Hollywood tabloids are still buzzing about who the next American Idol judges will be, and two country artists’ names keep coming up: Brad Paisley and Keith Urban. There has to be a decision soon, as audition rounds are scheduled to start in just a couple of weeks. Word is the show is desperate to have a country artist…who will it be? Speaking of Brad Paisley, he’ll be playing a show in Paradise this fall – Atlantis resort in Nassau, to be precise, and he’ll be there November 18th. Save your pennies and make plans – that’ll be an event!

It’s seven in a row for Blake Shelton – 7 #1 songs, that is. His latest song, “Over,” from “Red River Blue” has topped the country chart, and Blake knows it’s they mystery, as well as the melody, that made it a hit: “That’s one of those that just—the energy and the melody had me. And it’s one of those lyrics that when you listen to it, you go, ‘Man, wait a minute, what?’ cause there’s lines in there about burning the world down and you could have a different melody, and it would be like a threat, that song…you know?” This marks Blake’s 12th career #1 song, proving he knows how to pick ‘em.

Still have some waiting to do before Jason Aldean’s next album comes out. October 16th is the magic day for “Night Train,” and Jason is as excited as you are: “I think something that we did with this album, I think we found some great songs on the record - some things that I think are kind of things that people are used to hearing from us. And then there’s also some things on there that are kind of different – like the last album. I’m really proud of it, I know there’s a lot of anticipation for this record from a lot of people, just because of what our last album did.” Jason’s road band plays on the album, and tour-mates Luke Bryan and Eric Church show up on one track, called “The Only Way I Know” and fans are haunting YouTube and Jason’s Facebook page for a sneak peek at that one. “Night Train” is the follow-up to Jason’s 2010 release, “My Kinda Party.”

Lee Brice’s latest album, “Hard 2 Love,” is out and Lee admits that the title cut takes a pretty hard jab at men: “If we’re gonna categorize people, if we’re gonna say all women are crazy, then we have to say all men, we’re all idiots. We just do stupid stuff all the time. And you’re like, ‘Why did you do that?’ and we’re like, ‘I have no idea why I did that.’ I’m an idiot.’ That’s the truth, you know it?” Ummmmm…no comment!

Jake Owen is excited to headline the CMT on Tour fall tour this year. Five years ago, he was the opening act when Sugarland headlined and Little Big Town had the middle slot. The line-up this fall will be Florida Georgia Line up first, Love and Theft in the middle slot and Jake Owen headlining. Tickets go on sale Friday.

There’s a new, star-studded version of Little Big Town’s “Pontoon.” Check it out and see if you can figure out who all the stars are…cheat sheet at the end of this blog post!



Chris Young has admitted to an addiction – to a game! “I’m addicted to Golden Tee. It’s a golf game you can find it in most any bar where you would also run into neons, and I am addicted to it. I actually custom-built a road case into a Golden Tee video game, like to the point that the guys from Golden Tee actually sent me a bunch of the equipment for it, and I had to, like, take a picture next to it and show ‘em the finished product.” Chris can celebrate the platinum status of his song “Tomorrow” and the gold status of “The Man I Want to Be” with a rousing game of Golden Tee, but will probably have a party, too.

Willie Nelson’s breathing easier, apparently, after cancelling a show Saturday night in Colorado. His show in Dallas Texas went off without a hitch last night, and his manager says the breathing issues that forced Saturday’s cancellation were altitude related.

Update on Wynonna’s husband, Cactus Moser, who had a head-on collision with a car as he was riding his motorcycle this past Saturday. He lost his left leg, which was severed above the knee and had surgery on one of his hands. Wynonna was on another motorcycle and wasn’t injured, but has cancelled shows in Canada next week to remain at his side in the hospital. Cactus was cited for not having a license to operate a motorcycle and driving on the wrong side of the road.

Congrats to the new crop of inductees into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame: Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tony Arata, Larry Henley and Kim Williams. The ceremony will be October 7th in Nashville.

(Here's your cheat-sheet for the Pontoon video: Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, Pistol Annies, Jake Owen, Hunter Hayes, Sara Evans, Wynonna, Thompson Square, several CMT show hosts and many more.)

There’s a lot of speculation over who Taylor Swift’s new song, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” is about. Joe Jonas of The Jonas Brothers would like to make it clear: it’s not about him. He says “I don’t think we’ve ever tried to get back together another time.” Taylor’s not saying who she wrote it about, but does say, “I ended up being inspired by a lot of really crazy sort of zero-to-a-hundred-and-then-hit-the-wall-and-explodes relationships, which are so fun to write about...really dysfunctional and not good, generally, but when you write about them it...it gives you a lot of inspiration.” If you had to bet money, a good bet would be either Jake Gyllenhaal or Twilight star Taylor Lautner.

Jason Aldean is preparing to share new music with his fans on Live on Letterman September 5th. That’s the CBS.com production that some stars do when they are scheduled to appear on the David Letterman show. It will stream at 8pm Eastern, followed by a performance on The Late Show with David Letterman. Meanwhile, his new song, “Take a Little Ride,” could be nearing the top of the charts by then. According to Jason, “We obviously had a huge first week when the song came out, and we’re hanging in there! It’s my highest debut of any song—ever!”

Justin Moore’s career has taken him to a lot of places he’s never been before, and as his new song, “Til My Last Day,” continues it’s climb up the charts, he’s getting set to hit the road with Eric Church on the Blood, Sweat and Beers tour. But there’s still one place he really wants to go: “Unfortunately I have not been able to do a USO Tour overseas. But it’s definitely something I would like to do at some point. I think it’s a small way that we can give back to our troops that have given so much to us on a daily basis.”

Jake Owen is on tour with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw right now, but he’s looking forward to November, when he and his wife add a daughter to their life. Jake says Lacey is rockin’ the baby bump: “She looks great! She’s just happy and smiley—there’s something beautiful about a woman that’s pregnant. It’s cool. This is a really cool time in our life because it’s the last few months before we have an addition to our family—and it’s three of us! So it’s gonna be cool.”

Reba is a grandma – sort of. Her stepson Brandon Blackstock dates Kelly Clarkson and the two have just gotten a German Shepherd puppy together. They named the puppy Bear and he joins her other two dogs, a Maltese and a Poodle. Kelly joked, “uh-oh…commitment level!”

Wynonna has postponed shows in Canada next week in order to stay at her hubby Cactus Moser’s side in the hospital. The two went out for a motorcycle ride on Saturday in South Dakota when Cactus had a head-on collision with another vehicle. They were on separate bikes, so Wy watched the accident. Cactus is being treated for serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Today's Country Tidbits

Carrie Underwood and hubby Mike Fisher are in Australia as Carrie takes her “Blown Away” tour there. It’s not her first time there, but this time she hopes to actually see more: “I really hope I get the opportunity to see more. You know, last time we were in Australia, I got to go to the Zoo in Melbourne, and we got to just kind of walking around Sydney a little bit. We toured the Opera House—of course, we’ll be playing there this time! But I’ll definitely be snapping pictures everywhere!”

Miranda Lambert scored #1 on the country charts with her last song, “Over You,” and she’s hoping for another with her new single, “Fastest Girl In Town.” About the song, she says, “I love ‘Fastest Girl In Town.’ I love so many songs on this record, but I really was ready for like a ‘Miranda song’, like ‘Kerosene’ days, you know? And ‘Fastest Girl’ I wrote it with Angeleena, so it’s obviously close to my heart, cause I wrote it with a friend. And ‘Over You’ I wrote with Blake, so it’s kinda this trend going—I’m putting out singles that I write with people I love!” Miranda’s on tour and is in the studio during her down time, recording the next Pistol Annies project.

Country music women did ok on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of “Women Who Rock: The 50 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Patsy Cline’s “The Patsy Cline Collection” showed up at #15, Dolly Parton’s 1975 greatest hits album earned the #32 slot and at #45, Taylor Swift’s “Speak Now” album made the list. Rolling Stone says Taylor has “a flawless ear for what makes a song click,” and called her “one of the few genuine rock stars we’ve got these days.”

If you’re into great music by more obscure singers and songwriters, chances are you have heard Eli Young Band’s “Even if it Breaks Your Heart” before. The song was written and recorded by Eric Paslay and Will Hoge and showed up on Will’s album, “The Wreckage.” When the guys in Eli Young Band heard it, they knew two things: one, they loved it and wanted to record it, and two, they wanted to stick to the sound of the original: “This one is kinda one that we found, umm, and really fell in love with his version. So, when we recorded it, we wanted to stay as true to his version as we could. But still make it our own a little bit. But, we just loved the Tom Petty feel and the classic rock vibe he had to the song.” Eli Young Band is on the road with Rascal Flatts this summer.

From the “well, now, this is awkward” file – Wynonna Judd and new hubby Cactus Moser didn’t invite Naomi Judd or Ashley Judd to the wedding, even though they all live on the same piece of property. It gets worse – Cactus Moser strapped a .44 Magnum on as part of his wedding tuxedo outfit, and as soon as the vows were taken, he fired his gun near Ashley’s house. Awkward... 

And this is, too – Randy and Elizabeth Travis are swapping lawsuits, each claiming that the other is somehow in breach of one or more of their agreements. Randy says Lib is badmouthing him, and Lib claims that he undermined her effectiveness as his manager. She’s asking a judge to award her damages based on “lost earnings.” This is going to be not pretty for a very long time, sadly.

And a little bit of good news – George Jones is apparently feeling so well that he’s rehearsing with his band in anticipation of getting back out on the road to make up those shows he missed this spring. Apparently his recovery from respiratory issues is complete – he says “he don’t need no rockin’ chair!”

Happy birthday to Gretchen Wilson, who turns 39 today.

Today's Country Tidbits

Zac Brown Band has a new song out – “The Wind” – and Zac loves what it does for the band and the radio: “It gets to showcase everybody’s musicianship in the band. Very quickly, it’s a real fast and short song. I think it’s the most country thing that has been on the radio in a long time. It’s got a little bit of bluegrass and pickin’ and everything in it. But there is still great song lyrics buried in that speed of the tune.” All the guys in the band share their thoughts on “The Wind” in this video:



Miranda Lambert is having a blast with her girl group, Pistol Annies. “We are doing just a Pistol Annies tour in September. The girls are out with me all summer – but then all of September is just Pistol Annies. Then we are doing a new record in November!” While they’re out with Miranda, the trio is writing material for that album.

She’s named after him – she invited him to join her onstage during her Madison Square Garden Speak Now tour stop, so it’s not a huge surprise that Taylor Swift will be the guest star at James Taylor’s concert in Lenox, MA on July 2nd. They’ll perform a few songs together, and Taylor will do a solo or two. No word on the set list. You might still be able to get a ticket.

In other cross-genre news, Grace Potter isn’t going country, but she’s adding some country flavor to the deluxe edition of her new album, “The Lion The Beast The Beat.” Kenny Chesney duets with her on “Stars” and Willie Nelson sings and plays on “Ragged Company.” Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are part of the Brothers of the Sun tour with Kenny and Tim McGraw.

Faith Hill hasn’t released any new music in seven years, but she’s been having fun working in the studio on a new project. It doesn’t have a name or release date yet, but Faith is tipping her hand on what the music might sound like: “My love of country music – that has been my backbone. I was raised with country music, but I am a soul singer. So to bring those two worlds together in a way that is authentic and that is true – to me – that is the most important thing. I want to have a good time and I want my music to be truthful.”

They’ve been married 12 days and somehow managed to keep it a secret – Wynonna and long-time boyfriend Cactus Moser were married June 10th in a very private sunset ceremony on her farm in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee. Us Weekly has the story and pictures.

Wall bling for Eli Young Band - “Even If It Breaks Your Heart” has been certified gold. Eric Church’s “Chief” album has been certified platinum. Now here’s a weird coincidence: 28 years ago on the very same week that Eric’s single “Springsteen” went to #1 on the country charts, Bruce Springsteen had his only #1 song on the pop charts - “Dancing in the Dark.”

Congrats to Josh Turner on the #1 debut of his new album, “Punching Bag.” It’s the second time he’s accomplished a #1 album debut – the first was in 2006 with “Your Man.” About the title cut on this album, Josh says, “Everybody has those kinds of days. So, I want this song to motivate people to not get discouraged and just take those punches. Make something good out of it, keeping moving forward and just be tough.”

Today's Country Tidbits

Dierks Bentley is in love with country music right now. Not just his, but everyone else’s, it sounds like! “As far as the new stuff out there, country stuff, probably just people I’ve toured with – Miranda [Lambert’s] record is great, Eric Church’s record is great. That ‘Springsteen’ song is awesome. Everything Blake [Shelton] is putting out I really enjoy. His last single “Drink On It” just has that classic sound to it. ‘Fly Over States,’ that song is unreal – it’s probably my favorite Jason [Aldean] song.” He’s headed for Washington DC this weekend, where he’ll perform after the Washington Nationals play baseball, hosting the Atlanta Braves.

The Band Perry is wrapping up their debut album’s success with one final single, “Postcard From Paris.” As it climbs the charts, they’ve been writing material for their next cd, which could be out late this year. The trio had a writing session with one of Kimberly Perry’s musical heroes, Sheryl Crow. According to Kimberly, “A huge influence of mine has always been Sheryl Crow. I just love how lyrically she is so creative and completely unique to herself. She’s a strong lady, a fantastic performer and she’s got a little spit fire herself. I’ve always looked up to Sheryl.”

Jake Owen is getting set to hit the road on the Brothers of the Sun tour with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw, and his newest single, “The One That Got Away,” is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. About the song, Jake says, “It’s a true song for me. It’s the one on the record that I wrote, just about my hometown and the way that girls and their families would come to town during the summer and then they’d leave three months later, go back up north, start school. They would always leave, and there’s this one girl in particular I just remember I never saw her again.”

Got a huge Taylor Swift fan in your life? Planning a trip to Nashville this summer or fall? Then you have to stop by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum for the “Taylor Swift: Speak Now – Treasures from the World Tour” exhibit. It features costumes, props and even the Juliet balcony Taylor rode in as she flew over the audience singing “Love Story.”

Phil Vassar’s video for “Don’t Miss Your Life” is out and it’s as touching and as personal as you might expect. Tissue alert!



Gary Allen has turned in the final recordings for his next album. We don’t know the name yet, and we don’t know the release date, but Gary says the project covers everything from breaking up to healing. He’s on the road, headlining the Country Throwdown Tour, which is in Michigan on Friday.

Congrats to Kip Moore, who has the #1 song again this week with “Somethin’ Bout a Truck.”

Trisha Yearwood is on a re-run of The View today, and Wynonna celebrates her 48th birthday today.

The tweet of the day is from Martina McBride: “Kids in the pool. Music playing. Making fresh guacamole. Sun shining. It’s summer! #lifeisgood”

Today's Country Tidbits

CMT staged a brand-new award show last night - The Teddys. The categories are a bit different, since these are awards for music videos, not the music itself. Miranda Lambert won for Best Break-Up Video with "Kerosene," and thinks it's a fitting win for her, saying, “I’m not a love song person. I always have one or two but you know because I am in love and I have been in love whether you know, whether my heart is broken at the time or not, um, I lean more towards the sad song and the cheating song and the revenge songs.” Here's the list of winners:

Best Kiss in a Video - Chris Young – “Tomorrow”

Best Cheating Video - Carrie Underwood – “Before He Cheats”

Steamiest Video - Rascal Flatts – “I Melt”

Best Use of Lingerie - Carrie Underwood – “Cowboy Casanova”

Best Breakup Video - Miranda Lambert – “Kerosene”

Best Flirting Video - Lauren Alaina – “Georgia Peaches” and Blake Shelton – “Honey Bee” (tie)

Sweetest Video - Keith Urban – “Without You”

Tightest Jeans in a Video - Luke Bryan – “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)”

Alan Jackson's latest single, "So You Don't Have to Love Me Anymore," is out on iTunes this week, and he's so proud of it: “The record just came out beautiful and everybody that heard it, first thing they said was ‘Man, that thing gave me goose bumps on my arms’ and it’s just a great song, great melody. You know I’m a song writer and I appreciate songs and so I definitely appreciate this song.”

The Eli Young Band is headed to Canada with Dierks Bentley and couldn't make it home to Nashville to be with their wives for Valentine's Day. According to Chris and Mike, it's not a big deal, though. “[Chris] We married women who, who have been around us for quiet awhile and who really understand what we do and everything we do was really nothing new to them when they said yes. [Mike] They have to be extremely understanding ladies to be able to be with us in the first place with how much we travel.”

Another country artist is suing his record label. Kenny Rogers is suing Capitol Records, saying they “deliberately misled Rogers and other artists about payments owed to them for online music sales.” Kenny says he's owed more than $400,000 by Capitol for digital sales of his music.

In true Judd style, Wynonna is planning a "barefoot and just fun" wedding. She say's it'll be in the fall, because that's "not a sweaty time for brides," and will take place on her farm. Wynonna and Cactus Moser got engaged Christmas Eve.

Spring break with Luke Bryan? Sure - why not! For the 4th year in a row, Luke will play shows in the panhandle of Florida during spring break, plus release a Spring Break EP. The shows are March 13th and 14th, and the album is Spring Break 4 - Suntan City, due out March 6th.

The tweet of the day is from Miranda Lambert: "Still awake. Listening to music. Hey @Jason_Aldean.... Fly Over States makes my heart swell. Thanks:)"

Today's Country Tidbits

Jason Aldean is closing out 2011 with a bang – his “My Kinda Party” cd is double-platinum, he finally won CMA recognition with three awards in October, and he sold over a million concert tickets. According to Jason, "When we did our annual holiday party, we had more to be thankful for and celebrate than we ever have before. It's really cool to be experiencing some of this stuff with a lot of the same guys who have been with me since I started in 2005. We're definitely a family, and that has made the whole experience even more special,"

Pollstar’s list of the top tours of 2011 is out, and two of the top three tours are country acts. Taylor Swift is at #2, grossing $97.7 million with 80 shows, Kenny Chesney is at #3, grossing $84.6 million with 55 shows, and at the top of the list is legendary rock act U2, who grossed $156 million with 25 shows.

Congratulations and best wishes to Wynonna, who is engaged to her long-time boyfriend, Cactus Moser. He’s the drummer for Highway 101, currently on tour with Wy as Wynonna and the Big Noise. He popped the question on Christmas Eve. This will be Wynonna’s third marriage.

Sending good, healing thoughts to Shawna Thompson’s Dad, who is having surgery today.

Lee Ann Womack put safety first when she did her Christmas shopping: she gave everyone on her list a fire extinguisher. Says Lee Ann, “it’s one of those things you don’t think about... until you need it, and then it’s way too late.”

The tweet of the day is from Miranda Lambert: “Spring cleaning in December! Blake even cleaned the garage and people that is HUGE! No more random carcasses!”

Today's Country Tidbits

If it's January, most of the Nashville studios must be packed with country stars working on new cd's. Booking studio time right now could be tough, with Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, Martina McBride, Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Jake Owen, Kellie Pickler, Little Big Town, Gloriana, Justin Moore and Love and Theft all logging some time behind the mics. Lady A's Charles Kelley says, of their touring experience last fall, "We wrote almost every day, and I feel like we've got some great material. It's so funny because somehow in the busiest year of our lives we were able to write more. I really don't know how we slept." Will keep you posted on album release dates, but it looks to be an exciting year for country music!

Congratulations to The Band Perry, who celebrated their first #1 hit yesterday in Nashville. "If I Die Young" topped the chart for them, and got the attention of Tim McGraw, who invited them to tour with him this summer. How have the three siblings managed their success? Their Mom is their road manager and home-school teacher, and their Dad stays home to pay for their dreams. For that reason, Kimberly Perry calls their #1 accomplishment a family victory. “You know, it’s a really wonderful thing and our… our family, our parents as well, have poured a lot of financial support, spiritual support, emotional support into the last decade. And so, truly, today is like the pinnacle moment of true celebration of a lot of hard work as a family.”

The CMA usually hands out awards, but on May 17th, they'll be receiving an award. The Leadership Music Dale Franklin Award will be given to the CMA in recognition of the leadership that organization shows in both music and philanthropic avenues.

A week from today, Miranda Lambert and Ronnie Dunn will meet ath the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville at 7:30 in the morning to announce the nominees for the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The show airs live on April 3rd from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on CBS, co-hosted by Reba and Blake Shelton.

Jewel and her rodeo hubby Ty Murray are expecting a baby boy. Jewel told People magazine that Ty even did a little dance as they left the doctor's office. No exact due date has been announced, but Jewel is in her second trimester, so the nursery should be full of a bundle of joy by June.

And if you thought the Zac Brown Band was a litte quiet right now, you're right. They're taking a little break while Zac and his wife await the arrival of their 4th daughter, due around Valentine's Day.

In stores today, Joe Nichols Greatest Hits, which includes his current hit, "The Shape I'm In." Online today, get a three-song preview of Thompson Square's self-titled debut, set for release on February 8th.

Wynonna is busy today, showing up on the Today Show, Access Hollywood and the Joy Behar Show.

The tweet of the day is from Brad Paisley: "Nope. Never. Absolutely no way. Not once. Woops. Other than this. RT @michunte: @BradPaisley do you ever tweet your fans :)???"

Today's Country Tidbits

As we head into Memorial Day weekend, it's good to remember those who serve. Zac Brown Band did a USO tour in April, and filmed it. They've produced it up and titled it, "For Those Who Serve." Part one is online now.

Tuesday, former oil platform worker Trace Adkins paid tribute to the 11 rig workers whose lives were lost in the April 20th explosion of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Diamond Rio was also part of the commemoration ceremony.

Trace is about to be the one honored, as he'll be awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution's Medal of Honor for his patriotic leadership and humanitarian works.

Congrats on new wall bling to:
Sugarland - "Enjoy the Ride" is triple platinum
Zac Brown Band "The Foundation" and Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" cds are double platinum. Lady A's song, "Need You Now," is triple platinum.
Brad Paisley's "She's Everything" is platinum, and Kenny Chesney's "Out Last Night" and "Never Wanted Nothing More" have both gone gold.

The members of Rascal Flatts, alongside a highway, picking up trash? No, it's not court-ordered service for traffic violations, it the guys doing their part to keep a beautiful state beautiful.



And Rascal Flatts want to make you their Roadie for a Day at the show of your choice.

Rumors are flying that the Carrie Underwood/Mike Fisher wedding is happening very soon. Right now, they're just rumors...

Uncle Kracker will release a country album on June 22nd. "Happy Hour: The South River Road Sessions" will include his current hit, "Smile."

Legacy Recordings has a new "Set List" on the way July 13th, featuring remastered live performances from Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Alabama and other country greats.

Don't forget to watch Darius Rucker's concert on the Speed channel Saturday night.



Brad Paisley will be part of the 2010 National Memorial Day Concert Sunday on PBS.

Happy birthday to Phil Vassar, who is 46 today, and to Wynonna, who turns 46 on Sunday.

Today's Country Tidbits

Tonight in Nashville, a birthday celebration begins, and the city gets the gifts. The "Opry Guitar Jam for Flood Relief," featuring Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner, is the inaugural event in the Grand Ole Opry's 85th anniversary celebration. Donations for flood relief will be accepted during the show, which will stream online.

Alan Jackson gave of his time and talents on Sunday in West Virginia, where he played a benefit concert for the families affected by the Montcoal mine explosion in April. The 27 families who lost relatives in the disaster attended the show free, and were also taken backstage for a reception with Alan. The money from the show will go to the families, and online donations are still being taken.

Reba could be headed to Broadway. Last week, she attended a reading for the Broadway production of "The Unsinkable Molly Brown." She was supposed to play the role of Molly Brown in the movie, "Titanic," but had to back out because of schedule conflicts.

11 million people watched the Brooks & Dunn special on Sunday night. Relive your favorite performances whenever you wish, as they're archived online.

Also on Sunday night, Taylor Swift was storming around onstage, when her feet went right out from under her. She's a pro, though...got right back up and kept right on singing.



Can't get enough Taylor Swift? Check out People magazine's photo gallery of Taylor and her purses, and Us Weekly's collection of her best style moments.

If your travels take you past a Cracker Barrel Old Country Store today, pick up Wynonna's "Love Heals." A portion of the proceeds goes to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Today's Country Tidbits

From the "it's hard to be a prophet in your own hometown" playbook, Tim McGraw says his daughters don't think he's cool. He's in Good Housekeeping magazine, talking about his life, and says his chore is taking out trash. Another assignment - hiring contractors to finish projects that he starts and can't do.

New performers have been added to the roster for the CMT Music Awards. Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Zac Brown Band and Kid Rock will be performing, along with previously announced Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban, Toby Keith and Lady Antebellum. Voting continues through June 8th.

Now the truth can be told...Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum is more than just a songstress, she's a style-stress. She's featured in this month's InStyle magazine, where she answers the Sexy Dozen on page 267.

Somebody needs to help Jake Owen. He gets lonely on the road, and gets lonely when he's home. “I don’t have a girlfriend, I don’t have mom and dad or family up here, and when I come home off the road – other than my dog – and I did this yesterday, got home from the bus, got home to my house took my dog out, he did his thing, and he and I just sat there and stared at each other for a couple of hours. I mean, it’s kind of weird not having a lot to do when you come home.” Awwww...

Little Big Town is on the Country Throwdown tour, and they're holding a Little White Church Reception backstage at each tour stop. Pick a city, and enter to be part of the fun.

Yesterday, Taylor Swift added two new awards to her trophy collection: Artist of the Year from the National Association of Recording Merchandisers and Song of the Year for "Love Story" at the BMI Pop Awards.

Chely Wright will be on the Oprah show today, and Wynonna is on the celebrity look-alike show "I Get That A Lot" tonight on CBS. She'll be posing as a tire-store employee, pranking the customers.

Today's Country Tidbits

The Nashville flood benefit concerts continue to multiply - Tim McGraw and Faith Hill will host an all-star show on June 22 at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. Proceeds from "Nashville Rising: A Benefit Concert for Flood Recovery" will go to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Already signed on for the show are Brooks & Dunn, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Amy Grant, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Leann Rimes, Miley Cyrus and Michael W. Smith. More artists are expected to join the fun, and tickets go on sale Friday at all Ticketmaster outlets.

Last year, David Nail and his wife bought an 80 year old home just south of Nashville. Little did they suspect at the time that theirs would be the hardest-hit home in their neighborhood when the floods came. “I keep telling all of these people that keep coming to my house, ‘Trust me, I just sing for a living. I don’t know anything about any of this stuff.’ So, I’m trying to get an idea of why our house was effected so much so I can try as best as I can to avoid it in the future.”

CMT, which has been running its network from a remote location since their building on Commerce Street was flooded, is back home again. The power was restored to their building yesterday, so operations are being moved back in as the mud is cleaned out.

John Rich was so moved and inspired by the volunteers helping after the floods that he wrote a song about it. "Lend a Hand" is available for free at his website.

Wynonna is the latest country artist to have a line of products for sale at Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores. Starting on May 24, you can get Wynonna shirts, mugs, journals, wallets, cosmetic bags and sunglasses.

New #1 country song on Billboard this week is Chris Young's "The Man I Want to Be." He's riding high with this hit song, plus an opening slot on Alan Jackson's "Freight Train" tour. “If I could go back in time and like see myself as a kid, you know, singing along to Alan Jackson records, and be like, ‘Man, you have no idea. You’re gonna open for this guy one day.’ I probably wouldn’t believe myself. Just to be honest. I mean, this really is one of those things that is such a big deal.”

If you missed Miranda Lambert performing her new song, "The House that Built Me," on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, here it is.



New music in stores today includes "Shaken Not Stirred" from Jeff Cook, and the self-titled debut CD from Matt Kennon. A new group called 4Troops also released their self-titled debut today. From the name, you might guess it's four guys who are former military, and also that the money they make will go to support the troops currently serving, and you'd be right!

The Golf Channel has an hour-long special filmed at Darius Rucker's charity golf tournament, "Monday After the Masters," tonight at 8 eastern.

Luke Bryan is on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Laura Bell Bundy is on Chelsea Lately tonight. A little birdie twittered that Keith Urban, backed up by Sarah Buxton and Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild, will perform on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon tonight.

Happy birthday to Mark Henrdon of Alabama today - he's 56.

Today's Country Tidbits

Billy Currington had a big day yesterday. The number 1 party for his song, "That's How Country Boys Roll" happened, and in the midst of the party, he was also awarded a gold record for selling half a million copies of his cd, "A Little Bit of Everything." Billy's had 5 number one songs so far, but this is his first one as co-writer.

Carrie Underwood and fiance Mike Fisher haven't made all of their wedding plans yet, but they do know one thing: no traditional wedding cake. Instead, they'll do wedding cupcakes, made by the wife of Carrie's bass player. Ivey Childers runs IveyCake in Franklin, TN, and they're in charge of the wedding dessert. Where will the cupcakes be going? No word yet...

And a big congrats to Carrie on her 12th career #1 song with "Temporary Home."

Congrats to Reba and Wynonna, who have both been named to the American Red Cross 2010 National Celebrity Cabinet. Wonder if them being red-heads has anything to do with it?

If you're going to be near Amarillo, Texas on Friday, plan on partying with Jimmy Wayne. Amarillo is estimated to be the half-way point between Nashville and Phoenix on his Meet Me Halfway walk for homeless teens, so a celebration is in order.

Darryl Worley is planning for another USO tour - his 8th - of the Forward Operating Bases in Iraq in late April. He says, "This is just our way to say, 'Thanks,' in honor of their sacrifice, but it could never compare to what these soldiers do for us every day."

Free concert alert: in advance of the ACM Awards in Las Vegas, there are two days of free concerts on April 16th & 17th. If you'll be in town, you'll see Emily West, The Band Perry, Danny Gokey and Lady Antebellum on the 16th and Joey & Rory, Gloriana, Randy Rogers Band, Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert on the 17th. Road trip?

Free country music alert: The CMA has a 5-song country music sampler of emerging artists you can download for free. You get Trailer Choir's "Rolling Through the Sunshine," Burns & Poe's "Don't Get No Better Than That," Ash Bowers' "Stuck," Derek Sholl's "When They Come Back" and Veronica Ballestrini's "Don't Say."

Shopping alert - you can buy Alan Jackson's "Freight Train" and Gretchen Wilson's "I Got Your Country Right Here" today.

Alan Jackson was on the Today show this morning, and will be on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight. Catch Gretchen Wilson on the CBS Early Show tomorrow.

Today's Country Tidbits

Congrats to the Saints, and to Kenny Chesney, who decided on Friday that he would root for his friend Coach Sean Payton instead of his friend Payton Manning. The tipping point? The fact that not only have the Saints never won the Super Bowl, they've never been in it, so a win would help the Katrina-ravaged region pull together again. Yeah, that's what it looked like they were doing on Bourbon Street last night...pulling together...sure, that's what it's called...! After the Saints won last night, there was an after-party for the team. Guess who the star performer was? If you're guessing Kenny, you're guessing right!

Did you miss the big announcement that Wynonna made on Saturday morning? She said it's "Take Your Mom to Work" year. A Judds Reunion Tour is set for this year. No tour dates have been set yet, but the rumored tour is now an official one.

The CMA Festival isn't until June, but the first performer has been announced...and it's...Carrie Underwood, who knocked it out of the park last night at the Super Bowl, and looked better than ever. More artists names will be trickling out soon...

Speaking of Carrie, she's on the cover of the March Cosmopolitan magazine, where she reveals her very un-diva-like lifestyle: she loves to be home, rarely goes to clubs and always wears underwear. Thanks for clearing that up, Carrie!

Recording studio tricks of Lady Antebellum? Potato chips. Hillary's Mom heard Celine Dion say in an interview that salty potato chips help loosen up the throat. That stuck with Hillary, and now she and Charles keep the studio stocked with chips when they're recording.

In the special Country music edition of People Magazine, Keith Urban thanks Nicole Kidman for changing his life. He's spending the next few months writing for the follow-up to "Defying Gravity" and says he's not sure how being a Dad will impact his songwriting, but it's definitely impacted his heart and life.

Josh Turner is on the Late Show with David Letterman tonight. He's so excited about how "Haywire" turned out. It hits stores tomorrow.

Happy birthday to Travis Tritt, who is 47 today.

Today's Country Tidbits

What an honor - Carrie Underwood has been tapped to sing the National Anthem at the Superbowl on February 7th in Miami.

The George Strait / Reba shows in Knoxville and Charlottesville this weekend have been cancelled...snow and ice are expected, so if you've got tickets, hold on to them. The shows will happen in April and your tickets are still good. The Friday Knoxville show is now scheduled for April 2nd, and the Saturday Charlottesville show is set for April 3rd.

Jimmy Wayne's Meet Me Halfway walk had to take the RV into Little Rock last night because of the snow and ice storm. He slept in the parking lot at the Capitol Hotel in the RV and says he'll backtrack 30K today and walk the part he rode yesterday. Hope the weather allows that...this is a bad storm sweeping across the midwest and through Arkansas and Tennessee to the Carolinas.

From the early returns, it looks like Lady Antebellum is poised to sell a lot of "Need You Now" in it's release week. A #1 debut is all but a lock, and if the pace continues as it has been for the first three days, selling 400,000 units isn't out of the question. With their performance on the Grammys on Sunday night, that should set them up nicely for a great second week of sales, too.

Zac Brown Band is joining Tim McGraw at the Daytona 500 weekend. They'll perform three times in one day - February 6th. They'll sing three songs before the Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Shoot-Out, then sing the National Anthem just before the race, then afterwards, they'll play for an hour or so (knowing Zac Brown, probably more "or so") after the race.

A CraigsList Nashville posting could be an opportunity for you to be famous - or at least be an extra on a country music video. Eric Church is shooting the "Hell on the Heart" video next Friday near Nashville. You need to be willing to be on the set for 4 hours, and you need to send a current photo of yourself, along with your contact information to revocasting@gmail.com Good luck!

Taylor Swift will be on the CBS Early Show this morning, talking about the Grammys and her upcoming movie role in "Valentine's Day."

Clay Walker is on Fox & Friends today.

Catch Wynonna and Wyclef Jean on CBS's The Early Show on February 6th. That's the morning before the Superbowl, and the two good friends will be in Miami, raising money and awareness for relief efforts in Haiti.

Going into the Grammy's, here's a country recap:

Performing are Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Zac Brown Band, Jennifer Nettles and Carrie
Underwood. Taylor will perform "Today Was a Fairytale" and "You Belong With Me," Lady A will perform "Need You Now," Jennifer Nettles is performing with Elton John, Carrie Underwood will be
part of the tribute to Michael Jackson, and Zac Brown Band won't say what they're performing, only
that it'll be rockin'. Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert will be award presenters.

Taylor Swift has 8 nominations.
Keith Urban has 4
Zac Brown Band has 3
George Strait has 3
Lee Ann Womack has 3
Jamey Johnson has 2
Lady Antebellum has 2.
Willie Nelson has 2
Trace Adkins has 1
Billy Currington has 1
Miranda Lambert has 1
Martina McBride has 1
Brooks & Dunn have 1
Rascal Flatts has 1
Sugarland has 1
Dierks Bentley has 1
Kenny Chesney has 1
Brad Paisley has 1
Carrie Underwood has 1
Randy Travis has 1
Mac MacAnally has 1
Patty Griffin has 1
Steve Wariner has 1
Rosanne Cash has 1

Good luck to all of the nominees! We'll recap the winners here on Monday morning.

Today's country tidbits...

Well, it was Taylor's night at the award show again last night. She won Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock, Country and Adult-Contemporary artist, plus took honors for the best country album. She beat the late Michael Jackson, Eminem, Lady Gaga and Kings of Leon for the Artist of the Year award. She wasn't there to accept her awards - she's in London - but accepted them via a live hook-up, saying that she has so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. At the end of the show, she tweeted: "It's 5:30 AM in London, where I still haven't slept and my feet haven't touched the ground. Thank you for the AMA's. Thank you."

In the country categories, Taylor's cd "Fearless" won Favorite Country Album, Rascal Flatts won Favorite Band, Duo or Group, Keith Urban won Favorite Male Artist and Breakthrough Artist of the Year went to Gloriana. Watch Keith Urban perform "Kiss a Girl" and Carrie Underwood, with her new, shorter hairdo, sing "Cowboy Casanova" from the awards show last night.

With all of the awards she's won, all of the cd's she's sold and all of the fans she has, it's no surprise that NBC has named Taylor Swift as one of their "People of the Year." Thanksgiving night, Matt Lauer will profile the most fascinating, most inspirational and most notorious people of 2009. Also being featured are the octo-mom, Susan Boyle, Kobe Bryant, Captain Sully Sullenberger and Captain Richard Phillips, the ship captain who fought off pirates in the middle east.

Tomorrow's Oprah show is going to feature the headline-making heroes of 2009, and Wynonna will be part of the show, performing for troops returning from Iraq. Tim McGraw has also taped a segment for the show, rumored to air in the same show as the previously-announced Sugarland segment, on November 30th.

Is there a Dolly Parton fan on your holiday shopping list? She's partnered with Shop.com to help make your shopping easier.

Jimmy Wayne's new cd, "Sara Smile" is in stores today. Yes, the old Hall and Oates hit has been reborn in country clothes. When asked why that song, in particular, Jimmy answered: ""There was a foster mom named Sara who was special to me. The song is not about her, and I don't sing it and think about her particularly, but when I first heard the song it reminded me of her, and that initially got me wanting to listen."

Today's country tidbits...

Lots of weekend doins' involving country artists:

Tim McGraw's new film, "The Blind Side" releases nationwide tonight. Tim said he wouldn't do another football movie, until he read the script and found out that in addition to the great story, his leading lady would be Sandra Bullock. The rest is history, and Oscars are being mentioned in the same breath as this movie.

If you're in West Virginia, you might want to check out Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution food festival in Huntington. Rascal Flatts will be doing an acoustic set at about 2:30 tomorrow afternoon, and the whole event is being taped for a special to air early next year. Tickets to the show are free, and were handed out yesterday. Apparently, attendees of the food festival have a chance to win more during tomorrow's festivities.

Tomorrow, Wynonna will ride the 67th Annual Santa Train as it delivers 15 tons of toys to children in Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. CSX, Food City & the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce sponsor the train's 14 stops. The ride begins in Shelby, KY and concludes in Kingsport, TN with Santa, Wynonna and her two children aboard as they return to the Appalachian area where she grew up near the train’s route in Ashland, KY.

Dierks Bentley’s Miles and Music for Kids charity motorcycle ride and jam session makes it’s move to Phoenix, AZ tomorrow.

And on Sunday night, The American Music Awards air on ABC, with Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban performing. Taylor Swift is up for 6 awards, and since these are fan-voted awards, expect her to take home her share. Rascal Flatts is up for 2 awards, and Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Sugarland, Zac Brown Band and Gloriana are each up for one award.

Now the tale is told - when Kenny Chesney hugged Taylor Swift and congratulated her on her CMA Entertainer of the Year award, what did he say? "You have to earn being in that spot, and I know how hard she's worked, and I was very proud of her. I wanted her to know I was proud of her."

For the fourth year running, The Academy of Country Music and Wrangler are providing the entertainment for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, December 3rd through 12th. Entertaining the cowboys & their fans are Joe Nichols, David Nail, Heidi Newfield and many more. By the way, that's the same time that Garth Brooks will be opening at the Wynn Hotel.

Oh, to be in Nashville when the Parrotheads flock there. The next CMT Crossroads will tape in December, to air in March of 2010. The pairing? Zac Brown Band and Jimmy Buffett. Can't buy tickets...it's invitation-only to be part of the studio audience.

Josh Kelly, brother of Lady A's Charles Kelly, could be Nashville's next big thing. He's got a record deal with Universal/Nashville, with his first project due out in the middle of next year.

On tv tonight, Lyle Lovett will be on the Late Show with David Letterman, and Billy Currington and the Zac Brown Band will be on Larry the Cable Guy's Hula-Palooza Christmas Luau on CMT.

Happy birthday today to Dierks Bentley and Josh Turner.

Today's country tidbits...

Dierks Bentley has big plans for 2010: he's taking the first three months of next year off to write and produce not one but two new cds. One will be what we expect from Dierks - a follow-up to "Feel That Fire." The other will be a bluegrass project. Since there's a bluegrass song on each cd that he's done, it was only a matter of time until he did a cd with nothing but 'grass. Then in April, he'd like to resurrect the High Times and Hangovers tour, where he plays small venues, and he'd like Cross Canadian Ragweed to be part of that again. Summer, he expects to be playing fairs and festivals, then hopes to go out as a headliner in the fall. Hey, if you don't plan, you don't do!

Tim McGraw has a couple of secret passions: 70's rock and football. He's a fan of Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Eagles and Led Zeppelin, but says he likes to listen to it, not sing it. As for football, everyone knows he loves it, but he says that a football coaching job at Louisiana State University would tempt him to leave the music business behind.

Instead of sugarplums, it'll be visions of Sugarland dancing in our heads on December 20th. That's the night "Christmas in Washington" airs on TNT, featuring Sugarland, the first family, Neil Diamond, George Lopez and lots more stars.

Taylor Swift is now in the greeting card business. She's partnered with American Greetings to create a line of cards and products sure to be glittery. Look for them in the spring of next year.

After retiring in 1991, the Judds may be working on a reunion for 2010. In Billboard Magazine, Wynonna is quoted as saying, "I just felt it in my spirit. A couple weeks ago I said, ‘It’s 2010. It’s been 25 years. It’s take-your-mother-to-work year."

Faith Hill and her long-time manager, Gary Borman, have parted ways. In a joint statement, Faith says "we love each other like a brother and a sister, but have made the difficult choice to dissolve our professional relationship." No word on who will handle Faith's management going forward. Gary's been part of her team since her first hit song, "Wild One."

Carrie Underwood is on the Ellen DeGeneres Show today.

People.com has a photo of Keith Urban and daughter Sunday Rose here.

Today's country tidbits...

Toby Keith was missing in Nashville for the CMAs last week - because he's in Europe, treating them to America's Toughest Tour. From the sold-out theatres to the fan reaction to the media reports, sounds like Toby is a huge hit across the pond. His tour wraps on Sunday the 22nd in Bergen, Norway. He'll head back to Norway for the December 11th Nobel Peace Prize concert, where he's been invited to perform.

Trace Adkins is no stranger to pain and is now the spokesperson for BC Headache Powder. They'll be his tour sponsor next year, and he'll be the face of BC Powders. "My relationship with BC Headache Powder is personal and runs deep," Adkins says. "I still remember when my grandfather gave me my first BC."

Congrats to Lady Antebellum on another #1 country song. "Need You Now" tops the charts this week, knocking Carrie Underwood's "Cowboy Cassanova" down to second place. That's two #1s in a row - "I Run to You" went to the top of the charts earlier this year. Meanwhile, Luke Bryan's song "Do I" is headed for the top, and if it knocks off Lady A, they won't mind too much. Why? Because Charles Kelly and Dave Haywood wrote it, and Hillary Scott sings back-up vocals on it.

Tim McGraw is on The View today.

Bucky Covington's 5-song live EP is out today. It includes live versions of "A Different World," "It's Good to be Us," "I'll Walk," his new single "Gotta Be Somebody" and a sneak listen of a cut from his sophomore cd, due out this spring. That song is "Mexicoma." Gotta believe it has something to do with beer, tequila or both!

Nichole Kidman is in the upcoming issue of Ladies' Home Journal, talking about her career and why it needs to take a back seat to hubby Keith Urban's at this time. She also talks about their ambitions to have another baby soon.

Reba has just been added to the line-up for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. She joins Billy Currington, who'll be floating down the parade route, toois no stranger.

Luke Bryan's on tour, and is playing new music to gauge audience reaction. Here he is, playing an acoustic version of "A Little Bit of You" for the very first time publicly.

Gretchen Wilson’s song “Work Hard, Play Harder” will be part of an ABC special called “The Art of the Burnout” during the Ford 400 Sprint Cup race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 22nd.

Justin Moore and his wife Kate are moving out to the country, just in time to welcome their first child in January. They've bought a house south of Nashville, and are looking forward to the space, both inside and outside. Justin said, "We're very excited! The 1100 square feet house we were in was just gonna get too crowded. And, moving out in the country is gonna help me stay grounded. My back porch looks out over a pasture full of cows instead of another house. It makes me feel more at home.”

Wynonna will publish a novel, “The Restless Heart,” that basically tells her own story about getting into the music biz through the fictional heroine. The book is written for young adults and is intended to help guide them through the process of believing in their dreams, living their dreams well and helping others achieve their own dreams, too.

Today's country tidbits...

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton are sharing a romantic...hunting trip together. They're in Kansas this week, camping and hunting.

Couldn't make it to Nashville to see Keith Urban at the Verizon Wireless store? Part of the event ended up on YouTube.

What did Kellie Pickler do for Halloween? Watch here.

Wynonna is working on plans for a Christmas tour, and her 13-year-old daughter Grace is going to be part of the show. Wynonna is so excited to be singing with her daughter. Now she knows how her Momma, Naomi, felt.

And a reminder...loads of country music artists are on tv this week. Today, catch Charlie Daniels on The Early Show on CBS, Faith Hill on the Ellen Show, Jack Ingram on the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson and Carrie Underwood on the Late Show with David Letterman.