Jerrod Niemann Reveals Wedding Plans

Details on the country crooner’s imminent nuptial plans with fiancée, Morgan Petek in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday, October 12,  have been revealed exclusively to People Magazine.

In lieu of wedding gifts, Niemann and Petek have requested donations be made to Niemann’s recently established non-profit organization, Free The Music USA.

Born out of the couple’s deeply rooted belief that every child deserves the opportunity to explore their own musical talent, Free The Music USA is dedicated to collecting used musical instruments and giving them to children in need. Philanthropy has always been a cornerstone of Niemann and Petek’s relationship, and their shared passion for promoting music education is perfectly reflected in Free The Music USA. Donations in honor of their upcoming nuptials can be made here.

Keith Urban Is "Faithful" To His Fans

He created this karaoke video:

"The Raise 'Em Up Tour may have come to a close, but Keith Urban, his band and crew, as well as opening acts Jerrod Niemann and Brett Eldredge, are forever yours, faithfully," he says.

Jerrod Niemann Broadens His Base

Niemann is out on the road with Keith Urban, and Jerrod is looking forward to gelling with Keith’s fans.

Jerrod Niemann And ACM Help Deaf Kids "Hear The Music"

Niemann brings Songs for Sound kids onstage during his performance at the 2014 ACM Party for a Cause Festival in front of a 10,000+ audience to raise awareness for cochlear implant programs.

L to R - Jacob (brother of CI recipient), Lexi - CI recip., Charlotte - CI recip.

PHOTO COURTESY of SARA KAUSS PHOTOGRAPHY

Keith Urban Set To "Raise 'Em Up"

Keith is excited to return to the stage with his tour this summer. The trek, which will feature Jerrod Niemann and special guest, Brett Eldredge, will feature an all-new stage production and some music that wasn’t performed during his previous Light the Fuse Tour.

“Whatever my vision may be, it’ll keep moving and changing as we actually start to put the tour together, but I want to be able to create a different experience for everybody than what we’ve done in the past,” says Urban. “There’s a lot of anthemic quality to the record and a lot of energy to the record. So, to expand upon songs from that album in the set, but also to bring in some sort of album track rarities from Be Here, potentially Golden Road, Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing, some of those records, because we get fans coming to multiple shows. I like the fact that so many of ‘em, they’re really, really knowledgeable of my whole catalog, and this would be a good opportunity to pull out some songs we’ve never even done in concert before.”

The Raise ‘Em Up Tour kicks off July 12th north of the border at the Calgary Stampede, before opening in the U.S. July 17th in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The tour is currently scheduled to wrap September 13th at the Washington State Fair.

On Sunday, Keith will be performing at the ACM Awards, where he’s up for six awards including Male Vocalist of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for both “We Were Us” (with Miranda Lambert) and “The Highway Don’t Care” (with Tim McGraw and Taylor Swift).

Jerrod Niemann, Darius Rucker & CBS Hosts To Announce ACM Nominees

There will also be special VIP guests announcing categories via online video posts.

WHAT:   The third annual ACM digital press conference, hosted by the Academy of Country Music, CBS Television and dick clark productions via ACM social media channels, to announce the nominees for the 49th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, Country Music’s Party of the Year® to be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network.   

WHO: Fox Sports broadcaster Erin Andrews, 2 Broke Girls star Beth Behrs, reigning ACM Songwriter of the Year Dallas Davidson, The Insider co-anchor Kevin Frazier, Singer and Pretty Little Liars star Lucy Hale, CBS This Morning co-anchor Gayle King, Jerrod Niemann, Entertainment Tonight co-anchor Nancy O’Dell, Duck Dynasty stars Willie and Korie Robertson, Darius Rucker, The Talk hosts Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Aisha Tyler & Sheryl Underwood and more surprise guests will announce via videos posted in real time to fans and media, simultaneously.  

WHEN:   Wednesday, January 29, 2014 7:00 AM PST
   
The final round of judging by ACM members will begin Monday, February 3rd at 9am PT and will close Tuesday, February 11th at 9pm PT.

The Week Las Vegas Goes Country Keeps Growing

EVENT: Join us during The Week Vegas Goes Country® for the 2^nd annual ACM PARTY FOR A CAUSE FESTIVAL being held April 4^th and 5^th in Las Vegas at The LINQ, Caesars Entertainment’s new open-air retail, dining and entertainment district at the heart of the famous Las Vegas Strip. The two-day, ticketed outdoor music festival will feature multiple stages for ongoing LIVE country music performances, interactive games, a country marketplace, and more.

Headliners Rascal Flatts will kick off the ACM PARTY FOR A CAUSE FESTIVAL on Friday, April 4^th with Thomas Rhett, The Cadillac Three, and special guests to be announced. Keith Urban headlines Saturday, April 5^th with Joe Nichols, Jerrod Niemann, Chris Young, and more yet to be announced including the ACM New Artist of the Year nominees! 

A portion of proceeds from all tickets sales from the ACM PARTY FOR A CAUSE FESTIVAL will benefit worthy charities selected by the performers and our partners. You’ll be helping to raise awareness and funds while watching your favorite stars perform! This is truly the “feel good party of the year!”

To purchase tickets, please visit www.ticketmaster.com and search keywords “Academy of Country Music” or “ACM.”

General Admission two-day ticket packages are available for $65 each. The ticket gives you access to the festival grounds and performances on both Friday and Saturday from Noon until 12:00 a.m.

ACM And Jerrod Niemann Lift Lives

Everyone needs a little break from reality, and what better way to do it than by visiting the islands?! 

Well, we may not be able to send you to the tropics, but the ACM Lifting Lives Music Campers created an original song called “Livin’ on Island Time” with Niemann and songwriter Lance Miller that will do the trick! 

Check out a clip from their performance on the Grand Ole Opry and other highlights from the incredible week with Lauren Alaina, Jake Owen, Love and Theft and producer Ross Copperman. 

More artists announced for CMA Music Festival

It's time to start planning your daily music stops at the 2013 CMA Music Festival as CMA just announced more than 30 artists that will perform on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage. The lineup includes Brett Eldredge, Sara Evans, Gloriana, Casey James, Craig Morgan, David Nail, Jerrod Niemann, Eric Paslay, Tate Stevens, Gretchen Wilson and more! Visit CMAfest.com for the full lineup and to begin adding your favorites to your own schedule!

Tickets to the nightly LP Field concerts sold out faster than ever (a record-setting six weeks in advance), but the good news for the fans is if you didn’t get a ticket for LP Field there are nine other entertainment and music stages, plus special events, and activities throughout downtown Nashville to enjoy for free.

Country Thunder 2013 Music Festival Officially Sold Out

In a first for Arizona Country Thunder history, festival organizers announced the 4-day country music lifestyle event has SOLD OUT reaching a capacity crowd of 25,000 patrons and filling 5,100 campsites.

Day three of Country Thunder kept the party going with a musical extravaganza headlined by Toby Keith, Lee Brice, Diamond Rio, Parmalee and Morgan Frazier.  The beautiful desert landscape, along with cooperative weather, has provided music lovers with an unforgettable experience.

Ticketholders will get to soak in the final day (Sunday) of action at Country Thunder with main stage performances by Lady Antebellum, Justin Moore, Jerrod Niemann and Aaron Lewis.  Local artists, including Dry River Yacht Club and Gospel Claws, hit the College Times Stage while Electric Thunder and Moonshine Willy’s kept the party going to the wee hours of the morning.

FUN FACT:
More than 50,000 rolls of toilet paper (and over 900 port-o-potties), 5,000 lemons for lemonade and 20 tons of trash made their way through the festival grounds.

2014 tickets go on sale starting Tuesday, April 16th calling (866) 802-6418 or by visiting www.countrythunder.com.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Webster & Associates Public Relations & Marketing
Caitlin DeForest / 256-899-3439 cell

Jerrod Niemann And Lee Brice Team Up

Here's the story behind "Only God Could Love You More" from the singer-songwriter.

Rock Your Room

In an effort to Free The Music with his new album available Oct. 2, Jerrod Niemann is partnering with over 360 colleges and universities across the country, to present  "Rock Your Room." The sweepstakes gives one lucky student over $700 of the latest SONY electronics and an exclusive live performance from Niemann in their dorm room. Also, fans can now go to his official site to pre-order exclusive merchandise bundles including a limited edition vinyl of Free the Music, blacklight poster, CD and more.

The grand prize winner of the "Rock Your Room"  sweepstakes will not only get a once-in-a-lifetime live performance from Niemann, but a 32” Sony Bravia Television, PS Vita Madden NFL 13 Bundle, 2GB W Series Walkman Meb Keflezighi and portable iPod + iPhone speaker. The first runner-up will receive an autographed CD and vinyl of Free The Music, a limited edition Free The Music drum head and 23" by 35” black light poster. The following five runner-ups will each get an autographed copy of the album. “ Rock Your Room” kicks off today and continues through Oct. 22, 2012.

Additionally, fans who log on now  through Oct. 2 to Niemann's Official Music Store to pre-order exclusive merchandise bundles will also receive a FREE download of Niemann’s current single  “Shinin’ On Me," which is Top 20 on Billboard and climbing.

To enter the "Rock Your Room"  sweepstakes, visit http://rockyourroom.jerrodniemannofficial.com.

Fans can encourage friends to apply by posting Jerrod's shout-out video on social networks and also using the Twitter hashtag #FreeTheMusic.

To join Jerrod Niemann's fan club www.DehydrationNation.net.

Jerrod Niemann Bros Out

Jerrod Niemann is reflecting on his relationships with buddies Jamey Johnson and Randy Houser, Jerrod says he's struck by how loyal Jamey has been, helping him out in the early days when he didn't have to. And he thinks so much of Randy, he wants someone just like him as a son-in-law someday.


"Jamey, he has the essence of the outlaw thing going on," Jerrod tells The Boot, "so he's a very important artist to the format. The one thing the world should see is that Jamey is really caring and loyal to a fault ... he is so loyal, that he will hurt himself just to help you. It's pretty crazy! And Randy Houser -- out of all of my friends, if I had a daughter I'd hope she marries someone as good as Randy. He's a good guy. He's my only friend I'd say that about. I mean, Jamey's a good dude, too, but the guys are supposed to be scared of their father-in-law, not the other way around -- not be scared of your daughter's husband! [laughs] Randy's just as soulful as it gets, too ... a true Southern gentleman. And he has the best laugh in the world! Randy's laugh, they should bottle it up and sell it."


Jerrod admits that his current success wouldn't have been possible without the kindness and support of his friends in the Traler Park, (the name they gave themselves back in the day when they were playing jam sessions in the honky-tonks) including longtime buddy Lee Brice as well. The boys formed a solid brotherhood that may have tested their livers, but definitely strengthened their hearts, according to Jerrod.


"I wouldn't be where I am today without these guys, Jamey and Randy especially. They've done a lot of things for me, like the Traler Park Revival tour. That was two years ago, and I didn't even have a record deal then, which was an amazing thing that Jamey allowed me to go on the road with them. It means a lot, because I certainly was not contributing anything musically back then; I was basically just being a friend. It's that friendship that pulls you through. Music brought us together, but then real life is what makes you brothers."


Jamey and Randy are out with Willie Nelson on his Country Throwdown tour, while Jerrod takes to the road as part of Brad Paisley's H20 II World tour.

Niemann And His iPod

Jerrod Niemann is not shy about his iPod music list because there are no such things as guilty pleasures for the singer.


When chatting with a Detroit radio station recently, Niemann said, “I don’t have embarrassing songs. My iPod, it’s pretty dear to me, so I am not embarrassed. My parents owned a roller skating rink while I was growing up, so there are those songs. And some old-school Tupac, the song, ‘Me Against the World, ‘ and old-school stuff, like ‘Walk This Way,’ with Run DMC and Aerosmith.”


Jerrod also likes indie rockers Vampire Weekend and also encouraged people to send him songs because he might end up storing them on his portable device.


Niemann recalled his first meeting with Garth Brooks. Niemann has provided Brooks with a batch of songs he had written. He eventually had a face-to-face with Brooks saying, “I went to his house and he really makes you feel comfortable.”

Guitars Of The Stars Coming In June

The third annual Guitars of the Stars Benefit Auction Thursday, June 9, 4 p.m. at Hall of Fame Park in the middle of CMA Music Fest.


All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Opry Trust Fund which assists members of the country music community in need.


Among the stars confirmed to contribute guitars they’ve designed in celebration of their current singles, hobbies, favorite country songs, or country music heroes are Jerrod Niemann, Darius Rucker, and Carrie Underwood.
Also this year, Nashville visual artists Lucie Rice and Cindy Wunsch will contribute guitars inspired by the music of other favorite artists including award-winning group Rascal Flatts.


Grand Ole Opry triple threat Steve Wariner and Columbia Nashville recording artist Josh Thompson will each contribute performances and an autographed guitar to the free event, as well..


The Opry Trust Fund has for more than 40 years assisted members of the country music community in need of help with medical bills, living expenses, utilities, rent, and food.

Country Charts In Review

Credit: billboard.com

Sara Evans' 'A Little Bit Stronger' takes over the top of both the Mediabase/Country Aircheck and Billboard country singles charts this week.


Miranda Lambert's 'Heart Like Mine' is No. 2 on both and Kenny Chesney's 'Live a Little,' drops to No. 3. Holding steady at #4 sits Jerrod Niemann's 'What Do You Want from Me' while Rascal Flatts gains one spot with 'I Won't Let Go', now at #5. Brad Paisley and Alabama take 'Old Alabama' to #6 and Keith Urban climbs two places ending up at #7 with 'Without You.'


Darius Rucker's #1 hit 'This' still hangs on at #8, Taylor Swift enters the Top 10 with 'Mean' at #9 and The Band Perry again remains at #10 with 'You Lie.'


Sara relates to 'A Little Bit Stronger,'. "I'm definitely relating to that title," Sara said. "I mean, I feel stronger in every single way. No one wants to go through a hard time in their life, but everyone's going to, and most people have. I just feel stronger now in every single way possible: physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, romantically. Just in every single way, I'm a stronger woman because of going through hard times. 'A Little Bit Stronger' is definitely a huge statement, not only for me, but hopefully, it speaks to my fans."


The country songstress is nominated for a CMT Music Award for Female Video of the Year for 'A Little Bit Stronger,' which is from her latest album, 'Stronger.' The 2011 CMT Music Awards will air live from Nashville June 8 on CMT.