George Jones photo courtesy of Webster PR.

Following the announcement of George Jones‘ death on Friday, April 26 in Nashville, many of George’s fellow country stars offered their thoughts. Visit our George Jones photo gallery for photos spanning his legendary career.

Remembering George Jones: Photo Gallery >>

Keith Urban tweeted, “If I’m blessed enough to make it there, I look forward to you giving me the grand tour. Rest in peace George Jones!!!!!”

Alan Jackson released this statement: “Well, heaven better get ready for some great country music. While George was known for his wild and crazy days, I’ve known him for 25 years as a friend. He had grown into a real good man. Of course, he’ll always be the greatest singer and interpreter of real country music – there’ll never be another. Like the song says, ‘You know this old world is full of singers, but just a few are chosen to tear your heart out when they sing. Imagine life without them…Who’s gonna fill their shoes.’”

Blake Shelton tweeted, “Really REALLY bad news. We’ve lost a country music legend. And I’ve lost a hero and a friend. Goodbye George Jones…”

“I believe if you ask any singer who was the greatest country music singer of all time, they would say ‘George Jones’,” said Barbara Mandrell in a statement. “He was without question and by far the BEST! I first met and worked with him when I was 13 years old; I am so very grateful that he was my friend.”

Loretta Lynn said, “It’s a sad day for country music and a great loss for those of us who knew him. I was blessed to call George my friend. He was one of the best country singers there ever was. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Nancy, and all of his family. It’s a sad, sad day.”

George Strait shared this memory: “The most special memory was when he gave me my medallion at the Hall of Fame Ceremony. He actually was the one that did the actual induction. And what a special night that was. We’re just gonna miss George so much. This came as a total shock to me. I didn’t even know that George was in the hospital. To the whole music industry, it’s gonna be a big void not having George out there. But you know, we’ve got his music — and that music will live forever. He did a lot of crazy things in his career and no matter how crazy he got, everybody still loved him because that’s just the kind of guy that George was. We’re just all gonna miss him. It’s a sad day for the music business, for sure.”

“My friend, the greatest singer of all time, has passed,” tweeted Brad Paisley. “To those who knew him, our lives were full. To those of you who don’t: discover him now.”

Brad also released this statement: “George Jones’ life is an example of so many wonderful things. How someone’s God-given gifts can make this a richer, better place.  How one human being can overcome adversity, addiction, and life threatening obstacles time and time again.  That it is not the stumble or fall that counts, but the willingness to stand again. How a keen sense of humor and a twinkle in a person’s eye can still prevail even after all of life’s hard knocks.  How mistakes, missteps, and bad choices are not the end of the world if a person chooses to turn them into something good. And George’s life is above all the strongest example of how the love of a great woman can get a man through anything. All of this made its way beautifully into every note of the greatest voice country music will ever know.  And one of the greatest friends you could ever have. We miss you already, George.”

Dierks Bentley, who is still a member of George Jones’ fan club, said he’s “heartbroken,” and tweeted, “nancy and @gjpossum had a beautiful marriage and special relationship. love you nancy. long live the possum. gonna miss my buddy. real sad.”

Vince Gill tweeted, “There aren’t words in our language to describe the depth of his greatness. I’ll miss my kind and generous friend.”

Little Big Town said, “There will never be another George Jones. You are and always will be country music. Rest in peace. #GeorgeJones”

“He had a voice that was the truth, raw and unfiltered,” said Kenny Chesney. “You cant get any realer, any more tortured or any more alive. No one can do what George Jones does, and that’s why 50 years later, he still stands out as one of the greatest singers in any genre of all time.

“We were great friends, but it was really more like a father/son relationship,” added Kenny. “He even showed up in Lexington, Kentucky two years ago to surprise me onstage for my birthday… all the way from Nashville, to surprise me and sing ‘He Stopped Loving Her Today’ with me, which will be one of the greatest memories of my life.”

“When I was just staring out, and I was picked to open the George Jones/Tammy Wynette Reunion Tour, I thought I’d made it,” continued Kenny. “Then one night, George asked me if I was heading home because he and Nancy had a plane, and they’d take me,” Chesney recalls. “I remember sitting there on that jet, thinking, ‘This can’t be happening…’ because he was George Jones, and I was some kid from nowhere…’ I’m sure he knew, but he was generous to kids chasing the dream, and I never forgot it.” Continue Reading

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, Brad Paisley asks Faith Hill for literary help, Miranda Lambert has a new favorite TV show, Blake Shelton makes a new friend, Brett Eldredge reveals his Grand Ole Opry superstition and RaeLynn makes a confession. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/BradPaisley.

Brad Paisley – BradPaisley: Tell her to read it to Tim, its above his reading level. RT @Wildaboutmusic: @FaithHill is clearly enjoying the book.

Neal McCoy – NealMcCoy: I’m so sober, I just stepped on the plane and asked “How often do these planes crash?” pilot said:: “Just Once”

Mark Wills – MarkWills: Feeling like a sissy but EVERYTIME I see an Olympic athlete cry during the National Anthem, I CRY!

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/hillaryscottla.

Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum – HillaryScottLA: Missing sweet faces like this baby girl today! I love the country of Haiti, but it’s the faces, and the hearts behind those faces that I love the most! Continue Reading

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Randy Travis photo courtesy of Webster & Associates.

Randy Travis will host a special radio program, Red, White and Randy 4th, on Sirius XM this 4th of July. The program will air throughout the day on Prime Country (Channel 58) beginning at 6 a.m. Eastern. The show will feature a playlist of some of Randy’s great hits and tracks from his Anniversary Celebration CD along with patriotic songs.

Other highlights from the show will include Randy’s reflections on some of his favorite songs and the stories behind many of the hits he’s written and recorded over the years. Sirius XM is offering a free 30-day trial subscription so that fans can listen to the show online. To sign-up, visit: www.siriusxm.com.

Randy will also be featured on GAC’s encore presentation of Noteworthy at the Opry – Military Salute on Tuesday, July 3 at 8:30 p.m. Eastern.  The 90-minute special pays tribute to the men and women serving in the U.S. military and includes stories of courage, integrity, endurance and words of inspiration. Rascal Flatts, Alan Jackson, Kellie Pickler, Mark Wills, Montgomery Gentry and Ronnie Milsap also appear. Continue Reading

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Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys gets retro, Carrie Underwood promises a win at next year’s City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge while David Nail updates fans on his broken finger from this year’s softball game, Blake Shelton returns to The Voice and Lee Brice has a photo shoot on John Rich’s roof. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week.

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/joebonsall.

Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys – JoeBonsall: This guy could run 3 miles, play 5 sets of tennis and Then sing Dancing’ The Night Away… I miss him sometimes

Carrie Underwood – CarrieUnderwood: This year, we tie. Next year…We win!

David Nail – DavidNail: Thanks for the concern, this is a lesson to not play like you’re 18 when you’re 33! Fingers crossed for no nerve damage, kinda need finger!

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/Darylesings.

Daryle Singletary – Darylesing: Me and Ashton Shepherd diggin some ribs! Continue Reading

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Dierks Bentley in his video for "Home." Image courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

This Memorial Day weekend, Dierks Bentley and Eric Church are taking the time to honor the soldiers that have impacted them. Dierks’ father served in World War II, making Memorial Day that much more important to the Bentley family.

“My dad was a second lieutenant in the army,” he said. “It’s amazing, he served in World War II, he was in Japan, and he doesn’t tell me too many stories about it, but I know for him, he really enjoyed his time in the army. It was a chance to get a chance to go overseas and see some of the world.”

GAC’s Top 20 Songs Honoring Our Troops >>

Dierks’ father both made and lost friends in the Army. While he doesn’t talk much about that aspect of serving our country, he does share good memories with Dierks about his time in Army.

“What a feeling that must be that I will never know, to put on that uniform, American flag patch on your shoulder, and you’re out there literally fighting for the flag, fighting with your brothers next to you and for everyone back home,” Dierks said. “We can never really honestly have a sense of how that feels, but certainly we can honor them.”

For Eric Church, it’s the soldiers serving the country, many of which he meets while touring the country, that allow him to do what he loves for a living. He is using Memorial Day to celebrate both our freedom and the people fighting for it as well as the United States of America. Continue Reading

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Kellie Pickler photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

The Grand Ole Opry will roll out the red carpet tonight, May 22, to welcome members of the Tennessee National Guard. The public is invited to their arrival to say ‘thank you’ to the men and women who serve our country as part of the celebration. The evening’s Opry performance, a salute to the military, will feature Montgomery Gentry, Kellie Pickler, Rascal Flatts, Mark Wills, Ronnie Milsap and John Conlee.

The arrivals and celebration will begin at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Clips from the red carpet arrival and performances from the night will air during the premiere 90-minute episode of Noteworthy at the Opry on GAC on Saturday, May 26 at 9/8 p.m. Central. The show will also be seen by U.S. military around the world via the American Forces Television Network.

“We are excited about welcoming country superstars to our stage and our country’s heroes to our House Tuesday night,” Opry Vice President and General Manager Pete Fisher said. “We’re just as pleased to give country fans an opportunity to show their appreciation to our men and women in uniform as they arrive at the Opry House.”

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Julie Roberts photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Game manufacture McNeill Designs for Brighter Minds will host its first annual celebrity charity event during CMA Music Festival. Country stars will sit down to play You’ve been Sentenced! – Country Music Edition on June 7th from 2:00-4:30 PM at the Hard Rock Café in downtown Nashville. Stars will play the game to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospital and Success Won’t Wait.

Artists confirmed to play include Jeff Bates, Ty Brown, Burns & Poe, Jason Michael Carroll, Buddy Jewell, Matt Kennon, Danni Leigh, LoCash Cowboys, Justin McBride, Jaclyn North, Julie Roberts, Doug Stone, Rhonda Vincent, Mark Wills and more. The game will be followed by acoustic performances.

“We’ve always known that the country music industry has tremendous heart,” Don McNeill, McNeill Designs CEO, said. “The interest and support shared by the community as a whole for this charity event has been overwhelming and it’s even more moving in consideration of the number of appearances, concerts and events these artists are juggling as part of their hectic CMA Fest schedules.” Continue Reading

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Love & Theft’s Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson get a lesson in the fine art of whiskey making at Popcorn Sutton’s Tennessee White Whiskey Distillery (Photo provided courtesy of Taillight ©2012 All Rights Reserved)

Love and Theft’s Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson have experienced their share of whiskey in the bars they’ve played, but they didn’t know that the process of getting whiskey into the bottles served at those bars is a fine art. On tomorrow’s episode of GAC’s Day Jobs, the duo learns the craft of making whiskey from Jamey Grosser, owner of Popcorn Sutton’s White Whiskey Distillery.

The pair were unsure of what they were getting into when they arrived at the distillery. Under Jamey’s guidance, they tried their hand at distilling Popcorn Sutton’s legendary recipe. The trick was doing so without breaking the machinery or sampling their work. 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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Jason Aldean works out with the Atlanta Braves during a taping of GAC's series "Day Jobs." Photo courtesy of Taillight TV.

A new crop of country stars are heading back to their pre-fame gigs when GAC’s Day Jobs returns for a second season on April 4 at 10/9 p.m. CT. Each one-hour episode follows three celebrities as they go back to the jobs that paid the bills while they pursued their dreams of stardom. During their shift, they find out if they still have what it takes and are reminded of just how far they’ve come.

This season will feature stars such as Jason Aldean, Scotty McCreery, Kellie Pickler, Trisha Yearwood and Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton. A new twist for the second season is that participants were able to choose between their former day job or a job they’ve  dreamed of having. For Jason Aldean, that meant spending a day at training camp with the Atlanta Braves, while Scott Hamilton taught at a school within Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville.

“The first season of Day Jobs got great response from both viewers and country stars interested in being a part of the second season, Sarah Trahern, GAC GM/SVP, said. “From Scotty McCreery bagging groceries to Kellie Pickler getting a rare look inside the Elephant Sanctuary, to HLN TV star Robin Meade working at the Ohio factory where her parents spent their careers; viewers will get to see a different side of their favorite stars.”

The season two premiere on April 4 will feature Jason Aldean in his baseball attire and comedian Bill Engvall as a caverns tour guide. Watch Day Jobs highlights, see exclusive photos and more »

Celebs featured in the second season of Day Jobs include:

Bill Engvall – caverns tour guide
Colt Ford – sports radio talk show host
Craig Campbell – corrections officer
Gretchen Wilson – Waffle House waitress
Hunter Hayes – IndyCar driver (dream job)
Jack Ingram – automobile restoration
Jason Aldean – training with the Atlanta Braves  (dream job)
Joey + Rory – dairy farmers
Josh Thompson – concrete finisher
Karen Fairchild (Little Big Town) – stylist
Kellie Pickler – elephant caregiver (dream job) Continue Reading

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