Author Archives: Shauna "WhiskeyChick" Castorena

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.

Music City Madness Auditions

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Press Release Courtesy of Pop2Life CMT’s Online Talent Competition Searches for America’s Best Unsigned Country Music Acts CMT.com and Comcast have partnered to bring live local auditions throughout the month August to the cities of Knoxville, Nashville , Pittsburgh and Atlanta as the network searches for the next breakout country music act in the third annual MUSIC CITY MADNESS. Undiscovered singer/songwriters will have a chance to video tape an original song and submit it to CMT.com’s national on-line competition. The local auditions will be held in August, and grand prize winner from each city will be guaranteed a spot in the top 64 finalists and receive a Comcast/CMT-sponsored showcase in their hometown, along with $5,000 in prizes. In addition, the auditions will be taped and packaged for Comcast’s local video on demand channels. Country music’s first user-generated talent search, MUSIC CITY MADNESS offers undiscovered singer/songwriters a chance to showcase their talent and let fans decide who takes home the prize in the online battle of the bands. The grand prize winner will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Nashville to record an episode of the CMT online series UNPLUGGED AT STUDIO 330, a private audition with Warner Bros. Records A&R department and a mentoring session with country superstar Randy Travis. The online contest will again be featured in a half-hour CMT special, MUSIC CITY MADNESS – THE ROAD TO CMT, a round-by-round recap that reveals the top two finalists and highlights the best, craziest and most unique submissions. CMT will accept submissions for MUSIC CITY MADNESS through October 6. Entrants can submit their original video performance entry online or via mail to compete against the nation’s best undiscovered talent. All styles of country music are welcome including bluegrass, folk, southern rock and Americana, among others. The top 64 finalists will be chosen by CMT and revealed on October 21 where they will compete in single-elimination, tournament-style fan voting over a period of eight weeks. CMT.com visitors narrow the field week by week by voting for their favorite act, and the grand prize winner will be revealed December 16. Last year, more than four million votes were cast at CMT.com to name 13-year-old Utah native Katelynn Jolley the winner. Local auditions are scheduled as follows: KNOXVILLE MUSIC CITY MADNESS AUDITIONS Saturday, August 16 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Fountainhead College of Technology 3203 Tazewell Pike, Knoxville, TN PITTSBURGH MUSIC CITY MADNESS AUDITIONS Saturday, August 23 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Westin Pittsburgh 1000 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA ATLANTA MUSIC CITY MADNESS AUDITIONS Saturday, August 23 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Cobb Centre Galleria Two Galleria Parkway, Atlanta, GA NASHVILLE MUSIC CITY MADNESS AUDITIONS Wednesday, August 27 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Oceanway Studios 1200 17th Avenue South, Nashville, TNCountry Music Photo Gallery

Keith Anderson Releases C’Mon!

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Keith Anderson is inviting you to spread the love and share a hug! To celebrate the release of his new album “C’Mon” Oklahoma native, Keith Anderson, is opening his arms and inviting fans in. “C’mon hits store shelves Tuesday August 5th and has already received remarkable radio airplay for the tune “I Still Miss You”. Keith Anderson is currently on a festivals and fairs tour through the end of the year, performing with such acts as Travis Tritt, Daryl Worley, and Montgomery Gentry. For a full Keith Anderson concert schedule, please visit our partner site, Country Music On tour.Country Music Photo Gallery

Sugarland – Love on the Inside Review

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This just in! Sugarland’s Love on the Inside is a HIT! Fresh. Light-hearted. Fun. Surprising. Did I mention fun? I’ve spent the last weekend listening to Sugarland‘s latest release “Love on the Inside – Deluxe Fan Edition” and found myself falling completely in love. From the newfound lusty-love on “All I Want to Do” to the heartbreaking sentiment on “Very Last Country Song” the simple fact is that with each tune on this new album I found my heart being pulled from my chest and read like an open book, which is a rare feat in this day of manufactured pop crossover formulaic chart-toppers. I daresay at least half of this album will chart on mainstream radio before the next album hits! What’s most refreshing on this album is how both Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush have each really gotten comfortable letting their personalities shine through in both their performance and in their song choices. Each song on the album is rich with emotion, and there are none that I have wanted to skip as “filler”. I even got a great laugh out of the strangely out-of-place ode to “Steve Earl”! Love on the Inside – Deluxe Fan Edition Track List: 1. All I Want To Do 2. It Happens 3. We Run 4. Joey 5. Love 6. Genevieve 7. Already Gone 8. Keep You 10. What I’d Give 11. Steve Earle 12. Very Last Country Song 13. Fall Into Me 14. Operation: Working Vacation 15. Wishing 16. Life In A Northern Town – (live) 17. Come On Get Higher – (live) For more Sugarland news or the Sugarland Tour Schedule, visit our partner site Country Music On Tour.Country Music Photo Gallery

Emerson Drive Nominated for CCMA

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Emerson Drive Nominated for CCMA Fans’ Choice Award, Voting Begins Today! Emerson Drive was announced today among the nominees for the 2008 CCMA Fans’ Choice Award. With a total of six CCMA awards under their belt to date, the band is both thrilled and honored to be nominated for an award voted on by the fans, whom they consider the cornerstone of their 12 year career. Voting for the award begins Friday, July 25th and runs through September 7th at 11:59 pm EST. To cast their vote, fans need to visit www.CMT.ca. Emerson Drive are also on the list of performers for the 2008 CCMA Awards show, which will air live on CBC TV at 8:00 pm Central on September 8th from the CTS Centre in Winnipeg, MB. The show will re-air on CMT Canada.Country Music Photo Gallery

Chuck Wicks Parties On!

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Chuck Wicks is livin’ the party of a lifetime on tour with Brad Paisley, Jewel, and Julianne Hough. Chuck Wicks recently did an interview with GAC and discussed his feelings about joining up with Brad Paisley for the Paisley Party Tour, after all the success of last year’s Bonfires and Amplifiers run. “It’s fun to go back out there with him,” Chuck said on the national radio show GAC Nights: Live From Nashville. “It feels good. I’m [still] very interested to see how Jewel does just as a fan you know, ‘cause I grew up listening to some of her stuff, and Julianne [Hough] is such a great talent and so young. I think she’ll maybe prove a lot of people wrong out there on the tour, ‘cause I think she’s a great talent.” Just for fun, here’s funny little a video  Chuck Wicks released on youtube while recording the music video for his latest single “All I Ever Wanted Was You” [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbW6q7RECwY] For Chuck Wicks concert dates on the Brad Paisley “Paisley Party Tour” check out our sister site, Country Music On Tour. Country Music Photo Gallery

Brad Paisley Introduces New Album Titled Play

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Brad Paisley announces the completion of his instrumental album with a simple title of just “Play”. The long-awaited instrumental album from crooner and plucker Brad Paisley has finally finished the recording stage. Brad excitedly explains that he believes modern day music doesn’t have nearly enough guitar heroes making hit records these days. ” There was a time when every band had a great player,” he said. “I was watching VH1’s I Love The ’80s. They’ve got the hair bands on there. They were talking about 1985. There was so much guitar. These days, it’s different. There’s a lack. I’m doing my part, trying to play as many solos as possible.” Brad Paisley has definitely fullfilled that need, often filling his stage shows with amazing guitar work, and inspiring young musicians across the world to pick up their guitars and just cut loose. You may even recall that though Brad Paisley is no stranger to #1 singles, his first Grammy win was for his instrumental performance “Throttleneck” off the album “5th Gear”. this groundbreaking album boasts such guest performances as Vince Gill, Steve Wariner, B.B. King, and even a little from legendary Buck Owens. The album “will surprise people,” Brad told The Charlotte Observer. “It’s not all country. We do everything from jazz guitar to one [song] that’s very heavy metal.” Brad plans on heading back to the studio for his next album this fall after completing his current Paisley Party Tour with Jewel, Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough.Country Music Photo Gallery

Sugarland Releases New Album: Love on the Inside

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Sugarland is set to release their new album Love on the Inside, with performances on Good Morning America and The View in the coming week! NASHVILLE, TN – National television outlets Good Morning America and The View are taking note of the excitement of the upcoming third release of Mercury Nashville’s duo Sugarland. On Tuesday, July 22, the day Love On The Inside DELUXE FAN EDITION is released, they will perform on both ABC shows. In addition, fans will find Sugarland blanketed across many other outlets, including the following. Access Hollywood Associated Press Atlanta Journal Constitution Cover Atlanta Magazine Cover Billboard Blender Boston Globe Cover Chicago Sun Times CMT Top 20, Insider and .com Dallas Morning News Entertainment Weekly Fitness GAC Top 20, GAC Master Series, GAC’s Country Music Across America, GAC On The Streets and GAC.com Good Morning America – Performance July 22 Houston Chronicle Miami Herald New York Times OK! Palm Beach Post Cover People Redbook Tennessean USA Today Cover The View – Performance July 22 For more Sugarland news or the Sugarland Tour Schedule, visit our partner site Country Music On Tour.Country Music Photo Gallery

Kenny Chesney Takes Top Tour Revenue

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Kenny Chesney shows his pirate plundering skill as he rakes in highest concert revenue for all country artists in the first 6 months of 2008. Kenny Chesney’s Poets and Pirates tour is the leading country tour in the U.S. for the first six months of the year with Rascal Flatts the only other country artist in the top 10, according to Pollstar. Bon Jovi leads the pack with a $56.3 million gross with an average ticket price of $87.98. Chesney enjoyed a gross of $35.3 million with an average price of $75.28. Rascal Flatts was eighth at $215.4 million on ticket prices of $64.57. Also in the top 100 were: 11. Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood’s joint tour – $18.5 million (tickets averaged $55.89) 13. George Strait – $18 million ($64.06) 19. The Eagles – $15.8 million ($130.93) 27. Carrie Underwood – $12.3 million (($48.10) 36. Larry the Cable Guy – $9.5 million ($44.39) 37. Brad Paisley – $9.4 million ($41.21) 40. Rowdy Frynds with Lynyrd Skynyrd/Hank Williams Jr. -$8.5 million ($59.48) 49. Reba McEntire/Kelly Clarkson – $7.5 million ($53.78); 65. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – $5.4 million ($56.52) 76. Brooks & Dunn/Alan Jackson – $4.5 million ($92.77) 84. Blue Rodeo – $4.2 million ($43.93) 88. Martina McBride – $3.9 million ($51.88) 89. Garth Brooks – $3.8 million (39.29) 91. Trace Adkins – $3.8 million ($44.82) 96. Big & Rich – $3.2 million ($59.20) 99. Dolly Parton – $3 million ($70.38)Country Music Photo Gallery

Randy Travis Has New Album

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After 8 years since his last country album, Randy Travis has a new release just Around the Bend. The smooth deep sound of Randy Travis’ voice is unmistakable and unforgettable. But while he’s been loaning that voice to the higher powers, singing on christian albums and helping to spread the gospel, country music fans have been missing him on mainstream radio. Now, thanks to Randy Travis’ new release “Around the Bend”, the long wait is over. Randy will be giving us a run of national TV appearances to promote Around The Bend. He’s also on “The Late Show With David Letterman” Tuesday, “Good Morning America” Wednesday, “Regis & Kelly” Thursday and “The Today show” Friday. So be sure to watch, and then pick up the new album! For a chance to see Randy Travis perform live check out our sister site, Country Music On Tour.Country Music Photo Gallery

Country Hound Celebrates 1 Year

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Country Hound celebrates its one-year anniversary and CMNB’s staff tips their hat. It’s not often that one publication will congratulate its’ “competition”, but in this case, it must be done! Country Hound was launched in July of 2007 and has since proven itself a strong name in the country music news scene. As a top source of the latest information, polls, interviews and album reviews, Country Hound has been a great resource for hobbyists like myself. In the world of country music news, there are very few solid and reliable sites that provide current updates for real fans. Country Hound is one of those. Be prepared for a fresh new look as they work towards the 2.0 version of their site.Country Music Photo Gallery