About Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena is a freelance writer for both Country Music News and Country Music On Tour. Want to collab on some content? Email me. Want my rates for commercial promo work? Get them right here.

The Country Network Coming to Your TV!

Move over CMT, cause TCN has what the fans want! Music Videos! The Country Network (TCN), a country music video television network located on Music Row in Nashville, TN, has begun broadcasting in twelve additional markets. The Country Network is now available in : Montgomery, AL Asheville-Greenville Las Vegas Norfolk Oklahoma City Buffalo Mobile-Pensacola Charleston-Huntington Cape Girardeau Syracuse Madison Charleston Tallahassee TCN will be the only television network dedicated exclusively to airing country music videos. TCN will be “all Country Music, all the time.” “We are delighted to welcome these additional markets to the TCN fold,” said Warren Hansen, founder and CEO of TCN. “It is gratifying to have been able to add stations as quickly as we have, and a great credit to the engineering teams at both TCN and Sinclair.” Country Music Photo Gallery

Opryland Hotel Offers Grand Re-Opening

The Opryland Hotel and Convention Center celebrates a star-studded grand re-opening after a $270 MILLION dollar restoration and renovation! The gals over at CountryMusicTattleTale.com have excellent coverage of the exciting grand re-opening of the Opryland Hotel in Nashville Tennessee. We all know that the flooding back in May did nothing short of grinding Nashville tourism to a halt, but our hearts broke when we saw how bad it damaged some of the town’s most historic landmarks. But like most hardships Tennessean’s face, they have turned this one into an opportunity as well. In addition to restoring the Opryland Hotel and repairing alll of the flood damage, they have also added more restaurants, attractions, and room upgrades throughout the entire facility. I for one, can’t wait to visit! Expect to see some welcome-back performances from Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow and Trace Adkins as we celebrate the rebirth of a Nashville Landmark. For more details, and great pictures, check out CMTT or GaylordHotels.comCountry Music Photo Gallery

Enter CMNB’s 2nd Annual Great Holiday Giveaway!

Autographed albums, posters, DVD’s and more from your favorite country music news crew! It’s that time of year again for Country Music News Blog’s Great Holiday Giveaway, where we open the vaults and clean out our closets. We’ve got a stockpile of music, movies and gifts and we’re giving it all away! Each day countless CD’s, DVD’s, posters, books, and promotional items show up in our office for us to review or give away. By the end of the year it all adds up, so to thank you for being a loyal reader, we’re going to give it all away! Through the month of November, sign up for our country music newsletter and automatically get entered to win in this AND all future contests. That’s right, our subscriber list is where we draw from for ALL of our giveaways! We’ve got extras from just about every contest ran this year, so don’t miss out! We’re drawing all of our winners for the great holiday giveaway at the end of the month and you’ll receive your prizes just in time for Christmas! Win a gift for yourself! Re-gift it to a friend! Either way, you can’t win if you don’t play! Cheers! ~WhiskeyChick~ www.countrymusicnewsblog.com Email: Winners can only be chosen from those subscribers who have a valid shipping address on file. Winners will be drawn on Tuesday, November 30th, 2010. Subscribers who have already won a prize from CMNB within the last 90 days from the date of the drawing will not be eligible for this contest. Oh, in case you’re wondering, we absolutely refuse to sell, rent, loan out, or otherwise abuse your email address. All emails from our site are hand-chiseled by the slightly tipsy Miss WhiskeyChick herself (that’s me!) and I enjoy turning down nasty spammers all day long!Country Music Photo Gallery

Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban

Rascal Flatts and Keith Urban both have exciting new albums out tomorrow! Rascal Flatts is in high gear with the release of “Nothing Like This“, an album which aims to capture the energy of a live show while maintaining the smooth intricacy of their long-celebrated harmonies. The album is already available on iTunes, and will be offered in a deluxe edition format at Walmart starting tomorrow. To celebrate their album release, Gary, Joe Don and Jay will be making several appearances listed below. Make sure to check the guys out! 11/14: GAC’s Backstory 11/15: Ellen DeGeneres show 11/15: CMT’s Invitation Only 11/15: Late Show with David Letterman (also Live on Letterman) 11/16: Today Show 11/16: The Sean Hannity Show 11/17: Late Night with Jimmy Fallon Keith Urban wants you to Get Closer! Keith Urban has already sent ladies hearts to heaven with the release of “Get Closer“. The album features tracks like “Put you in a song” and “Long Hot Summer“, as well as a loving tribute to his wife Nicole Kidman in the liner. You can also check out the newly redesigned KeithUrban.net that was launched over the weekend to get more album release and concert tour news!

Rascal Flatts Extend the 2011 Nothing Like This Tour

Rascal Flatts to kick off second leg of their Nothing Like This tour. Rascal Flatts is by far one of the MOST fun concerts I have been to in my lifetime, so I have to ask… Why wait to see them in yours? The gang just announced their spring 2011 tour dates with special guests Luke Bryan and Chris Young. Rascal Flatts 2011 “Nothing Like This Tour” dates: 1/14 Sioux Falls, SD Sioux Falls Arena 1/15 Rapid City, SD Rushmore Civic Center 1/21 St. Paul, MN Xcel Energy Center 1/22 Omaha, NE Qwest Center 1/27 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena 1/28 Dayton, OH Nutter Center 1/29 Champaign, IL Assembly Hall 2/3 Cedar Park, TX Cedar Park Center 2/4 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena 2/5 Tupelo, MS BancorpSouth Arena 2/17 Erie, PA Erie Civic Center 2/18 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena 2/19 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena 2/24 Binghamton, NY Broome County Arena 2/25 Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum 2/26 Manchester, NH Verizon Wireless Arena 3/4 Moline, IL iWireless Center 3/5 Springfield, MO JQH Arena 3/6 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center 3/11 Bossier City, LA Century Tel Ce nter 3/12 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center Check out the exclusive “Countdown to Nothing Like This” videos on iTunes: http://bit.ly/b6gwgx Pre-order Nothing Like This on Amazon: http://amzn.to/aF3Jhl Country Music Photo Gallery

2010 CMA Performances

Some of the best performances from last night’s 44th Annual CMA Awards! As Blake Shelton would sing, it’s all about tonight… or rather… last night. Country stars gathered in Nashville Tennessee for the biggest event of the year, and we’ve got your performance highlights right here. From Miranda Lambert to Loretta Lynn, we couldn’t ask for anything more. Taylor Swift – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsJa98d64Dk] Gwyneth Paltrow – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtnnOoxw9yo] Miranda, Sheryl, and Loretta Lynn – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnVLrWKZ3GI] Carrie Underwood – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5EVT9g3HWI] Lady Antebellum – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLSCPaQD_qs] Brad Paisley – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW_CNZLhtGo] Kid Rock – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHR4Cy5GzGc] Reba McEntire – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUvl5PCKLvg] Keith Urban – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni4Y_8EFWrQ] Sugarland – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAy4bMEmjMI] Kenny Chesney – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvrsBhJoIXI] Zac Brown Band w/Alan Jackson – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKm4T1ZV2FA] George Strait – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTnydJZjWio] Miranda Lambert – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC-PgjfHI0g] Rascal Flatts – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGh8zxjgj88] Blake Shelton – 2010 CMA Performance [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBsF1qMioU0] As is the nature of many awards show performance videos, some of these may get removed from youtube over the next day or two… if so, just leave a comment below and I will have it replaced in a jiffy!Country Music Photo Gallery

Your 2010 CMA Winners

It was a proud night for Oklahoma as Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton dominated the 44th Annual CMA Awards! Please tell me I’m not the only one whose eyes teared up when Miss Loretta Lynn handed Miranda Lambert her award for Female Vocalist of the Year last night! Add to that her Music Video of the Year and Album of the Year and you can say the gal cleaned the house! Of course that would’ve made for an awkward ride home with fiance Blake Shelton, had he not won Male Vocalist of the Year and Musical Event of the Year. The couple are cheered on by Oklahoma’s finest fireball Reba McEntire who seemed absolutely brought to tears that the pair did Oklahoma so proud. The Full List of Winners of “The 44th Annual CMA Awards” are: Entertainer of the Year Brad Paisley Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert Male Vocalist of the Year Blake Shelton New Artist of the Year Zac Brown Band Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum Vocal Duo of the Year Sugarland Album of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer(s)) Revolution Miranda Lambert Produced by Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke Columbia Nashville Single of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Producer(s)) “Need You Now” Lady Antebellum Produced by Paul Worley and Lady Antebellum Capitol Records Nashville Song of the Year (Award goes to Songwriter(s)) “The House That Built Me” Tom Douglas and Allen Shamblin Musical Event of the Year (Award goes to each Artist) “Hillbilly Bone” Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins Reprise Records Music Video of the Year (Award goes to Artist and Director) “The House That Built Me” Miranda Lambert Directed by Trey Fanjoy Musician of the Year Mac McAnally – GuitarCountry Music Photo Gallery

Win Coal Miner’s Daughter – A Tribute To Loretta Lynn

CMNB is giving you more! Subscribe to win Coal Miner’s Daughter – A Tribute To Loretta Lynn! In addition to the other contests we are running, Country Music News Blog just got our hands on a handful of THE CD we’ve been looking forward to ALL year! Subscribe today for your chance to win Coal Miner’s Daughter – A Tribute To Loretta Lynn! The album features performances from Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow, and even Miss Loretta Lynn herself as well as many other special guests. You can get details about the new album on their facebook page, or on the official site! * Prize provided by Sony Music. * Entries must be received by Friday Nov 12th. * Winners will not be eligible for another prize drawing until 90days after this one. * One winner will be drawn Wed Nov 10th, one Thrus Nov 11th, and the last winner Fri Nov 12th, and each will be notified individually.Country Music Photo Gallery

Sons of Sylvia – I’ll Know You – Behind the Scenes

Go behind the scenes on the set of Sons of Sylvia’s new video! Sons of Sylvia invite fans behind the scenes on the set of their new video, “I’ll Know You”. The band offers their own commentary from the Hotel Berkeley, as they share the meaning behind the song. You can also hear the directors thoughts on how these newcomers handle the video-making process. Check it out and tell us what you think! [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAHPQpXmsCc] Sons of Sylvia can currently be found touring with Carrie Underwood.

Martina McBride Joins Republic Nashville

Martina McBride has made the switch from RCA Records to Republic Nashville! Martina McBride has made one of the biggest changes any country music artist can face at this stage in her career: She has moved away from RCA records and into Republic Nashville. Republic is a smaller division of the Big Machine Label Group, putting Martina in the good company of label-mates Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts. Country Music Photo Gallery