlelight Processional. The Epcot theme park will be transformed into an international celebration with various festive decorations and live entertainment from different cultures. The Candlelight Processional is a special event that will be held nightly at the American Gardens Theatre using a variety of celebrity voices to tell the story of Christmas, accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and choir. If you’re making travel plans, Trace’s voice will be used from December 19th to 21st.

And finally, many country musicians were honored at Tuesday night’s ASCAP Awards. Alan Jackson and Dierks Bentley were the evening’s top honorees receiving the ASCAP Founders Award and the Songwriter/Artist of the Year, respectively. Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now," which was co-written by Josh Kear, was deemed Country Song of the Year. Special performances were given by the writers of the year’s top five most performed songs. Those performances included “Need You Now,” by Josh and Lady Antebellum; “Sideways,” by Dierks, “Alright,” performed by Darius Rucker and Frank Rogers, “Big Green Tractor” performed by David Lee Murphy, and “Gettin’ You Home,” by Chris Young.

Tuesday Newsday

The new CD from Trace Adkins, Cowboy’s Back In Town, comes out today. Trace has numerous TV appearances planned to promote his new album. He will appear on the Today show and The O'Reilly Factor on Thursday, followed by Fox & Friends on Friday. In addition, Trace is scheduled for The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on September 14th, Jimmy Kimmel Live on September 15th, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on October 5th, The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson on October 13th and Chelsea Lately on October 19th.

The deluxe version of Toby Keith's upcoming album, Bullets in the Gun, will include his versions of several country classics recorded during a performance at a one-thousand-seat concert venue in New York City last June. The bonus tracks are Johnny Paycheck's "11 Months and 29 Days," Waylon Jennings' "I've Been a Long Time Leaving (But I'll Be a Long Time Gone)" and Roger Miller's "Chug-a-Lug," along with Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown." Toby wrote or co-wrote all 10 new songs for the album which is scheduled for release on October 5th.

Word is out that Carrie Underwood has made the legal name change to Carrie Fisher. Of course, Underwood will still be her stage name. Also, she and Mike Fisher are said to be building a new home in Ottawa, Canada, so Carrie can spend as much time with Mike as possible during his hockey season. According to reports, Mike is helping quite a bit with the interior design, so the house should be ready to move into by September.

And finally, Dierks Bentley tweeted a great story about his adventure to a Billy Idol show over the weekend. Unfortunately, it was sold out, so Dierks took pictures outside of the venue saying, “So this is what it’s like to be on the outside. Not cool.” He tried sweet talking his way in by asking Billy’s crew if they liked country music, but that didn’t work. As it turned out, a fan of Dierk’s got him into the show, and he tweeted a picture of the two hanging out by the stage. His final tweet said, “Success @Billyidol. Makes me appreciate all our fans go through to come to our shows. Thanks!”

Webcast + 60,000 People

Yesterday, over 60,000 fans tuned in to Taylor Swift’s webcast as she released new details behind her upcoming album and first single. Taylor’s third album Speak Now, will be released worldwide on October 25th, following her brand new single “Mine,” which is scheduled to hit radio mid-August. Taylor says, “The new single is about my tendency to run from love, and finding the exception to that.” Taylor also revealed she is planning a world tour following the album, and plans to visit some of her favorite places including, Ireland, Latin America, and Italy. The album which is co-produced by Nathan Chapman, will feature 14 different tracks – all of which were solely written by Taylor.

Keith Urban has collaborated with such artists as Brad Paisley, John Mayer, and John Fogerty. Now he’s completely switched gears and recorded with The Wiggles and he didn’t even do it to impress his daughter Sunday. Keith says, “She’s not hip to The Wiggles yet. But I did do a song with them recently, so hopefully when she’s into them, she’ll think Dad’s cool ‘cause he sang with The Wiggles. We did a cover version of “England Swings” by Roger Miller.”

Trace Adkins will be starring alongside Mathew McConaughey in next year’s drama The Lincoln Lawyer. The film portrays the story of a lawyer who does business out of a Lincoln Town Car while representing a prestigious Beverly Hills client. Trace will portray the leader of a bike gang. It’s a small role, but Trace looks forward to it because it’s easy, and it only takes three days out of his schedule.

Kellie Pickler has added a new addition to her family with the adoption of a ten-month-old Weimaraner puppy named Tucker. The new dog will join Kellie’s other three dogs Pixie, Maddie, and MooMoo as she tours with Rascal Flatts. The band better watch out because Kellie says that she often gives away rescue dogs at concerts. "If I see a dog sitting anywhere on the road, I'm going to put him on the bus and try to find him a home. I've been notoriously known for giving animals away at concerts." Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus, or Joe Don Rooney may wind up with a dog of their own.

And finally, if you're a fan of Gloriana, you'll be able to get an inside look at the band's Long Hot Summer tour this Friday, as they stream their live performance at Churchill Downs music festival in Louisville, Kentucky. Check it out at 4:35 pm on the band’s website.

Eye Candy for The Ladies

From the pages of the latest issue of People Magazine – Country Special, we find the Hottest Guys in country guys in country music. Tim McGraw tops the list, yet jokes that if it were up to his wife, Faith Hill, he wouldn’t even be in the top two; she would list George Strait because she thinks he's “gorgeous,” and she can barely speak around Kris Kristofferson. The rest of the list – spoken for or not - includes, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Gary Allan, Lee Brice, Kristian Bush of Sugarland, Billy Currington, Tom Gossin and Mike Gossin of Gloriana, Toby Keith, Randy Montana, David Nail, Joe Nichols, Jake Owen, Brad Paisley, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook of Little Big Town, Josh Thompson, Chuck Wicks, and Chris Young.

Dolly Parton has reached an impressive milestone with her charity, Imagination Library. The reading program has given away its 25 millionth book. A 4-year-old in Alabama received the book from Dolly herself. The Imagination Library started in 1996 and this year is set to deliver some seven million books to slightly fewer than 600,000 children in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

And finally, congratulations to Trace Adkins. It was announced during his fan club party last week in Nashville that his 27-year-old daughter, Tarah, is pregnant with a boy. She already has a little girl, so this will be Trace’s first grandson. Trace wasn’t sure of the exact due-date but the baby will arrive sometime in November. Trace has two children from a previous marriage and three children with his current wife Rhonda.

Tribute2Tim

Will the real McGraw please stand up? L. Tim McGraw. R. Adam D. Tucker as Tim.

Memorial Day Weekend in the Valley: wine, women, and song! Er, wine, men, women, children, and song. The Southern New Mexico Wine Fest played out under three days of sunshine and brought record numbers of wineries, artisans, and spectators to the fairgrounds. Featured on Sunday’s country music day were singer-songwriter Terry Bullard, as well as Tim McGraw tribute artist, Adam D. Tucker. Stay tuned for a little peek at what you may have missed at the wine fest.

News From Around The Country
Sugarland, Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band have all earned new certifications from the RIAA for their album sales. Sugarland earned a triple-Platinum certification for the sale of three million copies of their 2006 album Enjoy the Ride. Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band have gone double-Platinum for their respective albums Need You Now and The Foundation.

Trace Adkins is being honored with the Medal of Honor from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR, in recognition of his patriotism and humanitarian works. The award will be presented on June 5th by the Nashville DAR Sarah Polk Chapter. The DAR is a nonprofit, nonpolitical volunteer women’s service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history and securing America’s future through better education for children.

The Haircut Heard Around The World

“You’re 77 now, son. It’s about time to cut your hair ….” How many guys have heard that before? It’s been a long time for Willie Nelson. But recently Willie chose to change his style and cut his trademark braids. A spokesperson said that he didn’t make a big deal out of it and that it was time for a change because long hair required “a lot of maintenance.” If we ever hear that Crystal Gayle followed suit, country music traditionalists may just have to turn in their membership cards.

On Tuesday, former oil platform worker, Trace Adkins, and Diamond Rio participated in a memorial for the 11 lost crew members of the Deepwater Horizon explosion. In a video message to the families, Trace voiced his compassion for their tragic losses, saying “Nobody…expects it to end like this. People all over the world share your grief and your despair.” Diamond Rio sang “I Believe,” “One More Day,” and “In God We still Trust.” The group then met with each family after the completion of the memorial service.

Big Kenny, half of the duo Big and Rich, has partnered with Rock Band Relief to help benefit the America Red Cross. His songs “Happy People” and “One More Time” will be released to the Rock Band Network store, where a portion of the proceeds from all downloads are donated to the American Red Cross to assist victims of the recent flooding in Nashville, Tennessee.

Miranda Lambert’s 3rd Annual Cause for Paws was held last weekend in Tyler, Texas. The event is part of Miranda’s MuttNation Foundation. $91-thousand was raised through ticket sales, sponsorships, and auction items. Miranda performed with her band and attendees were surprised with a guest appearance by Blake Shelton, who performed his song “Hillbilly Bone.”

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.

Hope You Have A Dual-Channel DVR

With the ACM’s approaching, you don’t have to turn too many channels this week to catch a country star on TV. But you might need a dual-channel DVR to catch conflicts. Tonight, Lady Antebellum is the musical guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, as well as the Late Show With David Letterman. Alan Jackson will also appear on Jay Leno Wednesday, while Gloriana performs on Jimmy Kimmel Live. We mentioned yesterday that Blake Shelton and Bombshel will be on the Price Is Right on Friday. And then on Saturday, Jack Ingram is scheduled for two songs on The Early Show.

And if that isn’t enough for you, clear more room on the DVR for The Celebrity Apprentice this Sunday, opposite the ACM’s. Trace Adkins will be back in New York to sit in Donald Trump’s boardroom when he acts as celebrity advisor on an episode where the current contestants will be given the task of creating image makeovers for Emily West and Luke Bryan. Considering the remaining contestants include Cyndi Lauper, Brett Michaels from Poison, and Sharon Osbourne, among others, this could be a scary proposition. Good thing Trace will keep them in line with country. Trace was the runner-up to winner Piers Morgan of the 2008 reality series, and raised a half-million dollars for the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.

And finally, watch for the return of Shania Twain to American Idol. As a guest judge during Idol’s Chicago auditions earlier this season, Shania proved she has an ear for talent. This time, Shania will return as a mentor to the contestants. Unlike some of past season nine mentors, Shania has plenty of experience to draw on after being in the business for nearly two decades, selling over 65 million albums and winning five Grammys.

Dancing With Reba

Set your DVRs! There are several places where you can catch country artists on TV this week. Friday, Kenny Chesney will be on Oprah’s show to talk about his latest music and his new movie. …… Thursday night, Trace Adkins will stop by The Late, Late Show With Craig Ferguson. …. Today, Trisha Yearwood will be sitting in with the ladies on The View to promote her new cookbook, Home Cooking With Trisha Yearwood. ….. Reba McEntire will be singing two guest numbers tonight on Dancing With The Stars. While she’s there, she should get a chance to have a nice visit with country fan and pro dancer Tony Dovolani. Tony danced with Sara Evans in Season 3, and the two still stay in touch. During their time to dance together, Sara introduced Tony to Tim McGraw. Tony says, “He was creating a new song that he was showing Sara, and I got to see his creative process, which was really, cool. Just to see him be creative and do different things, for me, it was like, wow! I got to see the master at work!” Tony hopes to incorporate a Tim McGraw tune into a future dance with this season’s partner Kate Gosselin. That is, unless they are eliminated on tonight’s episode.

Voting began yesterday for the 2010 CMT Music Awards, country music’s only fan-voted award show. Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum and Sugarland lead the pack in first round nominations with four each, followed by Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Zac Brown Band, who tallied three each. The first round of voting runs from today through Monday, May 3rd, only at CMT.com. On Tuesday, May 11, CMT will announce the four finalists in each of the categories, except Video of the Year. Fans can then vote through June 8th to determine the winners. The final nominees for Video of the Year are announced at the beginning of the live show and fans vote throughout the live broadcast.

Honoring POTUS

It’s President’s Day! Another holiday marked by the tremendous retail sales it creates. Yet the day was originally designed to honor George Washington’s Birthday. Later, a separate day honored Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. But because those two days were so close together, legislation was enacted to combine the two days and shift it to the third Monday in February. In the process, the annual federal holiday allows employees a three-day weekend and now honors all 44 men who have served as Presidents of the United States of America:

George Washington (1789-1797)
John Adams (1797-1801)
Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
James Madison (1809-1817)
James Monroe (1817-1825)
John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)
Andrew Jackson (1829-1837)
Martin Van Buren (1837-1841)
William Henry Harrison (1841)
John Tyler (1841-1845)
James K. Polk (1845-1849)
Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)
Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)
Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)
James Buchanan (1857-1861)
Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)
Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877)
Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881)
James A. Garfield (1881)
Chester Arthur (1881-1885)
Grover Cleveland (1885-1889)
Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893)
Grover Cleveland (1893-1897)
William McKinley (1897-1901)
Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
William Howard Taft (1909-1913)
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921)
Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)
Calvin Coolidge (1923-1929)
Herbert Hoover (1929-1933)
Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)
Harry S Truman (1945-1953)
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961))
John F. Kennedy (1961-1963)
Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)
Richard Nixon (1969-1974)
Gerald Ford (1974-1977)
Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
George Bush (1989-1993)
Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
George W. Bush (2001-2009)
Barack Obama (2009-present)

NEWS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY
Trace Adkins’ band bus was involved in a fatal crash on Saturday in Caddo Parrish, Louisiana. A pickup truck crossed the center line and crashed head-on into the tour bus. Both men in the truck were killed upon impact while none of Trace’s band received any serious injuries. Trace was already at the venue and upon hearing the news, he traveled by van to pickup the uninjured band members, then went to the hospital to check on five members of his crew who were being treated for minor injuries. "This is a real tragedy," says Trace. "Two people have been killed and I don't even know their names. So out of respect for their families, I prefer not to comment too much at this time." Trace performed a scaled down acoustic set during his co-headlining show with Martina McBride.

On TV This Week
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood’s dog, Emmett, will be making his first appearance at the 134th Annual Westminster Kennel Club show. The prize-winning greyhound will appear in episodes airing today and tomorrow on Animal Planet. ….. Faith Hill will be a guest judge on this week’s new episode of Project Runway. Faith will give advice to aspiring fashion designers with the rest of the celebrity panel of judges, including Heidi Klum. The show will air Thursday on Lifetime.

What's Up On A Thursday?

The bi-coastal, multi-network telethon for Haitian Relief is coming together. George Clooney has worked tirelessly to get it organized and on the air for two hours tomorrow night, and the guest list is coming together. Stepping up to represent country music, you have People’s Choice award winners Taylor Swift and Keith Urban. Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock are also among the names expected to perform or make appearances. The event will raise money to assist the victims of the earthquake and subsequent significant aftershocks that occurred this month. There will be several special group performances which will be available for purchase through Apple iTunes stores. All proceeds will benefit relief funds managed by Hope for Haiti Now charities.

Carrie Underwood is set to make a guest appearance in an upcoming episode of How I Met Your Mother. Yesterday Neil Patrick Harris tweeted a photo of himself with Carrie – who was dressed in a flight attendant’s outfit - with the caption, “This week’s awesome guest star- You’ll Love The Way We Fly!”

Speaking of Carrie, she will be taking part in a 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson during the Grammy Awards on January 31. Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson and Usher will also participate in the tribute. It will be the first time a major awards show has been broadcast in 3-D. The tribute will also feature the never before seen 3-D mini movie for "Earth Song" created by Michael as the centerpiece of his This Is It tour. Pick up your free 3-D eyeglasses at Target stores between January 24th and 31st.

And speaking of the Grammys, the Recording Academy will present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Loretta Lynn the day before the Grammy Award Show. This award recognizes the significant artistic contributions she has made to the music industry throughout her career.

Finally, the third installment of Trace Adkins’ four-part comic series will be released, Wednesday, January 27th. The journeys of Luke McBain have been popular in stores, as well as Trace’s concerts since its release last November. The first issue sold-out at various venders within 48-hours, and the second issue outsold the first when it was released in December. The series was developed by popular comic book writer David Tischman and features artwork by Kody Chamberlain.

The Big Men of Country Team Up

Toby has signed Trace! During a press conference yesterday about the merging of Toby Keith’s label, Show Dog, with Universal South, Toby announced the label’s new act – Trace Adkins. Trace has been with Capitol records for 15 years and said they were in the middle of renegotiating his contract when he heard about Toby’s new label Show Dog Universal. Having toured with Toby over the summer, Trace decided this was the perfect way for him to achieve what Toby has in his career. Trace said of Toby, “He’s like a twelve-year-old when he’s on stage. That joy that I’ve seen from him is real. He ain’t that good of actor! And I said, ‘I want me some of that.’” It just so happened that yesterday was Trace’s 48th birthday so everyone at the press conference sang happy birthday to him and the label presented him with a cake. Trace has been in the studio working on a new album and has eight songs recorded already.

A new year means new music, and the list of pending releases lengthens daily. Alan Jackson fans have March 30th circled on their calendars, as that is the day Freight Train pulls into the station, er, store. The new CD will include 12 songs, including the current single "It's Just That Way." He wrote or co-wrote eight of the songs. As a tribute to the late Vern Gosdin, Alan and guest singer Lee Ann Womack will duet on Vern's "Till the End." This is Alan's 18th album and was produced by Keith Stegall. His last album, Good Time, was released in March 2008.

Johnny Cash’s American VI will be released February 26th, concluding the American Recordings album series. The release date coincides with the 78th anniversary of Johnny’s birth. The collection includes songs written by Sheryl Crow (“Redemption Day”) and Kris Kristofferson (“For the Good Times”), as well as a Cash original, “I Corinthians: 15:55,” written over the last three years of his life.

Ever wonder how much income you’d be declaring on your taxes had you married well?
Forbes magazine has revealed the top power couples in entertainment. It’s neat that two country couples have made the list! Check it out:
1. Beyonce and Jay-z - $122 million (beyonce - $87m / jay-z - $35m)
2. Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart - $69 million
3. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie - $55 million
4. Will Smith and Jada pinkett smith - $48 million
5. David and Victoria Beckham - $46 million
6. Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi - $36 million
7. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson - $35.5 million
8. Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy - $34 million
9. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes - $33.5 million
10. Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow - $33 million
11. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick - $29 million
12. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - $28 million
13. Eva Longoria and Tony Parker - $22 million
14. Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley - $20
15. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban - $17 million

Tuesday Newsday

Bucky Covington releases new music today. Recorded at his hometown concert and “Gotta Be Somebody” video shoot this past September, Live From Rockingham (North Carolina) is a 5-song digital EP. Download live versions of Bucky’s Top 10 hits “A Different World,” “It’s Good To Be Us” and “I’ll Walk” plus the latest single “Gotta Be Somebody.” You’ll also hear a preview of “Mexicoma,” an island-themed song from his upcoming sophomore album, I’m Alright, due in the spring. Also packaged with the tracks is the music video filmed that day.

News From Around The Country
Reba McEntire will perform during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on CBS. …
Justin Moore says that it’s time to put down some roots, “The 1100 square foot house we were in was just gonna get too crowded. And, moving out in the country is gonna help me stay grounded. My back porch looks out over a pasture full of cows instead of another house. It makes me feel more at home.” Justin and his wife Kate purchased their first home to make more room for the pending arrival of their first child, Ella Kole. … For the first time since Faron Young had the endorsement deal in the mid 1970’s, Trace Adkins will be the spokesman for BC Headache Powder for the next 2-years. This means radio ads, retail displays, tour sponsorship and corporate events. “I'm very particular about attaching my name to products or causes, unless it's something I use or believe in," Trace said. "My relationship with BC Headache Powder is personal and runs deep. I still remember when my grandfather gave me my first BC. I even remember the product advertising jingle from the '70s." … The creator of the T-V series The Vampire Diaries, Kevin Williamson, has told MTV’s UK website that he is still trying to get Taylor Swift to appear on the show. He fears that she may have gotten to big to take the gig, but stay tuned. … And finally, don’t forget that Larry The Cable Guy’s Hula-Palooza Christmas Luau holiday special premieres Friday on CMT. In addition to holiday-themed comedy and sketches set on the fictional island of Hula-Poola, the special will include musical performances from Billy Currington and the Zac Brown Band.