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.

GACTV Announces Fall Programming Lineup

Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins, and Jake Owen all take center stage on GAC’s fall lineup. GAC has announced new episodes of several shows included in their upcoming fall lineup. BLAKE SHELTON and TRACE ADKINS will be the subject of the biographical documentary series, “Backstory,” and JAKE OWEN will be spotlighted in the “Origins” series. The ZAC BROWN BAND will be featured in a new episode of “Introducing,” and GAC will also premiere two new installments of “The Collection” featuring CARRIE UNDERWOOD and MIRANDA LAMBERT. Country legend KRIS KRISTOFFERSON will appear on the SEPTEMBER 30th edition of GAC NIGHTS at 8p (ET), and GAC will re-broadcast “CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock” on OCTOBER 17th at 8p (ET). For more on GAC’s fall lineup, visit www.gactv.com.Country Music Photo Gallery

Carrie Underwood Rushes to Release Cowboy Casanova

Carrie Underwood’s “Cowboy Cassanova” is rushed to radio early after an unfinished version leaked out over the internet. Carrie Underwood‘s new album, Play On is already throwing the country music world into a frenzy, and now the first single “Cowboy Casanova” is adding to it. It seems someone, somehow, leaked an unfinished version of the track out over the web pushing Carrie to reveal the real thing late last night. Fans can hear the genuine single of “Cowboy Casanova” online now at both carrieunderwoodofficial.com, as well as youtube.com/carrieunderwood. Listen for “Cowboy Casanova” and tell us what you think!Country Music Photo Gallery

Miranda’s Countdown to Revolution Has Begun!

Miranda Lambert fans across the nation have been callled out to join the Revolution! Miranda Lambert has released an exclusive preview of the track “White Liar” from her upcoming album “Revolution” available at www.mirandarevolution.com. As usual, the song packs a mean punch and Miranda sure knows how to deliver it! Miranda is inviting her fans to join the revolution by visiting that site, previewing the track, and taking advantage of some of the cool media options she has there. You’ll find videos, twitter and myspace backgrounds, buddy icons, walpapers and more, as well as an option to pre-order Revolution from Amazon! So get over there and show Miranda your support today! Country Music Photo Gallery

Nashville Songwriters Association International Pairs With The Charlie Daniels Band

Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Does It Again…With The Charlie Daniels Band The legendary, Grammy-award winning Charlie Daniels Band headlined the second concert in NSAI’s “IT ALL BEGINS WITH A SONG” Performance Series at the Wildhorse Saloon on Thursday night (8/27). The packed house was treated to a few tunes by Old Union prior to an energetic performance by the CDB, which included hits from “Long Haired Country Boy” and “The South’s Gonna Do It Again” to a powerful version of “How Great Thou Art.” As the night concluded, Charlie was presented with BMI MillionAir Awards for one million performances of “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “In America,” “Drinking My Baby Goodbye,” and four million performances of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” He also received specially autographed lyrics of the “Tennessee Waltz” from NSAI for his contributions to the music industry. During their final song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” the CDB was accompanied by Pro Golfer John Daly. For more information on the series, visit www.nashvillesongwriters.com and check out the CDB at www.charliedaniels.com.

Sugarland to Release Holiday Album Titled Gold and Green

Sugarland will release their first-ever holiday album this fall titled Gold and Green. Blockbuster powerhouse Sugarland will release a 10-track holiday album titled “Gold and Green“on October 13th, 2009. The album will feature 5 traditional holiday-themed tracks as well as 5brand new original songs that were co-written by Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush themselves! Fans who purchase the Sugarland holiday album will also be treated to a special gift of exclusive online content as well! Sugarland Gold and Green Track Listing: 1. City Of Silver Dreams* 2. Winter Wonderland 3. Holly Jolly Christmas 4. Coming Home* 5. Gold And Green* 6. Maybe Baby (New Year’s Day)* 7. Nuttin’ For Christmas 8. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel 9. Little Wood Guitar* 10. Silent NightCountry Music Photo Gallery

Carrie Underwood Will Play On

Carrie Underwood’s 3rd studio release titled Play On is set to hit store shelves Tuesday November 3rd. Carrie Underwood, current reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year, is putting the final finishing touches on her third studio album titled “Play On“. The album will release both in stores and online Tuesday November 3rd to a highly energized fanbase. Stay tuned for more from Camp Carrie!Country Music Photo Gallery

Zac Brown Band 2009 Tour Dates

Zac Brown Band has released their fall 2009 Breaking Southern Ground tour dates! The Zac Brown Band is hittin’ the road again for their fall 2009 Breaking Southern Ground tour, and I for one cannot WAIT until tickets go on sale of OKC! Here’s some more about ZBB’s tour from the band’s myspace: The tour will provide concert goers with the full Zac Brown Band experience: eat-and-greets featuring Zac cooking up his signature recipes for a few lucky fans in most markets, to performances by three up-and-coming Atlanta-based artists who have been signed by Zac Brown to his label Southern Ground Records: Sonia Leigh, Levi Lowrey and Nic Cowan. The shows will host various on-stage combinations of the musicians integrated throughout the event as Zac Brown Band will make appearances during each artist’s set and invite them to join the full band later in the night. “Obviously we’re always working on our music, but with this tour we’re building an experience that involves all senses,” says Zac Brown of the tour. “When people come to our show, we want them to smell the food cooking, taste our favorite recipes, watch the light show, listen to some great new artists and feel our excitement – a full five-sense experience.” Search for Zac Brown Band tickets on TicketMaster. Search for Zac Brown Band tickets on StubHub. 4-Sep-09 Duluth GA US Wild Bill’s (FREE SHOW) (Presented by Verizon Wireless Championship Racing) 17-Sep-09 Bloomington IL US US Cellular Coliseum (w/ Kenny Chesney) 18-Sep-09 Montgomery (FREE SHOW) AL US Riverwalk Amphitheatre (ESPN Basssmaster Elite Series Event) (FREE SHOW) 19-Sep-09 Indianapolis IN US Lucas Oil Stadium (w/ Kenny Chesney) 24-Sep-09 Cary NC US Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park 25-Sep-09 Simpsonville SC US Heritage Park Amphitheatre 26-Sep-09 Charlotte NC US Uptown Amphitheatre 27-Sep-09 Columbia MD US Merriweather Post Pavilion (WPOC Fall Fest) 2-Oct-09 Grand Prairie TX US Nokia Theatre 3-Oct-09 Austin TX US Austin City Limits Music Festival 4-Oct-09 Oklahoma City OK US Zoo Amphitheatre 9-Oct-09 Knoxville TN US World’s Fair Park 10-Oct-09 Charleston SC US Family Circle Magazine Stadium 11-Oct-09 Portsmouth VA US nTelos Wireless Pavilion 16-Oct-09 Boston MA US Agganis Arena 17-Oct-09 Camden NJ US Susquehanna Bank Center 24-Oct-09 New York NY US Terminal 5 31-Oct-09 Talladega AL US Talladega Superspeedway 12-Nov-09 Augusta GA US Bell Theatre (GTF Benefit) 15-Nov-09 St. Petersburg FL US Ribfest at Vinoy ParkCountry Music Photo Gallery

Toby Keith Launches the 2009 FFA Convention

Toby Keith will kick off the 2009 Future Farmers of America National Convention in Indianapolis Indiana October 21st. Toby Keith is set to open the 2009 FFA Convention with a live concert. This is the 82nd annual Future Farmers of America National Convention where members and leaders gather to share their passion for the enrichment of America through agriculture and animal welfare. The theme of this year’s convention is “Lead Out Loud” and who better to embody that statement than Toby? For more information about the convention, visit http://www.ffa.orgCountry Music Photo Gallery

Mallary Hope has the iTunes Single of the Week

Mallary Hope is a rising star in country music and now’s your chance to get to know her! Mallary Hope is an up and coming singer/songwriter whose powerfully emotional debut single, “Love Lives On,” has just been named iTunes Single of the Week and is currently featured on iTunes home page. I personally find Mallary’s voice to be absolutely beautiful, and refreshingly real. In a world of pop-country and auto-tuners, Mallary stands out as raw talent. Don’t miss your chance to say “I remember before she was kicking Taylor Swift’s rear end”! THE STORY BEHIND “LOVE LIVES ON”: “I was having a conversation with my sister, Atlanta. She and her husband, DJ, were high school sweethearts but when they graduated she joined the Air Force and he joined the Army. They reconnected a few years later when they were both stationed in Germany and soon after they were married. When she was pregnant, I asked her if the baby was planned, or if he was a surprise since they knew DJ was scheduled to be deployed to Iraq. She looked at me and said, ‘Mallary, we’re both in the military so you constantly have that fear that you could lose your loved one to war. Anything can happen. It would be the worst thing in the world to lose my husband. But if we shared a child together, I would have someone there that I could look at for the rest of my life and be reminded of this great love that we share. So he was definitely planned.’ I remember thinking, ‘There is a song in that somewhere.’ The next day I had a writing session with Matthew West and Shane Stevens. I picked up the guitar and said, ‘Can I just sing you this idea that I have? I don’t know where we can go with it.’ I told them about the conversation my sister and I had and sang, ‘I reached for you this morning, woke up with empty arms. Once again, it’s sinking in, how far away you are.’ I said, ‘I feel like the hook of the song needs to be that love lives on.’ Within 30 minutes, we had the entire song written and we were all crying. It was a gift.”Country Music Photo Gallery