Last night on The Voice, Blake Shelton's mentee, Dia Frampton, came in second to Adam Levine's Javier Colon. The voting was incredibly close - only a 2% difference between first and second place. Dia and Miranda Lambert did a lovely duet on "The House the Built Me." Blake truly enjoyed being part of the show and is in talks with producers to be in the next series. But just in case, he's asked for a keepsake from the set: “I have, I’ve asked Mark Burnett if I can take my chair home with me after the show is over and he offered to sell it to me.” The Voice Live On Tour kicks off in July and hits most of America's major cities, taking the top 8 contestants along for the ride.
Tonight in Michigan, Toby Keith's "Locked & Loaded" tour kicks off, and tomorrow night in Milwaukee, the video for "Made In America" will be shot during the show. Toby recorded the song right after coming back from a USO tour of the Persian Gulf, and loves the feel of it, saying, “It just, talks about being American made to the core and living here in the greatest country in the world where every day is Independence Day.”
Toby Keith did the first of a series of benefit shows for the Bluebird Cafe this week, and while final numbers on the money raised aren't available yet, one thing is for certain: attendees had a major concert experience in a very intimate space. It was a non-politically correct night, as you'd expect from Toby, Scotty Emerick and Bobby Pinson, and the three-hour show featured songs from "Weed With Willie" to "American Soldier," Toby passing bottles of his new Wild Shot mezcal and stories about anyone and everyone in Nashville. He more than lived up to what you'd expect from NSAI's Artist/Songwriter of the Decade. In other Toby news, he's having a bit of success at the tracks lately. His three-year-old colt, Sherriff Cogburn, placed second in the quarter of a million dollar Iowa Derby race on Saturday at Prairie Meadows.
Jake Owen catches major air in his video for "Barefoot Blue Jean Night." No, he didn't use a stunt double, either!
The 2011 Teen Choice Award nominations are out, and Taylor Swift raked in six. She's up for Female Artist, Female Country Artist, Country Single for "Mean," Love Song for "Mine," Break-Up Song for "Back to December" and Choice Red Carpet Fashion Icon: Female.
Zac Brown Band will debut the video to "Knee Deep," their Jimmy Buffet collaboration, today on their website.
Wanna work out like Kenny Chesney? Mens Health magazine has modified Kenny's ultra-intense (300 push-ups in 10 minutes, for example) workout for mere mortals.
Montgomery Gentry and Kansas are the featured musical acts for Darryl Worley's Tennessee River Run September 15th through 17th at the Pickwick Landing State Park in Tennessee. Tickets for the fun go on sale this Saturday.
The July issue of Self Magazine features some of country music's prettiest stars talking about their favorite comfort foods. Carrie Underwood likes pizza made with a tortilla crust, topped with spinach, olives, onions and bell peppers. Sara Evans loves the honey-beer ham that her mom makes, and Miranda Lambert shares her love of raspberry-lemon-yogurt bread. Sara Evans is also in Shape magazine, discussing fitness and stress-reducing exercises.
Thinking about going to the Grand Ole Opry for a show this summer? Buy your tickets today or tomorrow, use the offer code SMR48 and you'll have a buy one, get one free deal.
Today, you can get a free download of Gloriana's "Soldier Song" from their Facebook page. You have to grab it before July 7th, though.
Wynonna is the headliner for the 29th Annual Independence Day Concert in Warner Robins, Georgia tomorrow. The American Armed Forces Network will tape the show and broadcast it on the 4th of July. Wynonna is also on Morning Express with Robin Meade on HLN this morning.
Congratulations to Justin Moore who has the #1 country album this week with "Outlaws Like Me." And Taylor Swift has notched her 8th career #1 song with "Mean." It's #1 on one of the major country charts, and Blake Shelton's "Honey Bee" is #1 on the other for the third week in a row.
Happy birthday to Dwayne O'Brien, the guitarist for Little Texas. He's 48 today.
The tweet of the day is from Blake Shelton: "I'm so hung over right now I just tried to add more water... To my dog."
