Tim McGraw photo courtesy of The GreenRoom.

Taylor Swift and Tim McGraw are among the celebrities scheduled to participate in the third annual Stand Up To Cancer television fundraising special. Taylor and Tim, along with Coldplay and Alicia Keys, will perform during the broadcast which airs Friday, September 7 at 8 p.m on various networks.

Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Michael Douglas, Jessica Biel, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Seth Rogen, Emma Stone and SU2C Co-Founder Katie Couric will all appear during the telecast.

Actors and personalities Simon Baker, Jordana Brewster, Diem Brown, Dana Delany, Chelsea Handler, Marg Helgenberger, Rashida Jones, Minka Kelly, Joe Manganiello, Jillian Michaels, Masi Oka, Ana Maria Polo, and Alison Sweeney have also been confirmed. Additional stars and performers will be announced in the coming weeks. 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)

Several country stars are in Los Angeles this weekend for the 54^th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Besides being nominated, several artists will take part in the all-genre show as performers and presenters. The GRAMMYs will air live from the Staples Center on Sunday, February 12 at 8/7 CT on CBS. LL Cool J will serve as host.

Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Glen Campbell will perform with Blake Shelton and The Band Perry in what is sure to be a highlight of the night. Blake is nominated for two GRAMMY Awards, including Best Country Solo Performance for “Honey Bee” and Best Country Album for Red River Blue. His No. 1 hit “God Gave Me You,” written by Dave Barnes, is also up for Best Country Song, given to the songwriter. The Band Perry is nominated for the all-genre New Artist of the Year award.

Other country performers include Carrie Underwood with Tony Bennett, Taylor Swift, and Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson. Carrie’s “Mama’s Song” is nominated in the Best Country Solo Performance. Taylor is up for three GRAMMY Awards. Her hit “Mean” is nominated for Best Country Solo Performance and Best Country Song, while her Speak Now album is up for Best Country Album.

Jason is also up for three GRAMMYs. “Dirt Road Anthem” is nominated in the Best Country Solo Performance category. “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” which he will perform with Kelly Clarkson during the show, is up for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and his My Kinda Party album is in the running for Best Country Album.

Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Gwyneth Paltrow will be among the GRAMMY presenters during the show. A special tribute to the late Etta James by Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt will be featured during the telecast, as well as performances by Katy Perry, Adele, Coldplay and Rihanna, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney and Nicki Minaj.

Here is a complete list of all the country categories as well as a few others featuring country stars as nominees:

Best New Artist (all genres)
The Band Perry
Bon Iver
J. Cole
Nicki Minaj
Skrillex

Best Country Solo Performance
“Dirt Road Anthem” — Jason Aldean
“I’m Gonna Love You Through It” — Martina McBride
“Honey Bee” — Blake Shelton
“Mean” — Taylor Swift
“Mama’s Song” — Carrie Underwood Continue Reading

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Carrie Underwood photo by James White, courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Carrie Underwood and Lady Antebellum have been added to the list of country stars who will be a part of the 54^th Annual GRAMMY Awards. Carrie will join Tony Bennett for a performance while Lady A will serve as presenters. A tribute to the late Etta James by Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt has also been added. The GRAMMYs will air on CBS on Sunday, February 12th at 8/7 CT.

Other country artists scheduled to perform include Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Glen Campbell, with Blake Shelton and The Band Perry, Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson and Taylor Swift. Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Gwyneth Paltrow will be among GRAMMY presenters. Continue Reading

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Miranda Lambert photo by Randee St. Nicholas, courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert and Gwyneth Paltrow have been announced as presenters at the 54^th Annual GRAMMY Awards. They are just the latest country stars to be added to the awards. Lifetime Achievement Recipient Glen Campbell will perform with special guests Blake Shelton and The Band Perry. Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson, and Taylor Swift are also slated to perform.

Other performers on the GRAMMYs include Katy Perry, Adele, Coldplay and Rihanna, Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney and Nicki Minaj. LL Cool J will act as host of the GRAMMYs for the first time. Continue Reading

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Tim McGraw and Gwyneth Paltrow on the Sony Nashville Dinner Cruise during CRS 2011.

Every year during the first week of March, radio folks from all over the country come to Nashville for the Country Radio Seminar to attend educational panels, schmooze with each other and hear lots of performances from new country artists as well as established artists. One of the highlights of every convention is the Sony Music Nashville Dinner Cruise, held on the General Jackson showboat. This year’s soiree was hosted by Country Strong star Gwyneth Paltrow, who endeared herself to the audience with her down-to-earth personality and sense of humor. A few GAC staffers attended the dinner — and here are our combined highlights from the evening:

Gwyneth’s surprise duet partner – Tim McGraw, who caused a shower of camera flashes when he joined her onstage for their song from Country Strong, “Me And Tennessee.”

Chris Young performing his No. 1 single, “Voices,” and new single, “Tomorrow,” with a commanding voice that proved beyond a doubt – this guy is on a fast track from “new guy” to “star.”

Carrie Underwood performs on the Sony Nashville Dinner Cruise during CRS 2011.

Carrie Underwood. Carrie – who was fighting a cold and could barely talk above a whisper – still managed to wow the crowd when she sang “How Great Thou Art.” Continue Reading

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Maxim magazine has once again released their list of the hottest women in country music.  For some reason they decided to whittle the field down to just 13.  Which means they’re leaving a lot of deserving ladies out.  For example, how in the world can you not include Faith Hill, Reba, Martina McBride and LeAnn Rimes?  Check out the complete list below, in no particular order, along with links to see more photos of these Maxim-certified country music beauties.

What do you think of this list?  Leave me a comment and tell me who you think is the hottest of them all and who you think is missing from this list…

Gwyneth Paltrow as "Kelly Canter," from the movie "Country Strong." Photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

See more photos of Gwyneth Paltrow »

Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Check out our photo gallery of Taylor Swift »

Jessie James photo courtesy of Mercury Records.

Browse our Jessie James photo gallery » Continue Reading

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Lady Antebellum poses in the press room with the award for Best Country Album for 'Need You Now' at the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards at the Staples Center, February 13, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/PictureGroup)

– Written by Shannon Heim

Country’s own Lady Antebellum was the big winner at the 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards in Los Angeles Sunday night, taking home the trophy in five of the six categories in which they were nominated. The group’s crossover hit “Need You Now” won Song and Record of the Year as well as best Country Album, Best Country Song and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Lady A members Dave Hayward, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott were clearly stunned by the Recording Academy’s accolades. “We just cried our eyes out backstage and I can’t believe we’re up here once again,” Charles said while accepting for Record of the Year.

During their performance, the group slowed down a shortened version of “Need You Now” and sung bits of “American Honey,” and the classic “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” a nod to Teddy Pendergrass, who died last year.

Lady Antebellum was the only country nominee in the Album of the Year category, which ultimately went to Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs.

The group’s dominance marked the second straight year a country crossover act was the night’s top story. Continue Reading

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Miranda Lambert photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville. Lady Antebellum photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

The 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards will take place in Los Angeles at the Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, and will air live on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). This year, country music has a pretty big presence on the show. Here are our Top 5 reasons to watch:

Miranda Lambert will be making her first-ever performance on a GRAMMY® telecast. Also look for a performance from Album of the Year nominees, Lady Antebellum. Plus, although she won’t be singing a country song, Country Strong star and Academy Award® winner Gwyneth Paltrow will be singing with Cee Lo Green, whose song “Forget You” was sung by Gwyneth on an episode of the TV show Glee.

Current three-time GRAMMY® nominee Dierks Bentley and current nominee Blake Shelton will both present awards, as will winner and current four-time nominee Zac Brown and three-time winner and current nominee Keith Urban.

We’re really looking forward to the tribute to Aretha Franklin.What’s the country connection, you ask? Our own Martina McBride will be honoring the Queen of Soul with her powerful voice. Martina joins Yolanda Adams, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson and Florence Welch in the tribute.

In other related news, this Friday, Feb. 11, nominee LeAnn Rimes will take part in honoring Barbara Streisand, who’s getting the 2011 MUSICARES® Person of the Year Award. Legendary artist (and Barbara’s co-star in the movie A Star Is Born) Kris Kristofferson will present the award to her. Also, country/Americana producer T Bone Burnett was honored Feb. 8 by the The Producers & Engineers Wing® of The Recording Academy® for his commitment to excellence and ongoing support for the art and craft of recorded music.

Who’s gonna win? See the list of country nominees below and tell us your predictions! For a complete list of country, bluegrass and Americana nominees, visit Grammy.com.

We can’t wait to see what the stars will be wearing on the red carpet. Check back with us Monday morning (Feb. 14) to read our GRAMMY® wrap-up story and see photos from the big night! In the meantime, check out our red carpet photos from last year HERE.

2011 GRAMMY® AWARD NOMINEES:

Album of the Year
The Suburbs – Arcade Fire
Recovery – Eminem
Need You Now – Lady Antebellum
The Fame Monster – Lady Gaga
Teenage Dream – Katy Perry Continue Reading

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Josh Turner visits host Nan Kelley on the set of Top 20 Country Countdown.

Josh Turner swings by this week’s Top 20 Country Countdown for a chat with host Nan Kelley as she counts down the videos you chose from twenty all the way down to number one. While American Idol alums Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice have been enjoying top spots on the countdown, Josh had an “Idol” experience of his own last week when he learned a contestant chose his song, “Your Man,” to sing for the judges. The contestant, 16 year old Scotty McCreery, made it to Hollywood and Josh became a trending topic on Twitter after the audition aired.

The Top 20 isn’t the only place you can catch Josh on GAC. He’s co-hosting GAC’s Top 20 Lovin’ & Leavin’ Songs with the hilarious Laura Bell Bundy, just in time for Valentine’s Day! So tune in tonight at 8/7c for this week’s Top 20 and again on February 9 at 9/8c to catch Josh and Laura Bell countdown the Top 10 lovin’ songs and the Top 10 leavin’ songs, all chosen by you!

This Week’s Chart:

1. Katie Armiger – “Best Song Ever”  
2. Carrie Underwood — “Mama’s Song”
3. Josh Turner — “I Wouldn’t Be A Man”
4. Blake Shelton — “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking”
5. Jason Aldean feat. Kelly Clarkson – “Don’t You Wanna Stay” Continue Reading

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Gwyneth Paltrow & Tim McGraw from the movie Country Strong, in theaters January 7, 2011. Photo by Scott Garfield, courtesy of Sony Pictures USA & Monarch Publicity.

The Tim McGraw/Gwyneth Paltrow movie Country Strong was not only a hit with country fans, it also struck a chord with Oscar® voters, who nominated the movie’s “Coming Home” song (performed by Gwyneth) in the Original Song category.

Congrats to “Coming Home” songwriters Tom Douglas, Troy Verges, Hillary Lindsey and Bob DiPiero on the nomination! Continue Reading

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