Nan Kelley visits Miranda Lambert on tour and interviews her for Top 20 Country Countdown. Photo by Meaghan Mitchell.

GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown was hot this week! Host Nan Kelley headed to Louisville to catch up with Miranda Lambert on her On Fire Tour and also got to chat with Chris Young and Jerrod Niemann. Plus, Rascal Flatts shared secrets from the set of their “Banjo” video, all while Nan counts down the Top 20 videos of the week! Miss Friday night’s premiere? Check the schedule for re-airs throughout the weekend!

On the chart this week, Carrie Underwood claims the top spot with her new video, “Good Girl.” Alan Jackson is the lone male in the Top 5, coming in at No. 2 while Lauren Alaina, Miranda Lambert and Katie Armiger round out the first five videos on the countdown. New videos from Love and Theft and Josh Turner make their debuts this week at No. 17 and No. 18 respectively.

This Week’s Chart:

1. Carrie Underwood – “Good Girl”
2. Alan Jackson – “So You Don’t Have To Love Me Anymore”
3. Lauren Alaina – “Georgia Peaches”
4. Miranda Lambert – “Over You””
5. Katie Armiger – “Scream
6. Keith Urban – “For You”
7. Lady Antebellum – “Dancin’ Away With My Heart”
8. Keith Urban – “You Gonna Fly”
9. Taylor Swift feat. The Civil Wars – “Safe & Sound”
10. Taylor Swift – “Ours” Continue Reading

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Sugarland photo courtesy of UMG Nashville; Zac Brown photo courtesy of Atlantic Records.

The Academy of Country Music announced today that Zac Brown, Brantley Gilbert, Liam Hemsworth, LL COOL J, Scotty McCreery, The Band Perry, KISS, Sugarland, and Thompson Square are scheduled to present as part of the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The ceremony, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. live Eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS.

Brown, Gilbert, Hemsworth, LL COOL J, McCreery, The Band Perry, KISS, Sugarland, and Thompson Square join previously announced presenters Beth Behrs, Hunter Hayes, Lionel Richie, Taylor Swift and Nancy O’Dell.
Previously announced ACM Awards performers are Continue Reading

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Nan Kelley visits Miranda Lambert on tour and interviews her for Top 20 Country Countdown. Photo by Meaghan Mitchell.

GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown is on fire this week! Host Nan Kelley caught up with Miranda Lambert when Miranda’s On Fire Tour stopped for a show in Louisville recently. Nan also sat down to chat with the tour’s special guests, Chris Young and Jerrod Niemann!

Rascal Flatts also checks in on tonight’s episode, sharing secrets from the set of their “Banjo” video, all while Nan counts down the Top 20 videos of the week, chosen by you. Tune in tonight at 9/8 CT to catch all the action in this jam-packed episode of Top 20! Check the full schedule »

If you missed the last few episodes of Top 20 or want to re-watch some of your favorite interviews, head over to our Top 20 section for videos, photos and more! You can also catch Top 20 Extras, cast your votes, and take a look at the current chart to see where your favorite videos land. Visit Top 20 »  Continue Reading

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Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw will perform a song together on the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

The Academy of Country Music announced today that Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton & Lionel Richie, Rascal Flatts & Steve Martin, and Toby Keith with surprise Las Vegas guest performers are set to perform a variety of special duets and collaborations at the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The ceremony, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. LIVE Eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS. Before the awards, you can catch all your favorite stars LIVE on GAC on the red carpet, beginning at 7 p.m. Central.

Here’s the duet lineup:
– Brothers of the Sun tourmates Kenny and Tim will take the ACM Awards stage Sunday night for a very special performance.

– Blake and Lionel will sing Lionel’s classic hit, “You Are,” and it will air as part of the special, ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends – In Concert, Friday, April 13, 2012 on CBS.

– In a unique collaboration with Rascal Flatts, Steve Martin will showcase the banjo during a performance of the band’s new single “Banjo.”

– Toby will be joined by special surprise iconic Las Vegas performers for an unforgettable performance of his chart-topping smash “Red Solo Cup.”

Previously announced ACM Awards performers are Continue Reading

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Dierks Bentley photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville; Brad Paisley photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

The Academy of Country Music announced today that Dierks Bentley and Brad Paisley are scheduled to perform as part of the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. In addition, Lionel Richie and Taylor Swift are scheduled as presenters. The ceremony, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. LIVE Eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS.

Lionel and Taylor join previously announced presenters, Beth Behrs, Hunter Hayes, and Nancy O’Dell. In addition, previously announced performers are Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Chris Young, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts. Continue Reading

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LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 10: Train singer Pat Monahan (L) and singer Martina McBride perform during the opening night of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images for The Smith Center)

The Academy of Country Music announced today that Martina McBride, along with Train frontman Pat Monahan, is scheduled to perform her new single “Marry Me” on the 47th Annual Academy of Country  Music Awards. To celebrate the message of the song, Martina and Pat will perform the duet during a very special moment in the show when a couple will get married live onstage. The show, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8/7c live ET/delayed PT on CBS. At 7/6c, GAC will be bringing you all the stars LIVE as they arrive on the red carpet.

For the first time in ACM Awards history –and perhaps any awards history– a live wedding ceremony will take place onstage during Martina and Pat’s duet of “Marry Me,” Martina’s current single from her latest album, Eleven. The song was penned by Grammy Award-winning artist Monahan and originally released in 2010 as the third single from Train’s chart-topping fifth studio album, Save Me, San Francisco.

Martina personally selected the lucky recipients of the onstage nuptials. Couple Christina Davidson and Frank Tucci thought they would never find love again.  In July of 2009, Frank lost his wife, Danielle to thyroid cancer and in that same year, Christina lost her husband, Paul, in a tragic drowning accident.  As a way to deal with the grief of losing her husband and raising her two sons Stephen and Paul on her own, Christina started a support group for young widows and widowers in Washington Township, N.J., where she met Frank. Slowly their friendship blossomed into love as they bonded over their shared views about the challenges of single parenthood and the struggles to keep the memories of their spouses alive.  Their wedding will mark a new chapter in their lives, an intimate moment which they will graciously share onstage.  The bride will be wearing an Oleg Cassini gown as she recites her vows. Fans can also follow Christina and Frank along their journey to the chapel at www.ACMwedding.com.

Martina and Pat  join previously announced performers Continue Reading

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Reba McEntire photo courtesy of The Valory Music Co.

To celebrate the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, CBS’s The Talk is going country! The show will welcome special guests, segments and live performances including Reba, Miranda Lambert, and Chris Young on March 29 and March 30. The show airs on CBS at 2/1 PM CT.

On Thursday, March 29, Miranda Lambert will join The Talk ladies – Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sheryl Underwood, Sharon Osbourne and Aisha Taylor – at the table as a guest co-host. During the same show, Chris Young will perform his recent No. 1 hit, “You.” The next day, Reba will stop by to preview the ACM Awards. Continue Reading

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Carrie Underwood photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

The Academy of Country Music announced today that Sara Evans, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban are scheduled to perform as part of the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.  In addition, 2 Broke Girls’ Beth Behrs and Entertainment Tonight’s Nancy O’Dell are scheduled as presenters.The ceremony, which honors country music’s top talent as well as the industry’s hottest emerging artists, is produced for television by dick clark productions and will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. live ET/delayed PT on CBS.

These artists join previously announced performers Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Chris Young, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts.

Performers:

Six years after her last studio album, ACM Award winning artist Sara Evans is back in a big way.  She is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, an award she won in 2005.  The lead single from her latest album, “A Little Bit Stronger, ” quickly  became one of the most successful singles in Evans’ career.  The song was a multi-week No. 1 single, making Evans the only female artist in 2011 to hold the No. 1 position for two consecutive weeks on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart as well as Country Aircheck.  “A Little Bit Stronger” was written by Luke Laird, Hillary Lindsey and Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.  

Carrie Underwood is nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, marking her seventh consecutive nomination in this category – which she has won three times.  She is also nominated this year for Vocal Event of the Year for “Remind Me,” her duet with Brad Paisley.  Having won a total of 10 ACM Awards, Underwood is also a two-time Entertainer of the Year.  In 2010, she was honored with the ACM Triple Crown, an award presented to an elite group of country music artists who boast wins for New Artist, Male/Female Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year.

Keith Urban is a seven-time ACM Award winner including two wins for Male Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year as both artist and producer for Be Here and Vocal Event of the Year for “Start A Band,” his duet with Brad Paisley.  In 2010, Urban was honored with the Academy’s prestigious Jim Reeves International Award, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music worldwide. Continue Reading

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Chris Young photo by Randee St. Nicholas, courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Chris Young loves being able to say he has two nominations at this year’s ACM Awards. When he found out his song “Tomorrow” was nominated for Single Record of the Year, he happened to be on his bus, writing with his two co-writers on the track, Frank Myers and Anthony Smith, and was able to deliver the good news in person.

Chris is also up for Male Vocalist of the Year, his first nomination in the category. Watch this clip below to hear what he has to say about his double nominee status!

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

Miranda Lambert’s On Fire Tour stopped in Toledo recently, just weeks after her husband Blake Shelton’s tour played the same city. Toldeo’s The Blade caught up with Miranda via email and asked her what fans could expect from her headlining show, compared to what they already seen from Blake.

“My shows are always a mix of songs from all my albums plus some rocking cover songs,” she said. “It’s always exciting having new material, though, so we will be incorporating a lot of songs from Four the Record. We use screens in back with graphics reflecting the lyrics and energy of the songs, and I always love having part of the stage extend out into the pit in front, so I can be as close to the audience as possible.”

Miranda broke onto the country scene when she finished third on Nashville Star. Even then, she was making music on her own terms. From her very first album, 2005’s Kerosene, Miranda has written and recorded the songs she wanted to sing, whether they were considered radio-friendly or not.

“When I started my career, I was a young woman with a lot to say and probably a bit of a chip on my shoulder,” she said. “I decided early on that no one was going to dictate what kind of songs I sang, so I learned how to play guitar and write my own. I expected to make music my whole life because I didn’t know what else I would ever want to do. Instead of going to college, I spent my time out on the road learning how to be a better musician.”

Loretta Lynn recently named Miranda as an artist that reminded her most of herself. For Miranda, who, along with Sheryl Crow, joined Loretta for a rendition of Loretta’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter” on last year’s ACM Awards, she couldn’t receive a higher praise – or praise Loretta high enough.

“Loretta is one of my biggest heroes,” Miranda said. “I think she and I love and believe in the same kind of songwriting – authentic, no-holds-barred country songs. I know I’ve always thought that she is one of the strongest women in music, and I hope I can set that kind of example as well. I would love to have a career like hers where I am still making music that I love well into my later years.” Continue Reading

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