2009 Stagecoach Festival Artists Announced

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Gas prices, struggling economy, and artist cancellations could make this the last Stagecoach Festival. The 2009 Stagecoach Festival (California’s Country Music Festival) planning is well underway, but some fear that the days of country music pilgrimages may be coming to a close. The past few years have seen a decline in ticket and merchandise sales for many event organizers and this year expects to be even worse. Fans who are are struggling with keeping their homes, or scraping pennies just to fill up their gas tanks certainly don’t have the luxury of buying music festival tickets or paying the expenses that are incurred on the trip there and back. Even lesser-known artists have been backing out of recent festival appearances because of high touring costs. But don’t tell that to these country concert stars. Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Lady Antebellum have already signed on to appear at  the 2009 Stagecoach Festival in spite of the obvious financial concerns. They will be joined by fellow artists Darius Rucker, Kid Rock, Little Big Town, Chris Cagle,  and many more! Tickets go on sale next week, and the success of this festival may determine the future of the event.Country Music Photo Gallery

Brad Paisley’s New Album Play In Stores Today!

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Brad Paisley is proud to release his new album “Play” to stores today! This album focuses on Brad’s amazing guitar skills and features collaborations with other chart-topping artists like Keith Urban, Buck Owens, Steve Wariner, BB King and even Andy Griffith. Each track brings forth little pieces of Paisley’s heart and soul. My personal favorites so far are tied between “Kim” which somehow pulls my heartstrings without a word, and the playful intro to “Start a Band” where you can hear him laughing about dropping his guitar pick into the body of the guitar which is something I’ve done more times than I can count. Now my question is, with the obvious skill, top names, and excellent musicianship on the instrumental tracks of this album, how many tracks do YOU think will get national radio airplay? I believe that Brad Paisley’s “Play” album sets the stage for a resurgence in skilled guitarists taking the spotlight in pop country, which is something I’ve sorely missed. For more reviews of Brad Paisley’s new album Play, check out our country music forum!Country Music Photo Gallery

CMNB Partners with DH Country Music to Create Community!

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In the spirit of encouraging new music and community participation, Country Music News Blog has joined with DH Country Music to create a community driven site! Over the next few weeks we will begin adding features to the site that will include integrated access to our new: Country Music Forum User Profiles Chat Video, Picture, and Music Uploads And much much more! To celebrate our community the first 500 members to join will be entered into a raffle for special prizes including new cd’s, apparel, and many other exciting gifts! Once you’ve joined, be sure to invite your friends or visit our badges page to help spread the word! And by all means PLEASE use these tools to help bring your favorite artists to light for the rest of us!!! View my page on DH Country MusicCountry Music Photo Gallery

Dierks Bentley Releases Bonus Video

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Fans are invited to take an inside look at the creation of Dierks Bentley‘s next album by promising to post a new behind-the-scenes video on Bentley’s Web site every Monday. This latest move shows both artists and fans how much the power of the internet and online social interaction is changing the face of artist promotion and how it gives fans an opportunity to get up close and personal to stars like Dierks Bentley. Dierks was an early adopter of online social tools in the country music scene which has no doubt aided in his success. So let’s celebrate his efforts and enjoy the special behind the scenes Dierks Bentley video.Country Music Photo Gallery

Jake Owen to Finish New Album

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Jake Owen is wrapping up in his producer’s studio over the next few weeks and shares his enthusiasm for  the wide variety of songs included in the coming album with CMT. “When I’m buying a record, I want to make sure I can listen to it from top to bottom, and to have an eclectic mix of songs,” he says. “Not songs that all sound the same. They’re random, you know, and that’s what keeps me as a listener.” Jake Owen proudly takes co-writing credit for 9 of the tracks on his new album, including the current hit, “Startin’ with me” but is just as excited about songs that  were provided to him.Country Music Photo Gallery

CMA Nominees and the Future of Country Music

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Since everyone else reports on the same handful of country stars, I thought I’d introduce y’all to some newer faces in country music! Of course the country music industry is all abuzz with the recent 2008 CMA Nominees announcements, and everyone is hemming and hawing over acts like Sugarland, Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, and George Strait. I mean, It’s big news, with household names and those names grab readers. But I want to take a moment to introduce you to (or remind you of) some names you’ll hear plenty of in the coming year! First on my roster is young crooner Mindy Smith. Mindy is currently working on a followup album to her debut “One Moment More“. Mindy’s voice is clear and strong and her heart spills out into the songs that she both writes and performs. While Mindy’s not a household name yet, with the help of country music legend Dolly Parton, I’m sure it won’t take long. Not long ago Mindy Smith had the honor of performing Dolly’s classic “Jolene” on the “Just because I’m a Woman” tribute album. Dolly’s reaction: “Even though Mindy is still young and new to the music business, I believe she will leave her mark as one of our greatest writers and singers ever,” says Dolly Parton, “‘Jolene’ has been done many times by many artists,including me, but Mindy’s version is my favorite. I wish her all the best.” [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcDBgXbGskc] Next in the rockin country rollcall is an unexpected duo from Tennessee. Joey and Rory surprised judges along with the rest of America when they appeared on CMT’s Can You Duet with their solid sound and old-country charm. But what won the world over to Joey and Rory is the only thing more universal than music. Love. Their obvious affection and endearment for each other was something cameras gravitated towards, taking the viewers along for the ride. It almost makes this video for “Cheater, cheater” seem like a playful joke! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, look out Tim and Faith, cause these guys are authentic! [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmqIsnIp5uc] Something you’ll find with both of these artists is that the next wave of rising country stars seems to have a nostalgic tone. We’re finding more reliance on voice and instruments and less on studio-produced pop sound. My opinion is that it’s about time! Country Music Photo Gallery

Brad Paisley Announces 2009 Concert Tour Dates!

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BRAD EXTENDS THE PAISLEY PARTY TOUR INTO 2009! Brad Paisley has announced the last leg of The Paisley Party tour which will extend into early 2009. Paisley has invited fellow Opry member Dierks Bentley to be his very special guest on the 24 day tour starting in January with Darius Rucker opening January dates and Crystal Shawanda February dates.   View All Upcoming Shows Current CMA and ACM Male Vocalist of the Year, Paisley received his first Grammy Award this year for Country Instrumental, “Throttleneck.” The Paisley Party has played to over 502,000 fans so far this year and last year’s Bonfires and Amplifiers Tour was ranked #2 in total attendance for country tours by Pollstar. Play – Paisley’s highly anticipated guitar-driven mostly-instrumental album will be released November 4 and includes special guest vocals and collaborations with B.B. King, Keith Urban, Steve Wariner and Buck Owens. 2009 The Paisley Party tour dates: 1-15 Tupelo, MS BancorpSouth Center 1-16 Little Rock, AR Alltel Arena 1-17 New Orleans, LA New Orleans Arena 1-18 Pensacola, FL Pensacola Civic Center 1-22 Austin, TX Frank Irwin Center 1-23 Bossier City, LA CenturyTel Center 1-24 Tulsa, OK BOK Center 1-25 Lubbock, TX United Spirit Arena 1-29 Dayton, OH Nutter Center 1-30 Moline, IL iWireless Center 1-31 Omaha, NE Qwest Center 2-12 London, ONT John Labatt Centre 2-13 Hamilton, ONT Copps Coliseum 2-14 Ottawa, ONT Scotiabank Place 2-17 Winnipeg, MAN MTS Centre 2-18 Regina, SK Brandt Centre 2-19 Saskatoon, SK Credit Union Centre 2-20 Edmonton, ALB Rexall Place 2-21 Calgary, ONT Penngrowth Saddledome 2-24 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place 2-26 Spokane, WA Spokane, Arena 2-27 Portland, OR Rose Garden 2-28 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome 3-1 Yakima, WA Yakima Valley SundomeCountry Music Photo Gallery

Kenny Rogers on FOX Business Network

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Kenny Rogers makes a guest appearance on FOX Business Network Kenny Rogers spoke with FOX Business Network’s Charles Payne about the niche he has in the country music market and how he can’t compete with Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney, but they’re too young to do what he does. Below are excerpts from the interview: On what kind of artist he is: “As far as musically goes, I think I’m boxed in to who I am and what I do best, and I try not to compete in areas that I don’t feel I can compete in. I think I’m an excellent story teller and I have always said if you give me a song that touches me I think I can make it touch you.” On comparing himself to current popular country artists: “As far as going out there and doing the heavy country rock, I can’t compete with Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney and those guys, so I don’t try. I mean, I do what I do best. Honestly, I think they’re too young to do what I do, so it’s a nice niche I have.” To see the full interview, follow this link. You can catch Kenny Rogers live by checking the Kenny Rogers Concert Tour schedule.Country Music Photo Gallery

Country Music Fan Videos – Sugarland

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Young performers are often inspired by today’s top country artists. Sometimes the best compliment an artist can receive is from the children that love them. And with every new hit, there’s a fan out there who can’t get enough. Today’s country artists can be the biggest inspiration to children’s dreams and I personally believe that deserves to be praised. The beauty of the internet age is that fans no longer have to love their favorite artists in the privacy of their own home. They can broadcast that love out to the world and make millions of people smile, as well as possibly reaching the artist they idolized in the first place. Who knows? Maybe we’ll see some of these same kids ten years from now rockin country music radio. Here is my favorite video this week from young country music fan who obviously knows what she wants to do!  [youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtaHtgRYUX8]  Sugarland  – All I Wanna Do Performed by 6 year old Kimmie Sugarland is currently on tour. For Sugarland concert tickets and tour dates please visit our partner site, Country Music On Tour.Country Music Photo Gallery

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