Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw photo courtesy of Shore Fire Media.
The wait is over! Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw have released the video for their new single, “Feel Like A Rock Star.” It’s just a taste of what you can expect from their upcoming Brothers of the Sun Tour. Watch the video below and tell us what you think! Continue Reading
Jake Owen and Lacey Buchanan photo by Justin Wysong, courtesy of UMG Nashville.
Jake Owen’s fiancé Lacey Buchanan now has a ring to go with her proposal, reports People.com. Jake worked with Lizzy Raye Jewelers in Atlanta to design the unique engagement ring. He presented Lacey with a 2.5-carat oval-cut diamond set in platinum with a ‘little bitty halo around it’ and small diamonds on the band.
“I told her, ‘The sparkle is never going to go away in that ring, and I don’t want our sparkle to ever go away either,’” Jake said. “‘On your darkest days, I want you to look at it and see that there’s a glimmer of light in it. I want it to always remind you of the possibilities of our relationship.’”
Jake’s mother also approved of the ring her son picked out. “I want that ring to be timeless,” he said to People. “When my mom saw it, she said, ‘That looks like something Princess Diana would wear.’ I was so excited to give it to her.”
Here’s the ring! Click on the photo for the full size version:
Jake Owen & Lacey Buchanan and a closeup of her engagement ring. Photo by Justin Wysong, courtesy of UMG Nashville.
Jake’s proposal during a show in his hometown of Vero Beach, Florida on April 7 was spontaneous, but not completely unplanned. Jake and Lacey had talked about getting married and he had even asked her father for permission. When the opportunity presented itself, Jake seized it.
“I only had one song left to play and it was ‘Don’t Think I Can’t Love You,’” he said. “I wrote it a long time ago about my family and my dad and mom had been married for 30 years. I just saw [Lacey] out there, my family, and I was like, forget the ring, screw it, this is like the perfect place to do it.” Continue Reading
Lionel Richie's 2012 CD, Tuskegee. Photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.
Lionel Richie’s Tuskegee is the best-selling album in the nation this week. The country duets project, pairing Lionel with some of country’s biggest stars on 13 of his greatest hits, took over the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart and is also at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart for the second week. Tuskegee is approaching gold certification.
“I love the feeling!” Lionel said. “You cannot beat the feeling of sitting on top of the charts. I had almost forgotten what it feels like, but now that I am there, I know exactly what it feels like. It feels great! It is really a very exciting time and I am enjoying the ride.”
Read our review of Lionel Richie’s Tuskegee >>
Lionel made sure to thank the 13 artists who joined him on the album. “With a record like this, you can’t take the bow alone,” he said. “You take it with the wonderful talent that came on board and believed in this project. It is just amazing to have all of the very talented artists, producers and musicians who participated in this. This was one big family reunion, as far as I am concerned. We take the bow together because it was an outstanding group effort.”
An iconic figure on the music scene, Lionel also issued thank yous to the staff at Mercury Nashville for their support. Most importantly, he expressed his gratitude to his fans, both old and new.
“They are the ones who made this possible,” he said. “This unbelievable result could not have happened without them. They are the ones who have stuck around forever with me. For the new ones and the old ones, it’s great to have them on board. To the fans, thank you for allowing me to enjoy what I do for all of these years, and for enjoying what I do. I thank you for being a part of my story.” Continue Reading
Kenny Chesney (L) and Lionel Richie perform onstage during Lionel Richie and Friends in Concert presented by ACM held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 2, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Country music superstars like Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and Martina McBride will pay tribute to the legendary Lionel Richie in ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends – In Concert. The concert special airs Friday, April 13 at 9/8 p.m. Central on CBS. During the show, country stars will perform some of Lionel’s biggest hits as well as duets featured on Lionel’s new album, Tuskegee.
Artists performing include Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Sara Evans, The Band Perry, Big & Rich, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, Jennifer Nettles, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Rogers, Blake Shelton and Marc Anthony. Lionel’s daughter, Nicole Richie, also makes a special appearance.
See photos from Lionel Richie & Friends Concert! >>
Duets with Lionel during the show include “My Love” with Kenny Chesney, “Sail On” with Tim McGraw, “Hello” with Jennifer Nettles, “Lady” with Kenny Rogers, “Stuck On You” with Darius Rucker, “Dancin’ On The Ceiling” with Rascal Flatts, along with surprises.
Watch exclusive backstage videos from the Lionel Richie & Friends Concert! >>
Luke Bryan photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.
Luke Bryan and Willie Nelson will take part in the Billboard Country Summit, reports Billboard. Held June 4-5 the Cannery Ballroom in Nashville as the unofficial kickoff of CMA Music Festival, the third annual Country Summit will look at several segments of the country music industry including radio, touring, publishing and digital technologies.
On June 4, Luke will take part in the Artist Development Case Study. Key members of Luke’s team, including his manager Kerri Edwards at Red Light Management and agent Jay Williams of William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, will discuss the strategic moves that have taken Luke to headliner status. They will also talk about what comes next for Luke as his career continues to grow.
Willie will visit the Country Summit on June 5 to be interviewed by Billboard executive director Ray Waddell. In town for a show that night at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Willie will talk about – whatever he wants. With a catalog that includes some of country music’s greatest song, his work with Farm Aid, and having played thousands of shows, he will have plenty to discuss with the panel, including his new album, Heroes, which will be released May 15. Continue Reading
Lionel Richie's 2012 CD, Tuskegee. Photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.
Lionel Richie’s new album, Tuskegee, a collection of 13 of his biggest hits performed as duets with country stars, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart this week. This marks Lionel’s highest-charting album since 1986 and is the best-selling debut by a country artist so far this year. Tuskegee debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart, coming in behind Madonna.
“I am ecstatic!” Lionel said. “These songs are like my children, so I am overwhelmed that they are being embraced by several generations of music lovers. I am so grateful to all of my duet partners for bringing their own distinctive styles and personalities to this album and interpreting these songs in fresh new ways.”
Read our review of Lionel Richie’s Tuskegee >>
Lionel is already looking forward to more days in Music City. “I have loved my time in Nashville and can’t wait to spend more time there writing songs and collaborating in the studio,” he said. “It inspires me creatively and being there just makes my heart feel good.”
Tuskegee is a hit outside of the United States as well. The album debuted at No. 1 on Canada’s Top Albums chart and is in the Top 10 in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Holland and Sweden. Tuskegee is Lionel’s first No. 1 album in Canada in the SoundScan era and his first No. 1 album in Canada since his Can’t Slow Down album in 1983.
“What makes this so special is that I am able to experience all of this with my children,” Lionel said. “They are too young to know about the Commodores or anything that I did in the eighties. They just know me as the dad who drives them to school. I’m glad they finally get to see what I do for a living!”
Besides sharing the album with his children, Lionel appreciates the chance to share the record with those who influenced and supported him from the beginning. He named his album Tuskegee after his hometown of Tuskegee, Alabama as a way to pay tribute to his roots. Continue Reading
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 01: Singer Lionel Richie arrives at the 47th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
The Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions announced today that Marc Anthony, Darius Rucker and Big & Rich will complete the all-star lineup of artists scheduled to perform at the ACM PRESENTS: Lionel Richie and Friends – In Concert taping Monday, April 2, 2012 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The special will air Friday, April 13, 2012 on CBS.
ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends – In Concert is a special concert event of country music collaborations with the legendary Lionel Richie, featuring duets from his latest album Tuskegee, out now, along with solo performances. Some of Richie’s greatest hits will be performed by today’s hottest artists including Jason Aldean (“Say You Say Me”), Luke Bryan (“Running with the Night”), Sara Evans and Marc Anthony (“Endless Love”), Martina McBride (“Still”), The Band Perry (“Penny Lover”), Big & Rich (“Brick House”) and Lady Antebellum (“Truly”).
Duets with Lionel include: “My Love” with Kenny Chesney, “Sail On” with Tim McGraw, “Hello” with Jennifer Nettles, “Lady” with Kenny Rogers, “Stuck On You” with Darius Rucker, “Dancin’ On The Ceiling” with Rascal Flatts and more surprises. Continue Reading
Actor Ashton Kutcher, musicians Jay DeMarcus, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean and Jake Owen pose backstage at the 47th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for ACM)
Anyone strolling the halls backstage at the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards Sunday night might have thought they were experiencing April Fool’s Day visions. While walking down one hallway, they might have come face to face with the rock group KISS. Heading in another direction, they might have found rapper LL Cool J. Or they might have met actor Ashton Kutcher and singer Marc Anthony within the space of a few minutes. Or maybe they would’ve seen Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw casually chatting in the hallway with Taylor Swift and Martina McBride.
As Jason Aldean said when asked about that diversity, “This is a country awards show; it’s our show. But I think great music is great music. As an artist, you have a ton of respect for other artists, no matter what kind of music they play.”
Jason won Single of the Year and Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Kelly Clarkson for their duet “Don’t You Wanna Stay.” He continued with his assessment of the awards show as he spoke to reporters backstage in the ACM Awards Press Room. “I met LL at the GRAMMYs this year; he’s a really cool guy. I’d never met KISS and that was interesting. The great thing about music is crossing genres. Look at Kelly and I; she’s not a country act but we did this song together. It’s okay to like different things. You don’t have to like one style of music. I grew up listening to everything. I love coming to these shows and getting to meet people like that and seeing people. It’s a cool thing. I think those meetings lead to collaborations. I think it’s great for the industry and great for music in general.”
KISS presented Group of the Year to Lady Antebellum. “KISS was the coolest thing on the red carpet,” said Lady A’s Charles Kelley. “All we could focus on was them coming in because they looked larger than life. They had 12-inch heels on. We didn’t realize they were going to be giving our award to us tonight.”
Entertainer of the Year winner, Taylor Swift, shared the details of her busy weekend with the media backstage. “This weekend has been amazing. Yesterday I was at the Kids’ Choice Awards and I had never been there before. The First Lady (Michelle Obama) gave me the award for Charitable Contributions and Giving Back. I had never met her before, and I was so nervous. She’s a role model, and she was so cool and so nice! I met her daughter and it was an amazing time. Then I flew to Vegas and this happens. I’m really happy right now.”
Taylor also took time to acknowledge the role her fans had in her becoming Entertainer of the Year. “I am so amazed that they keep doing such incredibly nice things for me. They have done so much for me in the last couple weeks, it has been amazing. I just want to hug them all the time and thank them for everything. It really blows my mind.”
Eli Young Band took home Song of the Year for “Crazy Girl,” written by Lee Brice and Liz Rose. Lead singer Mike Eli admitted he wasn’t sure whether to get up when he heard the band’s name called. “I kept waiting for someone to say April Fool,” he said with a laugh. “It is totally surreal for us, starting out as a grass roots band, just four guys making music in college bars. Now here we are.”
Lee admitted that receiving the award for Song of the Year was cool, but “it’s even cooler for the Eli Young Band.” The singer/songwriter explains that he and Liz wrote the song in 2002 or 2003. “It had been around awhile and I had wanted to record it myself, but the timing wasn’t right. Then these guys heard it and wanted it and I could see how sincere they were about it. I’m so happy for them.”
The win for Lee and the Eli Young Band was a first for both.
Toby Keith kept the party going all night, from the red carpet to the press room. He walked backstage to speak with the media, drinking his own brand of spirits, Wild Shot Mezcal – in a red solo cup, of course. Continue Reading
GAC hosts Suzanne Alexander, Storme Warren & Nan Kelley on the red carpet at the 47th Annual ACM Awards. Photo by Sara Kauss.
GAC is the only place where you will relive all of the star power, excitement and emotional moments from the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards when we re-air Sunday night’s telecast Monday, June 4 at 9 p.m. Eastern.
Broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, the show is co-hosted by Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton, and features performances by Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sara Evans, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Pat Monahan, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Chris Young, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town and Rascal Flatts, along with special duets and collaborations performed by Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton & Lionel Richie, Rascal Flatts & Steve Martin.
Once again GAC was the exclusive live television outlet for the Academy’s celebrity arrivals for the event. ACM Red Carpet Live with hosts Suzanne Alexander, Storme Warren and Nan Kelley features lively interviews with many of the top ACM nominees and performers and will re-air at 8 p.m. Eastern on June 4.
LAS VEGAS, NV - APRIL 01: Singer Taylor Swift accepts the Entertainer Of The Year Award onstage at the 47th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 1, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Taylor Swift was named Entertainer of the Year for the second year in a row by fans during Sunday’s ACM Awards. Taylor took advantage of her time onstage to thank her fellow nominees and give a shout out to Kevin McGuire, the young man suffering from Leukemia who was supposed to be her date. Kevin was hospitalized and unable to attend.
“My date tonight was supposed to be a high school football player named Kevin McGuire, and he’s not here, but I promised to give him a shout out,” Taylor said. “So Kevin, all your family and friends — thank you for wanting to take me to the ACMs.”
See photos from the ACM Awards >>
It was also a big night for Miranda Lambert. She picked up her third Album of the Year trophy for her album Four The Record as well as her third straight Female Vocalist of the Year award. “I own every record in this category, and I’ve been listening and listening and thinking, ‘Man, I’m not gonna get it,’” Miranda said of her Album of the Year honor. “Every one of your records is amazing, and I’m so thrilled,” she said to her fellow nominees. “I will never take this trophy for granted. My albums are my babies.”
Jason Aldean and Eli Young Band also had good nights. Eli Young Band won their first ACM Award for Song of the Year for their hit “Crazy Girl,” co-written by Lee Brice and Liz Rose. Jason was surprised on GAC’s Live Red Carpet Special when Nan Kelley helped ACM CEO Bob Romeo present him with the award for Vocal Event of the Year for “Don’t You Wanna Stay” with Kelly Clarkson. The song was also named Single Record of the Year.
See the full list of ACM Awards Winners >>
One of the most talked about performances of the night came from Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw. The pair, who will be touring together this summer on the Brothers of the Sun Tour, debuted their new single, “Feel Like A Rock Star.” The rocking number is already available on iTunes.
Every wedding day is special, but it’s extra special when you’re getting married on live TV in front of country music’s biggest stars. That’s what happened during the ACM Awards for couple Christina Davidson and Frank Tucci. Martina McBride and Train’s Pat Monahan performed “Marry Me,” while a minister conducted their wedding ceremony, leaving few dry eyes in the house. Continue Reading
Take a trip inside the world of country music with host Storme Warren! Watch full episodes of Headline Country now.
