Category Archives: Featured

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Marty Stuart Celebrates 20 Years As Grand Ole Opry Member

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This Coming Saturday, Marty Stuart Will Be Honored When The Grand Ole Opry Celebrates His 20 Years As A Member! If you want to get Marty Stuart a present for his anniversary of being an Opry Member, get China. A celebration will take place December 8 in honor of his 20 years! There will be performances by his wife, Connie Smith, Charley Pride, Old Crow Medicine Show and Brandy Clark. Phyliss J. Anderson, Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians will also appear with Stuart, as well as two Choctaw dancers. Everything will take place at the historic Ryman Auditorium where Stuart made his debut alongside Lester Flatt in September 1972 at age 13. “Marty has won the love and respect of all of us at the Grand Ole Opry as well as friends and fans around the world,” said Pete Fisher, Opry vice president and general manager. “Like the Grand Ole Opry itself, Marty celebrates and showcases all the styles under the country music umbrella. He has the utmost respect for our musical heritage while also working tirelessly to ensure country music’s future growth. We’re excited to celebrate his Opry anniversary at the Ryman, the stage on which his Opry career began when he was just a teenager.” Congrats to another of country music’s legends!

Country To Country-UK’s First Country Music Festival

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C2C: Country To Country To Be The UK’s First Ever Country Music Festival In 2013. For the first time ever, country artists will be teaming up to perform at a country music festival in London. The festival is C2C: Country To Country and will be two days of music at The O2 London in March 2013. On Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17, country artists including Tim McGraw, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Vince Gill, Little Big Town, Brantley Gilbert, Kristian Bush, LeAnn Rimes and more will take the stage to entertain the UK’s biggest country fans. “I love the idea of a country music festival in London and I’m so excited that so many amazing artists are coming together for Country to Country. I feel honored to help represent country music, and I know it’s going to be a really fun weekend!” -Carrie Underwood The O2 and SJM Concerts in association with the Country Music Association have established C2C with the intention of it becoming an annual event.

Lee Brice I Drive Your Truck Video

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The Official Music Video For Lee Brice’s “I Drive Your Truck.” If you haven’t heard Lee Brice’s latest single, “I Drive Your Truck,” then it might surprise you what it is actually about. What do they say? “Don’t judge a book by its cover?” Well the same goes for song titles. For a complete run down of the song check out a review by our guest contributor Vickye here. But for the quick recap, it is a song about someone dealing with the loss of a very important person the only way they know how. The video for “I Drive Your Truck” premiered today and let me tell you it is a tear jerker! The song is already emotional on its own, but the added visuals had me close to losing it. Brice has a few intense scenes and it is just all around a great video. You can find “I Drive Your Truck” on Brice’s latest album Hard 2 Love. Watch it below and tell us what you think! Current Lee Brice Tour Dates and Tickets!

Country Music News Blog Internship Opening

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CMNB Is Looking for An Intern In The Northwest Arkansas Area! Spring 2013 Internship: Staff Writer Bump Interactive, LLC, a growing web publishing and marketing company, is currently looking for an Intern to fill the general role of “Staff Writer”. This Intern will be responsible for researching and creating original articles exclusively for use on web-based magazine sites owned by Bump Interactive, LLC. Some duties may include, but are not limited to: Researching and building data files for individual artists and bands. Providing in-depth articles on assigned subject matter that meets pre-determined length, quality and content requirements. Building quality interviews and reviews. Representing Bump Interactive, LLC online through social media outlets Past experience is not required, but is appreciated. Minimum qualifications must include: Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in person, over the telephone, and online Excellent spelling and grammar. Meticulous attention to detail. Ability to self-manage in a non-traditional work environment. Ability to present a professional image that represents the culture of Bump Interactive, LLC. A strong display of internet-savvy. A relaxed sense of humor. A LOVE of many genres of music, including and especially rock and roll and country/folk. Extra consideration will be given to those with web marketing, social media, journalism, graphic design, or past publishing credits. This position is excellent for those interested in web development and marketing, online journalism or entertainment publishing. Compensation This is an unpaid internship. Must be approved by appropriate supervisor for college (either University, Community College or other accredited institution) credit. Position Details Office located in Fayetteville, Arkansas. 5-10 hours weekly (flexible schedule based on individual’s work load and other obligations.) Start Date: January 28th, 2013 End Date: April 29th, 2013 If interested, please respond with an email to our Director of Operations (molly@countrymusicnewsblog.com) including a short introduction and either your resume, or links to your previous writing samples.

Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood Build Homes In Haiti

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Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood Lend Habitat For Humanity A Helping Hand In Haiti. In association with the 29th annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, country singers Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood have traveled to Haiti to aid the efforts of non-profit organization, Habitat for Humanity! According to CountryWeekly, this is the second time they have provided their support in Haiti. The mission for this trip and this project is to restore 100 homes in Leogane, Haiti, an area that has been suffering since the devastating 2010 earthquake. Garth and Trisha are setting such a shining example of good works! I’m truly impressed that these two country stars are spending their free time helping not only people in need, but people who are far removed from their way of living. So great!

Craig Campbell Releases EP

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Craig Campbell Will Be Releasing His Outta My Head EP December 4. Today I got to catch up with Craig Campbell and talk a little about his EP coming out Tuesday, Dec. 4. The collection will have 5 songs, including his current single, “Outta My Head.” This EP is a sneak peek of what’s to be on Campbell’s sophomore album that is expected in 2013. It’s been around two years since Campbell has put new music out so he wanted to go ahead and get something out there for fans to “hear and get excited about.” Though all of the songs are important to him he is really pleased with his current single and “That’s Why God Made A Front Porch.” “It’s one of my favorite songs I’ve EVER written,” Campbell said about That’s Why God Made A Front Porch. “It’s about living out in the country and it’s a song where you can close your eyes and basically see the song.” To celebrate the release of the EP, Campbell will perform his new material as well as some of his previous releases on Tuesday in Nashville. “Outta My Head” will definitely be one of those and Campbell is excited to entertain his peers and others in the industry with it. “It is always great when you have your friends telling you they love it and they think it is one of the best things you’ve put out,” Campbell said about Outta My Head Get your copy of the Outta My Head EP on Tuesday and keep your eyes out for the full length album next year!

Christmas with Scotty McCreery and Friends Airs Dec. 1

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Scotty McCreery Hosts GAC Special Christmas with Scotty McCreery and Friends on December 1st! Scotty McCreery is really gearing up for Christmas this week! First, he participated of the lighting of the Rockefeller Christmas tree in NYC, and now he’s hosting his very own special on GAC! Christmas with Scotty McCreery & Friends will feature guests Gloriana, Jana Kramer and Brett Eldredge, and will air at 11pm ET on Saturday, December 1st (that’s tomorrow!). “Growing up Christmas was a special time of year for my family, probably our favorite time. It’s nice that we all get together as a family and spend time together.” – Scotty McCreery Check out who will be singing which of your favorite holiday classics below! Christmas with Scotty McCreery & Friends Line-Up. Scotty McCreery “Christmas In Heaven” “Let it Snow” “Santa Claus Is Back In Town” Gloriana “O Holy Night” “Silent Night” Jana Kramer “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” “Winter Wonderland“ Brett Eldredge “Mary Did You Know“ “Jingle Bell Rock“ Let Scotty Tell You About His Christmas Album.

Behind The Goodbye In Her Eyes Wardrobe

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Get The Story On Where The Ideas For This Video, The Actors & The Wardrobe Came From. Many Zac Brown Band fans have been asking about the actors and the wardrobe in their latest music video, “Goodbye In Her Eyes.” Never letting a fan down, they gave answers! Wayne Isham directed the video and came up the circus idea. The wardrobe was all on Shelly Brown, Zac’s wife! With everyone’s busy schedule, the video had to come together in less than a week. In the video was Jaime Murray, as the main girl, the band and some real circus performers. Shelly was in charge of Jaime’s and the bands looks. She did her research and sewed together outfits herself (she did this after their four daughters went to bed each night)! Most of Jaime’s looks were custom and the things that weren’t came from Shelly’s closet! Below are some pictures of Jaime’s outfits and Shelly Brown’s commentary. “This was definitely the most intricate to make with all of the embellishment and feathers. I was inspired from all of the vintage circus photos we came across.“ “The red velvet cupcake dress. This one was so much fun and looked so beautiful on Jaime when she walked and danced. It was inspired by the old school tutus that had so much volume and were so colorful. I loved the way the train moved in the circus performance scene.“ “My favorite. This one was so perfect and actually inspired the colors for the painted “circus” sign that you see in the beginning and end of the video. It was a striped corset with a quilted velvet bustle skirt. Hat by Rag and Bone, necklace by Mania Mania. This to me was perfect for her “off-duty” attire. It was sexy on her but very gypsy at the same time.“ *Photo Credit: Jolie Loren* Watch the official music video for “Goodbye In Her Eyes” below.

Alan Jackson Releases Photo Book

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Alan Jackson Is Releasing A Limited Number Of Photo Books With Proceeds Going Towards Colon Cancer Research. It seems like country artists are always doing their part to help others and Alan Jackson is one of them, this time with the cause being very close to home. He will release a limited number of his book Seasons of Sweetbriar – A Photographic Collection of Home by Alan Jackson. The full purchase price of each book will be donated to the Colon Cancer Alliance’s Blue Note Fund, benefitting colon cancer patients in need. “Sweetbriar – created by God, bound by the Harpeth River, and guarded by hand laid rock walls from years ago – this 140 acres of fertile valley shadowed by the Tennessee hills has privileged my family and me with a landscape for living” – excerpt from the book’s Foreward by Alan. The Sweetbriar estate is where Alan, his wife Denise and their three daughters, Mattie, Ali and Dani lived for over 13 years. The original intent when Alan began the photo collection was to prepare a photo journal that his daughters would have to look back on when they moved out on their own. Once the book was complete Alan and Denise realized it was a treasure filled with beauty and significance and shared it with family and a few close friends. The book is a hardbound coffee table piece with more than 200 photographs of the landscape, buildings, ponds, trees, wildlife and other intimate reflections of life at Sweetbriar. The Jacksons sold Sweetbriar in 2010 and just a few months afterwards Denise was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. “That rocked my world, as I’m sure it does every person who gets a cancer diagnosis,” she explains. “That really brought to my attention the CCA and awareness and what the organization does. It became an obvious way for us to be able to do something meaningful with these books and be able to raise money for the Blue Note Fund.” Seasons of Sweetbriar can be purchased through www.alanjackson.com for $25 or $50 for a book autographed by Alan, while supplies last. 100 percent of proceeds will be donated to the CCA’s Blue Note Fund.

Lady Antebellum Back In Studio Working on Fourth Album

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Lady Antebellum Heads Back to the Studio to Work On Fourth Album! Lady Antebellum absolutely blew me away with their 2011 release, Own The Night! So, I am thrilled to report that this unstoppable trio is headed back to the studio to work on a fourth album. Lady A’s Charles Kelly recently gave CountryWeekly.com the whole scoop! “We’re working on our fourth record right now. We’re about halfway through the process and it’s going good. We don’t really have an end date; we’re just going to try to take as much time as we can. We’re going to hammer it out until we get it right.” Charles Kelly As much as we love, love, love their sound and all the music they’ve released so far, it sounds like Lady A might be ready to try out some new stuff! “It’s going to be an important record for us, as a band and artistically, as we try to do something different. I think we’re going to make it a bit more of a tempo record. More of a roll-down-the-windows record. I’m looking forward to that.” -Charles Kelly There’s nothing I like more than listening to new music while riding around with the windows down! I’m excited they’re trying something new, and I can’t wait to hear the new tunes! In the meantime, get in the holiday spirit with Lady Antebellum with their Christmas album OnThis Winter’s Night and be sure to check out their music video for “A Holly Jolly Christmas“.