Zac Brown Band 2009 Tour Dates

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Zac Brown Band has released their fall 2009 Breaking Southern Ground tour dates! The Zac Brown Band is hittin’ the road again for their fall 2009 Breaking Southern Ground tour, and I for one cannot WAIT until tickets go on sale of OKC! Here’s some more about ZBB’s tour from the band’s myspace: The tour will provide concert goers with the full Zac Brown Band experience: eat-and-greets featuring Zac cooking up his signature recipes for a few lucky fans in most markets, to performances by three up-and-coming Atlanta-based artists who have been signed by Zac Brown to his label Southern Ground Records: Sonia Leigh, Levi Lowrey and Nic Cowan. The shows will host various on-stage combinations of the musicians integrated throughout the event as Zac Brown Band will make appearances during each artist’s set and invite them to join the full band later in the night. “Obviously we’re always working on our music, but with this tour we’re building an experience that involves all senses,” says Zac Brown of the tour. “When people come to our show, we want them to smell the food cooking, taste our favorite recipes, watch the light show, listen to some great new artists and feel our excitement – a full five-sense experience.” Search for Zac Brown Band tickets on TicketMaster. Search for Zac Brown Band tickets on StubHub. 4-Sep-09 Duluth GA US Wild Bill’s (FREE SHOW) (Presented by Verizon Wireless Championship Racing) 17-Sep-09 Bloomington IL US US Cellular Coliseum (w/ Kenny Chesney) 18-Sep-09 Montgomery (FREE SHOW) AL US Riverwalk Amphitheatre (ESPN Basssmaster Elite Series Event) (FREE SHOW) 19-Sep-09 Indianapolis IN US Lucas Oil Stadium (w/ Kenny Chesney) 24-Sep-09 Cary NC US Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park 25-Sep-09 Simpsonville SC US Heritage Park Amphitheatre 26-Sep-09 Charlotte NC US Uptown Amphitheatre 27-Sep-09 Columbia MD US Merriweather Post Pavilion (WPOC Fall Fest) 2-Oct-09 Grand Prairie TX US Nokia Theatre 3-Oct-09 Austin TX US Austin City Limits Music Festival 4-Oct-09 Oklahoma City OK US Zoo Amphitheatre 9-Oct-09 Knoxville TN US World’s Fair Park 10-Oct-09 Charleston SC US Family Circle Magazine Stadium 11-Oct-09 Portsmouth VA US nTelos Wireless Pavilion 16-Oct-09 Boston MA US Agganis Arena 17-Oct-09 Camden NJ US Susquehanna Bank Center 24-Oct-09 New York NY US Terminal 5 31-Oct-09 Talladega AL US Talladega Superspeedway 12-Nov-09 Augusta GA US Bell Theatre (GTF Benefit) 15-Nov-09 St. Petersburg FL US Ribfest at Vinoy ParkCountry Music Photo Gallery

Toby Keith Launches the 2009 FFA Convention

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Toby Keith will kick off the 2009 Future Farmers of America National Convention in Indianapolis Indiana October 21st. Toby Keith is set to open the 2009 FFA Convention with a live concert. This is the 82nd annual Future Farmers of America National Convention where members and leaders gather to share their passion for the enrichment of America through agriculture and animal welfare. The theme of this year’s convention is “Lead Out Loud” and who better to embody that statement than Toby? For more information about the convention, visit http://www.ffa.orgCountry Music Photo Gallery

Mallary Hope has the iTunes Single of the Week

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Mallary Hope is a rising star in country music and now’s your chance to get to know her! Mallary Hope is an up and coming singer/songwriter whose powerfully emotional debut single, “Love Lives On,” has just been named iTunes Single of the Week and is currently featured on iTunes home page. I personally find Mallary’s voice to be absolutely beautiful, and refreshingly real. In a world of pop-country and auto-tuners, Mallary stands out as raw talent. Don’t miss your chance to say “I remember before she was kicking Taylor Swift’s rear end”! THE STORY BEHIND “LOVE LIVES ON”: “I was having a conversation with my sister, Atlanta. She and her husband, DJ, were high school sweethearts but when they graduated she joined the Air Force and he joined the Army. They reconnected a few years later when they were both stationed in Germany and soon after they were married. When she was pregnant, I asked her if the baby was planned, or if he was a surprise since they knew DJ was scheduled to be deployed to Iraq. She looked at me and said, ‘Mallary, we’re both in the military so you constantly have that fear that you could lose your loved one to war. Anything can happen. It would be the worst thing in the world to lose my husband. But if we shared a child together, I would have someone there that I could look at for the rest of my life and be reminded of this great love that we share. So he was definitely planned.’ I remember thinking, ‘There is a song in that somewhere.’ The next day I had a writing session with Matthew West and Shane Stevens. I picked up the guitar and said, ‘Can I just sing you this idea that I have? I don’t know where we can go with it.’ I told them about the conversation my sister and I had and sang, ‘I reached for you this morning, woke up with empty arms. Once again, it’s sinking in, how far away you are.’ I said, ‘I feel like the hook of the song needs to be that love lives on.’ Within 30 minutes, we had the entire song written and we were all crying. It was a gift.”Country Music Photo Gallery

Taylor Swift is a sweet cookie

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Taylor Swift reaffirmed her status as the “nicest celebrity ever” this past weekend in London, personally treating her waiting fans to some pizza, milk, and cookies, but country music’s biggest sweetheart will be bringing her Fearless Tour to NYC at MSG this Thursday, August 27! Check out MSG.com’s Taylor Swift hub here: http://msg.com/taylorswift/ While you’re there, be sure to check out photos of Taylor on and off the stage: http://msg.com/photos/taylor-swift-on-and-off-the-stage/slide/1/ Country Music Photo Gallery

Jason Aldean: Wide Open Live & More

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Jason Aldean’s DVD Wide Open Live & More is received well by fans and critics nationwide! Backing up and supporting his Gold-certified CD Wide Open, Jason Aldean’s Wide Open Live & More DVD offers to deliver more of this rising star! Released August 25, this DVD showcases his energetic blend of country and southern rock, which is positively blazing when performed live! Now I’ve gotten a good look and listen at this DVD and overall I have to say it’s not bad at all for his first. You catch the energy and excitement of the live show, and the setlist is well-thought out, keeping the momentum up throughout the performance. If I could change any one thing it would be the audio quality of Jason’s vocals. It would seem that either the mic he’s using or the settings on the board have his vocals falling a little flat (i.e. dynamic-wise, NOT pitch-wise). This is a common issue with live performance DVD’s though, especially debuts. For Jason Aldean fans I think they would LOVE this DVD, and I look forward to seeing his next one whenever that may be. ~WC~ Watch more AOL Music videos on AOL Video Country Music Photo Gallery

KJ Testin signed becomes first country artist signed by MySpace Records

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MySpace Records Artist Development signs first Country Artist, KJ Testin MySpace Records Artist Development signs its first, true Country Artist, KJ Testin, to its roster based off her four song demo — recorded/produced by Ben Fowler (Rascal Flatts, LeAnn Rimes, Julianne Hough). She will be opening for national artist, Ricochet, at the legendary 8 Seconds Saloon in Indianapolis on September 18th, 2009. www.myspace.com/kjtestinmusicCountry Music Photo Gallery

Kenny, Cameras, and Outdated Concert Rules

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Kenny Chesney is cited for confiscating a woman’s camera during a show at Gillette Stadium, but is the reasoning behind his action really outdated? Kenny Chesney fans all over are reading the news today that Kenny confiscated a woman’s camera at a show in Foxborough this last weekend, which brings to light a serious question aimed at both concert-goers and organizers alike: In this day of camera phones, miniature HD camcorders, and the wild spread of social media buzz and hype, how realistic or even beneficial is it to try policing these devices at concerts? Seriously, seeing live footage of a concert only makes fans more excited to see the artist themselves, and you WANT fans to come to concerts! That’s where the real money is! Not in record sales, not in iTunes downloads, not in awards shows. A person video-streaming from a show to perhaps their Twitter or Qik account becomes a personal recommendation for that artist to all of their friends, fans and followers. Where I come from that’s called FREE PRESS! Social media is one of THE most powerful tools in a modern marketing arsenal for any artist, and concert officials are trying to block it by banning video devices at shows? Passionate fans become your brand ambassadors so why stifle them? Why prevent them from creating a positive buzz about your live performance? Of course the only semi-decent argument I’ve heard is that in the event something goes wrong at a show, you may not want video proof of it. Do they mean the obviously-staged Tim McGraw fan removal (gee, it was great for press the first time, let’s do it again!)? Or the recent outpouring of sympathy and support for those hurt in the Canadian concert stage collapse last week? Either way, I think the rules regarding video recording at live concerts need a little updating. Limit my allowable devices. Only block pro gear. Require registration. But don’t stop me from being a dedicated fan who spreads the word about my favorite artists! I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter in the comments below!Country Music Photo Gallery

Miranda Lambert is Packing the Heat

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Miranda Lambert gives a gunpowder and lead-filled interview to Details Magazine! Miranda Lambert sits down with Matt Hendrickson of Details Magazine and answers some pretty fun questions like:  Your father was a Dallas cop who started a private-investigation business with your mother. Did that affect your songwriting? Is anyone at risk on your new album? So you’re not as wild as you seem? Do you really use a rifle butt for a mic stand? Are you packing heat right now? For these answers and more, head on over to DetailsCountry Music Photo Gallery

George Strait, Brooks & Dunn and Jason Aldean

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Country Music News Blog – Country Music News (in a minute) with special guest host, Big Mike. Today: Brooks & Dunn split up, George Strait’s Twang, and a free Jason Aldean DVD! [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_sE3UQZg_o] Follow DHCountryMusic on Twitter and we’ll be drawing a name from our followers this Friday to win the Jason Aldean “Wide Open Wide & More!” DVD!Country Music Photo Gallery