Kix Brooks, half of country mega-duo Brooks & Dunn, issued a statement today regarding the use of the duo's hit song "Only In America" during the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

"Seems ironic that the same song Bush used at The Republican Convention last election would be used by Obama and the Democrats now," Brooks said. Very flattering to know our song crossed parties and potentially inspires all Americans."

The song played after Senator Barack Obama accepted the nomination for President from the Democratic Party.

Labels: Brooks and Dunn

Today Brad Paisley and Arista Nashville re-released "Waitin' On A Woman" to country radio, this time featuring vocals by Andy Griffith. Griffith, who stars along side Paisley in the video for the song, trades lines in the new version. According to Arista, the single is Paisley's most well-liked single in his career, according to early call-out research.

Labels: Brad Paisley

In case you've been under a rock the last few days, here's Taylor Swift's Fearless cover. Expect the tracklisting soon and a new single at radio in two weeks.

Labels: Taylor Swift

Banking on the success of Kenny Chesney's version of "Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven", MCA/Universal Nashville has released George's version on iTunes.

Click here to download the song only.

Click here to download the song along with the video for "Troubadour".

Enjoy!

Labels: George Strait

Here's a look at the inside of the packaging for Tim McGraw's upcoming Greatest Hits 3 release. Look for it in stores October 7th.

Courtesy of Gronewold Design.

Labels: Tim McGraw

Country duo Sugarland played last night at the kickoff event for the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The high profile gig was not attended by Senators Barack Obama or Joe Biden.

"This is the first time that a political convention of any sort has been surrounded with the awareness of environmental issues," Nettles told The AP before playing. "So that feels like it's on the cutting edge."

"Regardless of what political affiliation you want to align yourself with, this is an issue," added Bush. "It's real, no matter which side you decide to attack it from."

The duo was cautious say whether either was affiliated with the Democrats. Political commentary became the catalyst to the backlash against the Dixie Chicks in 2003 when the lead singer publically spoke out against President Bush and the Iraq War.

Labels: Sugarland

Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. and the Academy of Country Music have announced Tim McGraw as host and headliner of the CRS 40 Music City Jam to be held Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at the Nashville Convention Center.

The Music City Jam has showcased some of the biggest stars in country music, including performances by Brad Paisley at CRS 39 in 2008, Toby Keith in 2007 and Keith Urban in 2006. McGraw's connection with CRS dates back more than 15 years.

"Just think, in 1994 we were at The Opryland Hotel for the CRS New Faces Show when a young talent named Tim McGraw left us all in awe with his amazing performance of 'Don't Take The Girl,'" says CRB President Becky Brenner. "Now this superstar will headline the Music City Jam to open CRS 40!"

Adds Executive Director of The Country Radio Broadcasters Ed Salamon, "Since Tim McGraw first debuted on the CRS 24 New Faces Show in 1994 and later at the Super Faces Show, he has been an important part of CRS and Country radio. We are pleased that he is participating in such an important way in our 40th anniversary convention."

The Academy of Country Music will once again sponsor the Music City Jam, now in its fifth year.

"Tim has always had a special relationship with the Academy and with country music radio," says Bob Romeo, Executive Director of the Academy of Country Music. "We're thrilled he'll be headlining the Jam, and we look forward to seeing what friends join him to perform - his guests are always larger than life!"

Labels: Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith

"A Baby Changes Everything," the first single from Faith Hill's Christmas album Joy To The World, is the focal point of a new short-story book of the same name. The book will be available for purchase October 28, but can be pre-ordered now through Amazon.com.

Here's the description from the publisher:

A young girl, a decidedly unplanned pregnancy, and one miraculous little baby-it's an amazing story, one that sometimes gets buried under the tinsel of Christmas. That is, until something causes us to pause and reconsider the true magic of the holiday season. A Baby Changes Everything celebrates that baby in the manger in a fresh new way. Lyrics to Faith Hill's song "A Baby Changes Everything" are joined by reflective stanzas on the wonder of God's love and the Christmas season, how a baby can change our lives in an instant, and how one Baby changed the world forever. Along with the accompanying audio CD, A Baby Changes Everything makes for a beautiful expression of all that is wonderful about Christmas.

The song "A Baby Changes Everything" was wrote by Tim Nichols, KK Wiseman, and Craig Wiseman; all are credited as authors of the book, which is 64 pages long.

Joy To the World arrives in stores September 30.

Labels: Faith Hill

Lady Antebellum's new video "Lookin' For A Good Time" is now available for download exclusively on iTunes. Click here to preview and download the video. Take a look at a photo from the shoot below:

Labels: Lady Antebellum

While backstage at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night, Wynonna mentioned a new album is finished, and it was just turned in to the folks at her record label, CURB. More details will be forthcoming when they are released from the respective camps.

Labels: Wynonna

Little Big Town's A Place To Land will be re-issued from their new label Capitol Nashville on October 14th. You can pre-order the album here. Here is a look at their new cover:

Labels: Little Big Town

Anyone notice this is the same outfit from the Fresh Cut Christmas and Troubadour covers?

Labels: George Strait

After spending more than twenty-five weeks at the top of the radio charts and selling more than 17 million albums, country music's favorite band, Rascal Flatts, will release its first ever greatest hits collection on October 28.

Greatest Hits Volume 1 will chronicle Rascal Flatts's rise as the biggest selling country band of the decade and will highlight the band's best songs that have made them the ACM, CMA, CMT and AMA reigning Group of the Year for several years running. It will offer up sixteen tracks, including thirteen of the vocal group's smash hits like "What Hurts The Most," "Life Is A Highway," "I'm Movin' On" and the six week #1 smash "Bless The Broken Road."

The initial limited edition release will be presented in a special foil-embossed 2 CD package. This limited edition version will include three newly recorded Christmas songs as bonus tracks – the classic "White Christmas," "Jingle Bell Rock" and an a capella version of "I'll Be Home For Christmas." The three holiday tracks will be available as part of Rascal Flatts's Greatest Hits Volume 1 for a limited time and are the only Christmas songs currently available from the band.

Rascal Flatts Greatest Hits Volume 1 track listing Prayin' For Daylight
I'm Movin' On
These Days
I Melt
Mayberry
Feels Like Today
Bless The Broken Road
Fast Cars And Freedom
Skin (Sarabeth)
My Wish
What Hurts The Most
Stand
Life Is A Highway

LIMITED EDITION Bonus tracks:
White Christmas
Jingle Bell Rock
I'll Be Home For Christmas

Labels: Rascal Flatts

This fall ESPN will crank up the volume and cue the rowdy friends the only way Monday Night Football knows how -- with Hank Williams Jr. For an unprecedented 20th season, the legendary singer will perform the anthem that ushers in the NFL's weekly primetime showcase game, a ritual that has earned him four Emmy awards (1991-1994) and national acclaim among legions of football fans.

Williams first performed "All My Rowdy Friends Are Here on Monday Night" - based on his hit song "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" - in 1989 during the 20th anniversary season of MNF on ABC. Through the years, the MNF open has featured Williams in a variety of settings -- cruising the highway in a convertible with Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, tapping with famed dancer Savion Glover, even flying through outer space. After performing alongside an all-star band the past two years on ESPN, Williams will be a solo act this fall, welcoming fans to the weekly MNF game with a house party theme.

Williams has become synonymous with sports television's signature series, but ironically the gig almost went to another well-known entertainer. "We called Hank Williams Jr. and spoke to his manager, a great guy by the name of Merle Kilgore, and we asked if Hank would have any interest in working on MNF. We asked if he knew anything about football, and Merle's reply was, 'Does Hank know football? Hank is an American. He knows football.' And ever since then, that was it."

Williams added: "It really gets people in a good mood and pumped up and ready for the game. It has been a wonderful ride. I have had a lot of fun doing it and I'm going to have a lot more fun."

The MNF opening video will feature team-specific lyrics and visuals each week based on the 17 regular-season ESPN match-ups. Williams recorded the audio tracks on July 23 at Quad Studios in Nashville, and the video was shot August 2-3 at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, Calif.

The new MNF open will debut prior to kickoff of ESPN's season-opening doubleheader on September 8 - Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers (7 p.m. ET) and Denver Broncos at Oakland Raiders (10:15 p.m.).

Labels: Hank Williams Jr.

You know, when I saw Dolly, she impressed me not only with her music, but with her actions. Right off the bat, after the first song, she thanked the audience for spending their money on her in these tough economic times. What a class act. Read the review here.

A big thanks to Chelsi at MSO for letting us in the show!

Here it is! The "crazy" cover art for Lee Ann Womack's new album, Call Me Crazy, which will be available this October.

The album features duets with George Strait and Keith Urban ("The Bees"), as well as her current single, "Last Call". The single and video can currently be downloaded from iTunes.

Womack opened some shows this weekend for Alan Jackson in San Jose, CA; Lake Tahoe, NV; and Las Vegas.

We expect to hear more details about this release very shortly, so stay tuned! In the meantime, you can pre-order the album for $9.99 at Amazon.com.

UPDATE: The "more details" we talked about earlier:

NASHVILLE, TN - MCA Nashville will officially release Lee Ann Womack's highly-anticipated seventh album, produced by Tony Brown and titled Call Me Crazy, will debut on October 7th.

"I'm so fired up to be back doing what I feel like I was born to do, which is making country music," said Womack. "The time I spent writing, looking for songs, and meeting with Tony felt so effortless and natural." "One of my favorite things when making a record is working with some of the best singers and musicians in the world…it was so fun to have some of them work on this project."

Four of the twelve tracks are co-written by Womack and fans will discover two other very well-known male voices accompanying the songstress, including Keith Urban and George Strait. Last time Womack and Strait collaborated was for "Good News, Bad News", which earned them a Country Music Association award for "Musical Event of the Year." Womack's current single "Last Call" is climbing the R&R and Mediabase airplay charts.

Womack has sold over 6 million albums, won two Grammy's, numerous other milestone awards, and most recently garnered critical acclaim for There's More Where That Came From. Released February of '05 on CD and classic vinyl, There's More swept Country Music Association trophies fall of the same year for "Album of the Year" and "Single of the Year" ("I May Hate Myself In the Morning"). She is also recognized for #1 singles "The Fool," "A Little Past Little Rock," "I'll Think Of A Reason Later" and the mega smash, "I Hope You Dance."

Welcome back, Lee Ann! We've missed you.

Labels: Lee Ann Womack

Multi-platinum recording artist Dierks Bentley will host his third annual "Miles & Music for Kids" celebrity motorcycle ride and concert to benefit Vanderbilt Children's Hospital on Sunday, Oct. 5. The hour-long ride will travel though beautiful Williamson County and historic downtown Nashville, ending at Riverfront Park with a jam session featuring Bentley and friends, including superstars Tim McGraw and John Rich. More artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

"This event has turned into one of the highlights of my year," said Bentley. "I can't think of a better way to spend an October day in Nashville than riding motorcycles in the afternoon and playing guitars and singing with some buddies at sundown. Everyone has been so supportive, and I'm really proud of the money we've been able to raise for Vanderbilt over the last few years."

Vanderbilt Children's Hospital is the most comprehensive Children's Hospital in the state, providing services from cancer treatments, organ and bone marrow transplants to broken legs and everything in between. Vanderbilt Children's is a non-profit teaching and research hospital, and relies on the support of individuals and others to help children get well and on their way.

Labels: Dierks Bentley, John Rich, Tim McGraw

Dreams really do come true for Warner Bros. Records Artist and NBC's "Nashville Star" winner Melissa Lawson asshe makes her Grand Ole Opry Debut this Saturday, August 16. Lawson's performance will be televised on GAC's "Opry Live!" between the hours of 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM/CT.

"Since I was 17 years old, I have been performing on the Opry circuit in Texas. To be acknowledged by the Grand Ole Opry and asked to perform is such an honor," said Lawson. "The fans voted me 'Nashville Star,' I have a single on country radio, I performed on 'The Today Show' at the Olympics in Beijing, and now I get to play The Opry...this is more thanI could have ever hoped for."

Life has been a whirlwind for the mother of five after her recent win on NBC's "Nashville Star." Her debut single, "What If It All Goes Right,"immediately hit No. 1 on the iTunes country chart and peaked at No. 10 on the all-genre iTunes chart. The single hit the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart at No. 49 this week. Yesterday, Lawson appeared on NBC's "Today Show" from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. After her debut on the Opry, Lawson will take a little time off to spend with her husband Rick and five kids before heading back into the studio to record her forthcoming debut album on Warner Bros. Records.

Labels: Melissa Lawson

Jason Aldean will headline the CMT on Tour: 2008, it was announced today by Aldean's fanclub. The 20 city tour kicks off October 8th at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC. The tour will wrap-up in time for Aldean to be home for Christmas.

Aldean was selected by CMT for his electrifying stage show honed from years of performing live in bars and clubs across the Southeast.

"It is such a surreal feeling to look behind the bus and see semi trucks with my name on them," says Aldean. "Even as this thing grows, our fans are the same young kids that have always come out to the club shows. They come to forget about school or work or whatever and have a good time, so that's what we are going to give them!"

Joining Aldean on tour will be Lady Antebellum and new artist Eric Durrance. Durrance is on the radio with his debut single "Angels Fly Away."

The complete list of dates can be found on Aldean's official website, CMTonTour.com.

Previous headliners include Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, and Sugarland.

Labels: Jason Aldean, Lady Antebellum

Show Dog Nashville released today a split edition of Toby Keith's A Classic Christmas album to stores. The album, previously a 2-disc set, was released last year. The new 2 volume set features the same tracklisting but different covers.

According to Soundscan, A Classic Christmas sold over 300,000 units last holiday season. It features Keith's takes on "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!" "The Little Drummer Boy," and other holiday staples.

This is Keith's second Christmas album. His first, Christmas to Christmas, is a perennial bestseller and features the hit "Little Toy Trains."

Keith will do promotion for the split release, including holiday special re-runs on CMT and GAC.

Labels: Toby Keith

Southern rock and country collide for an unmistakably loud new episode of the hit series CMT Crossroads when .38 Special take the stage with country star Trace Adkins. The special will tape before an invitation only audience in Nashville on August 19 and premieres Wednesday, September 24 at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on CMT.

.38 Special and Trace Adkins join an elite group of performers who have taped CMT Crossroads, which pairs country music stars with popular artists from other genres—pop, rock, R&B—to play together, swap stories, and share their common love of music. Previous episodes of have included Maroon 5 and Sara Evans; Robert Plant and Alison Krauss; Kelly Clarkson and Reba McEntire; and Bon Jovi and Sugarland. CMT will tape a new episode featuring Def Leppard and Taylor Swift later this fall and scheduled to premiere in November.

Neighborhood friends Donnie Van Zant, the brother of late Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Ronnie Van Zant, and Don Barnes co-founded .38 Special in their hometown of Jacksonville, Fla., over three decades ago. The band scored big with a slew of hits, including such rockers as "Caught Up in You," "Hold on Loosely," "If I'd Been the One," and "Rockin' into the Night." Since 1975, the band has sold in excess of 15 million albums and they've toured relentlessly, performing as many as 100 shows per year.

Trace Adkins continues his 2008 American Man Tour throughout the U.S. this summer and in September, travels to the Persian Gulf for his second USO tour. Adkins has just released "Muddy Water," the first single from his forthcoming new album scheduled for release November 25. He will tour with Alan Jackson this winter.

Labels: CMT, Trace Adkins

The announcement of the final nominees for the 2008 CMA Awards will be carried live Wed., Sept. 10, on network and cable television from the "Good Morning America" studios in the heart of New York City's Times Square on the ABC Television Network, and from the Sommet Center in Nashville on a special edition of CMT's "CMT Insider."

"The 42nd Annual CMA Awards" will be broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville Wed., Nov. 12 (8:00-11:00 PM ET) on ABC.

"Having 'Good Morning America' and 'CMT Insider' broadcast our CMA Awards final nominees live brings a heightened level of excitement to these highly-anticipated announcements," said CMA Chief Executive Officer Tammy Genovese. "These special broadcasts will allow fans across the nation to experience the same excitement our artists and industry feel as the names are announced for the first time by our hosts. "

The final nominees in select categories will be announced live on national television during "Good Morning America" with Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift during the 8:30 AM/ET half-hour of the morning news program.

"We're excited to be a part of the live CMA nominee announcements on 'Good Morning America'," notes Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, who also serves on the CMA Board of Directors. "We had our first CMA win in 2002 and know how thrilling it is to hear your name called out as a nominee, so we're glad to be the one’s to share that good news."

Broadcasting live from Nashville, CMT's Katie Cook and Lance Smith will present exclusive coverage of the remaining 2008 CMA Awards nominee announcements in a special half-hour edition of "CMT Insider."

Following the announcements on "Good Morning America," CMT will go live with two of the hottest and most innovative acts in Country Music today, Lady Antebellum and James Otto, as they reveal the remaining CMA Awards nominees. Following the nominations, Cook and Smith will interview nominees and examine the categories and evaluate the finalists.

Labels: CMA Awards

While still riding the high of his recent Top 10 hit "We Weren't Crazy," country crooner Josh Gracin is readying to release his newest single, "Unbelievable."

Written by Gracin for his wife of seven years, "Unbelievable (Ann Marie)" is a beautiful love song that shares Josh's innermost thoughts and feelings. "Ann is an amazing woman and mother to our kids," said Gracin. "I just had to write this song to tell her how incredible she is. This is my favorite song on the record because it's 100% me."

"Unbelievable" is from Josh Gracin's recently released sophomore CD, We Weren't Crazy. His self-titled debut album is certified gold by the RIAA and has sold over 700,000 copies. He's one of only three new male country singers to be introduced in the last four years to earn a gold album. Josh is also the only male solo country artist in recent years to release a debut album with three consecutive Top 5 country hits, including his first #1, "Nothin' To Lose."

Labels: Josh Gracin

Taylor Swift will release her next CD, Fearless, on Nov. 11, her first full-length CD of new material since her debut CD. The set will contain 13 songs, all written or co-written by Swift.

The disc includes "Change," one of a few songs used as the soundtrack for daily video highlights shown during this summer's Olympic broadcast. The song was selected by Team USA and NBC for its lyrical content about overcoming challenges and achieving victory, and is available on iTunes starting today, with all proceeds benefiting Team USA.

Also on the CD is "Breathe," a collaboration with Colbie Caillat, and "Fifteen" a coming-of-age ballad that Swift premiered last fall at the Country Music Hall of Fame's All For The Hall event in New York City. Swift also recorded two songs that she wrote with country star John Rich.

Starting on Aug. 22, Fearless will be available for special pre-sale on the soon-to-be-launched site www.TheTaylorNation.com. Fans can have their own picture included in the album artwork and on the package's CD ROM. There will be a special deluxe box set edition of "Fearless" available that includes the CD, a leather bracelet, a t-shirt, a picture book and a The Taylor Nation decal in a special carrying case. The first 10,000 fans who purchase the limited box set and upload their photos will have their pictures included in a mosaic image in the album artwork and on the CD.

Swift's debut, which came out in October 2006, has gone triple platinum and spent 24 weeks at number one on Billboard's country CD chart. Earlier this summer, Swift became the only female solo artist in the 44-year history of the Billboard Country Chart to score 5 top 10 singles from a debut album.

She has since released a deluxe edition of her debut along with "Beautiful Eyes," an EP available only through Wal-Mart.

Labels: Taylor Swift

Sugarland founder Kristen Hall has filed suit seeking more than $1.5 million from current members of the group, Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, who now have the nation's No. 1 selling album.

Hall created the name "Sugarland" and founded the band in 2002. After Bush and Nettles came aboard later that year, the trio entered into an agreement in which they were supposed to equally share profits and losses, the suit says.

But after Hall left the band in late 2005 to pursue her own career, she was excluded from her share of the partnership's profits, says the lawsuit.

The suit, filed July 29 in U.S. District Court in Atlanta, seeks more than $1.5 million in profits from the partnership, along with interest, attorneys fees and "a formal accounting of all partnership affairs and businesses."

By excluding Hall from the Sugarland partnership and failing to pay her share of the income and profits, Nettles and Bush "have acted in bad faith, have been stubbornly litigious and have caused [Hall] unnecessary trouble and expense," the lawsuit says.

Labels: Sugarland

September will see the release of Elvis Presley Christmas Duets CD, which is the first Elvis Presley duet recordings album and the first Christmas compilation of its kind ever produced. This release marks yet another milestone in Elvis Presley's legacy, 31 years after his death.

The CD will feature many of today's biggest country artists, including Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Gretchen Wilson, Sara Evans and LeAnn Rimes singing classic Elvis holiday songs with Elvis Presley.

"There has been tremendous excitement from the many artists contributing their voices to these Elvis Christmas classics. We believe Elvis fans will truly enjoy these unique collaborations while introducing Elvis' holiday classics to the many fans of his duet partners," says Joe Galante, Chairman, SONY BMG Nashville.

The overdubs were recorded in the legendary RCA Studio B in Nashville, the same studio where the originals were recorded by Presley.

"We are so pleased that these accomplished artists are collaborating with Elvis in this unique way to make exciting new versions of his Christmas songs. I am sure Elvis would be proud to have worked with them," says Priscilla Presley.

Labels: Carrie Underwood, Elvis Presley, Gretchen Wilson, LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride, Sara Evans

Country stars Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have joined esteemed ranks of Bob Hope, Lucille Ball and Bugs Bunny. They just received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The singing-songwriting duo were overwhelmed on Monday as Dr. Phil McGraw and wife Robin introduced them before unveiling the bronze star in the pavement.

Brooks told the crowd he was amazed "[to] see Morgan Freeman's name right next to us."

"I think people forget that Ronnie and I have dedicated our lives to music because originally we're such huge fans," Brooks, 53, said. "To have your name on a star on Hollywood [Boulevard] seems so out of reach."

Dunn, 55, was practically at a loss for words. "There are hundreds of people that should be in the star with us," he said. "We're lucky to be here."

Among the country acts who’ve had their names embedded on that thoroughfare are Reba McEntire, Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Hank Williams, Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Loretta Lynn and Alabama.

(Picture courtesy of Reuters)

Labels: Brooks and Dunn

John Rich, former lead singer of Lonestar and half of Big & Rich, is a well known conservative. He has now taken his political stance a step further and penned the official theme song for Republican Presidential nominee Senator John McCain.

The song, "Raising McCain," can be downloaded for free on Rich's website, JohnRich.com. You can also find the lyrics to the song there.

"This guy is a hero," Rich said. "He was physically tortured for years, and yet he gets out of bed every day and serves our country for decades."

"I wanted to offer him something that he didn't have, a rally song, one that really captures that maverick spirit," Rich said.

The lyrics reference McCain's "Straight Talk Express," and chronicle his life. Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee for President, is not mentioned in the song.

Rich will sing the song tonight, Aug. 1, at a campaign stop in Panama City, FL. McCain will make an appearance during the concert.

Labels: John Rich