Keith Urban photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

So the holidays are over and you’re thrilled to be back at work… right? Sorry if the answer’s no, but we all gotta do what we all gotta do. And just like the rest of us, country artists are going back to work en masse this week. Rascal Flatts tapes an acting role; Keith Urban, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood hit an awards show; and Brad Paisley is kicking off the next leg of his current tour.

Really. That really is work, as it’s defined in their job descriptions.

Anyway, here’s part of what some of country’s top acts are doing to get back to work this week:

• Keith Urban, Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood have all committed to hit the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles Wednesday night for the annual “People’s Choice Awards” on CBS. They’re each in the running for trophies along with Miley Cyrus, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, John Mayer and Susan Boyle, among music-related nominees.

• Rascal Flatts will tape its installment of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” in Santa Monica on Thursday, according to L.A. radio station KKGO. An air date hasn’t yet been announced.

• Danny Gokey makes his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry Friday night. With the annual Sound & Speed event taking place in Nashville over the weekend, several NASCAR drivers will act as emcees for the show, including Greg Biffle, Kyle Petty, Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin and Michael Waltrip. Other acts playing the Opry at the Ryman Auditorium include Jason Michael Carroll, Chris Young, Vince Gill and Hank Williams Jr.

• Martina McBride released a new single, “Wrong Baby Wrong,” to radio stations Tuesday. That came the day after Jewel released “Stay Here Forever,” the first single from the Valentine’s Day soundtrack.

• Diamond Rio has its first meeting Saturday for this year’s Team Rio effort to raise money by running in the Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon. Runners can enter the 16-week training program by signing up at 10 a.m. Saturday at Battleground Academy in Franklin, Tenn., or with a visit to www.teamrio.org.

• Brad Paisley rehearsed Tuesday for the next leg of his American Saturday Night Tour, which kicks off Thursday in San Antonio. Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore are along for the ride this time, and the first weekend includes the inaugural concert at the new InTrust Bank Center in Wichita, Kan.

• Darryl Worley will sing “God Bless America” before the 10th annual All-American Bowl Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. The game features high-school football players from around the country.

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