Friday, August 19, 2011

Today's Country Tidbits

Last night in New Mexico, Sugarland's "Incredible Machine" tour resumed after the tragedy last weekend that claimed five lives. Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush asked fans to donate to a relief fund for the families of those injured and killed, and stagehands wore t-shirts honoring Nathan Bird, the stage hand who was up in the light rigging when the stage roof collapsed. He died at the hospital a couple of hours later. Just before last night's show, Jennifer led a moment of silence in honor of the victims.

The ACM is donating $661,000 to the ACM Lifting Lives Foundation, and the money was generated by the "Girls Night Out: Superstar Women of Country" special. The money is being gifted in the names of the performers and honorees, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, the Judds, Loretta Lynn, Reba, Jennifer Nettles, Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, Little Big Town, Blake Shelton, Rascal Flatts, Pistol Annies, Vince Gill, John Fogerty and the Jane Dear Girls.

Brad Paisley is on the European leg of his world tour, and he loves playing overseas. According to Brad, it's pretty easy to be incognito. “There’s a really great audience there, and there may not be a lot of people that love country music, but if there’s several thousand, they’re all going when you go play there. I mean, no one in the city knows who you are when you walk through except the people lined up. The best time to walk around in London is when they’re lining up for your show, because that’s it. That’s the only people who care about you. And they’re out in front of the theater. Go out the back and you can just go anywhere you want.” Scroll down for video of the encore performance that featured Rolling Stone guitarist Ron Wood.

Jake Owen loves his fans and loves to share his day-to-day exploits with them. When he needs stitches, he shows the photos. When he needs some fun time on the water, he invites his fans to come and play with him. Twitter is the medium he's using to keep in touch, and according to Jake, “I think Twitter’s supposed to be used, at least from my perspective, it’s supposed to be used for talking to people on a real level, you know? That’s why I do real things like that. I mean, I’m not scared. I’m a human being. If I invite someone out there that’s a weirdo that shows up to come on my boat, I’ll kick ‘em off in the water, man.”

Didja miss The Band Perry on Jimmy Kimmel Live? Here you go...


and their other performance...


When you're a big-time country music star, you get to be part of peoples' most important life moments. Case in point - Dierks Bentley got to help a guy propose to his girlfriend. Of course she said "yes!"


Told you yesterday about Brad Paisley being joined onstage by Rolling Stone guitarist Ron Wood. The two swapped licks on "Let the Good Times Roll" and according to Brad, "We've never rehearsed. But we don't care. Do we?" They ended the show, joined by Darius Rucker, with a rousing performance of "Alcohol."


Remember that Shania Twain took a fall when coming down the aisle at the CMT awards? The fabulous shoes she was wearing, which she blamed for the fall, are on eBay, being auctioned off for charity, the "Shania Kids Can" fund. The bid at the time of publication was $16,500. Pony up your credit card, if you're a huge Shania fan!

If you're a huge George Jones fan, you'll want to be in Nashville on September 30th for the Tuesday night Opry show. That night will honor George Jones, and celebrate his 80th birthday. Guests will include Alan ackson, Montgomery Gentry, Joe Diffie, Jamey Johnson, Pam Tillis and the Oak Ridge Boys.

New music on the way from Montgomery Gentry. "Rebels on the Run" hits the streets October 4th. It's their 7th studio album.

Randy Travis and Josh Turner are on the Tonight Show, and Trace Adkins is on Chelsea Lately. Sunday night's "True Blood" episode will feature Taylor Swift's song, "Haunted."

Happy birthday to Eddy Raven as he turns 67 today, Clay Walker, who is 42 and Lee Ann Womack, who's 45. Sunday Kenny Rogers turns turns 73.

The tweet of the day is from Chris Young: "I was kinda down today... and then I remembered my dad survived lung cancer and I still have the man I look up to in my life #perspective"