Carrie Underwood photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville. Kelly Clarkson photo courtesy of kellyclarkson.com.

American Idol has churned out a number of country stars, none more well-known that Carrie Underwood — in addition to pop star Kelly Clarkson, who has dabbled in country music in recent months. As American Idol Season 12 moves into the first live shows, Billboard has released its ranking of the Top 100 songs by Idols based on their chart performance on the Hot 100.

Kelly’s “Since U Been Gone” comes in at No. 1 while her GRAMMY-winning hit “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” follows it at No. 2. Kelly has 18 songs in the Top 100, including four in the Top 5 alone. Meanwhile, Carrie charted 20 songs in the Top 100, more than any other Idol. Her song “Before He Cheats” is her highest charting song in the Top 100, coming in at No. 9. Continue Reading

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The LoCash Cowboys with Director Sunny Mabrey. Photo courtesy of Average Joes Entertainment.

Christmas is a time for gathering with family – which means spending time with those crazy relatives you only see once a year. In the LoCash Cowboys new Christmas video, “What Time Is It,” the family gathering is includes spiked eggnog, tacky Christmas sweaters and a camo-snuggie-wearing grandma. Directed by Sunny Mabrey, the video is indeed a family affair with LoCash Chris Lucas’s wife Kaitlin and son Caden appearing throughout.

“I never laughed so hard at a video shoot! “ Chris said. “It was so much fun! Sunny was amazing to work with and we clicked immediately!  It’s Christmas time baby!”

“We shot the video right before Thanksgiving so it was the perfect way to bring in the holidays,” Preston Brust said. “Almost everyone in the video is family & friends of ours so that made it even more fun.  My dad is the redneck snoring in the beginning wearing the camo overalls! Watchin’ him have so much fun on the set with us made my holiday perfect!”

Watch the video HERE >>

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Love And Theft Love And Theft photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Have you ever wanted to race go carts with Love and Theft? How about play Bucky Covington in a round of mini golf? The Celebrity Go Go Challenge will give fans the unique opportunity to interact and compete with country stars, media personalities and songwriters. The event will benefit Hear the Music Live, an organization that helps provide live music experiences to children in foster care. The Go Go Celebrity Challenge will take place Tuesday, June 5 at Grand Old Golf & Games in Nashville.

Love and Theft, Bucky Covington, Bo Bice, Ty Herndon, Due West, Josh Gracin, Bryan White, Gwen Sebastian, Glen Templeton, Katie Chance, Lucas Hoge, Mark Cooke, One Night Rodeo and Sean Patrick McGraw are all scheduled to attend.

Watch the event trailer for more info:

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Tim McGraw photo courtesy of The GreenRoom.

The Tug McGraw Foundation has announced the complete lineup for its inaugural Celebrity Sporting Clay Shootout, which will take place June 5 at the Nashville Gun Club in Nashville. Proceeds will benefit the Tug McGraw Foundation and its efforts to improve the lives of military service members affected by Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Craig Campbell, Montgomery Gentry, Josh Gracin, JT Hodges, Keith Anderson, Brantley Gilbert, Steve Holy, Josh Thompson, Jeff McMahon, Jon Pardi and The Warren Brothers have all signed on for the shoot as well as NHL star Mike Fisher. World-class sporting clay professionals Bobby Brooks, Jenny Clark, Heyward Cunningham, Brad Kidd Jr., Bill McGuire and Chris Reed will also be on hand to lend their expertise.

The event will be a sporting clay shooting competition between 15 teams consisting of four shooters, a pro, and a celebrity. Unlike trap and skeet, sporting clays simulates live-quarry shooting, offering a variety of trajectories, angles, speeds, elevations, distances, and target sizes. Continue Reading

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Tim McGraw photo courtesy of timmcgraw.com.

Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Craig Campbell, Montgomery Gentry, Josh Gracin, JT Hodges and more will participate in The Tug McGraw Foundation’s inaugural ‘Celebrity Sporting Clay Shootout’ on Tuesday, June 5 at the Nashville Gun Club. Proceeds will benefit the Tug McGraw Foundation and its efforts to improve the lives of military service members affected by Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.

The Celebrity Sporting Clay Shootout will feature a lineup of celebrities, all competing to be crowned Celebrity Sporting Clay Shootout champion. Bill McGuire, the 2011 National Sporting Clay Champion, will head up the professional contingent for the event. Additional celebrities will be announced soon.

The event will be a sporting clay shooting competition between 15 teams consisting of four shooters, a pro, and a celebrity. Unlike trap and skeet, sporting clays simulates live-quarry shooting, offering a variety of trajectories, angles, speeds, elevations, distances, and target sizes. Continue Reading

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Frankie Ballard photo courtesy of Warner Music Nashville.

The lineup for the 2012 CMA Music Festival’s Bud Light Stage at the Bridgestone Plaza and the new BIC Soleil Bella Beach Stage have been announced. The two concerts will provide fans with over 40 hours of concerts for free. The CMA Music Festival takes place June 7-10. “Live music is a hallmark of CMA Music Festival and we are excited to be able to add a new stage and even more performances this year,” Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said.

The BIC Soleil Bella Beach Stage is a new addition to this year’s CMA Music Festival with concerts and activities starting at 11:00 AM/CT each day during the Festival. The Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, is a fan favorite and a great place to catch up and coming country artists.

Artists currently scheduled to perform at the Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza include:

Thursday, June 7
11:00 AM – 11:25 AM            Jeff Bates
11:45 AM – 12:10 PM             Greg Bates
12:30 PM – 12:55 PM             Julie Roberts
1:15 PM – 1:40 PM                  Tyler Farr
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM                “Classic Country Show” featuring Moe Bandy, T. Graham Brown, Jane Fricke and Gene Watson, hosted by Moore  & Moore
3:20 PM – 3:45 PM                  Trent Tomlinson
4:05 PM – 4:30 PM                  Miss Willie Brown
4:50 PM – 5:15 PM                  Cledus T. Judd

Friday, June 8
11:00 AM – 11:25 AM             Eric Paslay
11:45 AM – 12:10 PM              Rose Falcon
12:30 PM – 12:55 PM              Katie Armiger
1:15 PM – 1:40 PM                   Exile
2:00 PM – 2:25 PM                  The McClymonts
2:45 PM – 3:10 PM                  Frankie Ballard
3:30 PM – 3:55 PM                  Big Smo
4:15 PM – 4:40 PM                  Drake White
5:00 PM – 5:25 PM                  Blackberry Smoke Continue Reading

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Josh Gracin's 2011 CD, Redemption. Photo courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media.

The art of the country power ballad was not lost on Josh Gracin. On his first album in roughly three and a half years, and his third overall, the 31-year-old Michigan native sings of burning love over dramatic arrangements full of acoustic/electric interplay, big synthesizers and a soaring voice.

A lot has changed since Josh’s most recent album, We Weren’t Crazy, was released in 2008. For starters, Josh found a new label home with up and coming Average Joe’s Entertainment after parting ways with now-defunct Lyric Street Records. His first project with Average Joe’s Entertainment, the 16-song collection Redemption, hits stores next week with a polished sound similar to the pop leaning epics of groups like Rascal Flatts.

Josh handles most of the songwriting himself on Redemption, which is also a shift from his first two records. After writing or co-writing only three songs total on those albums, Josh writes/co-writes 15 out of the 16 songs here. A Top 5-finishing contestant on the second season of FOX’s American Idol (2003) singing competition, Josh’s talent for performance is evident early and often throughout the record as his songwriting displays a knack for building dramatic love songs.

“Over Me,” a rising power ballad realizing that a lover has moved on, features vocal runs reminiscent of Rascal Flatts frontman Gary LeVox as Josh sings, What I didn’t know, that it still hurts this bad since I let you go, over piano, strings and soft acoustic picking. Strong piano tones hold many songs on the album together. “Enough” and “Lie To Me” both feature piano-based foundations before erupting in the chorus. On the latter, Josh shows off the ability to maneuver complicated production elements through a sea of electric guitars, drums, piano and synthesizer, remaining steady and passionate with lines, Baby, just lie to me/ let’s make this easy. On the standout and creatively produced track, “Let You Go,” soft echoes and effected vocals support Josh’s bittersweet message as he admits, I had to ask myself the hardest question/ Am I the best she’s ever gonna know?/ The answer’s the reason I’ve got to let her go.

Josh’s willingness to bring a fresh approach to Redemption even extends to his methods finding duet partners. Continue Reading

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Rodney Atkins photo courtesy of Curb Records.

Last year, Halloween fell on a Sunday, which gave Rodney Atkins’ son Elijah the chance to cash in on several trick-or-treating events held over the Halloween weekend. As part of their weekend-long celebration, the Atkins family decided to go on a haunted tour of downtown Franklin, Tennessee — and one costume caught Rodney’s eye.

“I showed up at the courthouse downtown and these people were kinda dressed up — and this one girl was just over the top,” Rodney said. “I didn’t know what she was, she was all white with an umbrella and I’m thinking, ‘Who in the world is this freak?’ I start walking and I get tapped on the shoulder and she says, ‘Hey Rodney, Rodney it’s me, Jennifer Nettles…’ I think she was a jellyfish.”

Clint Black and wife Lisa Hartman Black still enjoy Halloween. Their daughter, Lily, is 10 years old and still trick-or-treating, though Clint knows her days of wanting mom and dad to go with her are numbered. While Clint isn’t looking forward to his little girl growing up, he does have hopes of returning to a former Halloween favorite – scaring people.

GAC’s Top 10 Most Haunting Country Videos >>

“I’ve always enjoyed even as an adult, getting to dress up and mostly scaring people that come around our house,” Clint says. “I had to knock it off for a little while when Lily was a certain age ’cause it scared her too. I’ll hopefully be able to get back to the scaring real soon.” Continue Reading

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Nan Kelley & Carrie Underwood on the field during the 2010 City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge. Photo by Jason Mease.

The 21^st annual City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge will take place on Saturday, June 11, at Greer Stadium in Nashville as an official part of the 2011 CMA Music Festival. Longtime rivals Grand Ole Opry and After MidNite with Blair Garner will once again go head to head, pitting their celebrity teams against one another in a softball game where you never know what might happen. Last year, an impromptu bridal shower was thrown for Carrie Underwood and hubby Mike Fisher at homeplate! Proceeds from the game support City of Hope, a leading research, treatment and education center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases.

GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown will once again be on location at the game, so don’t forget to stop by and say hi to host Nan Kelley and our special guests!

The CMA Music Festival pass does not include the game. Game tickets are available now for $15, $20 and $50 per person at Ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000B. The $50 Super Fan package includes a limited edition Hatch Show Print and an opportunity to be a part of the game. There is also an online auction of autographed memorabilia which will be posted after the game at www.auctionsforhope.org. Brett Eldredge, Chuck Wicks, David Nail, Dierks Bentley, Jake Owen, James Wesley, Josh Gracin, Point of Grace and Vince Gill are some of the artists confirmed to be playing in this year’s game. Continue Reading

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Montgomery Gentry with Average Joe's Entertainment staff. L-R: Dennis Entertainment's Alicia Lanier Jones, AVJ's CEO Shannon Houchins, Troy Gentry, Eddie Montgomery, AVJ's President Tom Badrica, and Dennis Entertainment's John Dennis. Photo courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media. Photo Credit: Randi Radcliff

Montgomery Gentry has a new musical home. They’ve signed with Average Joe Entertainment after parting ways with Sony Music last year. The multiplatinum duo is excited about the move and plan to release their first single on the label in the spring.

“We couldn’t be happier to be signing with Shannon [Houchins] and Tom [Baldrica] and the guys at Average Joe’s,” Eddie Montgomery said.  “Those guys are cut from the same cloth we are and man, they are so creative.  We can’t wait to get this new project out there to our fans!”

“Eddie and I are really excited about this new partnership with Average Joe’s,” Troy Gentry said. “We love the team they have in place and the passion and excitement that they bring.  We look forward to going in and making a project we’re all proud of.” Continue Reading

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