Reba McEntire photo courtesy of The Valory Music Co.

Reba is heading across the pond in 2012. She will headline the four-day International Festival of Country Music, which kicks off Feburary 26 at Wembley Arena in London. She will then travel with the festival to Belfast, Zurich, and Germany. Reba is looking forward to playing for her European fans.

“It’s been a decade since we’ve been out of the United States and Canada, out of North America,” she said. “The promoter put it together, said ‘Are you willing to come over?’ and I said, ‘Absolutely!’ We wish we could do more than four shows over there. We’d love to do more.”

Martina McBride will also be hitting the road in 2012. She’s set to head out with George Strait in January. “It’s been probably six or seven years since we’ve toured with him and that experience in itself was amazing, but we were doing stadiums,” she said. “I think this tour will be even more intimate, and it’s just great.”

One of the things Martina is looking forward to while out on the road is being able to spend some time with King George. “I don’t know if he still does this, but when we toured together before there was a tent every night,” she said. “You could go and hang out with him if you wanted to. He kind of likes to hang out, and I took advantage of that. I’m thinking if I get to hang out with George Strait, I’m gonna do that.”

One of Justin Moore’s goals in 2012 is to give back. Ever since he started his music career, he has wanted to organize a hometown event to raise money for charity. It looks like he’ll be able to accomplish that goal in the new year. “I wanted to wait until I had what I thought was a legitimate platform, instead of just going down there and raising a few hundred dollars,” he said.

He’s in planning mode for the event now and is looking to call in a few favors from some of his famous friends. “We’ve been trying to find a date for it,” he said. “Darius [Rucker] owes me a bet. We bet on the South Carolina/Arkansas game last year. He lost it, so he’s gotta come do a charity event for free for me. We just gotta find a date.” Continue Reading

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Martina McBride photo courtesy of Republic Nashville.

This year saw the return of four of country music’s biggest female stars: Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Shania Twain and Faith Hill.

Martina changed records labels and released her first new album, Eleven, since 2009. The album spawned the hits “Teenage Daughters” and “I’m Gonna Love You Through It.” Martina celebrated the release by embarking on a cross-country train tour, which ended with a special performance at the Empire State Building.

Read our review of Martina McBride’s Eleven! >>

“This is such an amazing time in my life and my career,” Martina said when she announced her new album’s release. “I feel like I’ve been given the support and power to go into the studio and write and create an album that pushes the boundaries of what people expect of me, while still being true to myself.”

Sara released her first new music since 2005’s Real Fine Place when Stronger hit store shelves on March 8. The album featured the No. 1 hit CMA-nominated hit “A Little Bit Stronger,” which was also a part of the movie Country Strong. Sara also returned to the road, touring with Rascal Flatts on their Flatts Fest summer tour and performed on both the ACM and CMA Awards.

“This song has had the biggest emotional response of any other single I’ve ever released,” Sara said after “A Little Bit Stronger” reached No. 1. “I think it is because almost everyone has gone through a difficult time in their life and most people can relate to the line in the song ‘even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger.’” Continue Reading

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Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Billboard.com has released their list of the Top Country Artists of 2011. Artists are ranked based on album sales, song downloads and airplay, touring revenue, Social 50 chart action, ringtone sales and streaming data provided by Nielsen BDS. Congratulations to Taylor Swift for being named the Top Country Artist of 2011! What do you think of this ranking? Who’d top YOUR Top 50 list? Leave us a comment below!

1. Taylor Swift
2. Jason Aldean
3. Lady Antebellum
4. Zac Brown Band
5. Blake Shelton
6. The Band Perry
7. Rascal Flatts
8. Kenny Chesney
9. Brad Paisley
10. Luke Bryan
11. Keith Urban
12. Miranda Lambert
13. Sugarland
14. Eric Church
15. Scotty McCreery
16. Toby Keith
17. Thompson Square
18. Chris Young
19. Billy Currington
20. Tim McGraw Continue Reading

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Eli Young Band photo courtesy of Universal Records South.

Billboard.com has released their year-end Top Country Songs chart for 2011. Here are the 50 most popular country songs of the year based on radio airplay audience impressions as measured by Nielsen BDS. Congratulations to Eli Young Band for having the No. 1 song of the year with “Crazy Girl!” Of note, the song was co-written by Lee Brice who recorded “Love Like Crazy,” the Top Song of 2010.

1. “Crazy Girl” – Eli Young Band
2. “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” – Jake Owen
3. “Take A Back Road” – Rodney Atkins
4. “Tomorrow” – Chris Young
5. “You Lie” – The Band Perry
6. “Am I The Only One” – Dierks Bentley
7. “You and Tequila” – Kenny Chesney
8. “Honey Bee” – Blake Shelton
9. “Just Fishin’” – Trace Adkins
10. “Let Me Down Easy” – Billy Currington
11. “Here For A Good Time” – George Strait
12. “Knee Deep” – Zac Brown Band
13. “Just A Kiss” – Lady Antebellum
14. “If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” – Justin Moore
15. “Made In America” – Toby Keith
16. “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” – Luke Bryan
17. “Heart Like Mine” – Miranda Lambert
18. “God Gave Me You” – Blake Shelton
19. “Don’t You Wanna Stay” – Jason Aldean w/Kelly Clarkson
20. “What Do You Want” – Jerrod Niemann Continue Reading

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Taylor Swift's Speak Now CD. Photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Billboard.com has just released its year-end charts for 2011. Here are the 50 most popular country albums for the year (based on album sales). Congratulations to Taylor Swift for taking the top spot with her Speak Now album!

1. Speak Now – Taylor Swift
2. My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean
3. Nothing Like This – Rascal Flatts
4. Need You Now – Lady Antebellum
5. You Get What You Give – Zac Brown Band
6. Own The Night – Lady Antebellum  Read Our Review >>
7. The Band Perry – The Band Perry
8. The Incredible Machine – Sugarland
9. Get Closer – Keith Urban
10. Hemingway’s Whiskey – Kenny Chesney
11. This Is Country Music – Brad Paisley  Read Our Review >>
12. Clear As Day – Scotty McCreery  Read Our Review >>
13. Number One Hits – Tim McGraw
14. Tailgates & Tanlines – Luke Bryan  Read Our Review >>
15. Chief – Eric Church  Read Our Review >>
16. Loaded: The Best of Blake Shelton – Blake Shelton
17. Red River Blue – Blake Shelton  Read Our Review >>
18. The Foundation – Zac Brown Band
19. Revolution – Miranda Lambert
20. Country Strong Soundtrack – Various Artists Continue Reading

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Neil Perry, Kimberly Perry and Reid Perry of The Band Perry backstage at The GRAMMY Nominations Concert Live! Countdown to Music's Biggest Night at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on November 30, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Nominations for the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards® were announced tonight by The Recording Academy®  on “The GRAMMY® Nominations Concert Live!! — Countdown To Music’s Biggest Night®,” which aired live on CBS.  From the country category, fans got to see The Band Perry perform their new song “Independence,”  Jason Aldean took the stage with Ludacris to perform “Dirt Road Anthem,” and Sugarland joined forces with Lady Gaga to close out the show with a performance of “You And I.”

The Recording Academy changed up and whittled down the categories this year — here are the ones related to country music and few others you might be interested to see…

Best New Artist (all genres)

The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex Continue Reading

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George Strait photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Rodeo and country music have always had a close relationship. In Garth Brooks‘ hit, “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old),” he sings of “a worn out tape of Chris LeDoux.” Chris, of course, was a former world champion bronc rider and a Capitol Nashville recording artist. Chris even recorded George Strait‘s ode to rodeo, “Amarillo By Morning,” before George did.

George, as most of his fans know, sponsors his own Team Roping Classic in San Antonio each year. He is no slouch as a roper either, and has been sponsored by Wrangler Western Wear, a brand synonymous with rodeo, for years. In a recent interview with our own Storme Warren, George remembered the multi-talented LeDoux, who passed away in 2005:

GAC is celebrating  the union of rodeo, country music and Wrangler in December by broadcasting the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo live, December 1-10 at 10/9c each night. Plus, eight-time All-Around Champion, Trevor Brazile plays host to Suzanne Alexander and Joe Nichols on his ranch, deep in the heart of Texas in our special, Inside the WNFR 2011. Whether you are new to the sport and or a die-hard fan, this must-see show gives you the 4-1-1 on all the rodeo event categories from Steer Wrestling and Barrel Racing, to the death-defying Bull Riding event.

See more of our interview with George Strait »

Check out GAC’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo section »

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Martina McBride with her daughters Delaney, Emma and Ava visit with Nan Kelley on the set of GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown. Photo credit: GAC Staff

Martina McBride is a country superstar, but she’s also a wife and a mother to her three daughters, Delaney,16, Emma, 13 and Ava, 6. Each of her three girls are different and their unique personalities help shape their relationship with mom.

5 Things You Don’t Know About Martina McBride! >>

“Delaney, she’s ready to be all grown up and moved out on her own pretty much right now,” Martina said. “She always has been though. When she was four she was like a 10-year-old so she’s always been very mature for her age. Emma likes to stay a little closer to home. It just depends on their personality.”

Martina McBride’s Fan Q&A! >>

Martina, whose recent hit “Teenage Daughters” was inspired by her role as a mom to teenagers, says the challenge with Delaney is letting her be independent while still being there for her and still being her mother.

Watch Martina McBride’s “I’m Gonna Love You Through It” video! >>

“I do feel like she she’s very mature for her age so I probably give her a little more leeway, but you want them to be independent and she’s gonna be on her own in two years so I have to,” Martina said. “This is the time when I can help her learn how to do that and be there for her. But you still want to keep them close and safe and that’s really the line you have to walk.”

See photos of Martina McBride at the CMA Awards! >>

Martina will continue juggling the roles of wife, mom and superstar when she hits the road with George Strait this January.

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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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George Strait photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

George Strait recently celebrated his 58^th No. 1 single with “Here For A Good Time.” George co-wrote the song with his son, Bubba Strait, and songwriter Dean Dillon. This is George’s first No. 1 as a songwriter, an accomplishment he shares with Bubba.

King George has the most No. 1 singles of any artist in history, including Elvis Presley. Of his radio singles, 84 out of 89 have charted in the Top 10, 73 of them being Top 5 hits. He has sold nearly 69 million albums and has the most RIAA platinum certifications in country music and the third in all genres, behind The Beatles and Elvis.   Continue Reading

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