Lionel Richie photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Luke Bryan, Sara Evans, Tim McGraw and Jennifer Nettles have been added to the all-star list of artists scheduled to perform at the ACM PRESENTS: Lionel Richie and Friends In Concert taping on Monday, April 2nd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The special will air on CBS on April 13th.

ACM PRESENTS: Lionel Richie and Friends In Concert is a special event showcasing some of Lionel Richie’s biggest hits performed by country stars as well as the the country music collaborations found on his upcoming album, Tuskegee, out March 26th. Artists already announced to perform include Jason Aldean, The Band Perry, Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride, and Rascal Flatts. Lionel will perform “My Love” with Kenny Chesney, “Sail On” with Tim McGraw and “Lady” with Kenny Rogers during the special.

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Jimmy Buffett photo courtesy of Discover Boating.

Time Magazine just released their list of the Top 10 Celebrity Restaurants and there are a few familiar names on it from the country realm. Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and Cheeseburger in Paradise and Kenny Rogers’ Kenny Rogers Roasters all made the cut.

Toby’s I Love This Bar & Grill was inspired by his song “I Love This Bar” and promises Toby memorabilia and free cheeseburgers for soldiers. The chain serves up Toby’s Favorite Fried Bologna Sandwich and live music nationwide. The Minneapolis branch is currently nominated for Nightclub of the Year at April’s ACM Awards.

Jimmy Buffett references margaritas, cheeseburgers, sponge cake and lobsters in his music, so it only makes sense that he went into the restaurant business. Margaritaville serves up comfort-style seafood dishes and burgers as well as signature margaritas, while Cheeseburger in Paradise is noted for their variety of burgers where “Jimmy Buffett’s famous song comes to life.” All locations sell Jimmy Buffett swag to his Parrothead fans.

Kenny Rogers Roasters was an institution for more than a decade and a half. He opened the fast food chain in 1991 with John Y. Young, a former Kentucky governor who once owned Kentucky Fried Chicken. They opened more than 350 restaurants and inspired an episode of Seinfield called The Chicken Roaster. After seven years, they closed all but 7 restaurants and filed for bankruptcy. The franchise was bought by Nathan’s Famous Inc. who kept the chain alive another 10 years. Kenny’s Roasters was sold in 2008 to Asian franchiser Baerjaya Group and the chain is thriving in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Other notable celebrity-owned restaurants on the list include Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo, Justin Timberlake’s Southern Hospitality, Planet Hollywood and House of Blues. You can see the full list HERE.

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Billy Dean photo courtesy of billydean.com.

Billy Dean is planning to celebrate his 50^th birthday by launching his at-home ‘Live From Our Living Room’ concert series. The first concert will take place on March 31 at his farm, Dean Acres, located just outside of Nashville in Liberty, Tennessee.

Just before Christmas, Billy received the news while touring with Kenny Rogers that the Dean Acres barn, which was planned to double as a guesthouse for concertgoers, burned to the ground. The barn housed thousands of dollars in farm equipment as well as career memorabilia and master recordings. Despite the loss, the show will go on.

“When I said the ‘Dean Acres’ concert events were going to be a barnburner, I didn’t mean it literally,” Billy said. “Despite the loss of our onsite barn and guesthouse, we’re going to kick this thing off at the end of March.  I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my 50th birthday.” Continue Reading

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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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