Neil Perry, Kimberly Perry and Reid Perry of The Band Perry backstage at The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live! Countdown to Music's Biggest Night at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 30, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Several country stars are in Los Angeles this weekend for the 54^th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Besides being nominated, several artists will take part in the all-genre show as performers and presenters. The GRAMMYs will air live from the Staples Center on Sunday, February 12 at 8/7 CT on CBS. LL Cool J will serve as host.

Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Glen Campbell will perform with Blake Shelton and The Band Perry in what is sure to be a highlight of the night. Blake is nominated for two GRAMMY Awards, including Best Country Solo Performance for “Honey Bee” and Best Country Album for Red River Blue. His No. 1 hit “God Gave Me You,” written by Dave Barnes, is also up for Best Country Song, given to the songwriter. The Band Perry is nominated for the all-genre New Artist of the Year award.

Other country performers include Carrie Underwood with Tony Bennett, Taylor Swift, and Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson. Carrie’s “Mama’s Song” is nominated in the Best Country Solo Performance. Taylor is up for three GRAMMY Awards. Her hit “Mean” is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song, while her Speak Now album is up for Best Country Album.

Jason is also up for three GRAMMYs. “Dirt Road Anthem” is nominated in the Best Country Solo Performance category. “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” which he will perform with Kelly Clarkson during the show, is up for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and his My Kinda Party album is in the running for Best Country Album.

Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Gwyneth Paltrow will be among the GRAMMY presenters during the show. A special tribute to the late Etta James by Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt will be featured during the telecast, as well as performances by Katy Perry, Adele, Coldplay and Rihanna, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney and Nicki Minaj.

Here is a complete list of all the country categories as well as a few others featuring country stars as nominees:

Best New Artist (all genres)
The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex

Best Country Solo Performance
“Dirt Road Anthem” — Jason Aldean
“I’m Gonna Love You Through It” — Martina McBride
“Honey Bee” — Blake Shelton
“Mean” — Taylor Swift
“Mama’s Song” — Carrie Underwood

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
“Don’t You Wanna Stay” — Jason Aldean With Kelly Clarkson
“You And Tequila” — Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter
“Barton Hollow” — The Civil Wars
“Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not” — Thompson Square

Best Country Song
“Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not”
Jim Collins & David Lee Murphy, songwriters (Thompson Square)
“God Gave Me You”
Dave Barnes, songwriter (Blake Shelton)
“Just Fishin’”
Casey Beathard, Monty Criswell & Ed Hill, songwriters (Trace Adkins)
“Mean”
Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
“Threaten Me With Heaven”
Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Will Owsley & Dillon O’Brian, songwriters (Vince Gill)
“You And Tequila”
Matraca Berg & Deana Carter, songwriters (Kenny Chesney Featuring Grace Potter)

Best Country Album
My Kinda Party — Jason Aldean
Chief — Eric Church
Own The Night — Lady Antebellum
Red River Blue — Blake Shelton
Here For A Good Time — George Strait
Speak Now — Taylor Swift

Best Bluegrass Album
Paper Airplane — Alison Krauss & Union Station
Reason And Rhyme: Bluegrass Songs By Robert Hunter & Jim Lauderdale — Jim Lauderdale
Rare Bird Alert — Steve Martin And The Steep Canyon Rangers
Old Memories: The Songs Of Bill Monroe — The Del McCoury Band
A Mother’s Prayer — Ralph Stanley
Sleep With One Eye Open — Chris Thile & Michael Daves

Best Americana Album
Emotional Jukebox — Linda Chorney
Pull Up Some Dust And Sit Down — Ry Cooder
Hard Bargain — Emmylou Harris
Ramble At The Ryman — Levon Helm
Blessed — Lucinda Williams

Best Song Written For Visual Media
“Born To Be Somebody” — (From Never Say Never)
Diane Warren, songwriter (Justin Bieber)
“Christmastime Is Killing Us” — (From Family Guy)
Ron Jones, Seth MacFarlane & Danny Smith, songwriters (Danny Smith, Ron Jones & Seth MacFarlane)
“I See The Light” — (From Tangled)
Alan Menken & Glenn Slater, songwriters (Mandy Moore & Zachary Levi)
“So Long” — (From Winnie The Pooh)
Zooey Deschanel, songwriter (Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward)
“Where The River” Goes — (From Footloose)
Zac Brown, Wyatt Durrette, Drew Pearson & Anne Preven, songwriters (Zac Brown)
“You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me” — (From Burlesque)
Diane Warren, songwriter (Cher)

For a complete list of GRAMMY nominees in all categories, visit grammy.com.

ShareThis

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

Miranda Lambert made her acting debut on last night’s episode of Law & Order: SVU. Miranda played Lacy, an actress believed to have been sexually assaulted by a reality show producer, played by Michael McKean. Miranda developed the character of Lacy in her mind before going in front of the cameras.

“I play a girl named Lacy Ford,” Miranda said to ET. “I see her as a girl from the south who comes to New York City to try to make it. She probably has a bad home life, maybe has issues with her dad and is looking for approval.”

Check out this clip of Miranda as Lacy!

Miranda’s friend got her hooked on the legal drama several years ago. She says she has every episode on DVD. “Guest starring on SVU is like, a 6-year pipe dream that is actually true today,” Miranda said. “I love SVU. It’s my favorite show. I watch every marathon. It’s my bus staple.”

This weekend, Miranda will head to the GRAMMY Awards where she will serve as a presenter. She is currently headlining her On Fire Tour with special guests Jerrod Niemann and Chris Young.

ShareThis

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.”

“The Encyclopedia is not just a dry compendium of names and facts, but a rich archive of our shared history of the most American of art forms: country music,” Rosanne Cash said. “The second edition of the Encyclopedia of Country Music is also a point of great pride for me, as so many of my extended family members are included in these pages.”

Vince Gill wrote the foreword in the second edition. The book includes more than 1,200 entries and a vivid photographic insert featuring classic, provocative and recent country music album art. The Encyclopedia of Country Music is available for order at www.countrymusichalloffame.org.

ShareThis

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. 

Miranda  just kicked off her On Fire Tour with special guests Chris Young and Jerrod Niemann. She is up for two ACM Awards as well, including Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year for her latest album, Four The Record.

ShareThis

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

Storme Warren – StormeWarren: Hard lesson learned. Wear ski pole straps PROPERLY! Lazy = injury. Almost got BOTH thumbs. Close call. Better yet… Don’t use straps!

Charlie Daniels - CharlieDaniels: Went back and snowmobiled the mountain where I had my stroke 2 years ago,had a ball,ain’t God good!

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/kelliepickler.

Kellie Pickler – KelliePickler: Found a picture of me & Kyle fishing’ at one of Saddam’s Palaces on a USO tour. #BringingTheRedneckToAPalaceNearYou

Taylor Swift – TaylorSwift13: Apparently my only way of dealing with a remote control that isn’t working right is to bang it on the table and scream ‘COME ON!’

Little Big Town – LBTMusic: I wish @mattnathanson would serenade me from the top of my stairs…. sexy devil. jimi

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/BradPaisley.

Brad Paisley - BradPaisley: I’ve never been cooler than this…

ShareThis

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.

The Super Bowl isn’t the only chance Kelly will have to hang out with Blake and Miranda. Kelly, along with Miranda, will serve as a mentor for Blake’s team on the second season of The Voice which premieres on NBC right after the Super Bowl.

ShareThis

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.

Miranda will kick off her On Fire tour this Thursday, January 12, in Rockford, Illinois with special guests Chris Young and Jerrod Niemann.

ShareThis

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.

ShareThis

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!

Justin Moore – JustinColeMoore: You know you’re gettin older when you’re fallin asleep in your recliner on new years eve at 8:04 pm

Frankie Ballard – FrankieBallard: I respect mechanics, except when they go right from a brake job to their turkey sandwich

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/ScottyMcCreery.

Scotty McCreery – ScottyMcCreery: Here’s a pic of me and a little boy I gave a shoebox present to [sic] today!

Miranda Lambert – Miranda_Lambert: Spring cleaning in December! Blake even cleaned the garage and people that is HUGE! No more random carcasses!

Jaron and the Long Road To Love – JaronATLRTL: Just heard a guy say “Not gonna lie, some of my cousins are pretty hot.” #nicetobebackinthesouth

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/BrettEldredge.

Brett Eldredge – BrettEldredge: Im back on land! Apparently at this moment, I thought floating above a shark was a good idea, glad they werent hungry!

ShareThis

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.

Miranda just released “Over You” as the album’s second single. The song is one of the most personal from Miranda so far. Written by her and husband Blake Shelton, the song is about Blake’s brother, Richie, who died in a car accident when Blake was a teenager.

Miranda will kick off her new headlining tour, On Fire, January 12 in Rockford, Illinois with special guests Chris Young and Jerrod Niemann.

ShareThis