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

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Carrie Underwood photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Carrie Underwood’s first trip to Australia concluded over the weekend. Down Under to promote the June 10 release of Play On: Deluxe Edition and the Australian release of her film Soul Surfer, Carrie spent almost two weeks in the country, visiting television and radio stations, conducting interviews and of course, performing, including a spot on Australia’s Dancing With The Stars. Carrie’s travels were almost sidelined, however, due do the ash-cloud from the Chilean volcano. Rather than disappoint fans, Carrie took an 11-hour bus ride from Melbourne to Sydney.

“I didn’t want to take the chance to miss performing for my fans in Sydney, so we decided to get a bus and make the drive!” Carrie said. “It also gave me an opportunity to see more of the country than I’d otherwise get to see, which was very exciting!” Continue Reading

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Carrie Underwood made a special guest appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Wed. April 6, 2011. Photo credit Paul Drinkwater/courtesy of NBCUniversal.

Last week we posted Carrie Underwood’s thoughts on singing with Steven Tyler on the 46^th Annual ACM Awards. Carrie was recently on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and she discussed the Aerosmith rock legend. But that’s not all she talked about! Carrie also addressed the hockey critics and Canadian radio stations who’ve called her “Yoko Underwood” and blamed her for taking hubby Mike Fisher away from the Ottawa Senators and bringing him to play in Nashville for the Predators.

“It’s my fault,” joked Carrie. “I’m amazed – even my friends were like, ‘How did you pull that off?’ I’m glad people think I am that powerful. If you play for any professional sports team, do not mess with me. I will get you traded to Lord knows where!”

Carrie also talked about her new movie, Soul Surfer, Mike’s love of UFC fighting and shopping – and a most interesting wedding gift they received. Watch the clip below: Continue Reading

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Gwyneth Paltrow & Tim McGraw from the upcoming movie, Country Strong, in theaters January 7, 2011. Photo by Scott Garfield, courtesy of Sony Pictures USA & Monarch Publicity.

From Crazy Heart to Country Strong, Hollywood and Nashville were tightly linked in 2010.

Tim McGraw, Julianne Hough, Trace Adkins and Carrie Underwood all went in front of the cameras. And artists as diverse as Ryan Bingham, Billy Currington, Taylor Swift and Kenny Chesney got their music on the big screen in one way or another.

Country’s role in a large number of movies ranks No. 7 in GAC’s countdown of the dozen top stories of 2010.

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Carrie Underwood backstage at the 45th Annual ACM Awards on April 18, 2010. Photo by Jenny Dew, GAC Staff.

Carrie Underwood and Trace Adkins have finished their work on a couple of movies that are in the works. And that’s just a start among a raft of film projects tied to Nashville’s best-known genre.

Travis Tritt and Julianne Hough have their own acting bits on tap, and there might well be a picture in the future about the life of Jerry Lee Lewis.

Here’s the latest on-screen news of note:

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Carrie Underwood photo by Matthew Rolston, courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Five-time Grammy award winner Carrie Underwood has landed a supporting role in her first studio movie Soul Surfer. The inspirational film is based on the autobiography of 19-year-old champion surfer Bethany Hamilton, who, for over six years, has defied all odds to compete and win professional championships after losing her arm in a shark attack at age thirteen. Underwood will play Sarah Hill, a church youth leader. Filming is to take place in February.

The film also stars Academy Award winner Helen Hunt as Bethany’s mother Cheri, Golden Globe nominee Dennis Quaid as Bethany’s father Tom, and Young Artist Award winner AnnaSophia Robb as Bethany Hamilton. The cast also includes Lorraine Nicholson (as Alana Blanchard) and Kevin Sorbo (as Holt Blanchard).

No word yet on will the film will actually hit theaters.

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