Keith Urban photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Keith Urban is ready to sing again. He will make his first performance since undergoing successful throat surgery tomorrow, February 3, on the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Not only is it a special night for Keith, it is also the final performance on the current Ryman stage before it undergoes renovations.

“I’m really looking forward to being back onstage, and more specifically on the Opry stage,” Keith said. “When I was told earlier this week that the Ryman was going to start renovations on the stage after our show I thought, ‘You know, when we say we’re really gonna tear it up tonight, maybe they’re worried I mean it literally?”

Later this month, Keith will head to Sydney for a week of filming the Australian version of The Voice. Keith will travel back and forth to Australia over the next few months to film for the show, while keeping a busy schedule in the United States that includes another show on the Opry and his annual All For The Hall benefit concert.

“It’ll be a blast spending a little time in Australia working on The Voice, getting the opportunity to try and help some killer raw talent blossom,” Keith said. “And I have a feeling that being immersed in that new kind of ‘everything is possible’ energy, will have a real inspiring and liberating effect on creating new music for my new album!” Continue Reading

ShareThis

MusicRow.com reports the Ryman Auditorium will be replacing its stage for the first time since 1951. Plans for the new stage include an 18-inch section cut from the existing stage running across the front to honor the historical significance of past performances, similar to the famous circle of the same Ryman stage wood that resides center-stage at the Grand Ole Opry House.

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 Continue Reading

ShareThis

Keith Urban photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Keith Urban will return to the stage for the first time since undergoing successful vocal cord surgery late last year with a performance on the Grand Ole Opry February 3. Keith’s performance will take place as the Opry wraps its winter run at the historic Ryman Auditorium. The Opry returns to the Grand Ole Opry House the next day.

Other artists scheduled to appear on the Opry with Keith are Charley Pride and the Oak Ridge Boys, with more artists to be added. Keith is also scheduled to perform on the Opry on March 9 at the Opry House. Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Del McCoury, Craig Morgan, Ricky Skaggs, Josh Turner and more will appear on the Opry stage in coming weeks. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Rascal Flatts photo courtesy of Big Machine Records. Photo credit Chapman Baehler.

Years from now when Rascal Flatts looks back on 2011, they’ll see it as a year of changes and big accomplishments. From recording songs with pop stars to becoming members of the Grand Ole Opry, the trio will have fond memories of the year.

“We started off the year with our own network special, which was thrilling, and there are very few acts that can say they’ve had their own television network special,” Jay DeMarcus said. “We had a video with Justin Bieber, a song, a duet with him. So a lot of things that were milestones in our career – members of the Grand Ole Opry and other things that affected us professionally, too.”

The year held a lot of highs, but also had some emotional lows. Overall though, the band isn’t complaining. “It’ll be one of my favorite years to look back and remember because so many of the goals that we had set for ourselves years ago had finally come true,” Jay said.

2012 is shaping up to be another year to remember. The band kicks off their Thaw Out 2012 Tour in January, plans to release a new album later this year, and will announce plans for a summer tour in the coming months.

This year was a big one for Brantley Gilbert as well. He spent more time on the road than a lot of artists, sometimes playing 4 or 5 shows a week. He knows pounding the pavement is a part of building his career and he’s seeing it pay off in the form of fan response. “Feedback’s always been pretty positive,” Brantley said.

The difference now is that it’s Brantley’s own music people are loving. “People responded real well to cover songs,” he said. “Now they’re responding well to originals, so that’s pretty awesome for us.” Brantley will join Eric Church on his The Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour in January.

For Eli Young Band, 2011 has contained a lot of special moments, including getting their first No. 1 with “Crazy Girl.” The band also had some pretty big gigs that will help make 2011 a year they won’t forget.

“One of the coolest experiences for all of us onstage is doing the Houston Rodeo for sixty thousand people,” Jon Jones said. “It’s an incredibly tough figure to wrap your head around, how many people that really is, there to see you… and just the energy of that stage and the four of us. That was such a big milestone for us.”

For Mike Eli, playing the Grand Ole Opry for the first time goes down as a major milestone in 2011. “We played three songs and I think we started that first note then all of a sudden, it was over,” he said. “And that was an incredible feeling to play that stage for the first time.”

The band will release their latest single, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” to radio on January 23.

ShareThis

Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, the Grand Ole Opry celebrates Little Jimmy Dickens’ 91st birthday, Martina McBride ponders her youngest daughter’s Christmas list, Chris Young and Frankie Ballard face last minute Christmas shopping and funny man Ray Stevens puts a certain 91-year-old on his list to Santa. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Grand Ole Opry on WhoSay

Opry – Opry: Breaking News: @opry star Little Jimmy “Tater” Dickens parties with his Mr Tater Head birthday cake celebrating 91 …

Martina McBride: MartinaMcBride – On Ava’s list to Santa: chocolate fountain, popcorn machine, dippin’ dots maker, cotton candy machine! What the heck????

Chris Young – ChrisYoungMusic: Going Christmas shopping…. Someone pray for me…

Dierks Bentley on WhoSay

Dierks Bentley – DierksBentley: merry christmas from @bradpaisley and me. that was special brad… Continue Reading

ShareThis

Emmylou Harris photo courtesy of Schmidt Public Relations.

The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate Emmylou Harris’ 20^th anniversary as an Opry member on January 21, 2012 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Emmylou was inducted into the Opry on January 25, 1992. Emmylou will perform and will be honored by Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell, Shawn Colvin — who will be making her Opry debut that evening — and more.

“Emmylou is treasured not just by all of us at the Grand Ole Opry, but also by fans around the world,” Pete Fisher, Opry vice president and general manager, said. “She’s shared so many great musical moments with us over the past 20 years, singing with and introducing us to some of her favorite musical collaborators. We’re excited to celebrate her Opry anniversary at the Ryman, a stage on which she’s displayed such incredible artistry through the years.”

Emmylou has erased the boundaries between country, folk and rock ‘n’ roll. She began performing folk music while in college in the ’60s. In  the late ’60s, she met Gram Parsons, formerly of The Byrds, and he became her mentor and singing partner, drawing her into the ’70s country-rock movement. She worked with him until his death in 1973. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Vince Gill photo by Tim Wright, courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Grand Ole Opry and Country Music Hall of Fame member Vince Gill will host the America’s Opry Weekend Thanksgiving Special, slated to air on radio November 23 through November 27. The radio program will celebrate Thanksgiving and the beginning of a music-filled holiday season, with Vince playing some of the year’s biggest hits about life, home, and thanks. The America’s Opry Weekend Thanksgiving Special will also contain cuts from Vince’s new album, Guitar Slinger, and several of his all-time holiday favorites, including some he’ll be singing with his wife Amy Grant on the couple’s 2011 “Twelve Days of Christmas” tour.

Read Our Review of Guitar Slinger >>

Watch Our Exclusive Vince Gill Acoustic Performances >> Continue Reading

ShareThis

Charlie Daniels photo courtesy of Webster PR.

The Grand Ole Opry is returning to its most famous former home, the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The Opry began its three month winter run at the Ryman on Tuesday night with a show featuring Rascal Flatts, Rodney Atkins and more. Artists scheduled to appear at the Opry at the Ryman include Dierks Bentley, Emmylou Harris, The Civil Wars, Marshall Tucker Band, Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, Josh Turner, Keith Urban, Charlie Daniels and more.

Over the weekend, the Opry helped Charlie Daniels celebrate his 75th birthday with a cake before his performance. Check out the photo HERE.

During the show, Tennessee National Guard Major General Max Haston promoted Charlie to the Guard’s rank of Brigadier General. Charlie was inducted into the Opry family in 2008.  Continue Reading

ShareThis

Chris Young Photo courtesy of Amy Willis PR/Grand Ole Opry.

When Chris Young played the Grand Ole Opry recently, he did so with a very special guitar that was once owned by Keith Whitley. Chris acquired the Sigma by Martin guitar, one of Keith’s three primary guitars, from Music City Pickers, a company that buys and sells vintage musical instruments. The guitar was discovered by the company’s founders, songwriter Brady Seals and former Gibson Guitars web editor Gabriel Hernandez, on a buying trip to Lexington, Kentucky in August.

“Keith Whitley has always been one of my musical heroes, so to get the chance to hold a piece of history in my hands and play his guitar on the Opry stage was beyond awesome,” Chris said.

While the Martin acoustic and Fender Telecaster guitars Keith played are now owned by private collectors, The Sigma by Martin guitar remained in the hands of family friend and musician, Earl Watkins. Earl and Keith became close friends and played together at Earl’s famed Circle H Saloon just south of Lexington every time Keith passed through. Continue Reading

ShareThis

George Jones Photo Courtesy of Bandit Records.

George Jones turned 80 years old on September 12 with a birthday party at Rippy’s, a barbecue restaurant in downtown Nashville, before heading to the Grand Ole Opry for a star-studded birthday bash. George, who has battled addiction, is thankful to reach 80. “I am pretty sure this milestone means to me the same thing it means to anyone who reaches 80,” he told the South Bend Tribune. “Dang glad to be here.”

While he has earned the right to retire, George is still on the road, playing around 60 dates a year. He gives full credit to his fans for keeping him on tour. “I would say the secret for my longevity is the fans,” he said. “Country music fans are the most loyal fans in the world. They stick by you through thick and thin.”

Several of George’s brothers in music, including Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, have passed away. George, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson have been left to carry on the traditional country sound they are known for.

“I have always stayed true to my roots in country music because it is what I love,” George told the paper. “I am sad to have lost so many of my dear friends. We were like family back in the days when we were young and struggling to make a name for ourselves.” Continue Reading

ShareThis