Brooks & Dunn photo: Getty Images/Courtesy of the Academy of Country Music & dick clark productions.

Tune in on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS to watch superstars of country music pay tribute to all-time leading ACM Award winners Brooks & Dunn at ACM PRESENTS: BROOKS & DUNN – THE LAST RODEO, featuring performances by Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, Jennifer Hudson, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Darius Rucker, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban with presenters Dr. Maya Angelou, Miranda Cosgrove & Matthew McConaughey.

Ticket proceeds from the live event went to ACM Lifting Lives, which in turn quickly earmarked funding for those affected by the recent floods in Middle Tennessee.

During the tribute concert special, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn receive the Academy’s Milestone Award in recognition of their astounding 20-year career and are honored for holding the record for the most wins of any artist in the Academy’s history. Continue Reading

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Brooks & Dunn in the press room at the 45th Academy of Country Music Awards MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV USA April 18, 2010 © Mia Wallace / Retna, Ltd

One night after the Academy of Country Music Awards, Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena filled up again for another big country event. Monday’s show was a tribute concert that was shot for a CBS special, “ACM Presents: Brooks & Dunn — The Last Rodeo.”

The duo was celebrated by some of country’s biggest stars, who churned out their own versions of B&D’s trademark hits. George Strait covered “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” according to the Associated Press. Lady Antebellum and Reba McEntire reprised “If You See Him/If You See Her,” Faith Hill did “The Long Goodbye” and Brad Paisley offered “My Next Broken Heart.” R&B singer Jennifer Hudson also showed up for a version of the gospel-flavored ballad “Believe.”

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Brad Paisley photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Dating back to the “Celebrity” video, Brad Paisley’s developed a running friendship with former “Star Trek” actor William Shatner, which created a weird moment in Brad’s household a year ago.

Shatner had a movie in the Nashville Film Festival, and when he went to Music City, Brad invited him out to visit at the farm. And William apparently had a pretty good time.

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Zac Brown Band photo courtesy of Atlantic Records.

Four-time winner Taylor Swift might have been country music’s most-honored figure at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, but she was hardly the only person in the genre to have a big time. The Zac Brown Band took the Recording Academy’s Best New Artist trophy during the three-and-a-half hour show, and Steve Wariner, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis were among the acts singled out during a streamed pre-telecast ceremony, where the bulk of the 109 victors were announced.

“It’s such a honor to be on stage and to be sharin’ in this big amalgam of music,” Zac told the star-studded Staples Center crowd. “We’re so honored and blessed to be here. We’re looking forward to playing for y’all.”

Play they did. The band whipped through a medley of songs with guest keyboard player Leon Russell, on stage less than three weeks after undergoing surgery to repair the leakage of brain fluid. The set ended with a wicked-paced instrumental after the last verse and chorus of “Chicken Fried.”

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Carrie Underwood rehearses on Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Sommet Center in Downtown Nashville for "The 43rd Annual CMA Awards," which will broadcast live on the ABC Television Network on Wed., Nov. 11th, 8-11PM/ET. Photographer: John Russell / CMA

You can do a little Grammy countdown for Carrie Underwood.

Four… the number of Grammys she’s won to date.

Three… she’s slated to perform on Sunday’s telecast in a Michael Jackson tribute that includes a 3-D segment.

Two… she’s nominated for a pair of trophies in that ceremony.

One… her first-year honor as Best New Artist is the one that really rocked her world.

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