She and her dad will present an award. Sorry, CMA, but Miley isn’t country, no matter how much you wish she was. This is a blatant ploy to get higher ratings for the awards show. If you want higher ratings, invite COUNTRY singers to present, not celebrities and pop singers.
Grammy Nominations To Be Announced Live!
Not much is on TV in early December–it’s mainly Christmas movies or specials. But now, I have something to look forward to. The Grammy Award nominations will be announced live on CBS on December 3 at 10pm ET. They’ll probably only be announcing the major categories, but maybe they’ll include some country and bluegrass nominations. They’ll be announcing who will be announcing the nominations in the next few days, probably in the next week or so. When they do, I’ll share them with you.
CMA Performers
So far the list of who’s going to sing at the CMA Awards include Trace Adkins, Kid Rock (what is HE doing there–he’s not COUNTRY!), Lady Antebellum, The Wailers (who?), Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban. Something I didn’t know–Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum. Her mother is Linda Davis! Hard to believe that fourteen years ago, Linda Davis won the CMA Vocal Event of the Year Award for her duet with Reba McEntire, “Does He Love You.” And now, fourteen years later, her daughter might win either (or both) New Artist or Vocal Group of the Year. What a small world.
News For Monday, July 28
Lots going on as usual…
The legendary Charlie Daniels will appear on popular talk show Crook & Chase (RFD-TV) Wednesday (7/30).
The one-hour program will feature a performance by Charlie, as well as an interview conducted by the dynamic broadcast duo.
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Mark Chesnutt was rear-ended Sunday morning by an intoxicated driver.
The bus was departing Saturday night after Mark’s performance at Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth, TX; the band was heading back to Nashville. At approx. 3:30AM Sunday morning, the bus was rear-ended by a vehicle traveling 100 miles an hour.
The majority of Mark’s band was aboard the bus (Kenny Thurman, Delaney Jackson, Cary Stone Lee Kelley, Steve Ledford, Bob Gulley, Don Bradley and driver Dave Simon). Fortunately no one was injured in the crash. The young driver’s car, however, was totaled.
Two police cars arrived at the scene (with one of the squad cars being delayed by a flat tire). Kenny Thurman (Mark’s road manager) changed the tire for the officer while reports were taken. The young male driver reportedly had been drinking and was driving without a license.
“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!” Chesnutt was in route traveling to his home in Beaumont.
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There’s a certain pop singer trying to become a country singer whose initials are JS…I will not be mentioning her name in here.
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While most of her peers donned caps and gowns to receive their high school diplomas, Country star Taylor Swift was strumming a guitar and performing for thousands of fans, and got 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 told The AP Friday.
Swift attended public school for 9th and 10th grade. But when her career began heating up, she needed more flexibility and switched to Aaron Academy, a private Christian school that offers 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.” Swift, who is on tour with Rascal Flatts, is expected to release a new album this fall.
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The merger of Sirius and XM Radio was approved on Friday…it’ll be interesting to see if another company will try to launch a satellite radio service to compete with the newly merged company. I thought monopolies were illegal…
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Hal Ketchum recorded his new album, FATHER TIME, without a net. He amassed more than a dozen new original songs plus a dream team of musicians and entered the studio to record the album live to two-track. There were no overdubs and only a few second takes. “When I went into this project, my mentality was that this is either going to work or not,” Ketchum says. But at the end of the first day, with nine songs finished, he knew the experiment was a success. The resultant album, which contains 13 Ketchum-penned songs plus a cover of Tom Waits’ “Jersey Girl,” will hit stores on September 9, 2008. It is the album that Ketchum’s talents have promised since he burst onto the Country music scene in 1991 claiming the #1 spot with his very first single, “Small Town Saturday Night.” Since his first Curb release, 1991’s Past the Point of Rescue, he has distinguished himself as a bona fide hitmaker, with 15 Top 10 singles to his credit and five million albums sold.
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Rustie Blue’s fourth album, S TRONGER THAN STEEL, has been set for release on August 26, 2008. This is the follow-up album to her critically acclaimed CHIP CHIP. Early positive feedback from Larry Holden, Country Weekly Senior Editor, Stuart Cameron, Radio Borders, Up Country magazine, Mark Trail, Mark Trail Music and many more indicate this is another really good one.
Four years after the release of her last album comes STRONGER THE STEEL, and true to its title, the album showcases some of Rustie’s best work to date. She recorded all twelve songs in Nashville backed by some of Music City’s top studio musicians including Lonnie Wilson (percussion) and Larry Franklin (fiddle).
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Song Spotlights
Alan Jackson “Good Time” (this is the club/linedancing mix, I guess–I like it.)
Randy Travis “Dig Two Graves” (an AWESOME song–I hope radio plays it!)
The Road Hammers “Girl On The Billboard” (this is a remake of Del Reeves’ hit–and their version is pretty good!)
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Keep it country…and bluegrass!
Eliza
Grand Ole Opry to Add Thursday Night Opry Country Classics Show in 2009
Nashville will have a new entertainment option on Thursday nights next year when the Grand Ole Opry adds Opry Country Classics to its current line-up of Tuesday, Friday and Saturday performances.
The all-new addition to the Opry’s schedule will shine a spotlight on the classic country songs that have defined country music for generations of fans. Opry Country Classics will share country music’s colorful story through a live performance featuring country favorites performed by legends of the genre as well as talented new artists, a rousing live band, square dancing, and more. Like current Opry broadcasts, the show will be heard on 650 WSM-AM.
“We are pleased to introduce this new show that celebrates country music’s incredible legacy by showcasing its most familiar and beloved songs performed by the legends that made them famous as well as rising stars,” said Steve Buchanan, president of the Grand Ole Opry Group. “The programming in Opry Country Classics is a perfect complement to our Grand Ole Opry performances featuring the new stars, superstars and legends of country music.”
Opry member Marty Stuart said, “I was raised in Mississippi, where we were immersed in the blues, rock n’ roll, and jazz, but it was the country music I heard that touched my heart. The sounds beaming from that 650 WSM signal seemed to beckon me to Nashville. I’m looking forward to performing some of those same great timeless songs for country fans on Thursdays next year. Let ‘er go, boys!”
“The Grand Ole Opry is one of Nashville’s signature attractions and it’s always exciting when we provide one more reason for people to visit us in Music City,” said Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. “The Thursday shows will be a great way to celebrate songs that were born in Nashville and have become world-famous standards.”
“The Grand Ole Opry has been instrumental in making Tennessee the center of the music world while positioning Nashville as ‘Music City,’” said Susan Whitaker, commissioner, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “We look forward to spreading the word about this addition to the Grand Ole Opry’s schedule as an important part of a musical mix unmatched by any other state.”
Opry fans will be able to purchase tickets for Opry Country Classics alone or packaged alongside traditional Opry performances.
The Opry’s 2009 schedule of shows includes more than 200 performances:
Tuesday — 7 p.m. March 2 – Dec. 15
Opry Country Classics– Thursday, 7 p.m. March 26 – June 18 and Sept. 10 – Oct. 29
Friday — 8 p.m. year-round
Saturday — 7 p.m. year-round
Saturday — 9:30 p.m. (March – April, June – July, Sept. – Dec.)
The Opry’s 2009 schedule of shows includes more than 200 performances. View our Calendar of Events for show dates and times. Opry fans will be able to purchase tickets for Opry Country Classics alone or packaged alongside traditional Opry performances. Opry Country Classics shows will go on sale next month. Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday 2009 Opry shows are on sale now.
May 19 News Bytes
If you missed the ACM Awards last night, GAC will re-run the awards show on June 4 and June 5. I’m going to watch to see the prank played on Kellie Pickler–and to watch the other flubs. Ratings were better than last year, up 2.4 million to a total of 11.7 million viewers.
Also, Rascal Flatts apparently tried to bribe fans to vote for them for Entertainer of the Year:
From CMT.com:
“To promote participation among its fan base, Rascal Flatts last week offered a free MP3 download — a previously unreleased live version of “Winner at a Losing Game” — to those voting for the band in the entertainer category. Although Rascal Flatts did not violate any of the ACM’s guidelines, the offer was removed from the group’s Web site after just one day. According to The Tennessean newspaper, the ACM identified those online votes and did not count them in the final tally.”
TBS is now running the first season of the Bill Engvall show on Mondays at 11pm ET in anticipation of the second season premiere on June 12. If you didn’t watch the first season, now’s a great time to catch up on a fantastic show.
New Singles This Week
Ashton Shepherd “Sounds So Good” (MCA Nashville)
Craig Morgan “Love Remembers” (BNA)
Sugarland “All I Want To Do” (Mercury)
Taylor Swift “Should’ve Said No” (Big Machine)
New Albums This Week
Julianne Hough, Julianne Hough (MCA)
Broken Bow has signed Randy Owen. You can expect a single in the next month or so.
