Country Thunder USA 2010 – Florence Arizona

Arizona unveils superstar Keith Urban at Country Thunder 2010! Country Thunder USA – is back in 2010 kicking up more dust than a cattle drive headed west! Don’t miss your chance to see superstar Keith Urban at Country Thunder 2010!. What better place to hear him belt out those hits than outdoors under the stars in beautiful Florence, Arizona at the one and only Country Thunder. Join us on April 14 to 17 2010, as Keith headlines a spectacular lineup that includes Willie Nelson, Miranda Lambert and many more. Check out the 2010 Country Thunder Lineup… WEDNESDAY – April 14, 2010 Kick-off Party! The Grascals Eric Church Neal McCoy THURSDAY – April 15, 2010 Collin Raye Jo Dee Messina Williams & Ree Gary Allan Miranda Lambert FRIDAY – April 16, 2010 Love & Theft Trailer Choir Randy Houser Big Kenny Williams & Ree Kevin Costner & Modern West Keith Urban SATURDAY – April 17, 2010 Jason Jones Kate & Kacey Gloriana Luke Bryan Willie Nelson Kid Rock Get your tickets now starting at the unbelievably low price of $99. That’s only a hundred bucks to see Keith Urban in 2010. It’s the ultimate country Christmas present! But don’t wait – this price won’t last forever! Make it the most memorable weekend of your summer – camping and Reserved Seats are also available. E-Z Pay tickets, Port-o-Potty’s, Children’s (4-Day), and Extra-Vehicle tickets are currently available. Country Music Photo Gallery

Celebration of Music and Motorsports with Hank JR!

Tickets on Sale for Celebration of Music and Motorsports with Hank Williams Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chris Young, Kyle Petty, and many more! For the fifth consecutive year, the worlds of country music and NASCAR will collide in Music City for Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust on Jan. 8-9, 2010.  Since its inception, the event has attracted an estimated 40,000 fans and has raised more than $800,000 for Victory Junction (a year-round camping experience founded by Kyle and Pattie Petty for children, ages 6-16, with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses) and the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum.  Some of the greatest names in country music will kick off the two-day event at the Grand Ole Opry when Sprint Sound & Speed Presented by SunTrust hits the stage of the Ryman Auditorium on Friday, Jan. 8.  The special night of music will include two shows, 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., with Hank Williams Jr. (9:30 p.m. show ), Chris Young, a special performance from NASCAR legend Kyle Petty and his band, and more artists soon to be added. There will also be appearances featuring Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers Greg Biffle and Kasey Kahne and others, during the Friday night event. On Saturday, Jan. 9 the event continues at Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium, where fans of racing and country music will have the opportunity to get up-close and personal with drivers, team owners, and top-name artists for autographs, story-telling, and question-and-answer sessions.  The fan event will feature show car and sponsor displays, as well as a charitable auction with memorabilia from the racing and entertainment industries.  Among the NASCAR stars scheduled to appear are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Michael Waltrip, Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson, and David Stremme, along with country music stars Jason Michael Carroll, Josh Turner, members of Diamond Rio, and Chris Young with more drivers and country music artists joining the star-studded line-up in the coming weeks. Tickets for the Opry at the Ryman shows on Friday, Jan. 8 (ranging from $32 to $54) and the festival on Jan. 9 ($20 for adults and $12 for children) are on sale and are available through TicketMaster (ticketmaster.com) and at opry.com.  Combination tickets, good for the Opry and the festival, will go on sale Dec. 2 and range from $55 to $69.  Visit www.soundandspeed.org for more information and updates.Country Music Photo Gallery

Lady Antebellum – American Honey Video

Lady Antebellum has released American Honey as their next single, and a video is currently in the works. In the meantime Lady Antebellum fans can preview the song “American Honey” here! The song stays true to Lady A’s infectiously rich sound, and catchy melodies, but features primarily Hilary’s voice for a change. I’m already completely in love with the song, and believe it is the PERFECT follow-up to “Need You Now” As an added bonus, here’s the title single off the album, “Need You Now” [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApGiN-xfzEs]You can catch Lady Antebellum in concert opening for Tim McGraw’s Southern Voice tour. Stay tuned for the release of the full album “Need You Now” January 26th.Country Music Photo Gallery

The Country Music Association Keeps Students Playing

The CMA (Country Music Association) has made the largest donation to-date to Nashville;s public school systems to keep music programs alive. The CMA has donated $1,066,632 earned during the CMA Music Festival to the Nashville Public School Systems to help keep music alive in the classrooms. It is their largest donation to date and something we are all very proud of. This donation is one of many in the CMA’s “Keep the Music Playing” campaign, which has now achieved over $3Million. For more on this story, visit the official site of the Country Music FoundationCountry Music Photo Gallery

Lady Antebellum to Open Sugar Bowl

This year’s Sugar Bowl matchup between University of Cincinnati and the University of Florida will start with Lady Antebellum! Lady Antebellum is scheduled to perform the National Anthem at the beginning of 2 upcoming football games. The first will be in Nashville when the Tennessee Titans meet up against the St Louis Rams. The next will be at the Allstate 2010 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, LA where the University of Cincinatti Bearcats will go head to head against the University of Florida Gators.Country Music Photo Gallery

Over 8 Million Viewers Bored to Death by Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood’s All Star Holiday Special falls flat with fans The reports are in and it looks like Carrie Underwood’s All Star Holiday Special was viewed by over 8.9MILLION people. Sadly, the reviews are in, and it looks like the majority of those people were either bored to death or sadly disappointed.Here are just some of the comments that have reached either my site or the official Carrie Underwood site: “Worst show I ever saw. She has a great voice. I wish she would just sing and leave all the other BS out of it. Who cares about her dog and her sister that can’t get a date.” “I was very disappointed, her first performance with Carrie in black leather singing one of her own songs was anything but holiday. I tuned in because I thought it would be like they used to be different artist performing their favorite Christmas songs. And the attempt at humor was very, very bad, I had to change the channel. Sorry!” “I watched the Christmas Show last night ! Carrie, where is your Christmas spirit ! It was all about you and your sister finding a date! Your poor mom should be embarrassed singing off key! I think you have way more friends in the industry of Country music to have filled spots that you used for promotion of yourself. I was expecting a Christmas Special ! Not an all about Carrie Underwood Show! Please, there’s so many people in this world today without, you could have donated this special to those children in The United States at St. Judes Hospital, the Unemployed Auto Workers of Michigan, the troops over seas,or the Mothers with Cancer of young children. Why did you say you wanted to be Dolly Parton? YOU ARE CARRIE UNDERWOOD!! I personally am so disappointed in this whole charade you put on . It proves your money went to your head or maybe YOU DID PAY OFF SIMON to win AMERICAN IDOL! I really will pray for you and your gift God gave you, I hope you put your talent to better use in the future.” More comments found here. Now, I KNOW Carrie is a highly talented singer and performer. I KNOW that she will probably be the next Martina or Faith. But what I’d like to know is whether her concerts are better than this tv special? Guess we’ll have to wait until Carrie Underwood announces her 2010 concert tour to find out won’t we?Country Music Photo Gallery

Country Thunder 2010 – Twin Lakes, WI

Country Thunder – Twin Lakes, WI – July 22nd through 25th. The 2010 lineup for Country Thunder in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin July 22nd – 25th, 2010 has been announced! Headlining acts include Kenny Chesney, Sugarland, and Miranda Lambert. Supporting acts already announced are Sawyer Brown, Jason Aldean, Billy Currington, Kevin Costner and Modern West, John Michael Montgomery, Big Kenny, Craig Morgan, Jo Dee Messina, Luke Bryan, Collin Raye, Eric Church, Randy Houser, David Nail, Gloriana, Trailer Choir, Jason Jones, and Kate & Kacey.Country Music Photo Gallery

Sommet Center is now Nashville Arena

Nashville’s Sommet Center will now be known as simply “The Nashville Arena” due to a naming dispute between Sommet Group of Tennessee and The Nashville Predators Hockey League The Sommet Center in Nashville will be renamed Nashville Arena for now as part of a naming-rights dispute between the Nashville Predators and Sommet Group of Tennessee. Nashville Sports Authority officials reportedly approved the name change during a Dec. 3 meeting but said the venue could remain under the Sommet name should the parties work out their legal differences. The Predators are suing Sommet Group, claiming the company reneged on making payments per the 2007 naming rights deal. Sommet officials claim they stopped the payments because the Predators used a competitor for certain goods and services when Sommet was to be the preferred provider.Country Music Photo Gallery