During the 2010 CMT Music Awards next Wednesday, there will be performances of previously unreleased music. Jamey Johnson will debut "Macon" from his next cd, due out in the fall. Keith Urban and John Mayer will duet on "Hit the Ground Running," a cut from "Defying Gravity" which hasn't been released, and LeAnn Rimes will do her version of the John Anderson chestnut, "Swingin,'" from her upcoming cd, "Lady and Gentlemen." The award winners are chosen by fans, and voting is still going on.What's Keith Urban's favorite part about award shows? “I think every award show that Nic and I’ve been to—I sit there and say, ‘Look at these seats we’re in. This is incredible.’ I mean, because it’s not always going to be like that. You know, bit by bit, your seat gets moved and moved and moved over the years and before you know it…you’re sitting miles away. This is just sort of a magical time. Neither of us want to take it for granted. [We] really want to appreciate it while it’s here.”
As a salute to her lucky number 13, Taylor Swift will host a 13-hour-long autograph session at the CMA Music Festival next week, on June 13th. Kellie Pickler decided to host her autograph signing inside Opry Originals: The Shop. She'll sign for a couple of hours, then will perform for everyone in the store.
If you can't make it to the CMA Music Festival in Nashville next week, never fear. ABC will be there, filming every bit of it, and winnowing it down to the best stuff, which will air on September first. Yes, all the big stars will be part of it.
Jake Owen had a surprise proposal during his concert in Baton Rouge, Louisiana over the weekend. Bayou Country Superfest attendee Jason proposed to Britney on stage. The newly engaged couple danced as Jake performed his next song.
A couple of weeks ago, Dolly Parton pledged that a weekend's gate receipts from her Sevierville, TN theme parks would go to flood relief. Yesterday she presented a quarter-million dollar check to Nashville's mayor and United Way.
Even though he's walking through New Mexico right now, Jimmy Wayne is helping Nashville recover, too. He's partnered with Bryan Foods to donate 2,500 pounds of food to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee to go to those most affected by the disaster.
Luke Bryan is in USA Weekend in a newspaper near you this weekend, but you don't have to wait to read the interview.
If you're a fan of old-school George Strait, this'll make your hat twirl: George Strait is re-issuing the classic George Strait Live on DVD exclusively at WalMart on June 15th. The footage has been digitally remastered and optimized for surround-sound. The show was taped at the Dallas Reunion Arena on New Year's night. The show rang in 1987, and features sons like The Fireman, Amarillo By Morning, All My Ex's Live in Texas and more vintage George. And fall tour dates have been announced as the George Strait, Reba McEntire and Lee Ann Womack machine continues it's trek across America. The tour will stop in Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York and Minnesota before concluding Oct. 22 in Fargo, N.D.
Lady Antebellum has made chart history with their song, "Need You Now." It's now the longest-running number one song by a country group on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The song has been atop the AC chart for 10 weeks, beating the previous record holders, Rascal Flatts, who were #1 on the AC chart in 2006 with "What Hurts the Most."
