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After MidNite host Blair Garner welcomed three-time Academy of Country Music “Female Vocalist of the Year” award winner Martina McBride to his Nashville studio on Thursday, January 26. After introducing McBride to his audience as a 2012 ACM Award nominee, Garner discovered he was the first to share the news with the country star who had been busy that morning getting her kids ready for school.
GARNER: “Who gave you the news?”
MCBRIDE: “You just did.”
GARNER: “No, are you serious?”
MCBRIDE: “Yeah, I hadn’t heard yet.”
GARNER: “And I told you. Wait, let me back up. Hold on. Hold on. I just told you this a moment ago, and I introduced you that way, and you politely nodded your head.”
MCBRIDE: “Well, I know, because, I don’t know. Well, you were talking…”
GARNER: (laughter) “But you’re Martina McBride. You just got nominated for Female Vocalist.”
MCBRIDE: “It’s so exciting…”
Aaron Lewis has received two Academy Of Country Music nominations for his debut country single “Country Boy,” continuing his breakthrough year as a solo artist. The singer, songwriter and guitarist was nominated in the “Vocal Event of the Year” category for the song–which features George Jones and Charlie Daniels–as both the artist and co-producer, along with co-producer James Stroud. The song is from Lewis’ acclaimed 2011 country debut EP Town Line (R&J Records). The ACM Awards will take place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 1.
The Staind frontman is in Nashville with Grammy award-winning producer James Stroud recording the follow-up to Town Line, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart and #7 on theTop 200 Albums Chart. The new album is planned for a spring 2012 release and its first single will be released in February or March (details TBA).
On “Country Boy”–certified gold, selling in excess of 500,000 copies– Lewis gets a little help from legends George Jones and Charlie Daniels, striking a balance between classic and modern country, as Lewis tells his story like never before. Not only does the video include clips of Jones and Daniels in the studio, but it also draws from Lewis’ own family archives, giving a glimpse into his youth, home and passions. The video has been viewed over 12 million times on CMT.com and YouTube alone. The single and video also earned Lewis his first two CMT Music Award nominations: “Collaborative Video of the Year” and “USAWeekend Breakthrough Video of the Year” (awarded to the best video from an artist’s major breakthrough album).
Audiences across the country have experienced Lewis’ riveting live version of the song and other highlights from Town Line like “The Story Never Ends” and “Massachusetts” at Lewis’ ongoing series of acoustic shows. In a recent review from his Temecula, CA show on 1/21, Rick Florino of ArtistDirect.com wrote:
“During his solo acoustic shows and on his forthcoming new album, Lewis embodies the spirit of timeless country, continuing a long line perpetuated by the likes of George Jones, Waylon Jennings, and Hank Williams, Jr. He doesn’t mince words. He speaks the truth, and his honesty reverberates via every single song he commits to tape…This ‘Country Boy’ will be remembered forever as the man who could do it all and more (1/22/12).”
Country duo Montgomery Gentry has canceled its Feb. 24 show at the Val Air Ballroom. No word on why, but they’re still playing the Feb. 25 show in Clear Lake, which is a sold out show.
Refunds are available at the point of purchase
Craig Morgan Will Be The Special Guest On Cmt’s Southern Fried Flicks With Hazel Smith This Sunday
Craig Morgan is excited to be the special guest this weekend on CMT’s Southern Fried Flicks With Hazel Smith. The episode, which also features the film Overboard, premieres this Sunday, January 29th at 8PM ET.
Tune in to watch Hazel and Craig catch up over some delicious southern cookin’ as they discuss his new record label home and the new album out February 28th, including the title track hit, “This Ole Boy”.
Curb Records recording artist and BMI songwriter, Lee Brice, was nominated today by the Academy of Country Music in the prestigious “Song of the Year” category for his composition, “Crazy Girl,” recorded by the Eli Young Band. Brice shares writing credit with collaborator, Liz Rose. “Crazy Girl” was Billboard’s No. 1 country song for 2011, and Brice’s well-known hit, “Love Like Crazy,” was the No. 1 song for 2010.
Reacting to the nomination, Brice said,
“Liz Rose and I were just fortunate enough to be in the same room that magical day and wrote a magical song. Within a few hours, the song came together. I’m so honored to be acknowledged along with these other amazing writers.” Brice also extends his congratulations to the Eli Young Band for their ACM nomination for “Single of the Year” for “Crazy Girl.” “I’m so happy for the Eli Young Band. They’ve worked so hard for so long, and they deserve all the success that’s coming to them.”
As a songwriter, “Crazy Girl,” released in 2011 on Republic Nashville, is Brice’s second No.1 hit. In 2007, he made history when another single he co-wrote, Garth Brooks’, “More Than A Memory,” became the first song in the history of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart to debut at No. 1. This also marks the fourth ACM nomination for Brice as he was nominated last year for “Song of the Year” for “Love Like Crazy” and as both an artist and producer for “Single Record of the Year” for “Love Like Crazy.” His current single, “A Woman Like You,” from his upcoming album to be released this spring, is at No. 24 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.
For more information on Lee Brice, visit www.leebrice.com
On a recent trip to New York, Craig Campbell stopped by the AOL Studios to participate in their popular music series called “In House”, an original web series where AOL Music welcomes an artist to the office for interview, live performance, photo shoot and chill session with the staff. Craig Campbell has the distinction of being the first ever country artist to be featured in the program. You can check out Craig’s visit herebeginning today.
Craig Campbell’s latest single, “When I Get It,” co-written by Campbell with Jason Matthews and Jim McCormick, is described by Music Row as an “extremely likeable, hard-times, sing-along tune.” The inventive new music video, which was shot by director Wes Edwards in one continuous take, depicts Campbell’s belongings being repossessed by movers played by his true-life band members.
Campbell will also be hosting a Livestream chat on Monday, January 30th at 7PM CT/8PM ET where he will be talking about upcoming tour dates and playing a few songs live. Check https://www.facebook.com/
On a recent video shoot in the Florida Everglades, legendary country music duo The Bellamy Brothers fell victim to vandalism and grand larceny after their rental cars and production truck were broken into.
Thieves vandalized the Bellamy vehicles by prying open the door locks and stealing a personal iPad, digital camera and thousands of dollars worth of production equipment that was being used to shoot the music video.
“The police told us that most of the electronics were offered to a local pawn shop right after the theft but the owner turned the equipment down after suspecting it had been stolen,” says David Bellamy. “Fortunately, the video cameras and guitars were not taken, probably due to their size.”
The “Let Your Flow Love” singers recently spent four days in several Florida locations, shooting four different music videos with Austrian pop music superstar, DJ Ötzi. Shoot locations included the Everglades, Miami’s seaplane port and warehouse district and the Florida Keys. The four videos were shot for upcoming collaborative releases for all countries in Europe as well as South Africa, Australia and Japan.
Trace Adkins has added Ryman Auditorium to the list of theaters he will visit on his recently announced Songs & Stories Tour. On May 18, Trace will host a “homecoming” of sorts at the historic venue, as he plays in Nashville, the city he’s called home for the past twenty years as a Country hitmaker.
Though a veteran performer who has graced the Ryman stage during Grand Ole Opry performances and special events in the past, this upcoming date will be the first time Adkins has performed a full-band performance at the venue. As with all the shows on the Songs & Stories Tour, intimate performances will incorporate stories, both humorous and meaningful, that pay homage to Adkins’ working-man roots and rich musical heritage.
Tickets for The Ryman performance go onsale to fan club members on Monday, 1/30 and to the public on Friday, 2/3. A full list of dates and ticket info is below.
Inspiration for the Songs & Stories Tour came as Trace released his 10th studio album, Proud To Be Here, last summer with a CMT Invitation Only special. The special featured new hits “Just Fishin’” and “Million Dollar View,” a Q&A session and the most-loved songs from Adkins’ twenty year career. The taping was so fun for Trace and his guests that he began laying plans for a tour.
“The point of this Tour is to get together and share meaningful songs, stories and some laughs ‘around the campfire’ – it’s the Country music tradition. The Ryman Auditorium also plays a very important role in the tradition of this genre, so it’s fitting that we would play this stage on this particular tour.”
Fans can share their own stories, questions and the songs that have inspired or shaped their lives on the Songs & Stories page at www.traceadkins.com.
From humble beginnings as a small-town Louisiana roughneck, to a Country super star with a twenty year career of hits, to his recent roles as outspoken author and actor, Adkins’ life parallels the songs he sings. His albums showcase a range of earnest tributes and party anthems with humor and depth – the Songs & Stories Tour promises to offer the same.
See the CMT performance that inspired the Songs & Stories Tour by clicking here
TICKET ON-SALE DATES:
· March dates on sale now
· April & May dates go on sale to public on Friday, 2/3. (Fan club pre-sale begins Mon. 1/30).
Songs & Stories Tour Dates (More To Be Announced):
March 8 Des Moines IA Hoyt Sherman Place
March 9 Kansas City MO The Midland by AMC
March 10 Peoria IL Civic Theater
March 15 Milwaukee WI Riverside Theater
March 16 Rochester MN Mayo Civic Theater
March 17 Grand Forks ND Chester Fritz Auditorium *Fan presale 1/30, public on-sale 2/3
March 22 Birmingham AL Alabama Theatre
April 12 Ashland KY Paramount Arts Center
April 14 Toledo OH Stranahan Theater
April 18 Louisville KY The Palace Theater
April 19 Spartanburg SC Memorial Hall
April 20 Charlotte NC Ovens Auditorium
April 25 Denver CO Paramount Theater *fan presale 1/23, public on-sale 1/27
April 27 Salina KS Stiefel Theater
April 28 Tulsa OK Brady Theater
May 3 N. Charleston SC North Charleston Performing Arts Center
May 4 Savannah GA Mercer Theater *fan presale 1/30, public on-sale 2/10
May 10 Davenport IA Adler Theatre
May 11 South Bend IN Morris PAC *fan presale 1/30, public on-sale 2/4
May 12 Memphis TN Orpheum Theatre *fan presale 1/23, public on-sale 1/27
May 17 Atlanta GA Cobb Theater
May 18 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
