Little Big Town photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

To purposely misquote a Paul McCartney classic, bands are on the run in country music — straight to the top of the charts.

Little Big Town’s new album The Reason Why, bolts out of the chute to No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Country Albums chart, and it’s followed by the Randy Rogers Band’s Burning The Day, checking in at No. 2. In fact, groups occupy four of the Top 5 slots on the chart. Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now checks in at No. 4, and the the Zac Brown Band hanging in at No. 5 with the double-platinum project The Foundation. The only thing blocking bands from a Top 5 sweep is the Trace Adkins album Cowboy’s Back In Town.

Most fans probably don’t think much about it, but being in a band is completely different from working as a solo artist. There are more expenses, more opinions and more egos involved, so decisions require more communication and more time. As a reward for all that extra work, there’s less potential income — the band members have to split up the proceeds in the end.

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Randy Rogers Band photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Is Burning The Day the album that puts the Randy Rogers Band over the top?

A number of folks on the Texas red-dirt scene are wondering if the album can break him nationally, but nobody’s hoping for that result more than Randy himself. Randy recently chatted with On the Streets host Suzanne Alexander about his unique brand of country music:

 
The group played its first gig 10 years ago in San Marcos, Texas, at the Cheatham Street Warehouse, one of the venues George Strait played frequently on his way up. RRB built up a significant following in the Lone Star State with a series of independent albums and got noticed in Nashville, where they signed five years ago this month with Mercury Records. Both of their previous albums for the label hit the Top 10 on the Billboard country albums chart — particularly impressive because the band has never had a bona fide hit.

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Brad Paisley photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

When Brad Paisley recorded his Time Well Wasted album, he stocked it with some of his typical witty social commentary, with some love songs and with a couple of gospel-toned pieces. It sold two million copies and won Album of the Year from both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.

But in the town of Plainview, Texas, Brad’s title isn’t going over so well these days. Time Well Wasted was featured as the theme of the 2010 Plainview High School yearbook, accompanied by melting clocks, inspired by the work of late painter Salvador Dali. Teachers who took the clocks at face value were insulted that students would demean the hours they spent trying to give them an education.

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Lady Antebellum on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at the Ryman Autitorium in Nashville. Photo courtesy of The Greenroom.

The Academy of Country Music is hosting two days of all-star concerts at the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas during The Week Vegas Goes Country™! ACM Weekend on Fremont Street Experience will feature top newcomer category winners, Luke Bryan, Joey + Rory and Gloriana, special guests and headliners Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert performing on two different stages to crowds downtown. The weekend-long party leading up to the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards is sponsored by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and will feature Emily West, The Band Perry, Danny Gokey, David Nail and Lady Antebellum on April 16, 2010 and Joey + Rory, Gloriana, Randy Rogers Band, Luke Bryan and Miranda Lambert on April 17, 2010.

DETAILS: Friday, April 16, 2010

7:00-7:30pm Emily West 1st Street Stage

7:45-8:25pm The Band Perry 1st Street Stage

8:40-9:30pm Danny Gokey 3rd Street Stage

9:45-10:30pm David Nail (Single Record of the Year Nominee) 1st Street Stage

10:45-Midnight Lady Antebellum (Top ACM Nominee with 7 Nods) 3rd Street Stage

Saturday, April 17, 2010

7:00-7:30pm Joey + Rory 1st Street Stage

(Top Vocal Duo Nominee & Top New Vocal Duo winner)*

7:45-8:25pm Gloriana (Top New Vocal Group winner)* 1st Street Stage

8:40-9:25pm Randy Rogers Band (Top Vocal Group Nominee) 3rd Street Stage

9:40-10:30 Luke Bryan (Top New Solo Vocalist winner)* 1st Street Stage

10:45-Midnight Miranda Lambert (ACM Nominee with 6 Nods) 3rd Street Stage

*Joey + Rory, Gloriana and Luke Bryan will compete for Top New Artist on Sunday’s LIVE telecast of the 45th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

Fremont Street Experience
Fremont Street Experience is a five-block entertainment zone in downtown Las Vegas that is one of the world’s most-visited attractions. Fremont Street Experience features the world’s largest video screen at 1,500 feet long 90 feet above the pedestrian mall. VivaVision, with 12.5 million digital lights and a 550,000-watt sound system, dazzles visitors nightly with light & sound shows. Encompassing 10 hotel-casinos, 60 restaurants and free entertainment, Fremont Street Experience attracts over 18 million annual visitors. Visit www.vegasexperience.com for more information.

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Josh Turner photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

“I never had so many people open for me!” Josh Turner exclaimed Wednesday at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. “Wow!”

Indeed, 14 artists preceded him in that legendary venue, though another three sang after him as well as the Universal Music Group Nashville showcased its talent for Country Radio Seminar registrants in a unique format that provided a microcosm of the wide net that contemporary country represents.

Sugarland, David Nail, Jamey Johnson and Vince Gill were particular standouts as the acts performed just one song apiece. Collectively, the music ranged from bluegrass influences to blue-eyed soul; the acts stretched from brand new artists who haven’t yet released a single to one member of the Country Music Hall of Fame; and their backgrounds ran the gamut from Broadway to TV performer to Texas troubadours.

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Josh Turner photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

They’re back to back at Nos. 15 and 16 on this week’s list of the top country videos in the nation; Josh Turner and Radney Foster will both join host Nan Kelley this weekend as guests on GAC’s Top 20 Country Countdown.

Radney is positioned at No. 16 with “Angel Flight,” from his 2009 album Revival. Having established himself with the ultra-cool duo Foster & Lloyd, he’s gone on to become a jack of all trades in his solo career. In addition to making his own albums, he’s produced the Randy Rogers Band and written such hits as Sara Evans’ “A Real Fine Place To Start” and Keith Urban’s “Raining On Sunday.” He’s allegedly got something up his sleeve for Darius Rucker’s next album as well.

Josh finally releases his next album, Haywire, on Tuesday. His infectious “Why Don’t We Just Dance” is at No. 15 on the Top 20, and it’s also in the Top 5 on the Mediabase country airplay chart.

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The last time we headed into a new decade, it was the beginning of a completely new millennium, and it kicked off with a bang: The Judds reunited in Phoenix; Trisha Yearwood and Kenny Rogers performed for President Clinton in Washington, D.C.; Kenny Chesney opened for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill at the arena in Nashville; and Grand Ole Opry stars Marty Stuart and Connie Smith went to church in Mississippi.

As we enter 2010, country stars are once again a big part of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Martina McBride and Diamond Rio will be on TV; Shania Twain carries the torch for the Winter Olympics; Lady Antebellum and Tim McGraw will appear at college bowl games; and Garth Brooks, Rodney Atkins and the Eli Young Band will help transition into January on stage.

Here’s how some of country’s biggest stars will add to the turning of the calendar on Thursday and Friday:
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On Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Brad Paisley performed for the President, First Lady and family, members of Congress and White House staff in the historic East Room of the White House. Photo credit Ben Enos.

#4 on GAC’s Top Stories of 2009 |  View all »

The inauguration of Barack Obama put an emotional start on 2009 as America installed its first African-American president, and country had a role in that event. But it was just the start of a relationship between country and the new commander in chief: Martina McBride, Brad Paisley, Charley Pride and Alison Krauss + Union Station would also sing for the world’s most powerful man as the year unfolded.

Garth Brooks and Jennifer Nettles had high-profile moments in January when they performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration.” Garth delivered several of his hits, including “We Shall Be Free,” a song that was inspired by the 1992 Los Angeles riots in the wake of the racially divisive Rodney King verdict. Jennifer teamed with James Taylor and John Legend for a version of “Shower The People,” performed in front of a row of American flags.

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