LoCash Cowboys

By LORIE HOLLABAUGH

© 2013 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

The LoCash Cowboys have been down on their luck more than a few times during their 10-year career. But the high-energy, fun-spirited duo is still betting that the odds are in its favor as it prepares to release its first album.

Preston Brust and Chris Lucas met when they were working as DJs at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon. Soon, they landed additional work at Tootsies Orchid Lounge. But when they were offered the coveted Friday night gig at Tootsies, having signed with the booking agency Buddy Lee Attractions, they elected to hit the road.

“I saw a wild side in them that maybe had not happened in Nashville or Country Music for a while — or ever, to be honest,” said Tony Conway, then CEO at Buddy Lee. “I was impressed with their humor and the vision and the dreams they had. Lots of record company folks thought they sounded and looked like the Mötley Crüe of County Music, but in fact they were exploring and developing the style they would fine-tune and have down completely today.” Continue Reading

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Billy Currington photo by Kate Powers, courtesy of UMG Nashville.

The Tennessean reports Billy Currington was indicted by the Chatham County Grand Jury in Georgia Wednesday for making “terroristic threats” against a charter boat captain.

According to the police report, on April 15 Charles Harvey Ferrelle was giving a boat tour of the Tybee Island area to two paying customers. When he drove in front of Billy’s house, Billy became upset and started yelling at the boat, but Ferrelle continued the tour. When he came back by Billy’s house, Billy got in his boat and chased Ferrelle’s back into his slip.

The report adds that Billy told Ferrelle he was going to beat him up, and that as he was pursuing Ferrelle he drove too close to another dock and nearly knocked an elderly man into the water. Billy was also charged with abuse of an elder person. The Tennessean says it is unclear if that charge is related to the exchange with Ferrelle or to the elderly man who nearly fell in the water.

To read the complete article, click HERE.

Two days after the incident, Billy tweeted, “harrassing artists often at their home by boat should be illegal. thas all i know.”

Yesterday he tweeted, “hey guys, I wanted to thank everyone for the huge amount of support that I have received already. Unfortunately, I can’t comment on this situation as this is an ongoing legal matter. It means a lot to me to have your support during this time.”

In 2007 Billy entered a month-long trauma recovery program in Arizona to deal with anger issues stemming from childhood abuse. He received 6 months of follow-up treatment in Hawaii after that program and returned to his career, charting hits including “Pretty Good at Drinkin’ Beer” and “People Are Crazy.”

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Ashley Monroe’s 2013 CD, Like A Rose.

By Erin Duvall

© 2013 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.

Though Ashley Monroe is hardly a newcomer to country music, many fans will hear her for the first time on her own with Like a Rose – her first solo effort since she achieved visibility as a member of Pistol Annies, which also includes Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley.

But for Vince Gill, who produced Like a Rose with Justin Niebank, his acquaintance with and admiration for Monroe goes back about a decade.

Read our review of Ashley Monroe’s Like A Rose >>

“I first met Ashley when she had just moved to town. I called her up to figure out a time and place [to write], and she said, ‘By the way, can you come pick me up? I’m not old enough to drive yet,’” he recalled, with a laugh. “I fell in love with the kid right off the bat. There are some people who come along who have old souls. She seems to be that. I can’t champion her talent enough as a songwriter. And then, on top of that, she sings like a bird.” Continue Reading

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Blake Shelton photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville.

Blake Shelton has been getting heat for some comments he made during GAC’s updated Backstory: Blake Shelton. In the special, Blake discussed his 2010 CMA award for Male Vocalist of the Year and what it meant to him in the context of country music’s evolution.

“If I am “Male Vocalist of the Year” that must mean that I’m one of those people now that gets to decide if it moves forward and if it moves on,” said Blake. “Country music has to evolve in order to survive. Nobody wants to listen to their grandpa’s music. And I don’t care how many of these old farts around Nashville going, “My God, that ain’t country!” Well that’s because you don’t buy records anymore, jackass. The kids do, and they don’t want to buy the music you were buying.”

When various websites began posting that portion of Blake’s interview, some country fans and artists were offended by Blake’s comments. Country legend Ray Price posted this statement on his Facebook page:

“It’s a shame that I have spend [sic] 63 years in this business trying to introduce music to a larger audience and to make it easier for the younger artists who are coming behind me. Every now and then some young artist will record a rock and roll type song, have a hit first time out with kids only. This is why you see stars come with a few hits only and then just fade away believing they are God’s answer to the world. This guy sounds like in his own mind that his head is so large no hat ever made will fit him. Stupidity Reigns Supreme!!!!!!! Ray Price (CHIEF “OLD FART” & JACKASS”) ” P.S. YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY AS US OLD-TIMERS. CHECK BACK IN 63 YEARS (THE YEAR 2075) AND LET US KNOW HOW YOUR NAME AND YOUR MUSIC WILL BE REMEMBERED.”

Soon after, Ray Stevens’ representative released this statement from the country comedian: Continue Reading

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The Academy of Country Music and Great American Country (GAC) announced today that for the fifth consecutive year, the newcomer categories for the 48^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards — New Female Vocalist, New Male Vocalist and New Vocal Duo or Group —will be opened up to interactive fan voting through VoteACM.com and GACTV.com/ACM, beginning Monday, January 21, 2013.

The Academy of Country Music will award trophies in three individual newcomer categories of New Male Vocalist, New Female Vocalist and New Vocal Duo or Group. The winners of each will compete for the overall New Artist of the Year award to be revealed on the LIVE telecast of the 48^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.  The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 7, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. 

The top three artists from the first round of ACM professional voting are considered nominees in each of the three categories, and will compete via the GAC fan vote at GACTV.com, combined with the ACM professional membership vote, to determine the winners for those Awards. Winners in each of the three categories will automatically become nominees for the overall New Artist of the Year award; which will also be determined by a combined fan and professional membership vote.

The nominees for the newcomer categories are:

NEW FEMALE VOCALIST

Jana Kramer
Kacey Musgraves
Sunny Sweeney

NEW MALE VOCALIST

Lee Brice
Brantley Gilbert
Hunter Hayes

NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP

Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
Thompson Square

First round fan voting for New Artist of the Year will begin at www.VoteACM.com and www.GACTV.com/ACM on Monday, Jan. 21^tst at Noon ET, and will close on Monday, Feb. 4^th at 3pm ET.  The final three winners will be announced in February and will move on to compete as nominees for ACM New Artist of the Year. Final round voting for the New Artist category will begin at VoteACM.com on Monday, March 25^th and will close on April 7^th, with the winner being announced live during the 48^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards broadcast on CBS on Sunday, April 7th at 8p ET/PT.

As part of this partnership, GAC will air several specials, including a show featuring the top nine nominees, as well as a show featuring the final three nominees who will compete for New Artist.  The first GAC special “ACM Showcase” will feature all nine nominees, and will premiere January 21 at 9p|8c. This special will re-air through February 4 when voting closes. The GAC “ACM New Artist of the Year” special will feature interviews and exclusive performances with the final three nominees.  That special premieres March 25 at 8p|7c and airs through April 7.

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Blake Shelton photo courtesy of the Academy of Country Music.

Who’s joining Blake Shelton as co-host for the @ACMawards? Reach 25,000 tweets at www.acmcountry.com to reveal the co-host and date for the show!

Watch the video of Blake discussing his search for a co-host below:

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Blake Shelton photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville.

Each year we ask fans to help us choose the best of the best country music videos released during the prior 12 months for our year-end Top 50 Videos of the Year countdown. Here are the voting results for 2012 based on videos released and added to the GAC playlist from Nov. 1, 2011 to Oct. 31, 2012.

1              Blake Shelton—“Over”

2              Carrie Underwood—“Blown Away”

3              Carrie Underwood—“Good Girl”

4              Alan Jackson—“So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore”

5              Miranda Lambert—“Over You”

6              Little Big Town—“Pontoon”

7              Taylor Swift—“We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”

8              Lady Antebellum—“Wanted You More”

9              Big & Rich—“That’s Why I Pray”

10           Kelly Clarkson—“Mr. Know It All”

11           Lady Antebellum—“Dancin’ Away With My Heart”

12           Miranda Lambert—“Fastest Girl In Town”

13           Kenny Chesney—“Come Over”

14           Eric Church—“Springsteen”

15           Luke Bryan—“I Don’t Want This Night To End”

16           Keith Urban—“For You”

17           Taylor Swift—“Begin Again”

18           Toby Keith—“I Like Girls That Drink Beer”

19           Zac Brown Band—“Keep Me In Mind”

20           Kenny Chesney/ Tim McGraw—“Feel Like A Rock Star”

21           Luke Bryan—“Drunk On You”

22           Hunter Hayes—“Wanted”

23           Billy Ray Cyrus—“Change My Mind”

24           Scotty McCreery—“Water Tower Town”

25           Dustin Lynch—“Cowboys And Angels” Continue Reading

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Lisa King

GAC recently hosted a Facebook chat with Lisa King, matriarch of the King family from the hit series Farm Kings. From the first episode of Season 1, which introduced Lisa and her family, fans have wondered about her farm life, her immaculate flower gardens and of course, her relationship with her nine sons and one daughter.

Farm Kings photo gallery >>

Before moving on to Season 2, we wanted to let fans spend some time with “Mama Bear” to ask her some questions. As expected, Lisa’s answers were as genuine and honest as we’ve come to know her to be on the show. If you missed the chat, we’ve got all the questions and answers for you right here!

How do you stay in such great shape and look so young after having 10 kids?
(Lisa Rock)

Lisa King: You are so kind! I never sit and eat. I try to eat all healthy, meat & veggies. Sorry to say, the older we get the less we eat and the more we active we need to be. Being pregnant for 9 years total was enough weight to carry, with some of the babies weighing up to 10 1/2 lbs!

Mama King, what’s it like to have such a large family that lives, works together and has ever-growing success? And now that y’all are on TV, is it hard to get any real work done?
(Rob Salyers)

LK: I have to be honest, I don’t think we think about it. And success will be when we are out of debt! In regards to the show, we had pause in our working day but it only made us make up for lost time & work harder. Frustrating, but worth it!

How did you instill such a strong sense of work ethic, responsibility, and family in your children? I have a hard time getting my kids off the couch and would love some advice.
(Nancy Moore)

LK: It has to start at a young age, that is the key, but my advice is take away all hand controls and hide them. If they can use a computer they can do laundry. Even Ben Does. America is losing its work ethic. Try to get them involved with people like elderly and disabled people, at least once a week. Please be strong and use couch time as a reward. Your kids will always remember your strength.

What’s your favorite family tradition?
(Amy DesOrmeaux)

LK: Christmas Eve is our happiest time to be together with the outdoors brought in and simple candles, lights, and a great meal. We have a longtime tradition of grab bag gifts with lots of hugs and kisses always shared with my brother John and family. We laugh and enjoy a whole lot of life that night.

What is a favorite memory you have of your kids when they weren’t doing something farm related?
(Myra Edwards) Continue Reading

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Brittany Kerr photo courtesy of NBA.com/bobcats.

The Daily News reports (via TMZ.com) that Brittany Kerr, a cheerleader for the Charlotte Bobcats NBA team (and former Season 11 American Idol contestant) who was photographed in the arms of Jason Aldean last week at a Hollywood bar, has released this statement:

The actions I portrayed recently were not a representation of my true character, but a lapse in judgment on my part. I would like to sincerely apologize to Continue Reading

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Jason Aldean photo courtesy of Broken Bow Records.

After TMZ.com posted photos this morning of Jason Aldean and Season 11 American Idol contestant Brittany Kerr in the Los Angeles bar The Den hugging and touching each other — and in one photo, appearing to kiss — the married father of two posted this statement via his Twitter page tonight:

Hey Guys – I wanted to talk to you directly, so you were hearing the truth from me and not just reading allegations made about my personal life on gossip web sites.

The truth is Continue Reading

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