Tom T Hall

Tom T. Hall, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, Country Music Highway committee members, and TourSEKY announced two new initiatives surrounding famed highway U.S. Route 23. Known as the ‘Country Music Highway,’ the stretch of road winding along the eastern corridor of Kentucky, has given rise to several country stars including The Judds, Billy Ray Cyrus, Ricky Skaggs, Keith Whitley, Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless, Crystal Gayle, Loretta Lynn, Rebecca Lynn Howard and more.

The new initiatives will include a talent competition to discover the next generation of artists from the area, as well as the development of a charitable organization, the ‘Country Music Highway Arts Education Fund,’ which will support music programs in Kentucky schools and aid children in discovering their passion for music. The initiatives are aimed to bring awareness of the highway’s significance to the next generation.

“I am certain that Governor Beshear will agree with me when I say how proud we are to honor the rich musical heritage springing from the State of Kentucky,” Jeff Crowe, President and CEO of Tour SEKY, said. “Our youth is teeming with musical talent and I am excited to see the impact the program will have upon them.”

The Country Music Highway Road to Fame competition will begin in mid-March. The winner will receive a scholarship to participate in career development and coaching under the direction of PCG Nashville, an acoustic guitar, and a plaque recognizing their achievement. The contest is open to artists 13-35 years old from the 15 counties that border the highway. More information can be found at www.cmhroadtofame.com.

“I’m really excited about the competition because it will show that some of the best talent can be found in the hills of Eastern Kentucky,” Tom T. Hall, a native of the area, said. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Keith Urban photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Keith Urban will return to the stage for the first time since undergoing successful vocal cord surgery late last year with a performance on the Grand Ole Opry February 3. Keith’s performance will take place as the Opry wraps its winter run at the historic Ryman Auditorium. The Opry returns to the Grand Ole Opry House the next day.

Other artists scheduled to appear on the Opry with Keith are Charley Pride and the Oak Ridge Boys, with more artists to be added. Keith is also scheduled to perform on the Opry on March 9 at the Opry House. Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Del McCoury, Craig Morgan, Ricky Skaggs, Josh Turner and more will appear on the Opry stage in coming weeks. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Jimmy Wayne

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will celebrate the holiday season with an assortment of programs and events for the entire family. They will also have limited edition holiday posters from the Hatch Show Print and special offers from the Museum Store, just in time for holiday shopping.

Jimmy Wayne will help kick off festivities on Friday, November 25 at 4 p.m. Central with the lighting of the Museum’s Christmas tree. He will also perform and sign copies of his new book, Paper Angels. The next day, November 26, Ricky Skaggs and The Whites will be in the Museum Store at 2 p.m. to sign copies of A Skaggs Family Christmas Volume 2.

For those who like to start their morning off with country music, the Museum will host a special breakfast with Bill Cody on Friday, December 2 as he broadcasts live from the Museum’s Curb Conservatory. Admission is $6.50 and includes breakfast, performances by Ronnie Milsap, Julie Roberts, Victoria Shaw and more and the chance to win a museum prize pack.

Saturday, December 3 is a busy day at the Museum. The day starts off with a cookie decorating class at 10:30 followed by a songwriter session with Deborah Allen at 11:30 p.m. She will sign copies of her new children’s book, The Loneliest Christmas Tree, following her performance. From 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. the Museum will hold the family program Make Letterpress Art with Hatch Show Print, where attendees will learn about letterpress printing straight from the staff of Hatch Print Show. The day will wrap with Phil Vassar signing copies of his Noel and Live on Broadway album at 3:00 p.m.   Continue Reading

ShareThis

Ricky Skaggs photo courtesy of Skaggs Family Records.

The winners of the 2011 ICM Faith, Family & Country Awards have been announced. The awards were held October 28 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.  The ceremony wrapped up Inspirational Country Music Week, presented by the Inspirational Country Music Association.

Ricky Skaggs was the big winner of the night. He took home the ICM Award for Entertainer of the Year as well as the ICM for Musician of the Year. Christian artist Chuck Day was another double winner, earning the ICM Male Vocalist award and the Inspirational Country Song of the Year award for his song “I’ll Stand Up And Say So.” ICM Female Vocalist went to Kali Rose while Jeff Bates was awarded the ICM for Mainstream Country Artist.   Continue Reading

ShareThis

Reba McEntire photo courtesy of The Valory Music Co.

Reba McEntire will headline the International Festival of Country Music when the festival returns to Wembley Arena in London for the first time in 20 years on February 26, 2012. This will be Reba’s first performance in the UK in 12 years.

“My band, crew and I are really looking forward to going back to Europe to play our music,” Reba said. “The last time we performed there was in 1999!  We have been very busy for the last 10 years doing the Reba TV show and concerts in North America. Now, we are so excited to be able to travel abroad and do both our new and old songs for our European audience, who has always been so good to us.”

“I’m bringing the International Festival of Country Music back after over twenty years due to popular demand,” Mervyn Conn, festival founder and CEO of MM Events Ltd., said. “The regard for Country Music has grown significantly in the UK since the first year I promoted this event and I believe that now is the time to reintroduce this once hugely popular event to converted fans of country music and to a new and emerging group of country music lovers.” Continue Reading

ShareThis

Rascal Flatts is invited to join the Opry by member Vince Gill. Photo by Chris Hollo, courtesy of Schmidt Relations.

The Grand Ole Opry is celebrating their 86^th birthday the whole month of October  and this weekend will mark the Opry’s official Birthday Bash. If you can’t make it to Nashville, you can catch a lot of the action on GAC during episodes of Opry Live scheduled to air on Saturday, October 8 and Tuesday, October 11.

On Friday, October 7, Jason Michael Carroll, Crystal Bowersox, Mandy Barnett, Ricky Skaggs, Connie Smith and The Whites are just some of the talents on the Opry’s schedule. Mandy Barnett will sign copies of her CD Sweet Dreams and her new Christmas album, Winter Wonderland, in the Opry Shop from 5:30 to 6:30 prior to the show.

On Saturday, October 8, Jean Shepard, Charley Pride, Craig Morgan, Ronnie Dunn (who will be making his Opry debut as a solo artist) and Rascal Flatts, who will be inducted as the newest members of the Opry family, are on tap, among others. You can catch the show live on GAC during Opry Live at 9/8 CT.

Taking the Opry stage on Tuesday, October 11 will be Chris Young, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, LeAnn Rimes, Montgomery Gentry, Sara Evans, Scotty McCreery and Trace Adkins. Some performances will be broadcast live on Opry Live at 8/7 CT on GAC. Other performances from the night will be filmed for an episode of Opry Live to air October 29 at 9/8 CT. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Martina McBride on the Grand Ole Opry. Photo by Chris Hollo, courtesy of Schmidt Relations.

The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate its 86th birthday the whole month of October with a list of all-star artists and special shows and events, many of which will be aired on GAC during episodes of Opry Live.

The party kicks off October 4 when the Opry honors Randy Travis for 25 years in country music and as an Opry member. Carrie Underwood, Connie Smith and Josh Turner are just a few of the artists scheduled to be on hand to honor Randy. Several performances from the night will be part of an episode of Opry Live to air on GAC October 15 at 9/8 CT.

The Opry’s Official 86th Birthday Bash Weekend will be held October 7 and 8 and feature performances from Charley Pride, Rascal Flatts and the solo Opry debut of Ronnie Dunn. Other events scheduled for the weekend are a Saturday afternoon birthday concert featuring Mel Tillis and a free Opry Plaza Birthday Party. GAC will broadcast the birthday party live on Opry Live at 9/8 CT.

Chris Young, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church, LeAnn Rimes, Montgomery Gentry, Sara Evans, Scotty McCreery and Trace Adkins are all scheduled to appear on the Opry October 11. The night will also include a live broadcast of Opry Live at 8/7 CT. Other performances from the night will be filmed for a an episode of Opry Live to air October 29 at 9/8 CT. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Opry member Charley Pride photo by Chris Hollo, courtesy of Schmidt Relations.

Opry Country Classics returns to the Ryman Auditorium for a four-week run beginning October 6. Each show will feature a Spotlight Artist performing several of their biggest hits plus more favorite artists. The fall’s season Spotlight Artists together have 100 Top 10 hits, have won more than 100 industry awards and sold millions of albums.

Charley Pride will take the spotlight for the October 6 show. Lorrie Morgan is scheduled as the spotlight artist on October 13, Ray Price on October 20 and Ricky Skaggs on October 27. Of note, the October 13 show will move from the Ryman to the Grand Ole Opry. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Brad Paisley photo courtesy of Schmidt Relations.

Brad Paisley will publish his first major book, titled Diary of a Player, with Howard Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster. The new book will be released Nov. 1 and is a salute to the guitar gods of country, blues, and rock & roll who have shaped his life.  The book is co-written with David Wild, a contributing editor to Rolling Stone and an Emmy-nominated television writer and producer.

Brad was given his first guitar as a gift from his grandfather when he was eight years old—a gift that would change the whole direction of his life.  By12, Brad had written his first song and at 13 he began opening public performances for country giants including The Judds, Ricky Skaggs, and George Jones. Now in his thirties, Brad is a critically acclaimed music megastar. Diary Of A Player is the very personal story of Continue Reading

ShareThis

Hank Williams, Jr. photo courtesy of Curb Records.

Football, cooking and benefits are on the agenda for the month of September at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum.

On September 9, the new Hank Williams Jr. Monday Night Football Spotlight Exhibit opened. Each year, Hank Jr. records a new version of his Monday Night Football theme song and stars in the accompanying video shown on ESPN at the start of each weekly broadcast. The shirt and vest he wore in this year’s video, designed by Nashville-based designer Manuel, will both be on display in the Museum’s second floor gallery.

The Museum’s All for the Hall fundraiser returns to Los Angeles for a third year on September 13 with performances by Vince Gill, Sheryl Crow, Zac Brown and more. You can visit  http://countrymusichalloffame.org/afthla/ for more information and to purchase tickets. There is also an online auction of country music memorabilia and experiences to benefit All for the Hall. To view items up for auction and place your bids, visit www.biddingforgood.com/allforthehall. Continue Reading

ShareThis