Keith Urban is in Australia today, filming two episodes of the Oprah show at the Sydney Opera House. He announced the Australia dates on his 2011 Get Closer World Tour, featuring Lady Antebellum as his opening act. In case you'll be Down Under in April, tickets for these shows go on sale January 21, so get 'em quick!
Friday, April 8 – Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Saturday, April 9 – Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Tuesday, April 12 – Tamworth Regional Entertainment & Conference Centre
Thursday, April 14 – Sydney Entertainment Centre
Friday, April 15 – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Joe Nichols has been quietly launching songs up the country charts for years, and his first greatest hits package is in the works. January 25th is the release date for the collection, which includes "Brokenheartsville," "The Impossible," and "Cool To Be A Fool" up to his latest, "The Shape I'm In."
HBO will be filming a mini-series in the spring, and probably in Tennessee. Why Tennessee? Because country artists are a big part of the cast of "To Appomattox." Rascal Flatts, Kix Brooks, Dwight Yoakam and Laura Bell Bundy will all be part of the show, and no, they won't be playing some Civil War nightclub scene. Rascal Flatts will also be producing the soundtrack for the series, providing original songs as well as their interpretations of traditional American music. They've tapped Kix, Laura, Dwight and John Ondrasik (from the band Five for Fighting) to assist with the soundtrack.
Tim McGraw has been cast in the action-adventure movie, "Safe House." He's excited about the action part of it, saying, "I get to play actually something action-packed. Shoot people and all that stuff. I’m looking forward to all that stuff." The movie also stars Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds and should be out in early 2012.
Tim's latest movie won't be out for another few weeks, but here's another song from "Country Strong." Garrett Hedlund plays Beau Hutton, an up and coming country songwriter, and sings "Chances Are."
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What does a big fan give to Taylor Swift for Christmas? A light display on his house, synced to "Love Story."
More details about the Shelton/Lambert wedding are trickling out - they'll serve venison instead of the more traditional chicken or beef, and it'll be from deer they've harvested. And Blake is promising some surprise guests at the wedding - he's in charge of the music and entertainment and has had a blast lining up artists. May in the hill country of Texas is still all we know for sure about the date and place.
Get free Christmas songs from great country artists from People.com.
Kix Brooks is spending this week entertaining the troops as part of a USO tour show. Also traveling with him are Robin Williams, Lance Armstrong and other celebrities. They'll wrap up the tour this weekend, in time to be home with their families for Christmas.
Congratulations to Jason Aldean, who's been named Billboard Magazine's #1 Male Country Artist and the Top Independent Artist of the Year.
The Judds are on Larry King Live tonight. Tomorrow, The Band Perry is on The View.
The tweet of the day is from Jake Owen: "damn.. and my tag is expired. I'm rolling gangsta."
