Around-the-clock security will be present as the current stage is dismantled and the oak planks are moved to an off-site location. An announcement on future plans for the historic planks will be made at a later date.

The last performance on the current stage will take place on Friday, Feb. 3 when the Grand Ole Opry closes its annual winter run at the Ryman. That night, Keith Urban will perform for the first time since his vocal surgery.

The project will close the stage for two weeks beginning Saturday, Feb. 4, but self-guided daytime tours will remain open throughout the project at a $10.00 special rate.

The Band Perry will be the first public performance exhibiting the new stage for their sold-out headlining Ryman debut on Feb. 20.

“To play the Ryman is to step into country music’s rich history and we are honored to perform there,” said The Band Perry. “Now, as the venue makes plans for its future, we promise to inaugurate the new stage with all the respect and reverence it deserves.”

The current oak plank stage will be replaced with Brazilian teak certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, the same type of wood used to replace the Grand Ole Opry House stage after the 2010 flood. The size of the stage will remain unchanged at 60.5’ by 36.5’, but new cross-beams and the existing hickory support beams will be bolstered to enhance weight capacity from 40,000 pounds to 120,000 pounds.

Installed in 1951, the current stage reflects the wear and tear of hosting artists of all genres, including the Grand Ole Opry, the filming of The Johnny Cash Show, The Carter Family, Dolly Parton, Minnie Pearl, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen, and countless others.

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HOLLYWOOD, CA - JANUARY 09: Actress/singer Dolly Parton attends the Premiere Of Warner Bros. Pictures' 'Joyful Noise' at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on January 9, 2012 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Gaylord Entertainment and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Company are entering a 50/50 joint venture to develop a 114-acre family entertainment zone adjacent to the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, reports MusicRow.com. The Dollywood Company will serve as the operating partner of the as-yet-unnamed outfit.

Phase one of the project is an approximately $50 million water and snow park, the first of its kind in the United States. A late 2012/early 2013 groundbreaking date is expected, with the park opening slated for summer 2014.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Nashville Mayor Karl Dean joined Dolly and Gaylord Entertainment Chairman and CEO Colin V. Reed at today’s announcement at the Grand Ole Opry House at Gaylord Opryland.

The water and snow park will anchor the project, which will include 35-acres set aside for future expansion. The park will provide a mix of high energy water activities for the summer season and designated snow activities for winter play. Once open, first year attendance is projected at 500,000, a large portion of which will come from out of state, bringing in substantial tourism revenue to Tennessee and Nashville. Dollywood expects to employ 450 full- and part-time employees.

“Tourism is the second largest industry in Tennessee, generating more than a billion dollars in tax revenue annually and employing more than 170,000 Tennesseans,” Haslam said. “This project will be a welcome addition to the wide variety of attractions and destinations across our great state, and I applaud the collaboration and spirit that has led to this announcement.”

This proposed attraction furthers Gaylord’s focus on growing the leisure side of its business.

“We are thrilled by the prospect of bringing to Nashville a family focused entertainment center with one of the preeminent theme park owners and operators in the country,” said Reed. “I am confident this proposed attraction, which will be a destination not only for our hotel guests but also for the entire Nashville community, will meaningfully enhance our transient and leisure strategy by providing a fun, family environment at the doorstep of the Opryland Hotel. With Dolly Parton’s country music legacy and strong ties to Nashville, we can think of no better partner for this venture than Dolly’s Dollywood Company.”

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Kellie Pickler's 2012 CD, 100 Proof. Photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

A quick glance at the song titles on 100 Proof and it’s apparent that Kellie Pickler is reaching back to her country roots on her first record since 2008’s self-titled release. 100 Proof, due in stores next week, is the 25-year old American Idol alum’s third studio album and first with producers Frank Liddell (Miranda Lambert) and Luke Wooten.

“Where’s Tammy Wynette,” “Unlock That Honky Tonk,” and “Stop Cheatin’ On Me” are an album-opening trifecta effectively serving notice that Kellie is dishing up a collection of songs with a traditional slant. Tell me how you fry a skillet of chicken in high heels and a skirt, she sings smartly with syrupy Southern twang on the shuffling “Where’s Tammy Wynette,” before launching into stories about protecting her man from that hussy over there and sitting alone at the kitchen table with a bottle of wine.

Kellie’s undeniable country voice is an easy match for such traditional ingredients, but her ability to develop melodies shows an ever-growing musical maturity. Kellie co-wrote six of the album’s eleven songs including the Dolly-esque “Rockaway (The Rockin’ Chair Song).” Descriptions such as, The night’s like an ocean off of our back porch/ We’re movin’ like waves swayin’ back and forth, flow easily to match the open country/rock groove. On “Long As I Never See You Again,” an acoustic number pulling on those honky tonk heartstrings, Kellie skillfully descends to aching depths through the line, It’s never easy when love comes to an end with a classic vocal touch that sounds like the soundtrack to a lonely barroom.

The album’s first single, “Tough,” is the record’s most aggressive song. Featuring locked-in acoustic rhythms and a snapping snare drum, Kellie holds the tension through the first verse before opening up in the chorus. There ain’t nothing wrong with a woman that has a little back bone, she sings self-assuredly while proclaiming the virtues of her rough edges. Though several songs on 100 Proof have an element of that attitude, it’s the loving title-track that leaves the strongest impression.

Beautiful, swirling harmonies are executed with precision to add dynamic layers at every level of the title-cut “100 Proof.” Whether it’s the opening guitar/bass instrumentation or the gorgeous vocal melodies, the exceptional interplay is compelling as the entire song moves together. We’ll dance all night on the edge of can’t get enough, Kellie sings in the chorus before adding, And we’ll wake up in the morning like we always do/ drunk on the beautiful truth, we got love, 100 proof.

100 Proof closes with the album’s bravest and most personal song. “The Letter (To Daddy)” is a tender message of unconditional love to her father, a recovering alcoholic. Supported by only a soft acoustic guitar, Kellie sings, You’ve finally gotten sober and found some peace of mind, after initially admitting her childhood was robbed by the bottle. It’s an intimate recording right down to the almost inaudible creaking of musician’s chairs toward the end of the song. It’s also a parting message that illustrates 100 Proof succeeds on the history of its traditional influences as well as Kellie’s own honesty and personal experience.

Key tracks – “100 Proof,” “Tough,” Rockaway (The Rockin’ Chair Song),” “The Letter (To Daddy)”

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Emmylou Harris photo by Rocky Schenck, courtesy of Nonesuch Records.

Emmylou Harris is teaming up with Rodney Crowell, her famed Hot Band’s original guitarist, for a duet album, reports Billboard.com. They are working with producer Brian Ahern, who first worked with Emmylou on her major label solo debut, Pieces of the Sky, in 1975.

“At one point before the Hot Band, the Hot Band was me and Rodney sitting around with two acoustic guitars learning Don Gibson songs,” Emmylou said. “It’s kind of a thing we always said, ‘We’ve got to do a duet record,’ and he’s been busy and I’ve been busy. But earlier this year I just decided that I wanted to do a record with him, and if we didn’t book it and plan it and set aside some time, it would be something we’d get to the end of our lives and regret we’d never done it.”

The album will feature mainly cover songs, but they have considered songs Rodney wrote for others but never recorded himself. They are pretty far along in the recording process, but have been battling sickness and hope to finish the project soon. They are hoping to play a few shows together as well.  “I’m sure we’ll do something, but he’s got his career and I’ve got mine, so I don’t know what we’ll be able to do for sure,” Emmylou said.

This year is also the 25^th anniversary of Emmylou’s first Trio album with Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton. To celebrate, the GRAMMY-winning collaboration will be re-released alongside 1999’s Trio 2 (as well as session outtakes), in a boxed set. Emmylou will also keep touring in support of 2011’s Hard Bargain. Emmylou wrote 11 of that album’s 13 tracks. “I’m very happy with that record,” she said. “I figured it was time to put on the writing hat, and I gave myself some time write, really cleared my schedule and put my energy into writing. I think it shows. We perform a lot of songs from that album, and it’s always good to have new material that you like to go with all the old stuff that I still, fortunately, like. It keeps you fresh.”

Emmylou’s next performance is scheduled for January 27 in Champaign, Illinois. Her Hard Times album is nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Americana Album category.

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Photo courtesy of norahjones.com.

Norah Jones is a GRAMMY-winning jazz/pop artist, but country music has always been one of her biggest influences. Following the success of her debut album, Come Away With Me, she and four friends formed the group The Little Willies. Named after Norah’s childhood hero, Willie Nelson[Norah grew up in Texas], the group started performing unannounced shows of country cover songs at a small venue in New York.

“I think I had to leave home for me to know how much country music meant to me,” she told the New York Times. “I listened to Hank Williams, Dolly Parton and Willie growing up, but I wanted to play jazz. When I listened to Bill Evans, I transcribed the chords. When I listened to ‘Red Headed Stranger,’ I just listened to enjoy it. But it really seeped in more than I could have known.”

Almost six years after The Little willies released their debut album, they’re back with a new album, For the Good Times. The album, which hits stores January 10, includes covers of songs by Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. The New York Times asked Norah to create a five-song playlist of her favorite Texas songwriters. Willie Nelson, of course, came in on top. The Little Willies cover Willie’s “Permanently Lonely” on their new album.

“Willie’s songs are deceptively complicated,” Norah said. “He’s like a twisted jazz musician under all that country. He writes these chords that are just beautiful — the way they come together so simply, yet they go against normal forms that you learn as a musician. But he makes them sound so beautiful and simple. You don’t try to that, you just do. And that’s what’s great about Willie: he just does.”

Kris Kristofferson’s “Best of All Possible Worlds” is also on the album and made Norah’s playlist. “Best of All Possible Worlds” is “so much fun because it stacks up a lot of words and a lot of clever lines; it’s so well crafted, but also so soulful,” she said. “That’s the trick to songwriting — you want craft, but you also need soul and honesty. And who’s as inherently soulful as Kris Kristofferson? Look at ‘For the Good Times.’ It’s one of the most heartbreaking, beautiful lyrics ever. If he only wrote those two songs, he’d be on the list. But obviously, he’s given us so much more.”

Townes Van Zandt’s “No Place To Fall,” Sly and the Family Stone’s “If You Want Me To Stay,” and Cindy Walker’s “You Don’t Me” rounded out Norah’s playlist.

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Dolly Parton photo courtesy of Dolly Records.

Dolly Parton is looking to return to Broadway in the near future, reports Broadwayworld.com. She’s working on creating a musical autobiography made for the big stage. But don’t look for her to star in it. “I’m writing my life story as a musical for Broadway,” Dolly said. “I probably won’t be in it but I’ll find a way to introduce it somehow, maybe the older me.”

Dolly wrote the music and lyrics to the musical adaptation of 9 to 5 in 2009. While the musical only played 148 performances, opening in April 2009 and closing in September of the same year, Dolly isn’t bitter. “9 to 5 didn’t make it on Broadway but it didn’t sour me,” she said. “I learned all this stuff from it.”

Fans don’t have to wait long to see Dolly on the big screen again, however. She stars alongside Queen Latifah in Joyful Noise, which hits theaters January 13.

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Frankie Ballard photo courtesy of Reprise Records.

Frankie Ballard and his dad have a ‘must do’ when it comes to Christmas traditions. There is a movie the father and son have to watch together to make sure it feels like the holidays. “My dad and I always watch Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase,” Frankie said. “It wouldn’t feel like Christmas if we didn’t do that every year.”

Before he was a guitar slinger, Frankie was into sports. He played baseball in college, but also played hockey growing up. One of his favorite Christmas presents is a hockey-related item he coveted as a kid.

“Back when I played hockey there was a hockey jacket you would get, a red corduroy jacket, all the kids would get it and put patches on it when they got a hat trick or won a championship,” he said. “I remember finally getting one and freaking out.”

Frankie’s labelmate, Jana Kramer, counts family time among her favorite Christmas memories. “My favorite Christmas memory is probably always having euchre tournaments with my family and just hanging out laughing!” she said.

It turns out, Frankie isn’t the only one whose favorite gift was a jacket. “My favorite gift was a fringe jacket,” Jana said. “I thought I was Pocahontas when I was a little girl!” As for her favorite food? That’s an easy question for Jana. “My grandpa’s stuffing! It’s the best!”

Christmas is a time for giving and good will, but that didn’t stop Brett Eldredge and his brother from deciding to play a prank on their mother for Christmas. She asked them for a new robe, but they decided to have a little fun with the present instead. “Being the jokesters that we are, we got the idea to get a really old gross robe and smeared brown shoe polish on it to make it look gross because we wanted to see how she would react,” Brett said. “She opened it and tried to act like she liked it but I couldn’t keep from laughing my butt off! I was laughing so hard I was crying! Eventually she figured out it was a prank and we went to the other room and brought her a brand new soft, clean robe!”

Brett didn’t let the gag gift go to waste, however. He found it useful when another holiday rolled around. “I kept the robe for Halloween and dressed up like ‘Cousin Eddy’ from Christmas Vacation!” he said.

One of Dolly Parton’s favorite Christmas memories involves helping her mother pick out a wedding band for Christmas! You can watch Dolly share the memory as well as see artists like Miranda Lambert, David Nail and more in our Holiday Memories channel. Check it out! >>

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Oct 31, 1912 – Dale Evans born in Uvalde, Texas. In December 1947, she marries Roy Rogers, with whom she stars on radio and TV. She also writes their classic closing theme “Happy Trails”

Oct 31, 1921—Malissa Monroe dies at the family home near Rosine, Kentucky. No one bothers to tell her son, 10-year-old Bill Monroe, that she’s dead until after she’s already been buried

Oct 31, 1931 – Lester Flatt marries Gladys Stacy at the courthouse in Cookeville, Tennessee

Oct 31, 1934 – At a Halloween party in Halifax, Hank Snow meets his future wife, Minnie Aalders

Oct 31, 1947 — Promoter Connie B. Gay books Eddy Arnold for the first-ever country show at Washington, D.C.’s Constitution Hall. Also on the bill are comedians Minnie Pearl and Rod Brasfield

Oct 31, 1952 – Hank Williams checks into a Shreveport hospital with acute intoxication

Oct 31, 1954 – When Eddy Arnold plays Memphis’ Ellis Auditorium, a young Elvis Presley finds his way backstage. Presley meets Arnold and The Jordanaires, and spots–though he does not talk to–Colonel Tom Parker

Oct 31, 1960 – Elvis Presley records “Crying In The Chapel” at Nashville’s RCA Studio B. The single goes unreleased, however, for more than four years

Oct 31, 1964 – Darryl Worley born in Savannah, Tennessee. Noted for the strong traditional influence on his music, the lanky singer builds a solid career after his 2000 debut, striking a major chord for patriotism with his 2003 release “Have You Forgotten?”

Oct 31, 1966 – Decca releases Loretta Lynn‘s “Don’t Come Home A’Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ On Your Mind)”

Oct 31, 1974 – Emmylou Harris records “If I Could Only Win Your Love” and her first single, “Too Far Gone”

Oct 31, 1983 – Lee Greenwood tapes the syndicated “Solid Gold” in Los Angeles, then visits the home of MCA chairman Irving Azoff to present him a tape of “God Bless The U.S.A.”

Oct 31, 1987 – Dolly Parton opens a restaurant in Honolulu, the Dockside Plantation

Oct 31, 1991 – Randy Travis accepts a unique Halloween treat: a gold album for “High Lonesome”

Oct 31, 1993 – Actor River Phoenix dies of a drug overdose outside the Viper Room in Los Angeles. His final picture was “The Thing Called Love,” based on Nashville’s famed listening room, The Bluebird Café

Oct 31, 1995 – Bryan White, Derek George and John Tirro write “So Much For Pretending” on Halloween, distracted periodically by trick-or-treaters

Oct 31, 1998 – Lari White blows out the speakers when she sings the national anthem before the Miami Hurricanes’ football game against Boston College

Oct 31, 2000 – “I Hope You Dance” becomes Lee Ann Womack‘s second platinum album

Oct 31, 2005 – “Inside TV” lists the Top 10 TV witches of all-time, ranking Lisa Hartman Black at #9 for her portrayal of Samantha Stevens’ grown-up daughter in the late-’70s series “Tabitha”

Oct 31, 2006 – During a Tuesday edition of the Grand Ole Opry, Jeff Bates gets down on one knee at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium to propose to Kelly Vaughn. She nods yes

Oct 31, 2007 – Taylor Swift goes trick-or-treating in Hendersonville, Tennessee, disguised as the hairy “Star Wars” character Chewbacca

Oct 31, 2010 – Trace Adkins performs for U.S. soldiers in Basra, Iraq, near the outset of a USO tour

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“Whiskey Lullaby” – Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss

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“Hurt” – Johnny Cash

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“Midnight In Montgomery” – Alan Jackson

Shot in black and white under a full moon amidst the headstones of an empty cemetery, Alan’s “Midnight in Montgomery” music video reaches beyond the grave to beckon the ghost of Hank Williams, Sr. Kneeling by Hank Sr.’s grave in the dark night, Alan smells “whiskey in the air” before seeing the legendary figure before him. The song’s acoustic arrangement and stirring harmonies only add to the haunting nature of the video that won the 1992 CMA Award for Music Video of the Year.

“Gravedigger” – Willie Nelson

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“Barton Hollow” – The Civil Wars

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“The Thunder Rolls” – Garth Brooks

Recently ranked as Time Magazine’s No. 7 Most Controversial Video of all time, Garth Brooks’ emotionally charged tale of domestic violence burns with intensity. The 1991 CMA Music Video of the Year opens with an abusive husband leaving his mistress at their motel room in the middle of a storm. Lightning flashes reveal details like his wife’s black eye as she waits at home for his return. However, set against thundering acoustic guitars and pounding drums, a fight ensues upon his arrival and the abused wife pulls a gun. The last shot shows Garth standing across the street from the house as a patrol car pulls up.

“Kerosene” – Miranda Lambert

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“Haunted Heart” – Sammy Kershaw

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“Jolene” – Mindy Smith featuring Dolly Parton

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“Sittin’ Up With The Dead” – Ray Stevens

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Country music is full of legends, ghosts and eerie events. This is our list of the Top 10 Most Haunting Country Videos, but there are many more out there. If your favorite isn’t on the list, tell us what it is!

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Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood & Brad Paisley.

It’s only October 14, but we’re already preparing for Halloween! And what better way to celebrate country music and the ghoulish holiday with country star pumpkins! We’ve had lots of fun trying out all the different templates, including Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift,  Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood and more!

Here’s our Kellie Pickler pumpkin, carved using a template from one of her publicity photos:

Kellie Pickler photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Pretty cool, huh? If you’d like a Kellie pumpkin…or a Reba or Garth or even Dolly pumpkin, check out all the templates HERE!

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