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.

Classic Country Star of the Week: Chet Atkins

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“Years from now, after I’m gone someone will listen to what I’ve done and know I was here. They may not know or care who I was, but they’ll hear my guitars speaking for me.” -Chet Atkins Chet Atkins has often been credited with being “one of the key architects of the Nashville Sound“. His influence extends from the country-music realm into rock and roll, as well. As a studio musician, he appeared on records by Elvis Presley, the Everly Brothers, Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, and countless country musicians. Atkins thumb-and-fingerpicking style influenced George Harrison, Duane Eddy, the Ventures, Eddie Cochran, Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler, as well as innumerable country pickers. Even the likes of Ted Nugent has credited Atkins with inspiring him to take up the instrument. Some of his best work was particularly his collaborations with Les Paul (“Chester and Lester”) and Merle Travis from the mid-70s. Atkins received numerous awards, including eleven Grammy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993), and nine Country Music Association Instrumentalist of the Year awards. Billboard Magazine awarded him their Century Award, their “highest honor for distinguished creative achievement”, in December 1997. In 2002, Atkins was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Fame. His award was presented by Marty Stuart and Brian Setzer and accepted by Atkin’s Grandson, Jonathan Russell. The following year, Atkins ranked #28 in CMT’s 40 Greatest Men of Country Music. Chet passed away at 76 very full years following a long struggle with cancer, but his memory, influence and music live on. Country Music Photo Gallery

Brad Paisley performs in Grammy Beatles tribute

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Brad Paisley along with fellow Grammy nominees Feist, Alicia Keys, and the casts of “The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil” and Across The Universe will participate in a special Beatles segment at the 50th annual Grammy Awards telecast Feb. 10. Paisley is the second country act announced to perform at the Grammys. Carrie Underwood also will sing at the shindig although it is not clear whether they will be singing their duet found on his 5th Gear album. Paisley is up for three awards: Best Country Collaboration With Vocals (“Oh Love” with Underwood), Best Country Instrumental Performance (“Throttleneck”) and Best Country Album (“5th Gear”). For Brad Paisley 2008 concert tour dates, artist biographies and event details, please visit our partner site Country Music On TourCountry Music Photo Gallery

Dwight Yoakam Only Country Singer on Coachella Festival

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One set of dates that’s solid on Dwight Yoakam’s schedule comes April 26. He’s the only country artist set to appear in Indio, Calif., at the annual Coachella music festival, which this year features Pink Floyd alum Roger Waters, Death Cab For Cutie, Kraftwerk and Portishead. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (commonly known as Coachella) is a three-day (formerly a one or two-day) annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, California. The event features many genres of music including alternative rock, hip hop, country, and electronica as well as large sculptural art. The event has several stages/tents set-up throughout the grounds, each playing live music continuously. The main stages are: Coachella Stage, Outdoor Theatre, Gobi Tent, Mojave Tent, and the Sahara Tent (2006 also saw the addition of a smaller Oasis Dome). The following weekend, he’ll return to the same location for the second annual Stagecoach Country Music Festival. Among the artists booked so far for that event are Carrie Underwood, Big & Rich, Earl Scruggs, Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw, Dierks Bentley and country music legends, The Judds. For Dwight Yoakam 2008 concert tour dates, artist biographies and event details, please visit our partner site Country Music On TourCountry Music Photo Gallery

Dwight Yoakam, ZZ Top and Kelly Clarkson Lead College Footballs Gridiron Bash Concert

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Are you ready for some football? MSL Sports and Entertainment plans to roll out the Gridiron Bash, a two-day event April 18-19 that will use a campus concert to bring attention to the next day’s games, which serve as warm-ups for the coming season. Dwight Yoakam is among the artists who has committed, though his location hasn’t been yet announced. Several other artists have already been pegged to specific Division 1 schools: Pop singer Fergie is scheduled at Penn State, blues-rockers ZZ Top play Texas A&M, Counting Crows hit the field in Colorado, and the Goo Goo Dolls perform at Kansas State. Among the participating colleges that have yet to announce their Bash attractions are Rutgers, the University of Tennessee, Army and a college from Dwight’s home state, the University of Kentucky. Gridiron Bash, the Ultimate Fan Competition, will be the largest single-day sports and entertainment event ever to take place on college campuses. “We’re very excited by the caliber of talent this event is attracting,” says Gary Cioffi, Chief Executive Officer of MSL, the creator and producer of Gridiron Bash(TM). “In many cases, this marks the first time that top artists will be ‘playing the field’ at these campuses, as universities consider their football fields a kind of sacred ground, and, prior to Gridiron Bash, have prohibited even the most sought-after acts from performing on them.” Known Performance Roster: Artist School Dwight Yoakam TBA Fergie Penn State Maroon 5 TBA Counting Crows Colorado Goo Goo Dolls Kansas State ZZ Top Texas A&M Kelly Clarkson TBA TBA Rutgers TBA University of Tennessee TBA Army TBA University of Kentucky MSL Sports and Entertainment is in final discussions with Good Charlotte, OAR, Counting Crows, Fall Out Boy, Taylor Swift, and Montgomery Gentry. Other artists including, Hank Williams Jr., Lynyrd Skynyrd, Journey, Steve Miller Band, Goo Goo Dolls, 3 Doors Down and Alan Jackson also are being pursued. On the university side, MSL is finalizing partnerships with schools, including Penn State, University of Iowa, Arizona State, West Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina, Washington, Kentucky, University of Texas at El Paso, BYU, Auburn, Alabama and Boston College. Tickets will be available through university box offices and can also be purchased through http://www.gridironbash.com. On-sale dates for schools, including Texas A&M, Kansas State, University of Tennessee, University of Colorado, Army and Rutgers will be announced shortly. For information on the hottest 2008 country concert tours, dates, artist biographies and event details, please visit our partner site Country Music On TourCountry Music Photo Gallery

Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood 2008 Concert Tour

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Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood have announced three more dates for their 2008 concert tour together. The Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Carnival Ride concert tour will hit Hershey, Pa., on Feb. 14, Tallahassee, Fla., on Feb. 29 and Anaheim, Calif., on March 12. Previously-announced stops include the tour opener at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 and other shows Feb. 16 in Roanoke, Va., March 7 in Omaha, Neb., and March 11 in San Jose, Calif. Be sure to get your Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood Concert Tour Tickets NOW! Simply use the ticket selection menu on the right. Save time, buy online! 2008 Tour Dates: 02/01/08 Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino – Sun Arena – Uncasville, CT 02/02/08 Blue Cross Arena – Rochester, NY 02/13/08 Madison Square Garden – New York, NY 02/14/08 GIANT Center – Hershey, PA 02/15/08 Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall – Atlantic City, NJ 02/16/08 Roanoke Civic Center – Roanoke, VA 02/29/08 Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center – Tallahassee, FL 03/01/08 Mississippi Coast Coliseum – Biloxi, MS 03/05/08 Sprint Center – Kansas City, MO 03/07/08 Qwest Center Omaha – Omaha, NE 03/09/08 Pepsi Center – Denver, CO 03/11/08 HP Pavilion at San Jose – San Jose, CA 03/12/08 Honda Center – Anaheim, CA 03/20/08 East Coast Blues and Roots Music Festival – Byron Bay, Ne 03/22/08 Point Nepean Festival – Melbourne, 0 04/12/08 Bryce Jordan Center – State College, PA 04/18/08 Charlotte Bobcats Arena – Charlotte, NC 04/19/08 RBC Center – Raleigh, NC 04/24/08 The Arena at Gwinnett Center – Duluth, GA 04/25/08 The Arena at Gwinnett Center – Duluth, GA 07/26/08 Gillette Stadium / New England Patriots – Foxboro, MA In related news Keith Urban will also share the headlines with Kenny Chesney on his 2008 Poets and Pirates concert tour at Gillette Stadium near Boston, on July 26, according to the tour section of his Web site. Billed as the New England Country Music Festival, Chesney will be joined by Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Gary Allan and Sammy Hagar. For Carrie Underwood 2008 concert tour dates, tickets, artist biographies and event details, please visit our partner site Country Music On TourCountry Music Photo Gallery

Martina McBride 2008 Concert Tour Dates

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Martina McBride is currently on tour promoting her newest album, “Wake Up Laughing“. So far this album has received outstanding reviews from both fans and critics alike, getting names “One of the top country discs of 2007” by the Chicago Tribune. “McBride hasn’t run out of inspiration. This album has her aging gracefully into a more soulful singer/songwriter. With fewer feminist anthems, McBride has time to devote to the bright spots on this effort.” Concert tickets for the Huntsville, Alabama concert go on sale this Saturday at 10AM Central. The fan club pre-sale is today starting at 10AM Central today (Wednesday). Fan club members should log into the fan club web site for the information needed. Otherwise, check the link to our right for ticket pricing and availability. Martina McBride is also in the process of updating her online store to be completely in-house instead of using a outside company so stay tuned for new merchandise and memorabilia! For Martina McBride 2008 concert tour dates, tickets, artist biographies and event details, please visit our partner site Country Music On TourCountry Music Photo Gallery

Faith Hill Premieres “That’s Alright Mamma” Video in Tribute to Elvis

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Faith Hill is set to premiere her performance of Elvis Presley’s classic “That’s Alright Mama,” today at 11am EST. After originally recording both “Mama” and “Peace In The Valley” for “Viva Las Vegas,” a 2-hour ABC Network television special honoring the late singer, CMT began airing “Peace In The Valley.” But numerous inquiries were made at FaithHill.com requesting “Mama,” and now the Grammy Award winning singer will give the video its online premiere. “We recorded “Mama” and “Peace In The Valley,” last year in a completely empty arena, in the round and stripped down, said Faith. “It was a blast. We channeled Elvis by setting the stage as if we were back in 1968 (his comeback special). These songs and being a part of the special reminded me of who he was, what he stood for; he defined what it was and is to be an entertainer.” The “Viva Las Vegas” special, produced in cooperation with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc, originally aired on September 18, 2007. The special honored Elvis Presley’s legacy and contribution to contemporary music, and featured some of music’s most influential and talented artists, including Celine Dion, Aerosmith, and Paul McCartney. The complete 2-hour special, which includes Faith’s covers of “That’s All Right Mama” and “Peace in the Valley,” is set for a DVD release in Spring 2008.Country Music Photo Gallery

Gary Allan Joins Kenny Chesney’s 2008 “Poets and Pirates” Concert Tour

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Gary Allan is gearing up to join superstar Kenny Chesney on the Corona Extra sponsored 2008 Poets & Pirates concert tour. The tour will hit 14 of the largest stadiums across the country. The all-star lineup for the tour includes Chesney, Allan and LeAnn Rimes. On 10 of the 14 dates Keith Urban (who Allan toured with in the Fall and Winter) will help to anchor the show. On several dates Brooks & Dunn, Sammy Hagar, Big & Rich and Luke Bryan will join the tour. When asked about the upcoming summer tour Allan said, “Kenny’s crowds are intense and they come to party. We feed off of that and we can’t wait to get out there. The fact that we’re playing stadiums just sweetens the deal. It’s gonna be a great time.” Included on the tour are stops in Baltimore, Nashville, Cleveland, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Foxboro, Mass among others. Gary is still riding the great success of his last single “Stealing Cinderella” and is hoping to top that with his next release “Watching Airplanes”. For 2008 Concert Tour Dates and Tickets, Click HereCountry Music Photo Gallery

Brad Paisley Tops this week’s Billboard Song Charts

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Brad Paisley’s latest single “Letter to Me” pushes right to the top of the Billboard country music song charts this week followed by Rascal Flatts’ “Winner at a Losing Game,” Montgomery Gentry’s “What Do Ya Think About That,” Sugarland’s “Stay” and Swift’s mighty “Our Song” rounding out the top 5. The songs making their first appearance on the charts are Jewel’s “Stronger Woman” (No. 50), Sara Evans’ “Some Things Never Change” (No. 54), the Reba McEntire– Kenny Chesney duet, “Every Other Weekend” (No. 58), Clay Walker’s “She Likes It in the Morning” (No. 59) and the Drew Davis Band’s “Back There All the Time” (No. 60). Anne Murray has the highest-debuting album, Duets: Friends & Legends, which bows at No. 8. The other newbies are Trisha Yearwood’s Love Songs (a collection from her MCA days) at No. 35, followed by the multi-artist package, I Will Always Love You: 17 Inspirational Love Songs, at No. 44 and Kenny Rogers’ A Love Song Collection (No. 53). Suppose anyone’s marketing music toward Valentine Day shoppers? The remaining Top 5 albums, in descending order, are Garth Brooks‘ The Ultimate Hits, the Eagles‘ Long Road Out of Eden, Sugarland‘s Enjoy the Ride and Robert Plant and Alison Krauss’ Raising Sand. There are no returning albums to this week’s chart, but there is one comeback song, the Road Hammers’ “I Don’t Know When to Quit,” popping in at No. 51.Country Music Photo Gallery

John Rich of Big & Rich releasing a solo album

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Half of the sensational alt-country duo Big & Rich will try his chops as a solo artist by the end of the year. John Rich has plans to release a solo album in 2008 before going back to the full time powerhouse as a duo. “If anyone knows me, they know I’m always writing music,” said Rich, who also does a lot of producing and songwriting. “When we decided to take this year off so Kenny could focus on rehabilitation for a pre-existing injury, I asked Kenny if he was cool with me recording a solo project. I would only do this with Kenny’s blessing. So, this year you can expect a solo record from me, but Big & Rich will be back in 2009.” Because of his contributions to the songwriting and music industry community, Rich received the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He is the only artist to receive the award three years consecutively. Currently John Rich and Big Kenny Alphin are enjoying the success of their first number one hit, “Lost in this moment with you” off the album “Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace“. Their latest single “Loud” is on its way up the charts as well.Country Music Photo Gallery