blake shelton takes the top

Blake Shelton reached the top of the Billboard Country Songs chart for the week ending 5 March 2011 with Who Are You When I'm Not Looking. He took over from Luke Bryan's Someone Else Calling You Baby, which fell to fourth. Lady Antebellum jumped back to the top of the Country Albums chart with "Need You Now" after enjoying a big boost from their Grammy wins. Lady A took over from Jason Aldean's "My Kinda Party," which fell to third. Taylor Swift was  in between with "Speak Now" staying second.  The Zac Brown Band was up one to fourth with "You Get What You Give," while Miranda Lambert jumped four spots to fifth with "Revolution."


Jason Aldean's song jumped from six to two with Don't You Wanna Stay, with Kelly Clarkson helping out. Brad Paisley moved up two to third with This is Country Music. Swift's latest single, Back to December, was at five, up two. New duo Thompson Square had its first top 10 with Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not at 10, up 2.
Zac Brown Band's Colder Weather climbed 3 places to 11. Keith Urban was a big mover with With You jumping from 34 to 28, but Kenny Chesney was an even bigger mover. Live a Little skyrocketed from 38 to 29.


On the overall top 200, Lady Antebellum jumped from 17 to 4. Swift was 15th, Aldean 16th, Zac Brown Band 21st and Lambert 26th. 

u2 to play glastonbury festival

U2 guitarist The Edge has confirmed the band will be headlining at this year's Glastonbury festival - a year after they were forced to pull out of a historical performance at the English event because of frontman Bono's bad back.
The Irish band were replaced by Gorillaz last year, while Bono underwent surgery to fix severe compression of the sciatic nerve.
But now Bono's better and The Edge has ended months of speculation by stating the Irish rockers will close the opening night of the festival on 24 June 2011.
He made the big announcement during a video message played at the NME Awards in London, when Glastonbury picked up a third successive Best Festival prize.
The Edge said, "Congratulations to (founder) Michael and Emily (Eavis) and the rest of the team for the continued success of Glastonbury. It's more a way of life than a festival.
"I have to say there is something really special and iconic about that stage. So, we're all looking forward to coming back to pick up where I left off. U2 will be playing June 24. And we're so excited to get to play in front of the world's greatest festival audience. We'll see you there!"
Coldplay and Beyonce have also been confirmed as headliners at this year's festival. 

toby keith iTunes deal

For 1 week only, get Toby Keith “20th Century Masters” on sale at iTunes for only $5.99 and “35 Biggest Hits” on sale at iTunes starting today for $14.99.  Also check out some other all-time favorite albums on sale as well. 

underwood banned on radio station

Country music star Carrie Underwood's songs have been banned from a radio station in Ottawa, Canada.
KISS 105.3 is blaming Underwood for her husband Mike Fisher's move to Nashville.  Fisher was traded from the Ottawa Senators to the Nashville Predators on 10 Feb. 2011.  The station's executives said he was "lured way" from the Senators hockey team "by a country music star."  Fisher told the Vancouver Sun that his wife was extremely disappointed and frustrated by the radio ban, saying Carrie had nothing to do with the trade.

grand line up for the opry

If you’ve been thinking about visiting the Grand Ole Opry, 4-5 March 2011 would be a really good time to go. Some of country’s biggest stars will take part in the "Opry All-Star Weekend." Scheduled to perform are Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, The Band Perry,  Rodney Atkins, Hall of Famer Little Jimmy Dickens and more. A second show has been added to the weekend line-up on Fri., 4 March 2011.
Additionally, fans will have a chance to meet Opry member Terri Clark, who will sign copies of her latest CD, The Long Way Home, and her new DVD, “Live At Cedar Creek,” in The Opry Shop on 5 March 2011 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. before appearing on that night’s Opry show. 

Velvet Revoler new front man

Slash has admitted the rumours about Corey Taylor being involved with Velvet Revolver are true – but a final decision has yet to be made.
The guitarist had been avoiding making any comment on the gossip, while the Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman simply said: “To be continued.”
Now it seems that’s an accurate picture of the situation: due to Slash’s touring commitments the band ran out of time to decide whether to bring Taylor on board as replacement for Scott Weiland, who was saked in 2008.
“There was truth to the rumour that we were looking at Corey – but then I left for tour. So there’s nothing being done at the moment. No decision has been made.”
Velvet Revolver have been notoriously cautious about choosing a new frontman. The band includes three ex-members of Guns n’Roses: Slash himself, bassist Duff McKagan and drummer Matt Sorum alongside guitarist Dave Kushner.
Now the guitarist says: “Beggars can’t be choosers. The most important thing is to find people who are musically capable, then you have to take their personality into account. It’s something you need to accept within reason if they play the way you want them to play.
“A lot of musicians are crazy – that’s what makes them great musicians.”
The ruling doesn’t seem to apply to Taylor, however, widely regarded as a well-balanced character. McKagan last week described him as “a cool guy and a cool musician.”

Grafton Fair Dinkum Country Music Round-Up

Grafton is set to host its very own celebration of country music if Bob Vickers’ vision comes true.
The idea for the inaugural Grafton Fair Dinkum Country Music Round-Up has been very well received around the town, and with planning set to begin properly next week, Mr Vickers is confident the event will take place from 10-13 November 10 to 13 2011.
“We want it to follow straight on from the Jacaranda Festival, it fits in well with the artists and it fits in well with the venues,” he said
Representatives of the dog track, racecourse, services club and chamber of commerce have all shown support for the idea and are planning to attend a group meeting next week to develop the idea, he said.
“The mayor has also offered support for the idea. Everyone I speak to thinks this will work, no one has said ‘this is a stupid idea’,” Mr Vickers said.
While there are a number of good country music festivals around the state, none of these are easily accessed from Grafton. Mr Vickers is aiming to replicate all the best aspects of these festivals at the Grafton Round-Up.
He is planning a Thursday to Sunday event with bush poets and walk-up performers in the mornings at the dog track, music performances on stage at the race track in the afternoon through to the evening, and with extra events at the services club.
He also wants buskers to perform through the CBD of Grafton.
He is also keen to only support “traditional” country music.
“I’m an out-and-out traditional country music fan,” he said.
“We will only have performers who have live backing and who know their music and lyrics by heart. We also want traditional country not rock country.
“That is why we are calling it Fair Dinkum,” he said.
Anyone with input, ideas or who wants to volunteer their time to make Grafton’s Country Music Round-Up a huge success is encouraged to get in touch with Mr Vickers  via email: graftoncountrymusic@gmail.com.

ozzy osbourne wobblers

Singer Ozzy Osbourne has revealed that he still suffers from the side-effects of drug abuse.
The former Black Sabbath frontman, who battled drink and drug addiction for a major part of his career, admitted he often experiences 'wobblers' brought on by the LSD he took during his wild drug taking days.
'LSD is a great time until it isn't. One minute you're running down Miami Beach with a foam finger on your head, the next you're sticking a gun in your best friend's face,' he said in his latest column in Rolling Stone magazine.
'I still get the after-effects of LSD to this day - I call them my wobblers. In a flash, every little problem freaks me out and becomes the end of the world.'
The 62-year-old rocker - who has three children with wife Sharon Osbourne and another three kids from his marriage to Thelma Riley - also admitted his drug addictions nearly killed him.
'With the drugs, it nearly killed me on a daily basis - I did a lot of heavy drug taking for a long time and I survived it. You might not be as lucky as me - I'm living on borrowed time,' said Osbourne.

jason aldean gets tv time

Jason Aldean will appear on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Conan on Tuesday, 22 Feb. 2011. Aldean will join Kelly Clarkson on "Don't You Wanna Stay" on DeGeneres' syndicated daytime series, followed by a performance of "My Kinda Party" on Conan O'Brien's late night talk show. "Other than when we debuted 'Stay' on the CMA Awards, we haven't really had a chance to perform the song together on TV," Aldean said. "Something happened while we were off for the holidays, and that song has just taken off. You can really feel the impact out on the road the minute we play the first note." 

justin moore - bus fire

When Justin Moore headlined at the Royal Oaks Theatre in March 2010, his Gibson J-45 guitar was stolen by a fan. (The guitar was later returned.)
16 February 2011, as Justin and his crew traveled to the Detroit area for a WYCD radio event, his tour bus caught fire around 4 a.m. The fire, which originated from one of the batteries connected to the bus's generator, engulfed the engine in flames while Justin and his crew slept.
The alarm sounded just as the bus began filling with smoke.  Justin and his crew were able to evacuate safely as Justin's bus driver extinguished the fire.  No one was injured and the bus sustained minor smoke damage. A replacement bus has been sent to the Detroit area so Justin and his crew can continue on his current club tour.
Ever the professional, Justin takes the event in stride. "Well . . . we really love coming to the Detroit area. I just hope in the future it gets a little more simple, as far as our trips go!" he said in a release. "In all seriousness, we're thankful that we're all safe, and feel blessed. It could've been a lot worse than it was."

bonnaroo 2011!

Arcade Fire,  Eminem and country music icon Loretta Lynn are among the major stars announced for the 10th annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee.

Much like the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California and the Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts in Britain, Bonnaroo is among the top live music gatherings of the year.
Typically some 80,000 people from around the world trek to Manchester, Tenn., about an hour southeast of Nashville, for the four-day event. This year's Bonnaroo runs 9-12 June 2011.
For the 2011 edition, other major acts will be Widespread Panic, The Black Keys, Buffalo Springfield featuring Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Richie Furay, Rick Rosas and Joe Vitale, My Morning Jacket, Lil Wayne, Robert Plant & Band of Joy and Mumford & Sons.
Also included are The Strokes, The Decemberists, Dr. John and the Original Meters and Florence & the Machine.
Tickets, which include four days of music, camping and parking, go on sale at noon Saturday, 19 February 2011, at the event's website, bonnaroo.com.

lady antebellum wins 5 grammy awards

Country music group Lady Antebellum emerged big winners, taking home five trophies at the 53rd Grammy Awards while biggies like Lady Gaga and Eminem followed close with three and two golden gramophones respectively.

Antebellum's 'Need You Now' won the Record of the Year and Best Country Album Grammys, while the title track bagged the Song Of The Year, Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals and Best Country Song awards at Sunday night's ceremony held at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.

underwood's hockey husband traded to the predators

Country music singer Carrie Underwood will no longer have to wait for Ottawa Senators' road trips to see her hockey-playing husband, 30-year-old Canadian center Mike Fisher.
The Senators traded Fisher to the Nashville Predators on Thursday for a first-round NHL Draft pick and a future pick conditional on Fisher's performance with the club in the American country music capitol.
Underwood, a former "American Idol" winner who married Fisher last year, lives in Nashville and will welcome an end to their long-distance romance even as the Senators lose their co-leader in goals with 14.
"I'm sure a lot of teams would have coveted Mike but we're hoping it is going to be an attractive situation for Mike and his wife," Predators general manager David Poile said.
Fisher would likely make his Nashville debut Saturday against Colorado.
"This is not a rental like a lot of deals are at the trading deadline," Poile said. "This is a deal that is hopefully going to help us down the stretch this year, but hopefully help us for a lot of years to come."
The Predators have reached the playoffs five times in the past six years but have not advanced beyond the opening round. They rank fifth in the Western Conference this season with 29 triumphs and 65 points through 55 games.
The Senators rank third-worst in the NHL with 17 wins and 42 points from 55 games.

chris young ~ 3rd #1 with Voices

Grammy nominated  Chris Young is celebrating “Voices” becoming his third consecutive #1 single from his sophomore album, The Man I Want To Be. “Voices” takes the #1 position on both the Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Aircheck charts.

The feat is made even sweeter as Young breaks a 25-year record, marking only the second time in the history of Billboard country chart that an artist re-released the same recording to chart-topping status. “Voices” becomes the first re-release to reach #1 since Randy Travis’s “On The Other Hand” went to the top in 1986 after initially peaking at #67.

“Voices”– co-written by Young, Chris Tompkins, and Craig Wiseman- was first released summer 2008 and originally peaked on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart at #37 as the debut single from Young’s sophomore album, The Man I Want to Be. “Gettin’ You Home” and “The Man I Want To Be” and “Voices” have all three reached the #1 position.

On the heels of this exciting news the brand new single “TOMORROW,” from Young’s highly anticipated forthcoming summer album release, delivers digitally to country radio 7 February 2011.

zac brown welcomes daughter #4

Zac Brown and his wife welcomed their fourth daughter.
Shelly, Zac's wife,  delivered Joni Mason Brown 2 Feb 2011 at the couple's Atlanta-area home, according to a posting on the band's web site. The baby weighs 7 pounds, 14 ounces. She joins three sisters: 4-year-old Justice, 2-year-old Lucy and 1-year-old Georgia.
The band is up for four Grammy Awards next week and just received five Academy of Country Music Awards nominations as a band. Brown got four nominations as a producer and composer.

46th annual acm nominations

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

•  Jason Aldean

• Toby Keith

•  Miranda Lambert

•  Brad Paisley

•  Taylor Swift

•  Keith Urban

TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

•  Jason Aldean

•  Brad Paisley

•  Blake Shelton

• George Strait

• Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

•  Miranda Lambert

• Reba McEntire

• Taylor Swift

• Carrie Underwood

• Lee Ann Womack

TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

• the JaneDear girls

• Joey + Rory

• Montgomery Gentry

• Steel Magnolia

• Sugarland

TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Lady Antebellum

• Little Big Town

• Randy Rogers Band

• The Band Perry

• Zac Brown Band

TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST OF THE YEAR (Previously Announced)

• Eric Church

• Easton Corbin

• Randy Houser

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO or GROUP OF THE YEAR (Previously Announced)

• the JaneDear girls

• Steel Magnolia

• The Band Perry

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (TIE)

• Hemingway's Whiskey - Kenny Chesney (BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

• Need You Now - Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley

• The Guitar Song - Jamey Johnson (Mercury) Produced by: Arlis Albritton, Dave Cobb, The Kent Hardly Playboys

• Speak Now - Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records) Produced by: Nathan Chapman, Taylor Swift

• You Get What You Give - Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (TIE)

• "A Little More Country Than That" - Easton Corbin (Mercury) Produced by: Carson Chamberlain

• "As She's Walking Away" - Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

• "If I Die Young" - The Band Perry (Republic Nashville) Produced by: Paul Worley

• "Love Like Crazy" - Lee Brice (Curb Records) Produced by: Lee Brice, Doug Johnson

• "The Boys Of Fall" - Kenny Chesney (BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney

• "The House That Built Me" - Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

SONG OF THE YEAR [Award to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

• "A Little More Country Than That" - Easton Corbin Composers: Rory Lee Feek, Don Poythress, Wynn Varble Publishers: A Sling And A Prayer Music (ASCAP), Chrysalis One Music (ASCAP), Don Poythress Songs (ASCAP), Precious Flour Music (BMI), Universal Music-MGB Songs (ASCAP), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

• "As She's Walking Away" - Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson Composers: Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette Publishers: Angelika Music (BMI), Weimerhound Publishing (BMI)

• "If I Die Young" - The Band Perry Composer: Kimberly Perry Publishers: Pearlfeather Publishing (BMI), Rio Bravo Music, Inc. (BMI)

• "Love Like Crazy" - Lee Brice Composers: Tim James, Doug Johnson Publishers: Mike Curb Music (BMI), Sweet Radical Music (BMI), T-Bird's Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI)

• "The House That Built Me" - Miranda Lambert Composers: Tom Douglas, Allen Shamblin Publishers: Built On Rock (ASCAP), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tomdouglasmusic (BMI)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Award to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] *(Off Camera Award)

• "Hillbilly Bone" - Blake Shelton Featuring Trace Adkins Producer: Randy Brewer Director: Roman White

• "Only Prettier" - Miranda Lambert Producer: Trent Hardville Director: Trey Fanjoy

• "Stuck Like Glue" - Sugarland Producer: Tony McGarry Director: Declan Whitebloom

• "The Boys Of Fall" - Kenny Chesney Producer: Don Lepore Director: Shaun Silva

• "The House That Built Me" - Miranda Lambert Producer: Trent Hardville Director: Trey Fanjoy

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Award to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (Off Camera Award)

• "As She's Walking Away" - Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson (Southern Ground / Roar / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Zac Brown, Keith Stegall

• "Blue Sky" - Emily West Featuring Keith Urban (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Mark Bright

• "Coal Miner's Daughter" - Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow and Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: John Carter Cash, Patsy Lynn Russell

• "Cold Beer" - Colt Ford Featuring Jamey Johnson (Average Joes) Produced by: Shannon Houchins, Jared Scuillo, Justin Spillner

• "Good To Be Me" - Uncle Kracker Featuring Kid Rock (Top Dog/ Atlantic / Bigger Picture) Produced by: Kid Rock

garth brooks biggest tour of december 2010

Garth Brooks ranked No. 1 with the highest-netting tour of December 2010 with his 9 shows in Nashville to benefit flood relief. 

 

"Tennessee has shown amazing character through all of this," Brooks said. "It is an honor to get to be a part of the healing process."

 

The Bridgestone Arena-only dates brought over $4 million. At the same time, Prince's "Welcome 2 America" tour generated $2 million, placing the pop star 2nd to Brooks.

 

Originally, only one show was planned for December. But the 17,000-seat Nashville venue sold out in less than three hours. More dates were added, bringing the total of shows to nine over a seven-day period.

 

Proceeds from Brooks' Nashville shows went to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.