Lionel Richie sings “Endless Love” with Shania Twain on his new CD, Tuskegee. Photo by Alan Silfen, courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Lionel Richie will release Tuskegee, a collection of 13 of his hit songs recorded as duets with some of the biggest names in country music, on March 27. Duet partners include Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson and more.

In addition to the album, the Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions will tape an all-star concert special, Lionel Richie and Friends In Concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, in Las Vegas on April 2. The special will air at a later date on CBS. Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, and Kenny Rogers are among the artists scheduled to perform.

On Tuskegee, Lionel returns to his roots, paying tribute to his hometown of Tuskegee, Alabama where he was shaped as a man and a musician. He grew up listening to country, gospel, R&B and classical music and it was in Tuskegee that he helped form the Commodores and wrote some of his earliest hits.

“Tuskegee is where it all began, the place where I felt that everything was available and possible,” he said. “It’s where I learned about life and love and the power of music, and the place I built a musical foundation that knows no genres or boundaries.”

The artists who worked with Lionel have their own connections to the legend’s songs. “Every Lionel Richie song that I can think of I had a personal experience with – high school homecomings, proms, you name it,” Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts said. “Lionel was always playing in my house. His music always said what we felt and couldn’t express.”

Says Darius Rucker, who joins Richie on “Stuck On You,” “I wanted to work with Lionel because he is one of my idols. Lionel’s more a part of my DNA really than an idol. It was an absolute honor to work with him.” Adds Jason Aldean, who selected “Say You, Say Me,” “I’ve always been a huge fan. He is probably one of the best singer/songwriters of this generation.”

This isn’t Lionel’s first venture into country music. His songs have been recorded by Conway Twitty, Kenny Rogers and Alabama, while other artists have covered his songs in their sets. He’s performed on the CMA Awards three times and his 2011 performance received two standing ovations.

“When I did the CMAs and the room was singing along with me, it was really more like a family reunion than it was a concert or show,” Lionel said. “It was just great validation to know that the music was accepted like it was.” Continue Reading

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Reba McEntire & Blake Shelton photo courtesy of the ACM.

Country Music’s Party of the Year®, the 47^th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, honoring country music’s best and introducing the industry’s hottest emerging talent, will be broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 1, 2012 at 8 p.m. live Eastern/delayed Pacific on CBS. The show is produced by dick clark productions and will be hosted for the second consecutive year by Reba and Blake Shelton.

The 2^nd Annual ACM Fan Jam, hosted by Zac Brown Band, will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Sunday, April 1, 2012. This live remote location gives country music lovers the ultimate fan-pass to be part of the 47^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards!  Throughout the three-hour Awards telecast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, there will be live ACM Fan Jam performances, via remote, from the Mandalay Bay Events Center by Zac Brown Band and other top-tier music acts, to be announced at a later date.

The ACM Fan Jam includes a profusion of entertainment, prizes and special giveaways only for attendees, including autographed guitars, trip packages to country music events and merchandise.  The ACM Fan Jam continues after the Awards telecasts ends, with performances by Zac Brown and friends. Details will be announced soon. The inaugural ACM Fan Jam, hosted by Sugarland, took place in 2011.

Additionally, the Academy and dick clark productions will tape an all-star concert special, ACM PRESENTS: Lionel Richie and Friends – A Lifetime of Hits, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Monday, April 2, 2012, to air at a later date on the CBS Television Network.  This country collaboration with the legendary Lionel Richie, featuring duets from his upcoming album Tuskegee along with solo performances, will include some of Richie’s greatest hits performed by Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Rogers and many more. Tickets sales from ACM PRESENTS: Lionel Richie and Friends – A Lifetime of Hits will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, which works to improve lives through music. For more information, log onto www.ACMLiftingLives.org or www.ACMcountry.com. Continue Reading

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Billy Dean photo courtesy of billydean.com.

Billy Dean will join Kenny Rogers on Kenny’s 30^th Christmas and Hits Tour which kicks off the day after Thanksgiving. The pair will perform a mix of holiday classics and their own hits throughout the 16 city tour. At each stop, a local children’s choir is invited to accompany the duo on stage. “A big highlight is getting to rehearse each day with the local kids who join the show,” Billy said. “To use Kenny’s words, ‘it’s not Christmas until the choir sings.’”

This will be Billy’s second year joining Kenny on his tour. Billy has grown fond of one of Kenny’s pre-show rituals and looks forward to resuming it this year. “One of my favorite parts of the tour is every afternoon before each show, Kenny comes in to the band dressing room to hang with the guys, warm-up, and share stories,” Billy said.

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Lionel Richie and Shania Twain photo by Alan Silfen, courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Lionel Richie has been added to the list of performers at this year’s CMA Awards. Lionel will debut select duets from his upcoming country duets album, Tuskegee. Lionel is scheduled to perform selections from the album with duet partners Little Big Town, Darius Rucker and Rascal Flatts. The CMA Awards will air live on ABC on November 9 at 8/7 CT.

Tuskegee contains 13 duets with some of the biggest names in country music. Other artists joining Lionel on the album include Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington, Jason Aldean, Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffett.

“As my songwriting progressed, I realized that my songs perfectly translated to the country genre,” Lionel said. He was born and raised in Tuskagee, Alabama. “I am a country boy and proud of it. To do this project just felt natural,” he said. Continue Reading

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Jason Aldean photo courtesy of Broken Bow Records.

Brad Paisley, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert will headline the 2012 Stagecoach Festival. Returning for its sixth year, the festival has expanded to from two to three days of music. The 2012 Stagecoach Festival will take place April 27, 28 and 29 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

Alabama, Martina McBride, Kenny Rogers, Luke Bryan, Sara Evans, Chris Isaak, The Band Perry, Justin Moore, Eli Young Band and more are also scheduled to perform during the festival. The Mavericks will reunite for their first performance together since the band dissolved in 2003 at Stagecoach. Continue Reading

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Kenny Rogers photo courtesy of Webster & Associates.

Kenny Rogers will embark on his annual Christmas & Hits Tour on November 25 in Columbus, Ohio. This will mark the 30^th anniversary of the show, which includes performances of holiday classics such as “White Christmas” and “O Holy Night” as well as his biggest hits like “The Gambler” and “She Believes In Me.” Billy Dean will join Kenny as a special guest.

“Thirty years is a long time to do anything, but a Christmas show seems to get easier every year, especially when I get a chance to work with friends like Billy Dean,” Kenny said. “He always brings a great energy and beautiful music to the event. Have a Merry Christmas, and enjoy the show.” Continue Reading

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Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks photos courtesy of Alliance Artist & Media Relations.

Alan Jackson and Garth Brooks are set to be inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with John Bettis, Thom Schuyler and Allen Shamblin. The induction ceremony will take place at the 41^st Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Dinner & Induction Ceremony on October 16 at the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.

“These five very talented individuals are among an era of powerhouse writers and artists who propelled country music to unparalleled heights beginning in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and also made substantial contributions to popular and rock music,” said John Van Mol, chairman of NaSHOF. “We look forward to a fantastic evening of recognition for our inductees, and great entertainment for all who attend.”

The NaSHOF decided to increase the number of inductees from three to five this year. “Songwriters and songwriter/artists with ties to Nashville have made our city the songwriting capital of the world,” Van Mol said. “This year’s inductees have greatly enhanced that reputation and are richly deserving of Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame honors.” Continue Reading

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The Oak Ridge Boys Photo Credit: Jarrett Gaza

The Oak Ridge Boys will release their new album, It’s Only Natural, through Cracker Barrel Old Country Store’s exclusive music program on September 19. The album celebrates the 30th year of the band’s hit song “Elvira,” with a re-recording of the song as well as six other hits and five new songs.

“The heart of the CD was inspired by a collection of time-honored songs, but its soul comes from the collaboration we had on this project with talented producers Ron Chancey and Michael Sykes,” said Joe Bonsall.  “Ron originally produced ‘Elvira’ and all of our gold and platinum albums. This is Michael’s ninth project co-producing with Duane.” Continue Reading

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As FM radio expanded in the early ’90s, Americans who only knew cowboy hats and a couple of Willie Nelson songs were introduced to stars like Garth Brooks, George Strait and Reba McEntire. It was a great time for country music; the genre was booming and the rest of America was taking notice. Here’s our list of the Top 10 artists who defined country music in a decade when the format reached new frontiers. As with any list, we know there are many more than 10 who impacted the genre. If you don’t see your favorite here, leave us a comment at the end and let us know which artists helped define the ’90s for you! And, don’t forget to cast your vote for GAC’s Top 50 Videos of the ’90s! Vote now »

Garth Brooks photo by Mark Tucker, courtesy of Pearl Records.

Garth Brooks

Garth charted more number one hits (19 in the 1990s) and sold more albums (current tally 128 million, making him the second best-selling American solo artist of all-time behind Elvis) than any other country artist. He is the recipient of 18 ACM awards, 11 CMA awards and 2 Grammys, as well as 16 American Music Awards. However, these staggering facts and figures only tell part of the story of how he defined country music throughout the ’90s; Garth was a one-man country music marketing machine. Through incorporating elements of rock music into his songs and amping up his live shows with an endless supply of energy (remember the music videos of Garth running around stage with a wireless headset mic and joyfully smashing guitars?), Garth brought country music to the mainstream masses. Even people who “don’t like country music” have his Greatest Hits album featuring songs like the classic and universally known “Friends in Low Places,” which, be assured, someone will be singing in a New York City karaoke bar tonight. And not only did Garth headline major concerts in the US, including his free Central Park performance for 980,000 fans in 1997, he was a worldwide phenomenon touring such locales as Brazil, Europe and the Far East as the symbol of American country music. Continue Reading

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Dolly Parton on the set of GAC's The Collection with host Bill Cody. Photo credit GAC staff.

It’s not often you get spend an hour swapping stories with a country legend like Dolly Parton.  But that’s exactly what host Bill Cody got to do when he recently taped the latest episode of GAC’s The Collection with Dolly. The show is built on the idea of having the artist take fans on a guided tour through a collection of their music videos. And when Dolly’s involved, you know it’s gonna be a good time. Watch the premiere of Dolly’s episode of The Collection tonight at 8/7c exclusively on GAC. Click here for the full schedule of airings »

Bill kicks the show off by taking Dolly all the way back to 1985 for a live performance video, featuring her onstage with good pal Kenny Rogers doing “Real Love.” As it turns out, Dolly had never seen the final cut of this video before and had a good laugh with Bill reminiscing about her many musical adventures with Kenny. Continue Reading

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