Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/Miranda_Lambert.

Congratulations to country’s “Royal Couple,” Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, who tied the knot in a Texas ceremony today! Us Weekly reported that the wedding took place at the Don Strange Ranch.

The 27-year-old beautiful bride wore her mother’s wedding dress as she walked down the aisle in front of 550 family members and friends. The couple’s famous friends attending included Reba McEntire, Cee Lo Green, MartinaMcBride , Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum‘s Charles Kelly and the Bellamy Brothers.

After the ceremony, Miranda told Us, “I’m married to my best friend! Looking forward to a lifetime of laughter.”

Blake, 34, added “I wanted to be married to Miranda the day I proposed. Finally, it’s official!”

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

The night of the wedding, tweets came in from many of the “royal couple”‘s well-known pals: Continue Reading

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Anna Wilson's album, Countrypolitan Duets. Photo courtesy of Jim Havey PR.

Anna Wilson & Friends
Countrypolitan Duets

Drawing inspiration from “That Nashville Sound” of the late 1950s and 60s when country music began incorporating the sounds of mainstream pop, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Anna Wilson’s latest project blends classic country and jazz through duets with stars from both genres.

Ms. Wilson herself is uniquely positioned to take on such a genre-bending job. Though known from her own albums as a sultry jazz singer with a classic voice, she has written several hit contemporary country songs such as Chuck Wicks’ 2009 “All I Ever Wanted” and Lady Antebellum’s “If I Knew Then” from the trio’s 2010 album Need You Now. Countrypolitan, produced by Anna’s husband and current SESAC Songwriter of the Year, Monty Powell, features duets with some of country’s most recognizable names, including Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Ray Price and Kenny Rogers.

Set over mostly standard jazz arrangements and featuring clean electric guitars, smooth bass lines, horns, keyboards and percussion, Countrypolitan reinterprets classics like the album’s first single “You Don’t Know Me,” with American Idol finalist Matt Giraud. Anna also offers “Night Life” with jazz guitarist Larry Carlton and “For The Good Times” with Kenny Rogers. Anna’s voice is best on slow-burning songs, such as “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues” with Keith Urban. Here, her sad vocal melody truly conveys the blues as she sings “I’ve got my pills to ease the pain/ Can’t find a thing to ease the rain” before sweetly harmonizing with Keith to sing “Some gotta win/ Some gotta lose.” Continue Reading

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LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 3: Singer Taylor Swift arrives at the 46th Academy of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, April 3, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/PictureGroup); LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 3: Recording artist Miranda Lambert arrives at the 46th Academy of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, April 3, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup).

Story by Vernell Hackett
Taylor Swift’s new single, “Mean,” is a swipe at all her naysayers and critics. But tonight at the 46^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, there were only good vibes as she took home the fan-voted trophy for Entertainer of the Year.

“This is the first time I’ve ever won this and I’m losing my mind,” Taylor said. “The fact it is from the fans makes it even more special. You are best thing that has ever happened to me, ever. Thank you so much.”

Before presenting the Entertainer of the Year award to Taylor, American Idol host Ryan Seacrest told the audience, “Everyone is saying this has been a great night for country music, but I disagree. I think it has been a great night for American music.” 

Later in the press room, Taylor said winning the night’s top award has such special meaning for her because all her heroes have also won it. “So many of them have taken me under their wing,” said Taylor, “like Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, George Strait … and then you look back to people like Shania Twain and Garth Brooks, who are two people I’m in awe of and are people I think of when I think of ‘entertainer.’ To know that I’m mentioned in the same breath with them is mind boggling.”

Actors Reese Witherspoon and Rob Pattinson were recently in Tennessee shooting their new movie Water for Elephants, and since Reese is a Nashville native, she was a perfect choice for presenter. The two presented Miranda Lambert with the Top Female Vocalist award – but not before Twilight star Pattinson admitted what he liked best about Tennessee – “the moonshine.”

Hearing her name called, Miranda graciously exclaimed, “I don’t know why I’m up here. I’m so blessed and so humble, and I thank God for giving me the blessing of living my dream. I love country music and I thank my fans.”

Miranda was the top winner of the night, taking home four awards: Top Female Vocalist; Single and Video of the Year; and she shared Song of the Year honors with writers Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin.

Later backstage, Miranda admitted, “I’m still excited from last year. I just expected to come here and chill and be happy to be here, because last year was such a great year. I feel so humble. I can’t express how blessed I feel.”

Miranda’s brother, Luke, was her date for the evening because “my fiancé was obviously busy,” she added. Continue Reading

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! Here at GAC, we follow them too. This week, Brett Eldredge impersonates Diddy, Lady Antebellum‘s Charles Kelley promotes his brother Josh Kelley‘s new CD (along with Miranda Lambert), Montgomery Gentry tweets from the studio and more. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week. 

Brett Eldredge:   @bretteldredge    Got my country @iamdiddy look goin on…That would be the worlds biggest bottle of @OfficialCiroc 

Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley:  @ladyantebellum    Just downloaded my bro Josh Kelley’s new record from itunes. it’s so good, so proud of him. You will love it, trust me. – ck

Miranda Lambert:  @Miranda_Lambert    My friend Josh Kelley’s record is out!!!! Go get it:)

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/DierksBentley.

Dierks Bentley:   @DierksBentley    from the stage last night in Pittsburgh… hope I got whoever’s camera that was in the picture!

Kellie Pickler:  @kelliepickler    In the studio with the best musicians ever. I’m surrounded by brilliance, talent, & grace. New music is on the way, thanks 4 your patience. Continue Reading

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Josh Kelley photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

You already know Josh Kelley‘s musically talented. You might know he has a famous brother — Lady Antebellum‘s Charles Kelley. But here’s what you probably don’t know about the other famous Kelley brother. Josh revealed a few facts about himself when he recently visited our studio. Here’s the entertaining clip: Continue Reading

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Lady Antebellum photo by David Johnson, courtesy of The Greenroom PR.

Thanks to the latest episode of their long running “Wednesday Webisodes” video series, you can tag along with Lady Antebellum and go behind the scenes on their recent photo shoot.   Charles, Hillary and Dave find themselves atop the famous Asbury building in Downtown Los Angeles, and with time to kill.  So why not give fans a look at the incredible view they have and have Dave point out some local landmarks.  They were definitely having some fun in the sun in California.  Check it out:

On the heels of this photo shoot, Lady A is wrapping up a couple more tour stops here in the states and then it’s time to get ready for a trip to the land down under in April. The band has a week of concerts scheduled in Australia and New Zealand.  For more on the upcoming tour schedule visit www.ladyantebellum.com.

• Check out our official artist section for exclusive interview clips »
• Browse photos of Lady A at the 2011 GRAMMY Awards »

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Lady Antebellum poses in the press room with the award for Best Country Album for 'Need You Now' at the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards at the Staples Center, February 13, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

– Written by Shannon Heim

Country’s own Lady Antebellum was the big winner at the 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards in Los Angeles Sunday night, taking home the trophy in five of the six categories in which they were nominated. The group’s crossover hit “Need You Now” won Song and Record of the Year as well as best Country Album, Best Country Song and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Lady A members Dave Hayward, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott were clearly stunned by the Recording Academy’s accolades. “We just cried our eyes out backstage and I can’t believe we’re up here once again,” Charles said while accepting for Record of the Year.

During their performance, the group slowed down a shortened version of “Need You Now” and sung bits of “American Honey,” and the classic “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” a nod to Teddy Pendergrass, who died last year.

Lady Antebellum was the only country nominee in the Album of the Year category, which ultimately went to Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs.

The group’s dominance marked the second straight year a country crossover act was the night’s top story. Continue Reading

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! Here at GAC, we follow them too. Dierks Bentley‘s week was red hot, in spite of Nashville’s freezing temperatures. He met Lady Antebellum‘s Charles Kelley for a drink and when he left, he found his car on fire! Also, judging from this week’s tweets, country has gone to the dogs — literally! Several stars tweeted pictures of their incredibly cute pups. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Charles Kelley & Dierks Bentley photo courtesy of Dierks Bentley.

Dierks Bentley:   @DierksBentley  met my friend charles kelley at a bar. he wanted to see my new ’67 camero [sic]. we walked back outside. it was on fire. not cool.

Dierks Bentley:   @DierksBentley   some footage from last night. hard to sleep w images of flames coming out from under the engine stuck in head. (Editor’s note:  Click here for a “fire report” from Dierks and Charles.)

Sarah Buxton:  @sarahbuxton    @DierksBentley I was next door @whiskey kitchen w Cassady, some dude told us about your flaming camero! [sic] I thought he was joking! Guess not!

Photo courtesy of twitter.com/juliannehough.

Julianne Hough:  @juliannehough    This is what I wake up to every morning… I’m a lucky girl!! Continue Reading

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Lady Antebellum photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

When Lady Antebellum wrote “Need You Now” in 2009, the band had no idea that the song was going to vault them into the same pop world inhabited by the other lady — Lady Gaga — in 2010.

In fact, a lot of songwriters in Nashville thought “Need You Now” was a bold song — it was built around a drunken booty call, and since country radio stations are very attuned to offering family-friendly material, many Music Row writers were a bit shocked when the song caught on. And it caught on very quickly. Not only was it a multi-week No. 1 single at the end of ‘09, it also got picked up by pop stations who played it frequently throughout 2010, aiding a jump for the oddly-named trio into music’s big leagues.

Lady Antebellum’s ascent ranks at No. 4 as GAC counts down the dozen biggest stories of country music from 2010.

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Lady Antebellum photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

It’s a sign of the times — a street sign for Lady Antebellum in the town where two of its three members grew up.

Lady A performed Monday at the James Brown Arena in Augusta, Ga. — the hometown of Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood — and their former community was thrilled to have them back. They played an acoustic afternoon show at the Bell Auditorium and raised almost $15,000 for a local medical center. And of course, they sold out the arena, named for one of the classic music figures associated with the city.

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