When Kenny Chesney's "Goin' Coastal" tour stopped in Wichita, Kansas last week, something magical happened. 14-year-old Carrington Walker had tried to get tickets to the show, but wasn't able to find any. An anonymous donor sent her tickets, and went a step further. Carrington has been battling lymphoma for three years and when Kenny Chesney got ready to sing "Summertime" he called her up on stage with him and he serenaded her. Carrington called the experience "amazing" and said she went to sleep with a smile on her face that night.
The Stanley Cup Playoffs went country last night in Nashville, as Carrie Underwood, Vince Gill and Jo Dee Messina all performed after the first period of the game. Carrie's husband, Mike Fisher, plays for the Nashville Predators, who lost to the Anaheim Ducks 6-3. Their series is tied, 2 to 2, with another game tomorrow night.
Miranda Lambert is on the cover of Health Magazine, which hits newsstands tomorrow. She talks about growing up on a farm, staying in shape on the road and knowing that the food on her dinner plate had been running around on the farm not long before she ate it. According to Miranda, her parents were pretty clear about animals: "They explained that not every animal was a pet — some were providing for our family. It sounds weird to other people, but I look at it like, there are some animals you feed and some animals that feed you."
Martina McBride's new single, "Teenage Daughters," talks about her experience of having them, but what was she like as a teenage daughter? “Well I was very rebellious and I was very ready to get out on my own. I didn’t understand why I had to have all these rules and people telling me what to do. And I was really into music and wanted to travel and sing with a rock band and you know. I wanted to be just out there on my own.” Which explains the line in the song, "At seventeen, she’s just like me when I was seventeen so I don’t blame her."
Jennifer Nettles has launched the "Jennifer Nettles Presents The Attic Community Playground Online Auction." You can bid on meet and greet experiences with Kenny Chesney, Martina McBride, Reba, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry and of course Sugarland through May 11th. Proceeds benefit the Playground, which gives music education opportunities to kids.
Country artists will add some sparkle to the Barnstable-Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala in Louisville, Kentucky on May 6th. Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry, Kix Brooks, Lee Ann Womack, Travis Tritt and Wynonna Judd are all expected to attend. No word on whether the women will be in hats, but I'll be on the lookout for pictures for you!
The free concerts on the 2011 CMA Music Festival Riverfront stage are going to be awesome - Gary Allan, Darryl Wroley, Phil Vassar, Billy Ray Cyrus and Terri Clark are among the performers scheduled. Gary Allan kicks off the daily concerts at 10am on Thursday, June 9th.
Next Wednesday, The Band Perry will be on the third hour of the Today show, announcing the nominees for the 2011 CMT Music Awards. Voting on the awards begins as soon as the nominees are announced, and the awards will be handed out on June 8th at Bridgestone Arena.
If you want to shop at the Grand Ole Opry's online store, today's your day. Use the code ONEDAYSALE at checkout to get 25% off of almost everything available. The sale is today only, so get shopping!
So yesterday it was reported that "Pray for You" by Jaron and the Long Road to Love had been certified gold for half a million units sold. Yesterday was also the day that the platinum plaque arrived at Jaron's agent's office. Looks like the RIAA is a little behind on their press release updating! Congrats to Jaron ATLRTL on his first platinum single!
Joe Nichols is headed to Australia next week for his third tour of the Land Down Under. He'll do some face time on TV while he's there.
Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers will be on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight.
The tweet of the day is from David Nail: "Traumatic events have a way of never leaving you, last years flood has cause me to fear storms to the point that I slept two hrs last night!"
