Taylor Swift photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Billboard.com has released their list of the Top Country Artists of 2011. Artists are ranked based on album sales, song downloads and airplay, touring revenue, Social 50 chart action, ringtone sales and streaming data provided by Nielsen BDS. Congratulations to Taylor Swift for being named the Top Country Artist of 2011! What do you think of this ranking? Who’d top YOUR Top 50 list? Leave us a comment below!

1. Taylor Swift
2. Jason Aldean
3. Lady Antebellum
4. Zac Brown Band
5. Blake Shelton
6. The Band Perry
7. Rascal Flatts
8. Kenny Chesney
9. Brad Paisley
10. Luke Bryan
11. Keith Urban
12. Miranda Lambert
13. Sugarland
14. Eric Church
15. Scotty McCreery
16. Toby Keith
17. Thompson Square
18. Chris Young
19. Billy Currington
20. Tim McGraw Continue Reading

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Shania Twain and her husband, Frédéric Thiébaud, on their January 1, 2011 wedding day. Photo credit: Robert Evans, RobertEvans.com.

Several country stars tied the knot in 2011. Two of them even kicked off the year with New Year’s Day nuptials in tropical places! Shania Twain married husband Frédéric Thiébaud in Puerto Rico on New Year’s Day in front of 40 close friends and family. Shania announced their engagement on her website on December 21, 2010.

Kellie Pickler and husband Kyle Jacobs also tied the knot on New Year’s Day. The pair scraped their plans for a big Nashville wedding and eloped to Antigua where they were married at sunset. “We didn’t have anything but us and God and our minister,” Kellie told People, “and I can’t think of a word that can quite describe how perfect it was.”

LeAnn Rimes married actor Eddie Cibrian on April 22 at a private home in California. The 40 guests invited believed they were attending an engagement party but were surprised with a wedding ceremony. The couple exchanged personalized vows and Eddie’s sons Mason and Jake, from his previous marriage, were in attendance. “I’m looking forward to settling down,” LeAnn told People before her wedding. “Settling into our life.”

Chely Wright, who made headlines in 2010 when she came out, married her partner, Lauren Blitzer, during a ceremony at Lauren’s aunt’s home in Connecticut on August 20. Since Lauren is Jewish and Chely is Christian, both a rabbi and a reverend presided over the wedding. “The freedom of being out and open about who I am allowed me to find and fall in love with Lauren – the most amazing woman I’ve ever known,” Chely told People. Continue Reading

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Taylor Swift's Speak Now CD. Photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

Billboard.com has just released its year-end charts for 2011. Here are the 50 most popular country albums for the year (based on album sales). Congratulations to Taylor Swift for taking the top spot with her Speak Now album!

1. Speak Now – Taylor Swift
2. My Kinda Party – Jason Aldean
3. Nothing Like This – Rascal Flatts
4. Need You Now – Lady Antebellum
5. You Get What You Give – Zac Brown Band
6. Own The Night – Lady Antebellum  Read Our Review >>
7. The Band Perry – The Band Perry
8. The Incredible Machine – Sugarland
9. Get Closer – Keith Urban
10. Hemingway’s Whiskey – Kenny Chesney
11. This Is Country Music – Brad Paisley  Read Our Review >>
12. Clear As Day – Scotty McCreery  Read Our Review >>
13. Number One Hits – Tim McGraw
14. Tailgates & Tanlines – Luke Bryan  Read Our Review >>
15. Chief – Eric Church  Read Our Review >>
16. Loaded: The Best of Blake Shelton – Blake Shelton
17. Red River Blue – Blake Shelton  Read Our Review >>
18. The Foundation – Zac Brown Band
19. Revolution – Miranda Lambert
20. Country Strong Soundtrack – Various Artists Continue Reading

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Album cover art by Peter Max.

The Let Us In Nashville – A Tribute To Linda McCartney album, which features several country artists such as Phil Vassar, Chuck Wicks, Steel Magnolia and Sarah Darling performing their versions of Sir Paul McCartney songs, is now available. Proceeds from the album will go to The Woman and Cancer Fund. The album is streaming all week on MSN’s Listening Booth and AOL’s Listening Party.

The Woman and Cancer Fund was established in the memory of Linda McCartney and promotes prevention, lifestyle awareness, enhances available health services and advocates advanced breast cancer and children’s cancer research. Sir Paul McCartney has given his approval and support of the project.

On November 7, several of the artists featured on the album gathered at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for a special concert to benefit The Woman and Cancer Fund. Hosted by Jeff Daniels, Phil Vassar, Steel Magnolia, Chuck Wicks, SHeDAISY, Sarah Darling, Cheyenne Kimball (formerly of Gloriana), Juliana Cole, Jeff Daniels, Nikki Shannon Fernandez, Jordyn Shellhart, Nancy Sirianni, Samantha Landrum, and Blue Sky Riders all performed the tracks they contributed to the album as well as some of their own material. Continue Reading

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Reba McEntire photo courtesy of The Valory Music Co.

Reba will wrap her All the Women I Am Tour this coming Saturday in Tupelo, Mississippi. She has shared the stage with her label mates, The Band Perry, Edens Edge and Steel Magnolia, and the young artists have left her impressed. Despite all their talk about learning from Reba, Reba insist she’s the one who’s been learning. “They’ve taught me more than I’ve taught them,” she said. “I love to get onstage with ‘em.”

See photos of Reba at the CMA Awards! >>

Kimberly Perry of The Band Perry has been returning to the stage each night during the tour to perform “Does He Love You” with Reba. While Kimberly must be nervous to perform alongside the Country Music Hall of Famer night after night, Reba has been blown away by her confidence.

See photos of The Band Perry at the CMA Awards! >>

“If I had a been singing a duet with someone who had been in the business as long as I had when I first got started, I would’ve been crawling onstage, probably throwing up about every five crawls because nerves would’ve been just racking me,” Reba said. “But they’re just so confident. They look so much at ease. I admire ‘em so much and I love to watch and listen to ‘em.” Continue Reading

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James Otto photo courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media.

Steel Magnolia’s Meghan Linsey has been playing many of the duo’s scheduled shows solo while Joshua Scott Jones is in rehab for alcohol and substance abuse treatment. While Joshua works to get healthy, Meghan has invited James Otto to join her on certain dates on Reba’sAll The Women I Am Tour this fall. James jumped at the chance to join Meghan when she called him.

5 Things You Don’t Know About James Otto >>

“When I got the call from Meg, I thought it was a great idea,” he said. “I thought our voices would blend really well. I know that our musical tastes are very similar and we’re coming from the same place. Man, who wouldn’t want to be out on tour with Reba McEntire? That was one of those things that’s a no-brainer.” Continue Reading

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Album cover art by Peter Max.

Phil Vassar, Chuck Wicks, Steel Magnolia and Sarah Darling are just a few of the artists who will perform during the ‘Let Us In’ concert benefiting The Women and Cancer Fund on November 7 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The Women and Cancer Fund was established in the memory of Linda McCartney and promotes prevention, lifestyle awareness, enhances available health services and advocates advanced breast cancer and children’s cancer research. Sir Paul McCartney has given his approval of the event in his wife’s memory.

The concert will be hosted by Jeff Daniels, who will also perform at the event. Other artists scheduled to appear include SHeDAISY, Cheyenne Kimball (formerly of Gloriana), Juliana Cole, Nikki Shannon Fernandez, Jordyn Shellhart, Nancy Sirianni, Samantha Landrum, and Blue Sky Riders. Each artist will perform an original version of a Sir Paul McCartney song as well as their own material. Continue Reading

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Steel Magnolia photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

After the news that Joshua Scott Jones of Steel Magnolia had entered rehab to overcome alcohol and substance abuse issues, the question was raised as to whether or not the duo would still open for Reba on her All the Women I Am Tour. The show will go on as planned, with Meghan Linsey (who counts Reba as an early inspiration) taking the stage solo while Joshua gets healthy.

“I’ve been a Reba fan since I was just a kid,” Meghan said. “I remember taking all the money I had when I was 9 or 10 years old and buying a cassette tape with Reba on the front cover. I don’t think I knew any of her music at the time, I just thought her hair was cool. And I got it and that’s kind of what started me listening to and loving country music.” Continue Reading

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Steel Magnolia photo courtesy of Big Machine Records.

The Associated Press (via cbsnews.com) reports that Steel Magnolia‘s Joshua Scott Jones has entered treatment for alcohol and substance abuse.

“God has been on my heart to announce and make public that I have entered a rehabilitation and treatment facility to address issues related to alcohol and substance abuse,” Jones wrote in the statement to his fans on Steel Magnolia’s website.

“Hundreds of thousands of people in the world struggle with these battles daily,” said Josh, “therefore I am sincerely grateful for all thoughts and prayers at this very poignant juncture in my life and career. I would also like to thank my family, friends, record label and management team for being so supportive and having an active hand in my recovery process.”

The AP adds that Josh’s fiancee and duo partner, Meghan Linsey, announced Sept. 23 that they would cancel a few shows because he was unable to perform, but she didn’t specify why. Last Sunday, Meghan began playing Steel Magnolia’s scheduled tour dates alone. Continue Reading

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The Band Perry & Rascal Flatts photos courtesy of Big Machine Label Group.

Big Machine Records and Colonial Candle are teaming up to offer fans a boxed gift set just in time for the holidays. The set will include a holiday album of Big Machine Label Group artists singing their favorite Christmas carols and a ‘Holiday Sparkle’ fragranced candle.

Artists featured on the exclusive album include Reba (“I’ll Be Home for Christmas”), Rascal Flatts (“Mary Did You Know”), Martina McBride (“Please Come Home for Christmas”), Jewel (“Angels We Have Heard on High”), The Band Perry (“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”), Justin Moore (“Run Rudolph Run”), Eli Young Band (“Wonderful Christmastime”), Steel Magnolia (“It’s Christmas Time”) and Edens Edge (“O Holy Night”). Continue Reading

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