While The Donald may not have made Trace Adkins #1, country radio has. His latest single, "You're Gonna Miss This," is this week's #1 country single according to Billboard. It is Adkins' third single to hit the top of the chart.

The song, written by Lee Thomas Miller and Ashley Gorley, talks about cherishing life's special moments, because someday you'll miss the time that has passed so quickly. Trace says its something he's personally trying to practice more and often tells his daughters they should savor every second of their youth.

Adkins recently released his first book and he received two nominations for the upcoming CMT Video Music Awards. In addition, he just was one of the last two standing on the nationally televised "Celebrity Apprentice" on NBC beating out 12 other contestants. His most recent album, American Man: Greatest Hits Vol. II, was released in December.

Labels: Trace Adkins

Music legend Dolly Parton will mentor the remaining nine "Idol" hopefuls this week as the hit show counts down to the finale in May. The contestants will sing songs from Parton's extensive catalog, which includes "I Will Always Love You," "9 To 5," and "Jolene." It is not known if contestants will be allowed to sing songs Parton has covered or if they must perform original material.

FOX had asked Parton to be a guest judge on the show, but she declined. "I won't be a judge. I couldn't do that," she said. "I can't tell people they aren't doing a good job even if they ask me. To tell someone if they're good or bad, or if they suck, isn't me."

Singer Carrie Underwood has been the most famous country "Idol," but she did not sing a Parton song while on the show. She did duet with Kenny Rogers on "Islands In The Stream" when Parton received her Kennedy Honor in 2006.

"American Idol" is seen regularly by over 30 million people each week.

Labels: American Idol, Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton

After playing Down Under, country's most celebrated duo is heading back to the States this summer, and each show will have a unique twist. No two shows will feature the exact set list, and the duo will also be performing an acoustic set as part of the show. Both ideas were incorporated in their Australian tour.

Brooks & Dunn will be performing with Keith Urban on the CMT Music Awards on Mon., April 14. The two acts will perform "Raise the Barn," a cut from Urban's Love, Pain, & the whole crazy thing album. Dunn duets with Urban on the track. Urban joined Brooks & Dunn on "Believe" during the Academy of Country Music Awards two years ago and performed with them at the CMA Music Festival in 2006.

The duo's current single, "God Must Be Busy," is went recurrent last week on Billboard's single chart. Arista has announced "Put A Girl In It" as the next single to country radio.

Labels: Brooks and Dunn, Keith Urban

Trace Adkins comes in Second on Celebrity Apprentice. Download his latest single "You're Gonna Miss This" on iTunes, proceeds will benefit his favorite charity.

Labels: Trace Adkins

Don't forget our "UNDER THE RADAR" section found under the CONNECT menu. We post news blurbs there for you to read, too.

Luke Bryan has a co-sponsorship for his new single, "Country Man" - Longhorn Steakhouse and Jack Daniels. Bryan will make 24 appearances at Longhorn Steakhouses across the country to meet and sign autographs for the fans as part of the deal.

In June, the Georgia native will host his fan club party at a local Nashville Longhorn Steakhouse during the CMA Music Fest.

"I'm honored Longhorn Steakhouse and Jack Daniels have chosen to be partners with me," said Bryan. "I'd say this is the perfect partnership - great steaks, Tennessee whiskey and an old country boy like me."

Bryan's current single "Country Man" just recently went for adds at country radio. He released his Capitol debut last summer and welcomed his first son last week.

Labels: Luke Bryan

American Idol Season 6 finalist Phil Stacey, about whom judge Randy Jackson raved, "You are going to have a career in country music!" has confirmed his Grand Ole Opry debut for this Sat., March 29th. Stacey, who plays both piano and guitar, will perform his first single, "If You Didn't Love Me,"He will also use his time on the legendary stage to premiere material from his new CD, set for release next month. Phil will perform on both the 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. shows, both broadcast live on WSM-AM radio.

Stacey is set to release his debut CD on April 29th. The self-titled disc features "If You Didn't Love Me" (co-written by Rascal Flatts frontman Gary LeVox), which is already generating huge fan response and making a rapid climb up the country radio charts. The CD pairs Phil with producer Wayne Kirkpatrick, the legendary songwriter best known for material recorded by Garth Brooks andFaith Hill.

Stacey's Opry debut comes on one of his increasingly rare nights in Nashville. Just last weekend he played for a sold-out crowd of 20,000 fans at Knoxville, Tenn.'s Winterfest, and his schedule has been incredibly full since leaving the Idol stage last year--he spent three months playing for capacity crowds in 55 cities on the road with the American Idol tour, and has since been visiting radio and TV stations across the country in support of his debut CD.

In addition to his more than 671 million TV audience impressions from American Idol, Phil has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Live with Regis & Kelly, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and the Today show.

Labels: Phil Stacey

Pop singer Jewel is going country, that we already know. Her debut disc is expected this summer and is produced by John Rich. The first single, "Stronger Woman," is in the top 20 on country radio.

Jewel says she is excited about the prospect of mixing fans this summer when she takes the stage with Brad Paisley.

"I'm excited for my fans to get to know him, because my fans demand that their artists are the real deal," the singer said. "They don't want somebody that's just a pretty face that somebody else writes hits for and is a manufactured thing. They're gonna love him."

Jewel, known for hits such as "Who Will Save Your Soul?," was honored to be invited before her single became a hit. "It just shows that he liked me and wasn't just trying to angle for something that was doing well and waiting to see if it did well, which means a lot," she said.

The tour begins June 11 in Albuquerque, N.M., and runs through Oct. 18 in San Antonio. Brad and Jewel will be joined on the trek by Chuck Wicks and singer and "Dancing With The Stars" alumnus, Julianne Hough.

Labels: Brad Paisley, Jewel

The Robert Plant and Alison Krauss album Raising Sand, produced by T. Bone Burnett, has been certified RIAA Platinum. The Rounder Records album debuted at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 chart following its release October 23, 2007, marking the highest chart position ever for the label. It remains inside the top 40 five months later.

Last month, Plant and Krauss were recipients of the 2007 Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals, for the track "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)." The Grammy Award was the first-ever for Plant as a solo artist after numerous nominations, and the 21st for Krauss.

Burnett also produced the Grammy award-winning, multi-platinum O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack.

The two musicians begin their Raising Sand World Tour April 19th in Louisville, KY. Dates have been set through July 1, with more July dates to be announced shortly.

Labels: Alison Krauss, Robert Plant

Country music's only fan-voted awards show just got hotter with the addition of country superstars Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban and Brooks & Dunn to the lineup for the 2008 CMT Music Awards.

Previously announced performances include Carrie Underwood, Sugarland, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift and a special performance by Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus.

Hosted by Billy Ray Cyrus and Miley Cyrus, the 2008 CMT Music Awards air live from Nashville on Monday, April 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET on CMT and CMT.com. Fans can vote online at CMT.com through Friday, April 11 to determine the night's winners.

Labels: Brooks and Dunn, CMT, Faith Hill, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Tim McGraw

Luke Bryan is a daddy. The "All My Friends Say" singer, 31, and his wife, Caroline, 28, welcomed their first child, Thomas Boyer Bryan at 11:34 a.m. on Tuesday at a Nashville area hospital.

Bryan said he was "over the moon" to meet his new son, who weighed 6 lbs., 14 oz., and added: "Everyone is doing great! My fishing buddy is finally here!"

"I thought being on stage was an amazing feeling, but there is nothing that can top watching my wife bring our son in to this world," the singer tells PEOPLE magazine. "There is no way I would have missed this for anything."

The baby gets his name from his father, whose formal first name is Thomas. Boyer is mother Caroline's maiden name. But his parents will call the boy "Bo," Bryan said.

Bryan and his wife met in 1998, when the two were students at Georgia Southern. They married on Dec. 6, 2006.

Already, Baby Bo has scored some great country swag from the likes of singer Josh Turner, who sent a onesie with a guitar on it, and country video director Shaun Silva, who gave the little guy an "I Crawl the Line" onesie.

Labels: Luke Bryan

CMT's "One Country" will be gifting $2,500 to winners in each category of the 2008 CMT Music Awards for the charity of their choice, it was announced today by CMT's Director of Public Affairs, Lucia Folk. CMT's "One Country," CMT's pro-social initiative, was launched in the fall of 2005 to inspire CMT viewers to take action and bring about important change in their communities.

Charities that could receive the donation include Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Susan G. Komen For the Cure, March of Dimes, St. Jude's Research Hospital, and Habitat for Humanity. A complete list of the charities associated with each artist can be found at CMT's "One Country" website.

The 2008 CMT Music Awards will be hosted by Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus and feature performances by Toby Keith and Carrie Underwood, among others.

CMT is owned by Viacom Communications.

Labels: CMT

Carrie Underwood will become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry after she was invited Saturday to join the long-running country music show.

Randy Travis extended the invitation as Underwood finished "I Told You So," a Travis song that Underwood recorded on her latest album.

Her official induction will be May 10.

The former "American Idol" winner sold seven million copies of her debut album "Some Hearts" and shot to superstardom almost overnight with hits including "Before He Cheats" and "Jesus, Take the Wheel."

Her follow-up album, "Carnival Ride," came out last fall and has produced two number-one hits: "So Small" and her current single "All-American Girl."

Underwood said backstage that the invitation was a complete surprise.

"I felt like I just won something amazing all over again," she said. "The Opry has meant so much to me growing up, seeing people perform and wanting to do that."

Underwood, 25, becomes the latest young hitmaker to become an Opry member in recent years, joining Brad Paisley, Josh Turner and Dierks Bentley.

The Opry, established in 1925, is the longest continuously running radio show in the country. Legends such as Hank Williams Sr. and Patsy Cline were once members of the cast, and contemporary stars including Alan Jackson and Martina McBride are part of today's show, which airs every Friday and Saturday night on WSM-AM.

Opry management says artists are invited to join based on their commitment to the show, as measured by the frequency of their guest appearances, and their overall contribution to country music.

Labels: Carrie Underwood

Trace Adkins is a finalist on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice. After losing his task, he receives high praise from Trump. Trace says he's "surprised to be in the final four." More details tomororw on Country On-Demand.

Labels: Trace Adkins

Shania Twain made a rare public appearance yesterday in Macetown Village, in New Zealand, for the official opening of the new Motatapu Track and the Macetown Restoration Project. Twain did not speak to the crowd and addressed locals and media as Eilleen Lange.

Twain and her husband Mutt Lange agreed to build the 29km track as part of the national Te Araroa Trail during the approval process to buy the pastoral leases for two high country stations in 2004. The trail butts with the back of the Lange's property.

The Langes paid a total of $21.4 million for the project and have also donated at least $171,000 towards building two tramping huts on the track. They have also spent more than $276,000 setting aside conservation areas and implementing biodiversity programs, as agreed with the Department of Conservation.

Twain said the land is "beautiful" and "is a great place to visit for inspiration and you go away recharged."

The singer also delivered a blow to her fanbase, saying that she was still on an "permanent sabbatical." Twain said in 2007 that she hopes to release new music in 2008.

Labels: Shania Twain

In its first week of release, Alan Jackson's Good Time album debuts at #1 on both the Billboard 200 all-genre album chart and the Billboard Top Country Album chart. The set moves an impressive 120,000 units.

Good Time is Jackson's 17th album. He wrote every of the seventeen tracks on the album. It includes his latest single "Small Town Southern Man," which is set to go #1 on country radio next week.

The media has been raving about Jackson's latest album. The New York Times says, "[Good Time is] a joy, well made and packed with the clever musical details that make Mr. Jackson’s best music so satisfying." The Boston Globe claims, "this is another Alan Jackson record that will stand the test of time."

ENTER OUR CONTEST TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF GOOD TIME BY CLICKING THE LINK ON THE FRONT PAGE!

Labels: Alan Jackson

Multiple Grammy Award nominee, 3-time ASCAP artist/songwriter of the year and producer extraordinaire John Rich, of the multi-platinum duo Big & Rich, has been named the first judge/mentor for season six of "Nashville Star," premiering June 9 on NBC.

Also announced was the formation of a joint venture between AEG Live, Warner Bros.
Records and Reveille to launch the next American music superstar. Warner Bros.
Records will support artist development, recording and releasing of songs from this
season's winner and other show contestants while AEG Live will promote an upcoming
"Nashville Star" concert tour across North America.

"Warner Bros. Records has been fans of 'Nashville Star' since it began and are proud
to be a part of this season's show," said label Chairman and CEO, Tom Whalley. "Not only is John Rich one of the biggest stars to come out of country music, he is also an award winning songwriter and producer. I have no doubt that he will be the perfect mentor for all the contestants throughout the season of 'Nashville Star.

Rich's writing credits include Gretchen Wilson's hits "When I Think About Cheatin'" and "Here for the Party," and "Redneck Woman." He also wrote Faith Hill's hit single "Mississippi Girl" and "Like We Never Loved At All," co-wrote Jason Aldean's hit single "Hicktown" and produced Jewel and Randy Owen of Alabama, as well as all of the Big & Rich albums. He's currently producing his first solo effort on Warner Bros. Records and Wilson's fourth album.

Labels: John Rich

George Strait says he still gets a thrill hearing his songs on the radio, and now he'll have a whole channel of his music to get excited about.

The station will run through May 31 and feature songs from Strait's catalog as well as exclusive interviews and programming about the star.

He joins Led Zeppelin and Michael Jackson as the only recording artists to have their own XM Radio channels.

"It's always a thrill to hear one of your songs played on the radio, but to have XM Radio dedicate an entire channel to my music is just amazing," Strait, a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, said in a statement.

The singer's career spans more than 25 years and includes 55 No. 1 hits. His latest single, "I Saw God Today" is No. 8 on Billboard's country singles chart, and his duet with Kenny Chesney, "Shiftwork," is No. 4.

"George's tremendous achievements and body of work transcends musical genre and will make this channel a must-listen for all music fans across the country," said Eric Logan, executive vice president of programming for XM Radio.

Labels: George Strait

We posted about this before, but now it's confirmed. Martina McBride: Live In Concert will be available on April 29, 2008.

This will be a CD/DVD set with the first disc being a CD and the second disc being a DVD. The track listing is as follows:

Disc 1 - CD

Happy Girl
Anyway
Concrete Angel
From The Ashes
Whatever You Say
This One's For The Girls
Independence Day
Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Disc 2 - DVD

Billie Jean
Anyway
When God Fearin' Women Get The Blues
Wild Angels
My Baby Loves Me
Tryin' To Find A Reason
How I Feel
Happy Girl
(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden
You Ain't Woman Enough
Help Me Make It Through The Night
Where Would You Be
Concrete Angel
For These Times
Medley: Love's The Only House/Blessed
This One's For The Girls
A Broken Wing
Independence Day
Don't Stop Believin'
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Over The Rainbow

The music on the DVD will be in 5.1 Surround Sound. As of now there are no extras confirmed for this release. We're wondering what "Billie Jean" is because she didn't perform this when the concert was taped, but this was what we received from SONY/BMG. If there are any changes of course we'll let you know.

Labels: Martina McBride

After proving he still has it, music legend Garth Brooks will send a third single from his Ultimate Hits to country radio. "Midnight Sun," co-wrote by Brooks, Jerrod Niemann, and Richie Brown, goes for adds on March 24.

The Hits album is the latest album in the Brooks saga to be certified multi-platinum; it has sold 5 million copies. It is still available for purchase as the "Pink Edition" via Komen for the Cure's official website.

Brooks has stated that he will return to screen writing in the coming months. Since announcing his retirement in 2000, he has played selected shows including, most recently, a 5-show stint in Los Angeles to support firefighters who battled severe wildfires last fall.

Labels: Garth Brooks

Three-time nominees Rascal Flatts have been added to the performance line-up of the 2008 CMT Music Awards. As part of their performance, the group is inviting fans to submit videos via CMT.com for their performance of the song "Bob That Head" off of their album Still Feels Good.

From today through April 7, fans are encouraged to upload 20-30 second clips of them "bobbing" their heads and singing along to the "Bob That Head" chorus. During the awards show performance, fan submitted videos will be shown on monitors behind the group.

"We have often said we have the best fans in the world," said Gary Levox of Rascal Flatts. "And now we will see just how creative they are. They have been the best part of our careers, it will be fun to include them into our performance. We can't wait!"

The CMT Music Awards will be hosted by Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus and air live on Monday, April 14, at 8PM EST. Carrie Undrewood, Taylor Swift, and others will perform. Fans can vote online at CMT.com.

Labels: CMT, Rascal Flatts

After a record setting two million fans voted on CMT.com, Brad Paisley and Sugarland were announced today to lead in nominations going into the CMT Music Awards. The awards are the only fan-voted awards in the industry.

"Voting for the 2008 CMT Music Awards is at an all-time high, making the awards more competitive than ever," said Brian Philips, executive vice president and general manager of CMT. "With superstar performances like those from our top nominees Brad Paisley and Sugarland and exciting new categories, this year's show promises to be a night full of surprises."

Other nominees include Taylor Swift (3 noms), Carrie Underwood (2 noms), and Reba McEntire (2 noms). The list also includes names such as Willie Nelson, Robert Plant, and the Eagles. Bon Jovi also got two nominations.

Fans can now vote for the winners at CMT.com through Friday, April 11.

The show will air live on CMT from Nashville on Monday, April 14, at 8PM EST. Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus will host; Carrie Underwood, Toby Keith, and others will perform.

Labels: CMT

For the first time in her career, Dolly Parton has debuted in the top 20 on Billboard's 200 album chart. Her first album in two years debuts at #13 there and #2 on the Country Albums chart. The last time she was in the the top rungs of either chart was in 1993.

"Backwoods Barbie" moved 27,000 copies in its first week on the chart. It marks Parton's best sales week since Christmas week 1993 when her collaborations album "Honky Tonk Angels," with Loretta Lynn and the late Tammy Wynette, did 40,000.

Parton's last #1 album was her 1991 effort, "Eagle When She Flies."

"Barbie" features Parton's first solo country top 40 hit since the early nineties. "Better Get To Living" marked her 110th appearance on Billboard's single chart.

Parton is scheduled to tour the world in support of "Barbie."

Labels: Dolly Parton

Ricky Skaggs will be awarded a Berklee honorary doctorate of music on the Grand Ole Opry stage, the AP reports today.

The Boston school also has given the honor to country music stars Loretta Lynn and Earl Scruggs, among other notable names in music.

Berklee College of Music Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Larry Simpson will bestow the honor as part of Skaggs' performance on the Tuesday Night Opry March 18.

"At Berklee, we admire musicians of extraordinary talent who follow their artistic inclinations fearlessly," said Berklee President Roger Brown. "Ricky Skaggs is a master musician... who achieved mainstream success his own way, on his own terms. By honoring Ricky Skaggs, we shine a light on the present and future of bluegrass; its heritage and its infinite potential."

120 Berklee students will attend the honoring. Hall of Famers Bill Anderson and Little Jimmy Dickens will perform in addition to Skaggs.

Labels: Ricky Skaggs

Yesterday, Country On-Demand ran a story reporting that Broken Bow Records and Jason Aldean had severed ties. We regret that the information was a false lead.

Aldean's publicist has made it quite clear that he is still with the label and is actively promoting his new single and album.

Country On-Demand deeply regrets the reporting error. We apologize to Aldean, his management, publicist, and record label.

Labels: Jason Aldean

After a short 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, Carrie Underwood is at #1 with her latest single "All-American Girl." It is the second single from her double-platinum Carnival Ride album. The single hit #1 just twelve weeks after "So Small" fell from the top spot. It is Underwood's fourth consecutive #1 Billboard hit.

Television network FOX announced today that Underwood will take part in their "Idol Gives Back" charity episode. The show will air April 9. Additionally announced performers and appearances by Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, Peyton and Eli Manning, Reese Witherspoon and U2's Bono. Last year's event raised over $76 million for various charities.

Labels: Carrie Underwood

For the first time since 1998, when CMA Fest was still known as Fan Fair, Faith Hill will be performing at country music's largest festival. She will be joined by Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood and others. Underwood has performed every year since her crowning of "American Idol" in 2005.

"What's amazing about this year's lineup is that we have artists who are fan favorites, those who support the event year after year, coming to perform once again as well as an outstanding list of artists who are making their first appearance or retuning to our event after time away," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Executive Officer.

Hill, Jackson and Underwood will take the stage as part of the LP Nightly Concert series held during the four day festival in Nashville. Dwight Yoakam will also make his first appearance on the LP stage since 1988 when he performed with legend Buck Owens.

Among the first time performers at the Nightly Concerts are Lady Antebellum and Jewel, who will make her CMA Festival debut. More artists will be announced later. The CMA Music Festival will be held Thursday through Sunday, June 5-8, in Downtown Nashville. In 2007, the CMA Music Festival featured more than 400 artists and celebrities, 100 hours of concerts, 35 hours of autograph signings for 191,000 fans from every state and 21 foreign countries.

Labels: Alan Jackson, Carrie Underwood, CMA Music Festival, Faith Hill

For the first time in her career, multi-platinum artist Martina McBride will be releasing a live album. The album will contain selections from her PBS "Great Performances" concert, which will air this March as part of the network's "Pledges" program. Information about the "Pledges" performance can be found here. The special will air prior to the album release, which isn't expected until the summer.

Labels: Martina McBride

Tony Romo has compared his new girlfriend Jessica Simpson with his friend and supposed ex-girlfriend, Carrie Underwood, according to a source close to Dallas Cowboys quarterback. The Dallas Cowboys quarterback allegedly told the pop singer what he thought of her singing ability when compared to Underwood’s.

“[Tony] really hurt Jess’ feelings," the source tells On-Demand. "She tried to laugh it off in Hawaii, but she pouted whenever she heard Carrie’s songs play."

Simpson is currently recording her first country album and Romo thinks she will have trouble getting a large country fan base, saying that she would "have trouble winning over the country audiences" with her project.

The couple is rumored to be engaged.

Labels: Carrie Underwood, Jessica Simpson

With the Texas primaries coming up on Tuesday, Kris Kristofferson, a Texas native, is giving his endorsement to the presidential candidate Barack Obama, D-IL.

"I believe in Barack Obama like I believed in the Kennedys," Kristofferson said in a statement. "In the months before his death, John Kennedy pointed out that while we could not agree on their choice of government, there was much in the history of Russian people we could admire... It's this spirit of finding common ground and working things out through dialogue and diplomacy that the world needs so desperately today at this critical point in our history. This is the hope that Obama inspires."

Kristofferson has taken vocal issue with the war in Iraq, and in the 1980s, he devoted an entire album to opposition to U.S. intervention in Nicaragua. He is a former Army captain who turned down an opportunity to teach at West Point, opting instead to go to Nashville to become a songwriter. He wrote such hits as "Me And Bobby McGee," "Help Me Make It Through The Night" and is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Friend Willie Nelson and legend Merle Haggard have also endorsed candidates this election cycle, Dennis Kucinich, D-OH and Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY respectively.

We have a big Tuesday planned here at Country On-Demand. Managing editor Dustin and Assistant Editor Angela will be covering the ACM press conference early Tuesday morning. They will have interviews with Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood plus the announcement of the 43rd ACM Awards nominees.

Then, senior editor Derrick (that's me) will chat it up with Jo Dee Messina Tuesday afternoon. If all goes well, we hope to have that interview for you in podcast for later that evening.

But let's not forget our Magnificant Monday! Check back here for a new section on Country On-Demand: we're going live, literally, as we cover country's hottest tours. First up: "2 Worlds 2 Voices" and "Throttle Wide Open."

Also, don't forget to check out our revamped "Connect" section, formally "Notes from Nashville." Add your comments to the latest stories breaking around the Row.

That's all from my desk - have a great weekend!

What does Carrie Underwood do with a break from her joint tour with Keith Urban? Why, headline her own tour, of course. Underwood recently wrapped up the first set of shows billed the "Carnival Ride Tour" with special guest Josh Turner. The two played before sell-out crowds across the nation, pleasing approximetly 40,000 fans when the dust settled.

Underwood has also planned a special event for the students at East Tennessee State University next month. She will perform for a sell-out crowd of just students and their guests. Tricia Nguyen, Student Organization Resource Center director, says the campus is ready for the former "Idol" to rock their Memorial Stadium.

"There's a lot of buzz, a lot of buzz," Nguyen said. "People are really excited. I've heard a ton of students talking about it."

Underwood rejoins Urban for the next leg of "the Love, Pain, and whole crazy Carnival Ride Tour" tonight in Mississippi.

Labels: Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Keith Urban