Eric Church ticked off his record label last August, taking the entire month off instead of raking in cash by touring. He needed the time off to hide out in a cabin in North Carolina to write songs for "Chief," his latest album. He took a month off the grid - no computer, no phone, no tv, in order to let his creativity flow. The cd's name comes from his grandfather's nickname. According to Eric, "He was chief of police, but he spent every weekend either making or participating in Wilkes County moonshine." Eric's new cd is getting shining reviews from the critics!
Alan Jackson gets ideas for songs in odd places, and there's no telling how many #1 songs he'd have by now if he could just remember them all. According to Alan, “There’s been a lot of places I’ve been, whether it’s a restaurant or bar, or somewhere with people, and you get some kind of little hook or idea that you can’t, you try to remember. A lot of times I get the ideas in places like that, and then I don’t write ‘em down, and then you forget what the idea is anyway.” He's working on a new cd, due out this fall.
Trace Adkins has a new cd coming out Tuesday, and the first single, "Just Fishin'," is doing well. Also on the album is another duet with Blake Shelton called "If I Was a Woman, I'd Love a Man Like Me." About the cut, Trace remarks, “I didn’t know if there would be anybody in this business that would be silly enough to sing ‘If I Was a Woman, I’d Love a Man Like Me’ other than Blake. But, it’s just a perfect song for he and I to do together and the way that we wrote the song pointed straight at Blake.” Their last duet, "Hillbilly Bone," went #1 so both have high hopes for this one.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's oldest daughter, Gracie, is taking after her parents in more ways than one. Tim describes his 14-year-old daughter this way, “She grew up all over the sudden last year. She’s 5-foot-6 or 5-foot-7 and looks like a beach volleyball player.” Don't be surprised to see Gracie McGraw's name in tv or movie credits someday, as she's totally immersed in school theater programs and wants to be an actress when she grows up. Apples don't usually fall far from the tree!
ESPN is doing a high school makeover show called "Rise Up." It premiers on September 13, features athletic makeovers for deserving high schools, and the reason I'm telling you about it is that Kenny Chesney will provide the theme song for the show.
Zac Brown Band has partnered with Gander Mountain, seller of outdoor gear and specialty items, to carry the Southern Ground product line. The nationwide chain will carry Zac's cookbooks, spices and sauces, along with a hat being sold to benefit Soles4Souls, a charitable group that gives shoes to those who need them.
Kix Brooks is the featured speaker at the 30th Annual Alumni & Fan Preseason Kickoff at Louisiana Tech next month. Kix graduated from that school in 1978 with a degree in communications.
Chris Young is on Jimmy Kimmel Live! tonight.
Happy birthday to Bill Engvall, Bobbie Gentry and Duncan Cameron of Sawyer Brown.
The tweet of the day is from Jimmy Wayne: "someone said 'I like my coffee like I do my women' I thought ground & stored in the freezer. Was that weird?"
