Oct
27
Dale Earnhardt Jr. photo courtesy of Wortman Works.
The Country Music Association has announced the first group of presenters for The 43rd Annual CMA Awards,” hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, and airing live from the Sommet Center in Nashville, Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
The first celebrities announced as Awards presenters during “Country Music’s Biggest Night” are NASCAR superstar driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.; stars of ABC’s “The Middle,” Neil Flynn and Patricia Heaton; Julianne Hough; nominee Randy Houser (for both New Artist and Music Video of the Year for “Boots On”); nominee Jake Owen (New Artist of the Year); Kellie Pickler; CMA Award winner LeAnn Rimes; and ABC News’s Robin Roberts, co-anchor of “Good Morning America” and host of the upcoming “Robin Roberts: Bright Lights. Big Stars. All Access Nashville” ABC television special (airing Nov. 10). Continue Reading
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Sep
8
Gloriana photo courtesy of Emblem Music Group. Photo credit: Kristin Barlowe.
By Bob Doerschuk
© 2009 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.
Established through club gigs in North Carolina as a duo, brothers Mike and Tom Gossin moved to Nashville in 2007 and soon after hooked up with Rachel Reinert. Working now as a trio, they connected with Cheyenne Kimball, a member of the audience during one of their gigs at Nashville club 3rd & Lindsley; instrumentally as well as vocally, she proved the last ingredient in the sound of Gloriana.
They rehearsed for six months before sending a demo to Emblem Music Group. Matt Serletic, founder of the new record label, responded immediately, welcomed them to the roster and got to work lining up material for their debut album. Continue Reading
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Sep
8
Holly Williams photo courtesy of Mercury Nashville. Photo credit: Autumn de Wilde.
By Tim Ghianni
© 2009 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.
The blonde with the face that carries the delicate features of her grandfather likes to drop in to check out the goods in her upscale Nashville boutique, where boots that were dragged by a truck through Italian dirt go for $1,200-plus.
“I love it,” said Holly Williams, granddaughter of Hank, daughter of Hank Jr., talking about her Nashville store H. Audrey, whose stock of contemporary clothing and accessories ranges from those Golden Goose boots at the higher end to some $198 jeans on sale for $50. Audrey is her middle name as well as the name of her dad’s mother, the woman who inspired Hank Williams to compose some of Country’s greatest songs of heartbreak and love. Continue Reading
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Jul
7
Ray Hadley, Presenter, Radio 2GB Sydney (l) and CMA Board member Rob Potts, CEO, Rob Potts Entertainment Edge (r) present CMA International Artist Achievement Awards to Ronnie Dunn, Kix Brooks and Dierks Bentley backstage at the Acer Arena in Sydney on May 6. Photo credit: Dean Turnball.
By Scott Stem
© 2009 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.
On the final stop of their hugely successful Australian tour, duo Brooks & Dunn (Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn) and Dierks Bentley were both surprised with CMA International Artist Achievement Awards for their contributions to Country Music overseas.
CMA Board member Rob Potts, CEO, Rob Potts Entertainment Edge, and Ray Hadley, Presenter, Radio 2GB Sydney, presented the Awards backstage at the Acer Arena in Sydney.
“Halfway around the world, it is easy to say, but it takes an amazing amount of coordination and commitment from so many people to pull it off – and ultimately, and most importantly, the support from the fans,” said Brooks. Continue Reading
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Jun
23
Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Charlie McCoy, Barbara Mandrell and Roy Clark gather at a reception before the Medallion Ceremony at the Hall of Fame in Downtown Nashville on May 17, 2009. Photo credit: John Russell / CMA.
By Bob Doerschuk
© 2009 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.
It was the kind of day that invites lingering outside: abundant sun, just enough breeze to keep the air fresh. But on this late afternoon of May 17, the place to be was past the red carpet that stretched from Demonbreun Street up the steps and inside its destination: the lobby of Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, where an Olympian assembly of music industry notables had gathered for the inductions of Roy Clark, Barbara Mandrell and Charlie McCoy as members of the Hall.
No greater distinction exists in the world of Country Music than membership in the Hall, founded by CMA in 1961 to honor the artists, songwriters and industry executives who had done the most to preserve and further this beloved genre. Continue Reading
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May
12
Mac McAnally wins the 2008 CMA Musician of the Year Award. Photo credit: John Russell / CMA.
By Bob Doerschuk
© 2009 CMA Close Up® News Service / Country Music Association®, Inc.
What does it take for a musician to earn the respect of their peers? One would think the key lies in what you play. But, truth be told, plenty of players can nail a lick like sharpshooters pinging skeets from the sky.
Sometimes it’s more what you don’t play that counts. And in the case of guitarist extraordinaire Mac McAnally, winner of Musician of the Year at the 2008 CMA Awards, that may have made all the difference.
Make no mistake: McAnally can pick with the best in the business. He’s recorded 11 studio albums, including his upcoming debut on Show Dog Nashville, written multiple No. 1 hits including the recent duet with Kenny Chesney “Down the Road,” produced albums for Jimmy Buffett, Little Feat, Sawyer Brown and Ricky Skaggs among others and is an expressive singer too, on backup or lead. Continue Reading
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