Ronnie Dunn photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Ronnie Dunn fans, the wait is over. Ronnie released his new single – and the video – this week. “Let The Cowboy Rock” is an up-tempo, guitar-heavy tune about leaving a cowboy alone so he can have a good time after having his heart broken. The track was penned by Ronnie and songwriter Dallas Davidson.

The video was filmed in Pendleton, Oregon during the Pendleton Round-Up with rider Blake Knowles, who plays the video’s lead character. Additional footage was filmed in Salt Flat, Utah and Nashville, Tennessee at The Stage on Lower Broadway.

Watch the video and let us know what you think: Continue Reading

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Tim McGraw photo courtesy of Webster & Associates.

Tim McGraw’s long-awaited Emotional Traffic album will hit stores on January 24. Produced by Byron Gallimore, the album includes the No. 1 hit “Felt Good On My Lips” as well as Tim’s current single, “Better Than I Used To Be.”

One of the album’s tracks, “Only Human,” features a guest appearance by R&B star Ne-Yo and is produced by Darran Smith. Other notable tracks on Emotional Traffic include “Touchdown Jesus,” which was written by Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip, and “I Will Not Fall Down” which Tim co-wrote with Martina McBride and The Warren Brothers. Continue Reading

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Brad Paisley photo by Jim Shea, courtesy of Schmidt Relations.

Brad Paisley was named Songwriter/Artist of the Year and Ben Hayslip was honored as Songwriter of the Year at ASCAP’s 49th Annual Country Music Awards held November 6 in Nashville. Other big winners of the night were “The House That Built Me,” written by Allen Shamblin, for Country Song of the Year and Sea Gayle Music as Publisher of the Year. The ASCAP Awards honored the writers of country music’s most performed songs from April 2010 to March 2011 as well as Don Williams and The Civil Wars, who both received special ASCAP awards.

A total of 36 songs were honored as the most played on country radio and the writers of the Top 5 most performed songs gave performances throughout the show. Those performances included “All Over Me,” by Ben Hayslip and Josh Turner, “Gimmie That Girl,” by Ben Hayslip, Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson, “The House That Built Me,” by Allen Shamblin, “The Man I Want To Be,” by Brett James, Tim Nichols and Chris Young and “Roll With It,” by Tony Lane and Johnny Park. Dierks Bentley, last  year’s ASCAP Songwriter/Artist of the Year, opened the show with a performance of his current single, “Home.”

The night also included a special musical tribute to Don Williams.  Keith Urban and Little Big Town paired for “We’ve Got a Good Fire Goin,’” while Lee Ann Womack performed “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good.” Don surprised the audience with a performance as well before being honored with ASCAP’s Golden Note Award, which is presented to songwriters, composers and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones. Continue Reading

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Joe Nichols 2011 CD, It's All Good. Photo courtesy of Universal Records South.

In many ways, It’s All Good is like the first page in the next chapter from the book of Joe Nichols. Just this past January, the 34-year-old Arkansas native released a greatest hits project that included chart-toppers like “Brokenheartsville” and “Gimmie That Girl.” Now with an empty canvas, Joe returns with his eighth studio album, a collection of 10 traditional-leaning tunes that display his natural everyman ease through lighthearted fun and moments of tight introspection.

5 Things You Don’t Know About Joe Nichols >>

Joe wastes no time on the front end of It’s All Good, jumping right into the swampy groove of lead single “Take It Off.” Against banjo and lightly distorted guitars, the message is one that whether it’s stress on the job, a bottle cap or clothes over a bikini – they all must go. You got a week-of-worries on your mind/ Go on do whatcha wanna do/ Soak you up a little sunshine, he sings with an easygoing southern drawl. Joe’s laid-back vocal delivery has always been engaging, and things are no different here. “This Ole Boy” (written by the trio of hit songwriters known as the “Peach Pickers,” Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip) features upbeat drums and an accessible fiddle hook, while Joe shows off some serious agility moving through quick lines like, She sweetens my tea and butters my biscuit/ I am who I am and brother she gets it, before slowing up to smoothly add, I ain’t gotta change a thing. [Incidentally, "This Ole Boy" was also recorded by Craig Morgan and is Craig's latest single.]

The record is more “country” than some of its contemporaries, and Joe shines on the more traditional pieces. The title cut “It’s All Good” features twin fiddles and a deep melody over bright production. I don’t get blue, I don’t get mad/ If I’ve learned one thing from the year I’ve had/ It’s even if it all goes bad/ It’s all good, he sings with tight phrasing. Self-examination and introspection are probably most evident on the standout track “Somebody’s Mama,” which takes on the subject of regret. Continue Reading

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Storme Warren visits Luke Bryan out on his Farm Tour.

It was an all-star lineup on GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown this week! Storme Warren went down to Claxton, Georgia to join Luke Bryan on his Farm Tour and also had the chance to chat with Dallas Davidson and Rhett Atkins, who joined Luke as special guests.

Check Out Our Farm Tour Photos >>

Back in Nashville, Nan Kelley welcomed Lauren Alaina to the studio to talk about her debut album, Wildflower, which hit stores October 11.

Read Our Review of Wildflower >>

If you missed Friday’s premiere, check the schedule for re-airs throughout the week!

On the chart this week, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood’s “Remind Me” ends James Wesley’s run at the top of the charts, knocking his “Didn’t I” video down to No. 5. Gloriana rebounds from No. 19 to No. 7 this week while Lady Antebellum stays strong with two videos on the chart.

This Week’s Chart:

1. Brad Paisley w/ Carrie Underwood – “Remind Me”
2. Scotty McCreery – “I Love You This Big”
3. Thompson Square – “I Got You”
4. Lauren Alaina – “Like My Mother Does”
5. James Wesley – “Didn’t I”
6. Blake Shelton – “God Gave Me You”
7. Gloriana – “Wanna Take You Home”
8. Taylor Swift – “Sparks Fly”
9. Martina McBride – “I’m Gonna Love You Through It”
10. Keith Urban – “Long Hot Summer”
11. Steve Holy – “Love Don’t Run”
12. Lady Antebellum – “Just A Kiss”
13. Pistol Annies – “Hell On Heels”
14. Toby Keith – “Made In America”
15. Billy Currington – “Love Done Gone”
16. Jake Owen – “Barefoot Blue Jean Night”
17. Chuck Wicks – “Old School”
18. Lady Antebellum – “We Owned The Night”
19. The Band Perry – “All Your Life”
20. Alan Jackson – “Long Way To Go”

GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown premieres every Friday night at 8/7c with re-airs throughout the weekend. Click here for a complete schedule.

Vote daily for GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown »

Browse GAC’s All-Star Top 20 Photo Gallery »

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Storme Warren visits Luke Bryan out on his Farm Tour.

GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown sent Storme Warren down on the farm to catch up with Luke Bryan on his Farm Tour stop in Claxton, Georgia. Storme and Luke talked about the tour and the success of Luke’s latest album, Tailgates & Tanlines, over boiled peanuts. Storme also had a chance to catch up with songwriter Dallas Davidson and Rhett Atkins, who joined Luke as special guests.

Read Our Review of Tailgates & Tanlines! >>

Back in Nashville, Nan Kelley welcomed Lauren Alaina to the studio to talk about her debut album, Wildflower, which hit stores October 11, and her single “Like My Mother Does.” Nan also counts down the Top 20 videos, chosen by you! Tune into tonight at 8/7 CT to catch Lauren, Luke, Dallas, and Rhett!

Read Our Review of Wildflower! >> Continue Reading

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l-r: Colt Ford, Jason Aldean & Brantley Gilbert. Photo by Dan Harr, courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media.

Colt Ford and a few of his friends raised over $85,000 during a benefit show at the Georgia Theater on August 16. Colt, Rhett Akins, Jason Aldean, Dallas Davidson, Mike Dekle, Edwin McCain, James Otto, and surprise guests Brantley Gilbert, Rachel Farley, and Corey Smith came together during the ‘Colt Ford and Friends’ concert that raised funds for families of fallen Senior Officer Elmer “Buddy” Christian and wounded Senior Officer Tony Howard.

‘Colt Ford and Friends’ brought more than 200 people to a private reception and silent auction at the Hotel Indigo’s Rialto Room for a pre-show celebration. 1,100 fans filled the Georgia Theatre later on for an evening featuring the artists ‘in the round’ with Colt’s band backing them. The concert came about after Colt learned of the shooting in his community earlier this year that left his high school friend, Senior Officer Howard, injured and resulted in the death of Senior Officer Christian. Colt organized the fundraiser in less than a month.

“I want to say thank you to all of my friends who helped us have such a special night in my hometown,” Colt said. “To all the artists who joined in to perform or who donated items to help raise money, y’all are amazing, and I am thankful to call you all friends.  This could not have happened without y’all.” Continue Reading

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Colt Ford photo courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media.

Colt Ford is gearing up to release his third studio album, Every Chance I Get, on May 3. The first single from the album, “Country Thang,” is at radio now and features co-writer and Billboard No. 1 Songwriter of 2010, Dallas Davidson on vocals. A special album-only version of the track features Eric Church. Other guest vocalists making appearances on the album are Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Josh Thompson, Craig Morgan, Frankie Ballard and more. Colt is most proud of the track “She Likes To Ride In Trucks.”

“I wrote this song for my daughter [Annesly],” Colt said. “She’s 16, coming of age, and I’m not the man in her life anymore, her boyfriend is. She wants to do her own thing, chase her own dreams, and she doesn’t need me as much as she used to. Whenever I do this song live, it’ll choke me up. It’s about real life, and real life is hard sometimes.” Continue Reading

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Ashton Shepherd photo courtesy of UMG Nashville. Photo credit Danny Clinch.

In “Look It Up”, the sassy debut single from Ashton Shepherd’s sophomore album on MCA Nashville, the country traditionalist provides her cheating man a by-the-book education in what’s unacceptable in a relationship.

According to Mediabase, “Look It Up” is the second most-added song this week at country radio and the song debuted at #55 today on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.  You can pick up a digital download of “Look It Up” now at Amazon.com.

“’Look It Up’ is a song about somebody who is officially done with something to the point that they are really over it,” Ashton says. “It’s almost like they aren’t that mad anymore, just ready to be through with it, just done. ‘Done’ is a good word. Continue Reading

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As two of the three members of the Peach Pickers, Rhett Akins and Dallas Davidson are a big part of the hottest songwriting team in country music right now.

The two are also part of an album that should have every turkey in sight shuddering this Thanksgiving season. Rhett and Dallas recorded a hunting-themed project, Michael Waddell’s Bone Collector: The Brotherhood Album, to… uhm… target the field-and-stream community.

Rhett established a name for himself as an artist during the 1990s with his hits “That Ain’t My Truck” and “Don’t Get Me Started,” but he’s shifted quite successfully into a songwriting career that has him mostly teamed with Dallas and Ben Hayslip. Known on Music Row as the Peach Pickers for their Georgian roots, they’ve written Blake Shelton’s “All About Tonight,” Joe Nichols’ “Gimmie That Girl” and Josh Turner’s “All Over Me.”

And yet, as rockin’ as those songs are, they’re still not quite as amped up as many of the 10 tracks Rhett and Dallas rifle through on Bone Collector. A few of the titles — “My Baby Looks Good In Camouflage,” “Buck Fever” and “Weapons Of Bass Destruction” — give you an idea about most of the album’s tone. Still, a few more find a way to make hunting almost sentimental.

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