Sara Evans photo courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

Nearly 50 artists have been confirmed for the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage during CMA Music Festival June 6-9 in downtown Nashville. Sara Evans will kick off the performances on June 6 at 10 a.m. This marks the first time she has opened the festival.

“Sara is the perfect choice to launch the daily concerts on the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage because of her great repertoire of hit music and undeniable connection to our fans,” Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer said. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Jake Owen photo by Jeff Lipsky, courtesy of Sony Music Nashville.

The Academy of Country Music and Las Vegas have announced ACM Weekend at Fremont Street Experience will take place April 5-6 with all-star concerts headlined by Gary Allan and Jake Owen. Following the previously announced ACM Party for a Cause Festival, this ultimate after party in downtown Las Vegas will also include performances by Randy Houser, Chris Janson, Jana Kramer, Kip Moore, Joe Nichols and Sunny Sweeney.

Hosted by Blair Garner, ACM Weekend at Fremont Street Experience is free and open to the public. Concerts begin at 9:00pm both nights with performances on two stages. ACM Weekend at Fremont Street Experience, ACM Party for a Cause and more will take place in conjunction with The Week Vegas Goes Country leading up to the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. Co-hosted by Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, the ACM Awards will air live on CBS as 8p|7c on April 7. Continue Reading

ShareThis

The stockings are officially hung by the chimney with care, waiting for Santa Claus to make his arrival!  We asked some of your favorite country stars what holiday traditions they carry on in their homes each year and here’s what they had to say:

Florida Georgia Line photo courtesy of Republic Nashville.

Florida Georgia Line:
Brian Kelley:We always eat, go drive around and look at Christmas lights, and then go to candlelight service. I’m looking forward to me, mom and dad and my sister spending some time together. During the holidays, we like to sit on the couch and watch the Dog Whisperer and catch up on TV shows while drinking coffee. Just hanging out and laying low. I’m really looking forward to that this year.

Tyler Hubbard: We also go to candlelight service and go home and do a Christmas Eve dinner. We open up a few gifts that night. I’ve got a younger sister who just turned 12, so it’s still fun to go to bed early and wait for Santa Claus to come and all that stuff. I look forward to going home this year for Christmas.

Dustin Lynch: My granddad’s favorite movie is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Growing up the family would get together and watch it. This started a tradition of “Eddie Gifts” for all the sons and grandsons so every Christmas morning we all simultaneously open up our gifts from “Eddie.” It usually is a really obscure, funny object or joke in the movie. I love it!  [Christmas Bonus: Get Dustin's mom's Apple Pie recipe here >>]

Justin Moore: We open presents on Christmas Eve. Some people do, some people don’t. That’s what I did growing up. Then we get our “Santa gifts” Christmas morning. Usually that’s the big gifts. Last year with the kids, we started doing it at our house. It’s funny, the older you get you kind of take on a different role. You go from being a kid that depends on your parents for everything and the older you get and the older they get, you swap roles. We started having them over to our house for everything. They spend the night with us on Christmas Eve, that way they can see the girls open their presents on Christmas morning, so that’s fun.

Eric Church photo courtesy of Capitol Nashville.

Eric Church:We always travel to North Carolina for Christmas. We always do Christmas morning and breakfast up there with my mom and dad. It will be great to bring Boone into that environment. It will be the first time he has really gotten to do that and know that he’s there. I’m just looking forward to having a little time off, coming into next year. Then I need to try and figure out Continue Reading

ShareThis

Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, Sarah Darling gets a big endorsement from Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker becomes a member of the Grand Ole Opry, Kip Moore needs someone to bring him up to speed on pop culture, Keith Urban hangs out with a country legend, Brett Eldrege checks in from Blake Shelton’s cruise and Martina McBride runs into Opry star Connie Smith. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week:

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/carrieunderwood.

Sarah Darling – _SarahDarling: This is one of the most amazing things ever!! Just made my day!!

Darius Rucker – DariusRucker: Tonite was one of the great great nights of my of my life in music. Thank u to all of u who sent me congratulations. Means so much to me.

Kip Moore – KipMooreMusic: I’m late to the game….what in the hell is a honey boo boo

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/KeithUrban.

Keith Urban – KeithUrban: Such an honor to work with Don Williams today…can’t explain how much it means to me -KU Continue Reading

ShareThis

Country music stars sure love Twitter! This week, Terri Clark and Hillary Scott share scenes from the studio, Miranda Lambert finds Keith Urban covering one of her songs, Charles Kelley and Joe Nichols give their thoughts on reality TV and Jake Owen and his twin brother Jarrod celebrate their birthday. Here are our picks for the Top 10 Country Tweets Of The Week

Photo courtesy of Twitter.com/TerriClarkMusic.

Terri Clark – TerriClarkMusic: One hour ago in Nashville ….. One of the best moments of my career so far.

Miranda Lambert – Miranda_Lambert: Um yes this is Keith Urban doing our song @guitarleena! http://bit.ly/PCwQnL [Watch Keith Urban cover "Fastest Girl In Town!"]

Martina McBride – MartinaMcBride: Emotional powerful morning. So honored to be with @RobinRoberts today. Such a strong woman.We’re gonna love you though it Robin. #TeamRobin

Photo courtesy of Twiter.com/hillaryscottla.

Hillary Scott of Lady Antebellum – HillaryScottLA: Our good luck charm for Day 1 of recording album 4! #baker

Check out more photos of Country Stars & Their Pets >>

Continue Reading

ShareThis

Justin Moore photo courtesy of The Valory Music Co.

Justin Moore was on hand to surprise and honor an Alabama man who lived through a tragic farming accident that claimed the lower part of his left leg and became a lifelong firefighter and certified EMT. Curtiss Shaver was inspired to pursue a career saving others after local firefighters saved his life. Justin surprised Curtiss at his Troy, Ala. Fire station with a special acoustic set to celebrate the firefighter winning Crown Royal’s ‘Your Hero’s Name Here’ program.

The national contest renames the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 29 after an American hero. Five heroes were chosen as finalists and of-age fans placed their votes on Crown Royal’s Facebook page for the person they felt was most deserving. To bring a little piece of the track, known as ‘The Brickyard’ to Troy, Crown Royal teamed up with BigMachineRecords.com to replicate the ‘Yard of Bricks’ in Troy’s downtown area. Curtiss was able to lay the final engraved brick which carries the race logo. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Josh Thompson photo courtesy of Monarch Publicity.

Josh Thompson has been named the NRA Country Artist of the Month for July. Josh joins a list of artists that includes Rodney Atkins, Craig Morgan, Justin Moore, Lee Brice, Montgomery Gentry, Sunny Sweeney, Trace Adkins and Storme Warren,who have teamed up with NRA Country to celebrate our men and women in uniform, the great outdoors, and love of family. Josh’s beliefs and love of the outdoors make him a perfect choice for the NRA Country Artist of the Month promotion.

“Before I moved to Nashville, I took a wilderness course where I lived entirely off the land for 9 months,” Josh said. “During that time I gained a deep appreciation for our beautiful land and freedom in this country. I’m eternally grateful to those who fight to protect that freedom every day. When I’m not making music, my favorite place to be is way out in the country surrounded by open fields, blue skies and fresh air. I am Josh Thompson and I am NRA Country.”

As part of the July promotion, fans can see an exclusive video of never-before-seen footage of Josh at his NRA Country photo shoot, on his bus and on the road.  Fans can also register to win a Josh Thompson prize pack including two tickets to a concert of their choice, two meet & greet passes, a t-shirt, photo and a CD sampler of some of Josh’s new music. Visit http://nracountry.com/this-is through the end of July to see the video and register to win. Continue Reading

ShareThis

(l-r) Sunny Sweeney, Chuck Wicks, Rodney Atkins, Darius Rucker and Clint Black backstage at the Third Annual Darius Rucker & Friends Concert at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville on Monday, June 4, 2012. Photo by Sara Kauss Photography.

Darius Rucker’s third annual Darius & Friends benefit concert and auction for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital raised $121,000. The concert took place on June 4 at the Wildhorse Saloon in downtown Nashville and this  year, included the addition of a golf tournament.

See photos from Darius & Friends >>

Darius was joined by his friends Rodney Atkins, Clint Black, Susie Brown of the JaneDear Girls, Clay Cook of Zac Brown Band, Dallas Davidson, Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, Sunny Sweeney, Chuck Wicks and more. Continue Reading

ShareThis

Darius Rucker photo courtesy of Essential Broadcast Media.

The Third Annual “Darius and Friends” concert and golf tournament has been announced for Monday, June 4, and Darius Rucker is pleased to announce friends Rodney Atkins, Clint Black, Sunny Sweeney, Chuck Wicks and special surprise guests will join him at the concert event benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  The Wildhorse Saloon in downtown Nashville is once again hosting the evening with doors opening at 6 p.m. and the concert beginning at 7:30 p.m.

“We’ve had so much fun the last two years with friends jamming on stage for a great cause,” says Darius.  “I’m excited to continue that tradition with this year’s event.”

Darius is currently in the studio with producer Frank Rogers working on his follow-up to his 2010 release Charleston, SC 1966 and his now-platinum debut, Learn To Live (2008). Continue Reading

ShareThis

Frankie Ballard photo courtesy of Warner Music Nashville.

The lineup for the 2012 CMA Music Festival’s Bud Light Stage at the Bridgestone Plaza and the new BIC Soleil Bella Beach Stage have been announced. The two concerts will provide fans with over 40 hours of concerts for free. The CMA Music Festival takes place June 7-10. “Live music is a hallmark of CMA Music Festival and we are excited to be able to add a new stage and even more performances this year,” Steve Moore, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said.

The BIC Soleil Bella Beach Stage is a new addition to this year’s CMA Music Festival with concerts and activities starting at 11:00 AM/CT each day during the Festival. The Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Broadway, is a fan favorite and a great place to catch up and coming country artists.

Artists currently scheduled to perform at the Bud Light Stage at Bridgestone Arena Plaza include:

Thursday, June 7
11:00 AM – 11:25 AM            Jeff Bates
11:45 AM – 12:10 PM             Greg Bates
12:30 PM – 12:55 PM             Julie Roberts
1:15 PM – 1:40 PM                  Tyler Farr
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM                “Classic Country Show” featuring Moe Bandy, T. Graham Brown, Jane Fricke and Gene Watson, hosted by Moore  & Moore
3:20 PM – 3:45 PM                  Trent Tomlinson
4:05 PM – 4:30 PM                  Miss Willie Brown
4:50 PM – 5:15 PM                  Cledus T. Judd

Friday, June 8
11:00 AM – 11:25 AM             Eric Paslay
11:45 AM – 12:10 PM              Rose Falcon
12:30 PM – 12:55 PM              Katie Armiger
1:15 PM – 1:40 PM                   Exile
2:00 PM – 2:25 PM                  The McClymonts
2:45 PM – 3:10 PM                  Frankie Ballard
3:30 PM – 3:55 PM                  Big Smo
4:15 PM – 4:40 PM                  Drake White
5:00 PM – 5:25 PM                  Blackberry Smoke Continue Reading

ShareThis