Randy Houser and his fiancee, Jessa Lee Yantz. Photo courtesy of Alicia Katy Photography.

Congrats to Randy Houser, 34, and fellow singer-songwriter Jessa Lee Yantz, 29, on their engagement! Randy confirmed the big news with People magazine after fans began inquiring if it was true, after they noticed Yantz’s sister, Alicia, tweeting her congratulations on July 22.

“I had no idea anyone would care that I’m engaged,” said Randy. “But I want to thank everyone for their outreach and support regarding the news of our engagement.

“I finally found the person that I can’t be without,” Randy told People. “Jessa makes me Continue Reading

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Joey + Rory photo credit: Bryan Allen

Lee Greenwood, Joey & Rory, Ricky Skaggs and The Roys are set to perform at the 17^th Annual Inspirational Country Music Awards on October 28 in Nashville. Storme Warren and Megan Alexander will host the event, held at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Additional events during ICM-Faith, Family and Country Week will be held at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel, including the Power Source No. 1 party, showcases, talent and songwriting contests, seminars, worship services, retail exhibits and more.

Before the awards, the first-ever PINK Carpet Gala Event will take place as breast cancer survivors and country artists celebrate and raise awareness for the cause. During the ceremony, orchestra seating will be filled with breast cancer survivors, each of which will be sponsored by a family member, friend, or business. Continue Reading

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Taylor Swift on stage in Seoul, South Korea on the Asian leg of her 2011 Speak Now World Tour. Photo courtesy of Taylorswift.com.

As the sun starts setting a little later and temperatures heat up, it’s time to start thinking about those wonderful summer days and nights. What better way to spend them than watching your favorite country artists sing your favorite songs? In no particular order, here’s our list of the Top 10 must-see summer music tours:

Taylor Swift’s “Speak Now World Tour”

Taylor Swift continues her “Speak Now World Tour” this summer headlining major stadiums and arenas across North America. Getting things started with two shows at Omaha’s Qwest Center Memorial Day Weekend, Taylor hits more than 50 dates through mid-September as she takes the scenic route through more than 20 states and 4 Canadian provinces. Detroit’s Ford Field, Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium and 4 sold-out appearances at Los Angeles’ Staples Center in late August are all on the itinerary. If you’re reading this and haven’t bought your tickets yet, it’s time to start calling every friend and cousin you have since all but 6 shows are sold out through September 21. Opening acts include NeedToBreathe, Randy Montana, Frankie Ballard and James Wesley. Tickets range from $27.00 – $89.50.

Jason Aldean’s “Summer 2011 My Kinda Party Tour”

Jason Aldean keeps rollin’ this summer and hosting nothing but good times at 18 shows scheduled through July and August. The party starts July 8 with a high profile gig at Milwaukee’s famed Summerfest before performing in 12 states coast to coast as well as Alberta, Canada. Other key dates include July 23 at Wyoming’s Cheyenne Frontier Days and a Saturday night show August 13 at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia, MO. Chris Young and Thompson Square join on most dates to kick the party into high gear. Tickets range from $23.25-$70.00.

Brad Paisley’s “H2O II World Tour”

Has Brad Paisley ever taken a break from the road? It seems the current ACM Entertainer of the Year just keeps on giving the fans exactly what they want since he was forced to dry out his road gear after May 2010’s Nashville flood. If you remember, this was just before kicking off the original “H20 World Tour.” Paisley fittingly kicks off the new edition of “H2O II World Tour” at the Virginia Beach Ampitheatre on June 3 with 19 shows through the Midwest and Eastern seaboard before heading to Europe in early August. Tour stops include Country Stampede in Manahattan, KS on June 25 and Maine’s Scarborough Downs on July 17. Special guests include Blake Shelton and Jerrod Niemann. Tickets range from $30.00-$125.00. Continue Reading

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Randy Houser photo courtesy of Universal South. Photo credit: Danny Clinch

Known for his hits “Anything Goes,” “Boots On,” and “Whistlin’ Dixie” which have landed him on Late Show with David Letterman, Good Morning America, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! among others, country music maverick Randy Houser returns to the airwaves with an emotion-evoking ballad “In God’s Time.”  The record will impact radio on April 25, but it is exclusively available on iTunes now through April 26. In addition, fans can download Houser’s latest album, They Call Me Cadillac, for $6.99 in recognition of the new single.

Houser, who penned “In God’s Time” with Shane Minor and David Lee Murphy, knew the message was special the moment he sang the opening line and the now title.  So special in fact that he debuted it for a live audience on the historic Ryman Auditorium stage in celebration of his ACM Nomination for New Solo Vocalist of the Year during GAC’s ACM Showcase televised special. The performance resulted in a standing ovation and an outpouring of requests from fans to make the song available for purchase.

Check out this powerful studio performance of “In God’s Time” Continue Reading

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Eric Church photo by Jim Wright, courtesy of Capitol Nashville; The Band Perry photo by Joseph Anthony Baker, courtesy of Republic Nashville.

Sugarland will have some company when they headline the first-ever ACM Fan Jam and After Jam Party, which will take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center during the ACM Awards on April 3. New Solo Vocalist winner Eric Church and New Duo or Group winner The Band Perry, as well as Randy Houser, Little Big Town, Steel Magnolia, Laura Bell Bundy, Sarah Darling, Bradley Gaskins and Casey James will all perform during Fan Jam, which gives fans the ultimate opportunity to be part of the ACM telecast.

It’s not just the concert that will be taking place at Fan Jam, though. After winning their respective categories, Eric and The Band Perry are now the finalists in the fan-voted New Artist of the Year category. The winner will be announced live during Fan Jam during the ACM Awards telecast. You can vote for this category at www.VoteACM.com until 5p.m. PST on April 3. Continue Reading

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Photo courtesy of Universal South. Photo credit: Danny Clinch

When Randy Houser takes the stage in Isle of the Palms, South Carolina tonight, he will have nothing but his boots on – in a manner of speaking. Around 12:40 p.m. this afternoon, Randy’s crew noticed flames coming from the rear suite of his tour bus, sending thick, black smoke into the bus corridors and main cabin. Randy and his band and crew members were safely evacuated, but all of their gear, clothing and personal belongings were lost. Randy tweeted photos from the bus fire, including a picture to confirm that his boots had survived.

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Keith Urban photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Starting today, you can get a deluxe edition of Keith Urban‘s album Get Closer on iTunes, which includes three new studio tracks and four live recordings from his “Love, Pain & the whole crazy thing” World Tour.

This week, the track “Georgia Woods” from Get Closer is featured as the iTunes’ free download of the week. The song was written by Keith and Darrell Brown – and was originally written on Waylon Jennings‘ guitar, of which Keith is the current owner. “I wanted to use the guitar on some writing sessions and the riff that starts ‘Georgia Woods’ came straight out of that guitar,” he explains. “It’s like playing a holy grail.” Continue Reading

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Pictured l to r (front row): Sarah Trahern, GAC GM and ACM board president, Steel Magnolia’s Joshua Scott Jones and Meghan Linsey, The JaneDear girls’ Susie Brown and Danelle Leverett, The Band Perry’s Kimberly and Reid Perry, Butch Waugh, ACM vice president. Back row: Bill Mayne, ACM chairman, Easton Corbin, Luke Bryan, Randy Houser, Eric Church, Pete Fisher, VP and general manager, Grand Ole Opry and The Band Perry’s Neil Perry.

Have YOU voted yet for the 2011 ACM Top New Artists? Hurry, there are only a few days left to cast your vote!

For the third year, the newcomer categories for the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards — Top New Solo Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group — have been opened up to interactive fan voting through VoteACM.com and GACTV.com/ACM.

The nominees for the newcomer categories are:
TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST
• Eric Church
• Easton Corbin
• Randy Houser

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO OR GROUP
• The Band Perry
• the JaneDear girls
• Steel Magnolia

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Waylon Jennings tribute album.

Singer/songwriter Jessi Colter — and widow of country legend Waylon Jennings — is just one of the artists featured on the upcoming tribute album, The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylong Jennings, released tomorrow, Feb. 8. Jessi sings the classic “Good Hearted Woman” with Sunny Sweeney.

Also on the CD is an impressive roster of stars embodying Waylon’s outlaw spirit, including Trace Adkins, Randy Houser, Jamey Johnson, Kris Kristofferson, Waylon and Jessi’s son Shooter Jennings, and many more. GAC will premiere Breaking the Myth: Waylon Jennings on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 9 p.m., a special that follows the making of the tribute album.

If you asked each artist above to name their favorite Waylon songs, we’re guessing the lists would be quite varied. Jessi recently stopped by the GAC studio to talk about the CD — and we couldn’t resist asking the woman who knew Waylon best to tell us which tunes were the most special to her. Watch the clip below for Jessi’s faves — and tell us which Waylon songs are YOUR favorites!! Continue Reading

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Miranda Lambert and Ronnie Dunn at the nominations announcement for the 46th Annual ACM Awards, Feb. 1, 2011 at the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Last year Miranda Lambert said 2010 was “her best year yet.” She might have to amend that statement, if Feb. 1, 2011 is any indication.

This morning at the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards nominations announcement, Miranda heard her name called 35 times…oops, make that 7 times. Miranda and Ronnie Dunn read the list this morning at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, live during CBS’ The Early Show. Ronnie made the joke about Miranda having triple-digit nominations, but clearly, she is at the forefront of possible trophy winners.

For the third year, fans will select the winner of the Academy’s most prestigious honor, Entertainer of the Year and for the third year, the two newcomer categories for the annual Academy of Country Music Awards —Top New Solo Vocalist, Top New Vocal Duo or Group— will also be opened up to fan voting. The winner in each of the two newcomer categories will then move on to compete for Top New Artist, which is also a fan voted category. Online voting for all fan voted categories will be available at www.voteACM.com.  The winners of Entertainer of the Year and Top New Artist will be announced live during the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, broadcast LIVE from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 8 p.m. live ET/delayed PT on CBS.

Miranda led with seven nominations, including Top Female Vocalist and her first-ever nomination for Entertainer of the Year. In addition, she was nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “The House That Built Me” and received two nominations for Video of the Year for “Only Prettier” and “The House That Built Me.” She is nominated for Vocal Event of the Year with Sheryl Crow and Loretta Lynn for “Coal Miner’s Daughter.” Miranda is the reigning ACM Top Female Vocalist.

Kenny Chesney is nominated for five awards, including Album of the Year for Hemingway’s Whiskey and Single Record of the Year for “The Boys Of Fall,” both of which he is nominated for as an artist and producer.   He is also nominated for Video of the Year for “The Boys Of Fall.” 

Zac Brown Band is nominated for five awards including Top Vocal Group and Album of the Year.  Zac Brown Band is also nominated for Song of the Year, Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for “As She’s Walking Away” featuring Alan Jackson.

Zac Brown of Zac Brown Band also received four additional individual nominations as the producer for Album of the Year contender You Get What You Give, Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for “As She’s Walking Away” and additionally as a composer for Song of the Year for “As She’s Walking Away.”

The Band Perry is nominated for four awards, including Top Vocal Group and Top New Vocal Duo or Group.  They are also nominated for Single Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “If I Die Young.” Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry also received an additional individual nomination as a composer for Song of the Year contender “If I Die Young.”

Taylor Swift is nominated for four awards, including her second nod for Entertainer of the Year.  If Swift wins Entertainer of the Year, this will be her first Entertainer of the Year win. Swift is nominated as an artist and producer for Album of the Year for Speak Now and she also received a nomination for Top Female Vocalist. 

Lady Antebellum is nominated for three awards including Top Vocal Group.  They are also nominated for Album of the Year as artists and producers for Need You Now. They are the reigning Top Vocal Group.

Lee Brice is nominated for three awards for Song of the Year and as both an artist and producer for Single Record of the year for “Love Like Crazy.”  This is Brice’s first year to be nominated.

Easton Corbin is nominated for three awards for Top New Solo Vocalist and for Song of the Year and Single Record of the Year for “A Little More Country Than That.” This is Corbin’s first year to be nominated.

Alan Jackson is nominated for three awards for Song of the Year, Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year for “As She’s Walking Away,” with the Zac Brown Band.

Keith Urban is nominated for three awards including Entertainer of the Year and Top Male Vocalist.  Keith is also nominated for Vocal Event of the Year for “Blue Sky” with Emily West.

Members of the Academy of Country Music select the nominees and winners of the ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, and select the final top six nominees of the Entertainer of the Year category and the top three nominees in newcomer categories, Top New Solo Vocalist and Top New Vocal Duo or Group. Presenters and performers who will appear at the ceremony will be announced at a later date.

Following is the list of final nominees. Winners in each of the following categories, except where noted, will be presented with an ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARD during the live television broadcast:

Entertainer of the Year

• Jason Aldean
• Toby Keith
• Miranda Lambert
• Brad Paisley
• Taylor Swift
• Keith Urban Continue Reading

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