CMT ANNOUNCES NEW TITLE & PREMIERE DATE FOR “SUN RECORDS, ” BASED ON TONY AWARD®-WINNING MUSICAL “MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET,” ON THE HEELS OF THE HISTORIC 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LEGENDARY RECORDINGS

From our friends at CMT

CMT ANNOUNCES NEW TITLE AND PREMIERE DATE FOR “SUN RECORDS,” BASED ON TONY AWARD®-WINNING MUSICAL “MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET,” ON THE HEELS OF THE HISTORIC 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LEGENDARY RECORDING SESSIONS WITH ELVIS PRESLEY, JOHNNY CASH, JERRY LEE LEWIS AND CARL PERKINS LIMITED EIGHT PART SERIES STARRING CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY AND BILLY GARDELL TO PREMIERE ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23 AT 10PM ET/PT CMT today revealed a new title and premiere date for its upcoming limited eight part scripted series “Sun Records,” formerly known as “Million Dollar Quartet” and based on the Tony Award®-winning musical, on Thursday, February 23 at 10 PM ET/PT. The announcement comes on the heels of the 60th anniversary of the historic Million Dollar Quartet recording sessions featuring Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins on December 4, 1956 at the Sun Records Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. “Sun Records” will join “Nashville” to complete CMT’s new Thursday line-up.  

Lauren Alaina At Graceland

Lauren Alaina Lights Up Graceland! Lauren Alaina will help Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis kick off the holiday season by “flipping the switch” for the annual lighting celebration on Friday November, 18. The kickoff to Graceland’s holiday celebration will be broadcast live on Elvis.com at 6PM, CST. The extensive display will include hundreds of blue lights along the driveway, a life-size Nativity scene, Santa and his sleigh and much more originally displayed at Graceland by Elvis and the Presley family. Alaina has seen tons of success this past year. She was the runner-up on American Idol, she released her debut album Wildflower and is the best-selling country female debut since 1996! Her current single “Georgia Peaches” is also climbing the charts at this very moment. It makes you wonder what you get the girl who has everything for Christmas?!

Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Shows: The Performances

Hot off the press! Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Shows: The Performances Image Entertainment is proud to present Elvis Presley: The Ed Sullivan Shows: The Performances, available on DVD August 4th. The collection of Elvis’ three unforgettable appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show attracted a record-breaking audience when they first aired and are available on DVD for the first time ever. Share the excitement of Elvis Presley’s earth shattering introduction to the nation in these three unforgettable episodes from The Ed Sullivan Show, now on DVD for the first time ever, and experience for yourself why Elvis became the legendary King of Rock and Roll! Appearing on the show Sept. 9, 1956, Elvis sent shock waves through a repressed nation with his soulful singing, wild hip gyrations and raw energy, attracting a record-breaking TV audience of more than 60 million people. Presley returned on Oct. 28, 1956, continuing to provoke ecstatic screams with hits such as “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Love Me Tender” and “Hound Dog.” In fact, these exhilarating performances were so explosive that Elvis was filmed above the waist during his final Sullivan show appearance on January 6, 1957. Rockin’ Special Features: * A rare home movie capturing a very early Elvis performance, shot on August 7, 1955, at Magnolia Gardens near Houston, Texas * Elvis and Ed remembered * Elvis is on his way! Ed Sullivan Show clips * Special Elvis moments including an appearance by comedian John Byner * Home movies of Elvis and Priscilla, Elvis and his friends cutting up on a film set and some of the first shots of daughter Lisa Marie * New collectible booklet featuring liner notes by Griel MarcusCountry Music Photo Gallery

Have Yourself a Country Christmas

With the holidays right around the corner I thought I’d share a little Country Christmas Music News with you. Faith Hill tops this year’s new Country Christmas classics. Although new Country Christmas albums aren’t running rampant this year, new holiday titles from Faith Hill, Elvis Presley and Julianne Hough have managed to find room in the Top 10 of the current Billboard country albums chart. Country Radio has been giving “A Baby Changes Everything” massive amounts of radio airplay, while the Elvis Duets album has gotten nationwide news coverage. Just in time for the holidays, Joey+Rory created a “Sleighbell Mix” of their song “Cheater Cheater” and posted it on MySpace. Two of country’s top acts — Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood — have each released new holiday music this year, but you have to buy expanded versions of their current albums to get it. Wynonna is on the West Coast this month, in the midst of her Classic Christmas tour. In this interview with the Santa Rosa (Calif.) Press Democrat, the singer talks about overspending during the holidays, what to expect from her upcoming album and the year she gave her mother a hammer for Christmas. (”I’m not even sure why. She just liked to do things so I figured, well, she needs a hammer.”) However, if you don’t live on the West Coast, you better not pout and I’m telling you why: You can still hear her yuletide album, A Classic Christmas, on Rhapsody.Country Music Photo Gallery