Today's Country Tidbits

Did you stay up late Saturday night? If so, hope you were watching CMT, because the Crossroads episode with Joe Walsh and Friends was awesome. According to Joe, “This whole show is country with some rock ‘n roll sprinkled on top and people that I really believe in...or dear friends.” One of those friends is Brad Paisley: “I said, ‘Yeah, I’d love to.’ I’m friends with Joe. We’ve been friends for a little while and share common interests.” Another, Luke Bryan, was blown away to be included: “If you would’ve told me that this opportunity to do this Crossroads could’ve ever been presented to me and they were gonna recommend that I do ‘Life’s Been Good,’ life has been good, because that would’ve been my first pick.” If you missed it, don’t despair – CMT will re-air the show, so you can catch it soon.

Rascal Flatts are not just entertaining fans, they’re helping to fill hungry bellies while on tour. They’ve teamed with Outnumber Hunger Live, and at every tour stop, the Outnumber Hunger tour but will also be there, along with a check to help the local food bank dish up 5,000 meals. This campaign has helped Feeding America secure six million meals since it began in March.

Carrie Underwood spent last week entertaining and charming the English, and this week she’s off to Australia. Carrie says that Great Britain isn’t a hotbed of country music fans, but that she’s trying to help change that, and the audiences were warm and welcoming.

Country music stars have to find some way to entertain themselves on the road. Dierks Bentley, the Eli Young Band and rock group Cadillac Black had a bit too much fun reenacting the battle scene from Braveheart. Thankfully no horses were used in this version…



Montgomery Gentry has teamed up with the Buffet, Inc. chain of country restaurants to sell their “Rebels on the Run” cd as a fund-raiser for The Armed Services YMCA. Eddie and T-Roy wanted to find a way to help military families, and this seemed like a great fit. You’ll find it in Country Buffet, HomeTown Buffet, Old Country Buffet, Fire Mountain and Granny’s Buffet locations.

Gloriana is enjoying major chart success with their song, “(Kissed You) Good Night.” Josh Kear and Gloriana member Tom Gossin wrote the song, apparently after overhearing a conversation between two girls who were talking about boys and good night kisses. Gloriana’s Rachel Reinert flipped the first time she heard it: “All three of us really saw something special in it. And I especially really liked the ‘pushed you up against the wall’ lyric. I thought that was a really powerful lyric.” The song is the first single from “A Thousand Miles Left Behind,” their album coming out July 31st.

Martina McBride is joining the “Opening Act” crew, scouring the internet for undiscovered artists. The winners get to be the opening acts for headliners like Jason Aldean and Brad Paisley. The show premiers on the E! network July 9th.

Did you miss Kenny Chesney’s live concert from a NJ beach last week? You can watch it any time you want to, right here.

Trisha Yearwood is such a good cook and natural tv performer that The Food Network has picked up her Trisha’s Southern Kitchen for a 13-episode season, beginning this fall. According to Trisha, “The positive response from viewers was overwhelming and truly gratifying."

The Band Perry is on the Ellen DeGeneres Show today.