Scotty McCreery's Version Of Life Balance

What is this?

He's having too much fun, but not forgetting his chores either, it seems. 

This past weekend, Scotty enlisted his Pittsburgh audience to help with the Harlem Shake.

Blake Shelton Gets A Platinum Record From Sheryl Crow

Late night action at CRS/Nashville.

Vince Gill On "Nashville"

Gill, right, with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.  Vince will be portraying himself on an upcoming episode of ABC’s new blockbuster series, “Nashville.”  The episode will air Wednesday, February 27 and will feature other Nashville performers including Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, Pam Tillis, Kate York and Kip Moore.

The episode, titled “Dear Brother,” features a surprise birthday party for Deacon, played by actor Charles Esten, and will take place at The Bluebird Café.  It was filmed in mid-February.

"I had a really fun time hanging out with the cast and crew," commented Gill.  "I really do enjoy watching the show and I think it's great for Nashville.  Plus, I was playing myself which wasn't a big stretch." 

“Nashville” stars Connie Britton as Rayna Jaymes, Hayden Panettiere as Juliette Barnes, Clare Bowen as Scarlett O’Connor, Eric Close as Teddy Conrad, Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne, Jonathan Jackson as Avery Barkley, Sam Palladio as Gunnar Scott, Robert Ray Wisdom as Coleman Carlisle and Powers Boothe as Lamar Wyatt.

This episode of “Nashville” will be available on ABC.com the day after air for users to watch online.

PR Contacts:

Erin Morris / 615.419.9988

Alison Auerbach / 615.269.6440 /

(Photo credit: ABC/KATHERINE BOMBOY-THORNTON)

Will George Strait Get His 60th #1 Before He Turns 61?

King George approaches his 60th #1 single – before his 61st birthday on May 18th. 

Tonight, he'll be honored as a part of The Country Radio Hall Of Fame Awards.

“Give It All We Got Tonight,” George’s current single, is Top 20 and climbing and is poised to be the 60th #1 single of his career, all of which have been represented by MCA Nashville (the only label he has ever called home). 

He has more #1’s than any other single artist in history, in any genre, beating both The Beatles (20) and Elvis (18).

Sammy Kershaw, Aaron Tippin and Joe Diffie Team Up

They are working on a national tour they're calling "Roots & Boots." On stage together, the trio perform acoustic versions of their more than 40 Top Ten hit songs, as well as share stories about the roots of their music.
 
"The tour is three friends who love country music having a good time, telling jokes about each other and telling jokes on each other," says Kershaw.  "We tell stories behind all of our songs.  It's a great show, so don't be square, be there!"

Diffie adds, "Sam, Aaron and I have a great time doing these shows and the fans do too. It's always an adventure."

Tippin says of the tour, "Being onstage with Sammy and Joe is a blast. I admire both of these guys so much. We have a great time together and the show is different every night and always a lot of fun."

Kershaw's platinum-selling albums have had hits such as "She Don't Know She's Beautiful," "I Can't Reach Her Anymore" and "National Working Woman's Holiday."

Tippin's fame was launched with the release of his uncompromising single "You've Got to Stand For Something." He followed that with other major hits including "Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly," "There Ain't Nothing Wrong with the Radio" and "Kiss This."

Since he first topped the charts in 1990 with "Home," Diffie has delivered twelve #1 hits, twenty top 10's and four gold and platinum albums.

Tour Dates:
March 8 - Wilkesboro, NC - John A. Walker Community Center
March 12 - Palm Desert, CA - McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts
March 13 - Modesto, CA - Gallo Center for the Arts
March 14 - Redding, CA - The Cascade Theatre
March 15 - La Mirada, CA - La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
March 16 - Chandler, AZ - Chandler Center for the Arts
March 17 - El Cajon, CA - Sycuan Casino
March 18, 19 - Folsom, CA - Three Stages At Folsom Lake College
March 23 - Rising Sun, IN - Rising Star Casino Resort
March 24 - Meadville, PA - Alleghey College Auditorium
March 29 - Mahnomen, MN - Shooting Star Casino
April 6 - Biloxi, MS - IP Casino Resort & Spa / Convention Center
April 19 - Moncton, Canada - The Centre At Casino New Brunswick
May 10 - Branson, MO - RFD-TV Theatre
May 11 - Sand Springs, OK - Osage Casino - Sand Springs
May 24 - Pigeon Forge, TN - Country Tonite Theatre

***Additional dates to be announced soon
 
Media Contacts:

For Sammy Kershaw:
Absolute Publicity
Don Murry Grubbs / don@absolutepublicity.com
615-275-8380

For Aaron Tippin:
C.T. Smith / tippinsmith@aol.com

For Joe Diffie:
Big Show Music Co
Jennifer Weaver / jennifer@bigshowmusicco.com

Faith Hill Keeps Tim McGraw On His Toes On Stage

One listen to Tim’s latest single, “One of Those Nights,” and it’s obvious he’s a very talented singer, but he admits that performing on stage with Faith during their Soul2Soul shows in Las Vegas is both awe inspiring and challenging:

“I don’t get to sing with my wife that much. Only when we tour together and a handful of charity events have we ever been on stage together and actually sang together. So, it always sort of …sets me aback a bit to be up there and to hear her sing. Because she’s truly one of the greatest singers I’ve ever heard.” 

Performing with Faith also pushes Tim to be better because he says, “When so much soul comes out of her and to be on stage with her and to see her just sort of light the place up when she opens her mouth and sings is something that I catch myself having to really pay attention to what I’m doing ‘cause I get lost from listening to her. It certainly makes me a better singer ‘cause you can’t just go up and phone it in with her because she won’t allow that with her voice. You have to really be on top of your game.”

Soul2Soul (click to watch video) will run through mid-April at The Venetian in Las Vegas.

Mindy McCready Funeral Arrangements & Memorial Service

McCready's family has planned a private funeral service to be held Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at Crossroads Church in Fort Myers, Florida.

Burial arrangements have not yet been finalized by the family.

The memorial, being organized by her friends, peers and music community, is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 6 at the Cathedral of The Incarnation in Nashville.

PR/MEDIA Contact: Kat Atwood / Music City Media:  615.770.2994

Keith Urban, Trace Adkins, Jason Aldean, Rosanne Cash, Eric Church, Brantley Gilbert, Vince Gill, Kris Kristofferson, Loretta Lynn, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Willie Nelson, Kid Rock, Hank Williams Jr. "ALL For The Hall"

2005 CMA Entertainer of the Year and four-time Grammy Award winner Keith Urban and Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill will return to Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on April 16 for a concert benefiting the Country Music Hall Of Fame And Museum.

The show, themed “Rebels and Renegades, The Outlaws are IN” will feature an all-star line-up.

Reserved seating tickets are priced at $35 and $50 and will go on sale to Museum members on next Tuesday, February 26 at 10:00 a.m. CST.

Dolly Talks Mountain Medicine in Rare Interview, Wins Emmy Nod

The Dr. Steve Show, Tribune Broadcasting’s nationally syndicated health, wellness and lifestyle program, received an Emmy® nomination from The New York Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the “Down Home With Dolly” episode. (click to watch the video)

Dr. Steve Salvatore got personal with Dolly Parton to discuss down home mountain medicine from her Appalachian youth.  In this rare, personal, and intimate interview Dolly Parton covered topics ranging from growing up poor in the Smoky Mountains as the 4th of 12 children, reminiscing about her family’s use of “mountain medicine” and the death of her baby brother.  Personal stories and anecdotes include the chicken that stole the nipple and “borrowing” her grandmother’s false teeth to her philanthropy and involvement in literacy programs (which have provided over 40 million books to date).  Dolly also discusses the death of Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, and the perils of fame.

"It is always great to be nominated for anything.  I remember doing The Dr. Steve Show and I was thinking at the time 'I have enjoyed doing this as much, if not more than any show I have done in years and years.' So, I was excited to be nominated for this particular show. So thanks, and wish me luck!"

Executive Producer David Brown said, "Dolly is an American treasure and her life story, her "coat of many colors" is part of the American fabric.  As both a fan and a producer I wanted to bring to our audience a side of Dolly they may not have known and also pay homage to the people of the great Smoky Mountains and their fortitude.  Researching, writing, and producing this particular show was a pleasure as I wanted to give back to Dolly a part of the joy she had given me and my family as a performer over the years.  To know that she herself was so pleased with the outcome is truly a high point of my career."

The 56th Annual New York Emmy® Awards Gala, to be held Sunday, April 14, 2013 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square, recognizes outstanding achievement in the television industry during the eligibility period of September 1, 2011 through August 31, 2012.

Media Contacts:
For Dolly Parton
Jeremy Westby / jeremy@websterpr.com / 615-777-6995 x228
  

For The Dr. Steve Show
Jessica Bellucci / jbellucci@tribune.com

#1 Hit Written At Gary Allan's House

American Songwriter features an interview with one of the threesome - Gary Allan, Hillary Lindsey and Matt Warren - who wrote "Every Storm Runs Out Of Rain:" 

We edited very little on this song. No tough decisions on any phrases or words. It just kinda fell out for us pretty easily. The way you hear it today is the way we wrote it as far as structure, lyric & melody goes. There was some experimenting in the studio with different feels, but it’s always been really close to how it is on Gary’s album.

Luke Bryan's New Commercial For Cabella's

Florida Georgia Line Love Performing Their New Single Live

"FGL" is currently out on the road with Luke Bryan on the Dirt Road Diaries Tour, and Brian Kelley says one of the songs that has been a lot of fun to perform live is their latest single, “Get Your Shine On.”  He says, “It’s one of the ones that – even before it was our current single, it went over well really live.”

He remembers last fall when they played Joe’s Bar in Chicago, they recorded the show and he says, “We were going back to the studio, listening to certain things and we muted everything else and you could hear just the crowd. Everybody was singing every word to that, so we knew it was going to be the biggest song live and it’s going really well in the arenas.” Not only does the song sound great, but it looks cool from their perspective on stage.

Brian says, “It’s really cool to look around and look up and all the way to the back and everybody seems to be partying, their hands are in the air. And we have a little section in the solo of that song - I’ll go out and kind of get everybody’s hands going and it’s pretty cool.”

Darius Rucker And Randy Houser “Making A Difference

Both started the new year off with successful music releases, but they are also being recognized for their volunteer work with Musicians On Call (MOC), a non-profit organization that brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities.  NBC’s Lester Holt recently traveled to Nashville, Tenn. to join Rucker and Houser as they performed and visited with patients at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt through the MOC Nashville branch.  The visit, recently highlighted in Country Weekly magazine, will be the focus of the “Making a Difference” segment of NBC Nightly News this Saturday, Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 CT plus a "Web Extra" on the Nightly News tab of NBCNews.com featuring an extended interview with Rucker.

 
The two artists shared with Holt their experiences over the years performing for patients in healthcare facilities and the influence it has on them personally to witness the visible affect music has on these patients.  Weighing in on the advantages of having Musicians On Call in their hospital was Dr. Elisabeth M. Dykens, Professor of Psychology and Human Development and Director of the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, who can personally attest to the patient benefits achieved through music. 

 
“Everyone could see the impact of music on the patients, their families and hospital staff when Darius Rucker and Randy Houser entered the hospital rooms to play a song just for them,” shares Musicians On Call Executive Director,  Dr. Leslie Faerstein.  “Musicians On Call goes to the bedsides of patients 41 times a week in six cities and delivers the healing power of music to those who need it most.”

 
Rucker is gearing up for the summer release of his upcoming album, True Believers, featuring his latest critically-acclaimed single, “Wagon Wheel.”  Entertainment Weekly calls the song “a rich, twangy romper with a decidedly sunny vibe,” while USA Today praises “Wagon Wheel” as a “sure-fire hit.”  “Wagon Wheel” follows his previously chart-topping hits “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It,” “It Won’t Be Like This For Long,” “Alright,” “This,” and “Come Back Song.”  For more information on Rucker, please visit www.DariusRucker.com.

Houser, who recently earned his first No. 1 and RIAA Gold-certified single with “How Country Feels,” is busy touring in support of his brand new album, How Country Feels, released Jan. 22, 2013 on Stoney Creek Records.  Associated Press heralded, How Country Feels is “stuffed with country soul-inflected mid-tempo arrangements that highlight Houser’s rich voice,” and The Washington Post proclaims, “Houser’s back with How Country Feels, a buoyant, hook-filled outing that seems to have the Mississippi native angling for Nashville’s softer, feel-good center." Selling out shows nationwide, more information can be found online by visiting www.RandyHouser.com.

The Band Perry With The Strangest Album Announcement Yet (Really!)

They must have read the article about "why short-form video is the future of marketing."

Carrie Underwood: The Blown Away Tour

The Country Music Hall Of Fame will explore superstar Carrie’s record-breaking world tour with an exhibition which opens on June 5, 2013, and runs through November 10, 2013.

It will include costumes, instruments, microphones, set pieces, and more from the six-time Grammy winner’s acclaimed 2012-13 “Blown Away Tour.”

Underwood's current release, Blown Away, made history last year when it debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums Chart, making the Oklahoma native only the second country artist in the 47-year history of the chart to have each of their first four albums debut at #1.

Caroline Cutbirth & Jen Wayne On "The Amazing Race"

You might remember them from Stealing Angels but now they are participants in the 22nd season of The Amazing race.

You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter (#CarolineandJen) or go to their website (CarolineandJen.com) for updates.

Click here below to check out their anthem "Girls Gotcha Back".

Do you want to set up an interview with them?  click to e-mail.
 

'Nancy" Moves To BNA

The iconic comic strip character Nancy, who has starred in newspapers around the globe for over 80 years, has taken up residence at the Nashville International Airport.  The “Nancy Loves Nashville” exhibit opened today in the Concourse C Food and Retail Court (beyond the security checkpoint) and features the artwork of famed Nashville-area writer/illustrator Guy Gilchrist.  Ticketed passengers began to enjoy the more than 60 original pen and ink cartoons of the famed comic strip Nancy celebrating life in Music City, several Nancy one-of-a-kind Nancy guitars and a specially designed mural of Nancy and her boyfriend Sluggo flying high above the Nashville skyline.  Several pieces of the exhibit are on loan from the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum and highlight many of Gilchrist’s musical influences.  The exhibit will be on display through January 2014 and is part of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority’s (MNAA) Arts at the Airport program.

Nashville area resident Gilchrist is the world-renowned cartoonist who took over the classic newspaper comic strip Nancy in 1995. Since that time he has produced 365 comic strips a year for daily newspapers around the world. His credits include drawing Jim Henson’s Muppets comic strip, among other high-profile cartoons including Looney Tunes, Bugs Bunny, Tom & Jerry, The Pink Panther, Fraggle Rock and Tiny Dinos. He was also the co-creator of Muppet Babies. Guy is a two-time winner of the National Cartoonists Society’s prestigious Reuben Award for Best Illustrator and his work is permanently enshrined in the Smithsonian Institute. Guy learned the traditional ways of inking the black line of the cartoons using the same kinds of ink, brushes and dip pens that have been used by illustrators since the printing press was invented. Some of the pen points that he uses are over 100 years old.

Blake Shelton's New Album "Based On A True Story"

Shelton announced the release date of his new album, March 26, 2013.   The new LP features his current hit, “Sure Be Cool If You Did,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Digital Tracks chart in its first week of release.

‘The Voice’ coach-judge will be heading out on a major headlining tour of the U.S. beginning July 19th in Virginia Beach, VA.

The “Ten Times Crazier Tour” which features special guest Mercury Recording artist, Easton Corbin, and ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year nominee, Jana Kramer, will crisscross the country with dates through the summer.

For “Ten Times Crazier” dates, click here.

Full Track Listing Below:

Boys ‘Round Here
Sure Be Cool If You Did
Do You Remember
Small Town Big Time
Country On The Radio
My Eyes
Doing What She Likes
Still Got A Finger
Mine Would Be You
Lay Low
Ten Times Crazier
Granddaddy’s Gun
  
For more information: Tree Paine at Warner Music Nashville - 615.214.1500

Taylor Swift Gets Vulnerable To Write

Although she writes about her love life in her songs, Taylor is a fairly private person who doesn’t discuss her relationships outside of her lyrics, with one key exception. 

Swift says during the songwriting process she is an open book.

“When I go into a co-write, I don’t think it’s fair for them to not know what I want to write about. If I were to just play them the idea that I came in with. I want them to know the back story. So I’ll walk into a room with a co-writer and just say, “Hey, nice to meet you. I really need to tell you what I’ve been going through ‘cause this is what I want to write about.” At that point Taylor goes into the details of her love life and then she’ll share any song ideas she’s brought with her. She says, “That way they know the background on it. They’re not sitting there having to completely make assumptions based on something they don’t know. If I tell them everything I’m going through, then it’s easier to write about it.” She didn’t have to go through that process for her latest single, “Begin Again,” because it’s one of the songs on her Red album that she wrote completely on her own.

Eric Church To Release First-Ever "Live" Album

Church will release a 17-track live album, Caught In The Act: Live, on Tuesday, April 9, 2013 featuring songs from Sinners Like Me, Carolina, and his CMA Award-winning 2011 release, CHIEF. Act will be available for purchase on iTunes and in stores nationwide. The album was recorded at Chattanooga's Tivoli Theatre in October 2012 and is Church’s first live recording.

A double gatefold vinyl version of the record will also be made available on National Record Store Day, Saturday, April 20. The package will include four additional tracks and a special whiskey-infused 7-inch.
Caught In The Act: Live features raw, electric performances of songs like “Pledge Allegiance To The Hag,” “Smoke A Little Smoke,” “How ‘Bout You,” “Creepin’” and more. American Songwriter noted of the live taping, “[The] rendition of the soulful hit ‘Springsteen’ is one of his best, slipping into the first verse of Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run’ towards to end.” The writer adds, “[Church] sang and played just differently enough to create variety from his studio versions and his performance confirmed that his voice is easily just as good as how it sounds on a produced record.”
The release of Caught In The Act: Live is fans’ first chance to take home a copy of Church’s live show -- the only of the country genre to be named "Best Concerts Of 2012" by The New York Times who calls it, “A mean show,” and adds, “Mr. Church has clawed his way into the country mainstream with a series of post-outlaw anthems, and delivered them with verve and tension, as if he might not be allowed to for much longer.”

Blake Shelton On "The Today Show" Monday

Shelton will also be announcing exclusive details on his upcoming album release and also preview his new video.

With seven consecutive No. 1 singles (twelve overall), Blake’s infectious multi-week No.1 hit, “Honey Bee" holds the record for the fastest-selling digital Platinum single for a male country solo artist. Another smash hit, “Sure Be Cool If You Did” off his 10th studio recording due out this spring, which Entertainment Weekly gave an A-, is starting 2013 off with a bang. Blake Shelton’s passion for country music and his commitment to mentoring his teammates from The Voice makes him an ambassador for country music.

Starting July 19 in Virginia Beach, VA, you can catch Blake live on his “Ten Times Crazier Tour.”

George Strait To Be Honored With CRB Career Achievement Award

The country superstar will be honored with the 2013 Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. Career Achievement Award at the Country Radio Hall of Fame Induction on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m.
 
The CRB Achievement Award is presented to an individual artist or act that, through their creativity, vision, performance or leadership has made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of country music and country radio.

“George Strait has done a superb job promoting country music and country radio over the years. His dedication to the format and on-going contribution to the industry as a whole make him the perfect recipient for this award,” said Mike Culotta, CRS President.
 
With a career spanning more than 30 years, George Strait has the most number one singles of any artist in history including Elvis Presley.  He has sold nearly 69 million records and with 33 different platinum or multi-platinum albums, has the most RIAA platinum certifications in country music and the third in all genres behind The Beatles and Elvis Presley. Strait was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Strait is the only artist to have 85 out of 90 radio singles make it to Top 10 and 24 albums at the number one position on Billboard’s Country Music Album Chart, and has recently released “Give It All We Got Tonight” from his forthcoming 2013 album.
 
As previously announced, the evening will also feature Gaylan Christie being inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame and Dr. Don Carpenter, Crook & Chase, Eddie Edwards and Bill “Dex” Poindexter will be inducted in the Air Personality category. Bob Romeo will receive the 2013 Presidents’ Award.

Carrie Underwood Wanted Lots Of Drama

.. in her "Two Black Cadillacs."   

1. Click to listen to her audio clips about the song.
   
2. Click to enter the CMT "Two Black Cadillacs" Experience Sweepstakes

The Lady in Lady A is a Mentor on The Voice

Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott will act as a mentor for Adam Levine's team on the upcoming season of The Voice.

Scott tells Access Hollywood, "I'm sure [we'll have] way more fun than Blake's team!"

Season four begins March 25 on NBC-TV.

  -- Canada Country Aircheck

Eric Church Certified "Heavy Metal"

Church has scored a bunch of gold and platinum certifications for a number of his singles from the R.I.A.A. “Hell on the Heart” and “Creepin’” have been certified gold for more than 500,000 downloads, while “Drink in My Hand,” “Smoke a Little Smoke” and “Homeboy” have earned platinum certification for one-million downloads. “Springsteen” picks up double-platinum status for two-million downloads.

Eric, who is currently on tour in Canada, is nominated for a pair of Grammy Awards, including Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song for "Springsteen". The 55th GRAMMY Awards will air Sunday, February 10th on CBS.

It's "Two Lanes Of Freedom" Week

Tim McGraw is set to release his highly anticipated Big Machine Records debut, TWO LANES OF FREEDOM, tomorrow (2/5).

After being in New Orleans for the Super Bowl, he heads to the West Coast for The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Feb. 5) and a special live stream Ram Country on Yahoo! performance later that night aboard the USS Midway in San Diego at 7:30 p.m. PT.

He will guest on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (Feb 6) and Jimmy Kimmel Live! (Feb.7), pay tribute to friend and MusiCares Person of the Year Bruce Springsteen (Feb. 8) and wrap up with a visit to Chelsea Lately (Feb. 11).

In his record-shattering career, Tim has sold over 40 million albums and dominated the charts with 32 No. one singles.

On Monday, April 8, McGraw will tape an all-star concert special, ACM PRESENTS: TIM McGRAW'S SUPERSTAR SUMMER NIGHT, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be broadcast at a later date on the CBS Television Network. He is handpicking the hottest music of summer and calling on his friends to help kick off the 2013 touring season. He'll launch his own TWO LANES OF FREEDOM 2013 TOUR, presented by Pennzoil, in Birmingham, AL on May 2 and continue on to 30 cities through July. The U.S. trek will also feature emerging artists Brantley Gilbert and Love and Theft.

Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum February Events

CMHOF will be closed to the public through Wednesday, February 6, 2013, to make needed improvements and accommodate expansion-related construction.

The museum will reopen on Thursday, February 7, 2013, with a very busy month of activites after the reopening (click to read about all of them).

"We've had more than four million visitors since we moved downtown in May 2001," said Museum Director Kyle Young.  "We are usually closed on Tuesdays in January and February for routine maintenance, upgrades, etc.  

This winter, because of expansion-related construction, our efforts will be more substantial and will require a few more days.  The end result will be an enhanced experience for our visitors."

Kenny Chesney Plants His (Pirate) Flag

Chesney‘s new single is titled “Pirate Flag,” and was delivered to country radio at midnight, ET, and it’s the first taste of Kenny’s upcoming album, Life on a Rock, slated to release on April 30th.

In talking about “Pirate Flag,” (click to listen) Kenny says it’s a song about freedom, about wanting to get away from it all — and whatever may be happening in your life, that’s a familiar feeling for all of us.