Category Archives: Artists

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

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

Gas Prices Put a Damper on Touring Musicians

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CMT reports that gas prices are causing some artists to book alternative transportation while others are simply drowning in expenses. Imagine if you will, that your gas tank holds up to 25 gallons of that liquid gold. At today’s prices, that’s almost $1200 per fill-up. Not to mention that the lumbering beast of a tour bus only gets 6-7 miles to a gallon. At that price it’s no wonder the music industry is all abuzz about how to recuperate rising fuel costs, and some artists are canceling tour dates alltogether! “It’s killing the smaller bands out there,” says Keith Case, whose Keith Case & Associates books such acts as Alison Krauss & Union Station, Ralph Stanley and the Dan Tyminski Band. So far festival and concert ticket prices haven’t risen much to make up for the additional fuel costs, primarily because the ticket rates are set many months in advance and do not take increasing travel expenses into account. So while fans are able to afford the tickets, they’re having to spend more on gas just to get to the shows, which takes a direct hit out of merchandise and concession stand revenues. “That’s a big deal for a lot of midrange bands,” Case says, “and they’re finding that [those sales are] dramatically down. What it feels like to them — at least what they’re reporting to me — is that people are spending so much to go to festivals, as far as fuel costs go, that they are not spending as much at the festivals.” And for those smaller bands, merchandise sales are where the money’s at, so artists are struggling to keeps up with the cost of touring, and choosing instead to stick with local festivals or combining transportation with other bands. Meanwhile sources say that overall festival and concert attendance has only seen a mild impact. Attendance was actually up at Country Stampede in Manhattan, Kan., he noted. Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift headlined that extravaganza. “The organizers of this event tell me that the people they’ve talked to [made the festival] their vacation of the year,” Cunningham said. To find which of your favorite country artists will be playing near you, please visit our sister site, Country Music on Tour.Country Music Photo Gallery

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman Welcome Baby Girl!!!

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Congratulations to Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban on the birth of their first child together! Nicole and Keith Urban the birth of a baby girl this morning in Nashville. Sunday Rose Kidman Urban weighed in at 6 pounds, 7 1/2 ounces. Urban was by Nicole’s side. “Mother and baby are very well,” according to a press release. This is the couple’s first child. Kidman has two other children with her former husband Tom Cruise, Isabella, 15, and Connor, 13.Country Music Photo Gallery