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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Josh Turner photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Josh Turner was suffering from the last remnants of a head cold, but he didn’t let it dent his spirits.

Josh joined songwriters Rhett Akins, Dallas Davidson and Ben Hayslip as the men of the hour at a No. 1 party Tuesday at Rooster’s in Nashville, honoring his quirky, summer-themed hit, “All Over Me.”

Coming on the heels of “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” the song made Josh one of only six artists to notch a pair of No. 1 singles this year, according to Billboard. The significance of that moment was not lost on him.

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Toby Keith photo courtesy of Show Dog Nashville.

A lot of people are going through hard times these days, and country music’s biggest stars are anxious to help.

Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts, Alison Krauss and Charlie Daniels are just a few of the artists who’ve extended themselves of late to help their neighbors get through a difficult period.

Here are a few examples of country’s acts at work in the community:

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CMA congratulates this year's crop of artist/songwriters on receiving a Triple Play Award at this year's CMA Songwriters Luncheon. Pictured (l-r): Steve Moore (CMA CEO), Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Brad Paisley, Victoria Shaw (songwriter and Chair of CMA's Community Outreach & Education Committee), Taylor Swift, Alan Jackson, and Gary Overton (CMA Board President). Photo credit: John Russell / CMA

It was three cheers for three No. 1s at the annual CMA Songwriters Luncheon with the presentation of the CMA Triple Play Awards, which honor songwriters who pen three chart-topping hits in a 12 month period.

The Triple Play Awards were presented at the Second Annual CMA Songwriters Luncheon, which was held at the Pinnacle at Symphony Place in Nashville and attended by several artist/songwriters including Dierks Bentley, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban in addition to hit tunesmiths from ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC, as well as songwriter members of CMA, NSAI, and representatives of some of the most successful publishers in Music City.

In alphabetical order, the recipients of CMA’s Triple Play Award included: Continue Reading

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Luke Bryan photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

“Rain makes corn / Corn makes whiskey.” And you know what whiskey does: It “makes my baby feel a little frisky.”

That playful chorus played out well for a couple of longtime friends Tuesday as Luke Bryan and his co-writer, Dallas Davidson, were honored at BMI in Nashville with a No. 1 party for “Rain Is A Good Thing.” From guitarist J.T. Corenflos’ pinging intro all the way through to the big pile of sound in the single’s waning moments, “Rain” is nothing but a good time.

Luke and Dallas know a thing or two about good times. They attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro together, and they shared an apartment in Nashville when they first moved to Tennessee.

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Luke Bryan photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Rain makes corn. Corn makes whiskey. Whiskey makes a rhyme scheme that took Luke Bryan to No. 1.

You know that rhyme, whiskey and frisky — it’s the most enduring lyric from Luke’s song “Rain Is A Good Thing.” It’s been such a good thing for Luke that he stayed at the top of the country chart a second week once he got there.

Coming on the heels of “Do I,” Luke’s rollicking little party song has been part of a strong 2010, though its roots were planted years ago.

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Jerrod Niemann photo by Jeremy Cowart, courtesy of myspace.com/jerrodniemann.

Their first names — Jerrod and Jaron — sound a lot alike, they’ve both had previous success in the music industry, and they’re both in country’s Top 20 as artists for the first time in their careers. Now Jerrod Niemann and Jaron Lowenstein, a.k.a. Jaron And The Long Road To Love, have new albums coming this summer.

Jerrod’s “Lover, Lover” is at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and his 12-song album Judge Jerrod & The Hung Jury is expected July 13. Jaron’s “Pray For You” is at No. 20, and his first solo album, Getting Dressed In The Dark, comes out June 22.

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Billy Currington photo by Danny Clinch, courtesy of UMG Nashville.

When Billy Currington went to No. 1 with his single “That’s How Country Boys Roll,” he might have done a little bit of redefining within the genre.

After all, the only figures the Country Music Association’s Wendy Pearl could come up with when considering “country boys who roll,” were the Pillsbury Dough Boy and… (supply your own rimshot here) Willie Nelson.

Wendy’s one-liner was part of a presentation Monday during a pair of Music Row parties toasting Billy and his co-writers, Dallas Davidson and Brett Jones. Held at the offices of two performing rights organizations, ASCAP and BMI, the events brought a shower of mementos for the three composers as well as producer Carson Chamberlain, several publishing companies and the staff at Mercury Records.

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Billy Ray Cyrus photo courtesy of Walt Disney Records.

Billy Ray Cyrus’ next film just had its premiere, Kenny Chesney is in production on his upcoming 3-D picture, and Tim McGraw’s next movie starts shooting in Middle Tennessee this week.

Country artists have a hand in every part of Hollywood’s business these days, from the initial roll of the camera to the glitter of the post-release awards-show circuit.

Here’s what’s up for country’s stars on film:

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