Photo courtesy of the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum.

When the Encyclopedia of Country Music was first published in 1998, it became an instant reference and definitive source on country music. Now, the second edition of the book has been released by Oxford University Press and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The new edition, compiled by museum staff, features new entries on artists who have profoundly influenced country music in recent years, including Kenny Chesney, Dixie Chicks, Miranda Lambert, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban and more.

More new entries in the book focus on the most important studio musicians, songwriters and music executives in the last decade. It also explores the latest and most critical industry trends, such as the digital revolution, the shifting politics of country music, and the impact of American Idol. The importance of Nashville to country music and even the stage costumes worn by country stars are also featured in the new edition.

“I’ve loved country music all my life, and it still amazes me how much more I can learn about it,” Reba McEntire said. “The Encyclopedia of Country Music will be a reference book for the next generation of country music lovers to learn about the folks I was blessed enough to get to know and work with. I will enjoy reading it and getting reacquainted with our history.” Continue Reading

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Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton pose with awards at the 45th annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on November 9, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert will be on hand at Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday to open the event with a duet version of “America the Beautiful.” This will be their first TV performance together since their headline-topping wedding in May of 2011. Their version of the song is available for download at iTunes now.

Immediately after the Super Bowl, fans can tune in to catch Blake on the season premiere of The Voice at 10/9 CT on NBC. Blake is currently on the road on his Well Lit & Amplified Tour and received two ACM Award nominations for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year. He is also nominated for three GRAMMY Awards.  Continue Reading

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, Miranda Lambert thanks fans for their support after Blake Shelton’s father passed away, Jake Owen  keeps fans updated on his broken collarbone from the waiting room, Josh Kelley shares a photo of wife Katherine Heigl that may land him in the doghouse and Taylor Swift puts her TV remote in its place. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/ladyantebellum.

Lady Antebellum – LadyAntebellum: We are all ready and excited! #OwnTheNightWorldTour

Miranda Lambert – Miranda_Lambert: Thank you all for your kindness and prayer. Our family means everything to us. Blake and I appreciate the support so much.

Jake Owen – JakeOwen: In the Dr. waiting on my sentence.. You know it’s not good when he comes in and says “That break is worse than the football teams”. Damn.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/joshkelley.

Josh Kelley – JoshBKelley: My girl getting her hair done for ONE FOR THE MONEY movie press Continue Reading

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Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton pose with awards at the 45th annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on November 9, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton will perform “America the Beautiful” together prior to the kickoff of the Super Bowl in Indianapolis on February 5, reports the Associated Press (via Yahoo). One of the most-watched events of the year, Kelly Clarkson is slated to perform the National Anthem. The Super Bowl will air live on NBC.

Blake and Miranda aren’t the only country artists who will be in Indianapolis for Super Bowl events, however. Darius Rucker and Dierks Bentley will perform at concerts in Super Bowl Village in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, while Sara Evans will perform at the Taste of the NFL’s 21st Annual Party With a Purpose on February 4. Madonna has been announced as the Super Bowl’s halftime performer. Continue Reading

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Miranda Lambert photo by Randee St. Nicholas, courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Miranda Lambert will make her acting debut on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit reports TVGuide.com, (via MSN.com). Miranda will play an actress who claims to have been sexually assaulted by the producer of a reality show, played by Michael McKean. The air date for Miranda’s schedule has not been scheduled.

Miranda shared both the news and her excitement with her Twitter followers on Saturday. “Yall I’m so freaking excited to be on my favorite show ever !!!” she tweeted once the news broke.

While this is Miranda’s first acting role, she is no stranger to reality shows. She jump-started her career as a contestant on Nashville Star in 2003 where she finished third. She will also serve as an advisor to husband Blake Shelton’s team on the new season of NBC’s The Voice, which premieres Sunday, February 5 right after the Super Bowl. Continue Reading

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Miranda Lambert photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville. Jewel photo courtesy of The Valory Music Co.

NBC’s “The Voice” coaches have enlisted multi-platinum singer-songwriters Kelly Clarkson, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds,” Jewel, Miranda Lambert, Alanis Morissette, Ne-Yo, Lionel Richie and Robin Thicke to lend their knowledge and skills as advisers to six separate artists on Teams Adam (Levine), Blake (Shelton), Cee Lo (Green) and Christina (Aguilera), respectively, during the “battle rounds” phase of competition on the upcoming season.

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, Kellie Pickler and Brett Eldredge show off photos from their tropical vacations, Scotty McCreery shares a picture from his trip to the Dominican Republic as part of Operation Christmas Child, Brad Paisley hopes the Mayans aren’t right, and Lee Brice celebrates his engagement to Sara Reeveley! Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/kelliepickler.

Kellie Pickler – KelliePickler: Fishing in St. Lucia!

Brad Paisley – BradPaisley: Happy 2012. Here’s hoping the Mayans are full of sh:@+

Lee Brice – LeeBrice: She said YES! I’m one lucky man!!

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/thompsonsquare.

Thompson Square – ThompsonSquare: all celtic’d out and yes we won! Continue Reading

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Miranda Lambert photo by Randee St. Nicholas, courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Miranda Lambert is starting of the New Year with some new bling. Her latest album, Four The Record, has been certified Gold. The album reached Gold status faster than any of her previous three albums, all of which were eventually certified Platinum.

Four The Record, released November 1, 2011, has received rave reviews from critics and ended up on many Album of the Year lists, including our own Top 10 Albums of 2011 list, plus Rolling Stone, USA Today, People Magazine, American Songwriter and The Houston Chronicle. Rolling Stone included the song “Mama’s Broken Heart” from the album on their Singles of the Year list. Continue Reading

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Blake Shelton photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Nashville.

Each year GAC asks 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 2011 based on videos released and added to the GAC playlist from Nov. 1, 2010 to Oct. 31, 2011.

1. Blake Shelton — “God Gave Me You”
2. Jason Aldean w/Kelly Clarkson — “Don’t You Wanna Stay”
3. Keith Urban — “Without You”
4. Jason Aldean — “Dirt Road Anthem”
5. Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood — “Remind Me”
6. Blake Shelton — “Honey Bee”
7. Lady Antebellum — “Just A Kiss”
8. Alan Jackson — “Long Way To Go”
9. Scotty McCreery — “I Love You This Big”
10. Trace Adkins — “Just Fishin’” Continue Reading

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Blake Shelton & Miranda Lambert on the cover of Us Weekly. Photo courtesy of Us Weekly.

There was more than one Royal Wedding in 2011. The world’s eyes may have been on Prince William and Kate Middleton, but the May 14^th wedding of Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert were the nuptials that had country fans buzzing. The couple tied the knot at the Don Strange Ranch in Texas in front of 550 friends and family. The guest list included  Reba McEntire, Cee Lo Green, MartinaMcBride , Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum‘s Charles Kelly and the Bellamy Brothers.

Miranda chose to wear her mother’s dress for the ceremony. “My parents have been married for 33 years, so this dress is already a good-luck charm,” she told Us Weekly. Under the dress, Miranda wore custom-made Casadei cowboy boots. She changed into a shorter dress for the reception. Her bridesmaids wore Old Gringo boots and custom-made gowns by Priscilla of Boston’s Mark Bower.

The wedding was full of personal touches by the bride and groom. As the wedding party took their places, Blake sang a song he’d written for the wedding, called “Let’s Grow Old Together.” Bridesmaid and fellow Pistol Annie member Ashley Monroe sang “Makin’ Plans,” a song Miranda wrote for Blake that appears on her Revolution album. “I was thinking about not crying, then when I got close, I didn’t think of anyone else,” Miranda told Us Weekly. “It was just me and Blake.”

Browse photos from some of Blake and Miranda’s most memorable moments »

Even Blake couldn’t hold back the tears on his wedding day. He became emotional when Miranda’s dad, Rick, gave her away. “I couldn’t get over how beautiful she was,” Blake told the magazine.

“Blake is a jokester,” Miranda said, “but he was really serious when he said his vows.” But Blake couldn’t be entirely serious. Within his vows, the pastor included “to put Miranda before hunting,” causing the guests to erupt into laughter. Continue Reading

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