Author Archives: HaleighT

About HaleighT

HaleighT grew up in rural Sallisaw, Oklahoma, completely immersed in the country music lifestyle. She works with CMNB as our field assignment journalist, gathering concert reviews and exclusive interviews from every artist she can. When she's not out on the road, she's in our web studio filming "Takin' a Break With HaleighT" a short weekly opinion and news segment that launched in 2011.

NRA Offers Meet & Greet Packages For Trace Adkins

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Special NRA Country Meet & Greet Packages Available For Trace Adkins’ Sounds & Stories Tour! NRA Country is offering fans the chance to see country superstar Trace Adkins perform his newly launched Sounds & Stories Tour live from the first five rows and MEET HIM BACKSTAGE. This is all to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project and NRA Country Cares. “I feel humbled every time I’m in the presence of these amazing men and women. I hope you will help me in supporting these Heroes.” -Trace Adkins In addition to Wounded Warrior Project, Trace has selected NRA Country Cares as a beneficiary. The organization supports charities assisting our military, American farmers, youth leadership, firearms safety and other causes that improve the lives of hard-working Americans nationwide. Trace Adkins’ NRA Country ticket meet & greet packages are on sale now at Tickets-for-Charity.com for all of his Songs & Stories Tour dates.

Blake Shelton To Host NRA Country/ACM Celebrity Shoot

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Blake Shelton Is Set To Host The Second Annual NRA Country/ACM Celebrity Shoot! NRA Country and the Academy of Country Music announced that the Second Annual NRA Country/ACM Celebrity Shoot will take place on Saturday, March 31. ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee, Blake Shelton, will host the event, as well as co-host the Awards the following Sunday with Reba. The shoot will be part of The Week Vegas Goes Country, the week that leads up the 47th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards. The NRA Country/ACM Celebrity Shoot, presented by SoundGear by LaPierre, is a two course, 10 station, 40 target sporting clay competition for 20 teams of five shooters, including a celebrity captain. The event, emceed by Storme Warren, will take place at the Desert Hills Shooting Club. Celebrity participants include Lee Brice, Craig Campbell, Cowboy Troy, Ira Dean, Edens Edge, Craig Morgan, Jake Owen, Thomas Rhett, Outdoor Channel’s Lee & Tiffany Lakosky and Nick Mundt, TNA Impact Wrestling stars Jeff Hardy and James Storm and more! The Second Annual NRA Country/ACM Celebrity Shoot will support the Wounded Warrior Project, the Folds of Honor Foundation and the Nellis Air Force Base Youth Programs. “The Academy is thrilled to continue this partnership with Blake and NRA Country. Many traditions and values are shared among the country music and outdoor enthusiast communities – today we get to have a little fun together while paying our respects to the men and women of our armed forces at the same time.” -Bb Romeo, Chief Executive Officer of the Academy of Country Music

Josh Abbott Band Touch Video

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The Music Video For Josh Abbott Band’s Latest Single, “Touch.” Josh Abbott Band’s “Touch” was released earlier this year with an abundance of fan and radio support. First of all, with Josh Abbott’s voice and Preston Wait’s fiddle skills, it is hard not to fall in love with anything they produce…this song is no different! However…the video is not what I expected. For some, it might pull on your heart strings, for others, you might leave it thinking “Huh?” Seeing as how I am such a nice girl, I won’t give the ending away. BUT, make sure you do yourself a favor and watch it now! How else will you find out what happens?! Be looking for “Touch,” along with their previous single with Pat Green, “My Texas,” on their upcoming album, Small Town Family Dream!

Carrie Underwood Good Girl Music Video

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Carrie Underwood’s Official Music Video For Her First Single From Her Upcoming Album Is Here! Carrie Underwood is rocking in this video! The first time I heard her new single was named “Good Girl,” I imagined something completely different. Well, I’m glad I was wrong! During the video she plays out a sweet, good girl personality and a tough, kind of bad girl personality. This is the perfect song to rock to for any girl! Whether you are the one telling a friend to get over some jerk, or if you are the one who needs to get the message to stick…you are going to love this song! Even if you are perfectly happy…you are still going to want to sing this with the volume cranked all the way to the right! Don’t just take my word for it…watch the video here!

Dierks Bentley Home Album Review

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After Listening To Dierks Bentley’s Home, I Want To Go Exactly There! Dierks Bentley’s previous album, Up On The Ridge, was such a breath of fresh air! I really enjoyed the bluegrass compilation and loved the fact that Bentley did what HE wanted to do. But…the first time I heard “Am I The Only One,” I was immediately rushed to years back when I first discovered the curly headed guy on my TV singing “How Am I Doin’?” At that moment I knew we were going to get an awesome album from him very soon. I was right! The second single and title track, “Home,” was released and was on the opposite side of the tracks from “Am I The Only One,” but they were both going in the same direction! The best way I can describe this album as a whole is probably something like this…I see myself with a few of my favorite people, on a cool afternoon, sitting around a fire, with a cup in my hand, not talking, but having the best time ever. It just makes me happy! I don’t know about everyone else, but I don’t have to be jumping up and down raging to a song just because it is fast paced. Don’t get me wrong, I do that too, but it is also nice to sit back, listen, appreciate and smile! It is hard for me to pick a favorite song from this album…number one because they are all pretty great and number two because I like them all for different reasons. “Gonna Die Young” is fun and makes me want to do something crazy, it kind of has the same effect “What Was I Thinkin’” had on me. “Tip It On Back” is very easy going and I can’t help but sing along. “The Woods” has a great beat to it, it is very descriptive and it takes me back. Everyone has that place that is almost sacred to them, it holds a lot of memories and no matter what happens you can always go back there! “When You Gonna Come Around,” featuring Karen Fairchild, is the type of song you wish was written about you (don’t lie, you have all thought it a time or two). “Thinking Of You” is just so sweet! I encourage you to listen to the entire song from start to finish. Yes, it is seven minutes, but I promise the end will have you grinning from ear to ear. So there, I told you what I thought…it’s GOLD! I’d love to know what y’all think, so everyone should listen as soon as you get the chance! Home Track Listing 1. Am I The Only One 2. Gonna Die Young 3. Tip It On Back 4. Home 5. Diamonds Make Babies 6. In My Head 7. Breathe You In 8. The Woods 9. When You Gonna Come Around (featuring Karen Fairchild) 10. 5-1-5-0 11. Heart Of A Lonely Girl 12. Thinking Of You

Brad Paisley Adds Dates To Virtual Reality World Tour 2012

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Additional Dates Have Been Added To The Brad Paisley Virtual Reality World Tour 2012! After wrapping the first leg of the highly successful Virtual Reality Tour this past weekend, an additional 43 dates were announced! Continuing on the tour with Brad Paisley will be The Band Perry and Scotty McCreery! Mercury Records recording artist, Easton Corbin, will join the tour on select dates! Los Angeles, Dallas, Lake Tahoe, Washington D.C., Little Rock, Phoenix, Boston and Chicago are just a few of the big cities the tour will be hitting! Look below to find a show near you!

Trisha Yearwood’s Food Network Show

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Food Network Added Trisha’s Southern Kitchen To Their List Of Shows! Country music’s own Trisha Yearwood has taken her cooking to the next level! Yearwood has two best-selling cookbooks, “Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen” and “Cooking For Family and Friends,” and now she will star in her own show on the Food Network. Trisha’s Southern Kitchen will begin this spring, with the premier on Saturday, April 14 at 10:30am ET/PT. The six-episode, daytime series will invite viewers into the kitchen for Trisha’s favorite meals, nostalgic stories and visits from family and friends. “For me, cooking is very connected to my family and friends. Every recipe on the show carries wonderful memories with my loved ones and I can’t wait to share my meals, stories and family photos with Food Network viewers.” -Yearwood Themed shows range from preparing traditional dishes from her childhood to planning a baby shower and a family reunion barbeque. Yearwood will also give tips on lightening up standard Southern recipes. Shot in Nashville, the series will show how-to tips and techniques for down-home dishes like Daddy’s Barbequed Chicken, Uncle Wilson’s Famous Baked Onions, Chick-less Pot Pie and Sweet and Saltines. “Trisha’s best known as a musical legend, but her talents don’t stop there. She’s a passionate and talented cook, whose down-to-earth style, winning recipes and southern hospitality will charm and inspire viewers.” -Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President Programming, Food Network

Randy Houser Becomes A Father

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Congratulations To Randy Houser On Becoming A Father! Randy Houser and wife, Jessa Lee Houser, welcomed their baby boy to this world, yesterday, March 6! The two couldn’t be happier! Houser tweeted, “He’s super handsome, sweet, I think he’s a singer, I’ve never loved like this.” West Yantz Houser weighed 6 lbs, 11 oz and measured 19 inches long! Congratulations to the whole Houser family! Here is Houser’s video for “God’s Time!”

Craig Morgan This Ole Boy Album Review

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Craig Morgan’s Album, This Ole Boy, Gives Us Exactly What We Have Been Waiting For! I think this album as a whole is great! It is true to the Craig Morgan we know, serious when need be, but somebody you want to cut-up with and take on a camping trip! The first single and title track, “This Ole Boy” is such a fun-loving song that puts a smile on my face each time I hear it! “More Trucks Than Cars” is another upbeat track that really puts you in a small town each time it is played! “Whole World Needs A Kitchen” kind of takes me back to his “That’s What I Love About Sunday” days. It’s got a bit of a mellow/easy-going/powerful thing happening. You know what I mean…not something you necessarily karaoke to, but you would definitely belt in your car! There is so much to say about “Country Boys Like Me,” but put quite simply, I LOVE IT! When I said that this album is great, I meant it! Each song tells a story, and it’s a story that is very believable! Morgan co-writing 7 out of the 12 tracks probably has a lot to do with it! “Being Alive and Livin’” is another song that really sticks out to me. It’s all about that cliche, live life to the fullest! Hell, each time I hear it I think I could go skydiving or something. Two minutes later I realize I’m afraid of heights and I hate the feeling of falling, but if a song can give you that kind of courage you know it’s a good one! “Better Stories” is priceless! It makes me laugh and think of some of my own stories and memories I’ve made throughout the years! “I Didn’t Drink” tells a sad story, but putting it on the album was a great move. Country music is known for telling it like it is! This album has everything from love songs (“Love Loves A Long Night,” “Fish Weren’t Bitin’” and “Summer Moon“) to humorous ones you will be singing with your best friends (“Show Me Your Tattoo” and “Corn Star“). When I listen to any track, I know I am getting who Morgan really is and there is definitely something to be appreciated about that. This record was released February 28 from his new label, Black River Entertainment, and is the first music he has released in nearly three years! Well…it was well worth the wait! Here is the video for “This Ole Boy” that features actress Angie Harmon! This Ole Boy Track Listing 1. This Ole Boy 2. More Trucks Than Cars 3. Whole World Needs A Kitchen 4. Country Boys Like Me 5. Show Me Your Tattoo 6. Love Loves A Long Night 7. Being Alive and Livin’ 8. Fish Weren’t Bitin’ 9. Better Stories 10. I Didn’t Drink 11. Corn Star 12. Summer Moon

Sunny Sweeney NRA Country Artist Of The Month

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Sunny Sweeney Has Been Announced As The “This Is NRA Country” Artist Of The Month! Singer/songwriter Sunny Sweeney is the NRA Country Artist of the Month for March. Sweeney joins some of country music’s biggest stars including Craig Morgan, Trace Adkins, Lee Brice, Montgomery Gentry and Justin Moore, who have teamed up with NRA Country to celebrate their support of our brave men and women in uniform, appreciation for the great outdoors and the love of family. Sweeney’s respect and admiration for those who serve this great country in every capacity make her a natural choice to be NRA Country Artist of the Month. “Every day, brave men and women put their lives on the line for the safety and well-being of our great nation. From firefighters to law enforcement to our Armed Forces and more, I’m grateful to all for their diligence and dedication. I’m proud to be an American. I am Sunny Sweeney, and I am NRA Country!” -Sweeney As part of the March promotion, fans can register to win an autographed photo and a copy of Concrete, from now until the end of the month. To do so click HERE! In 2011, Billboard ranked Sweeney as one of the Top 5 New Country Artists and also listed her hit “From A Table Away” as one of the Top 100 Hot Country Songs. Sweeney had a hand in co-writing 7 of the 10 songs on her debut album, which has sold over 400,000 digital tracks to date. She has performed in front of over a million fans after earning a coveted spot on Brad Paisley’s H2O II: Wetter & Wilder World Tour and this summer she will join the Country Throwdown Tour!