MUSIC HEADLINES
Dierks Bentley a New Dad
Dierks Bentley is reportedly the proud new father of a baby girl, according to People.com. Bentley, 32, and his wife Cassidy, 33, welcomed daughter Evalyn Day Bentley just before midnight ...Read More
Folk Pioneer Nick Reynolds Dies
Nick Reynolds, a leading figure in folk music and a founding member of the Kingston Trio, died Wednesday (Oct. 1). Reynolds died at 75 of complications from surgery ...Read More
Josh Turner Attends Billy Graham Premiere
Josh Turner hit the carpet at the world premiere of Billy: The Early Years in Nashville on Thursday night (Oct. 2). Many of the film's actors were in attendance. Armie Hammer, who portrays Billy Graham ...Read More
Dailey & Vincent Earn Unprecedented Wins at Bluegrass Awards
Dailey & Vincent had a good night at Thursday's (Oct. 2) International Bluegrass Music Awards. With 10 nominations going into the evening, it's hardly surprising, but the seven awards the ...Read More
Blake Shelton Releasing New Album
Blake Shelton's fifth album, Startin' Fires, is set for a November 18 release on Warner Bros. Records. The album is produced by Scott Hendricks, who has made ...Read More
Toby Keith's Beer for My Horses to Play On CMT
Toby Keith's Beer for My Horses, his second feature film, will make its televison broadcast debut on Nov. 2 on CMT. Co-produced by CMT Films and Keith's Show Dog Productions ...Read More
Jessica Simpson to Open for Rascal Flatts in '09
Jessica Simpson has signed on to open shows for Rascal Flatts when the trio resumes their Bob That Head tour in 2009. The current opener, Taylor Swift, will be on board for the remainder ...Read More
Paisley, Underwood to Host CMA Awards
Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley have been announced as the hosts of this year's 42nd Annual CMA Awards. The two are the current holders of the Male and Female Vocalist Awards from last year's event ...Read More
Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood Accompany Hall of Fame Show
The Country Music Hall of Fame's Ford Theater had a pair of surprise guests on Tuesday night (Sept. 30), when Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood performed after being invited by Dobro ...Read More
First Christmas Record from Mary Chapin Carpenter
Mary Chapin Carpenter's first Christmas album, Come Darkness, Come Light, was released on Tuesday (Sept. 30) on Zoe/Rounder Records. Featuring six of her original songs, ...Read More
Obama Gets Bluegrass Support
With both candidates garnering more support from celebrities in the closing weeks of the U.S. presidential race, Barack Obama has a new act in his corner. Bluegrass group the Bloggrass Boys ...Read More
Grascals Commended for Chart Success
The Grascals were honored Tuesday (Sept. 30) by SESAC, the performance rights organization, who threw a party at their Nashville offices celebrating the band's latest albums chart success. ...Read More
Kenny Chesney Developing New Rum With Beverage Company
Kenny Chesney is taking the "Poets & Pirates" theme of his latest tour to heart. The country singer is teaming with Constellation Spirits to develop a new premium rum. Chesney will work with the alcoholic ...Read More
Sugarland Cancels Dates Due to Illness
Sugarland was forced to cancel three concerts over the weekend because of a sinus and throat problem that sidelined Jennifer Nettles. The band was unable to take the stage ...Read More
Earl Scruggs Issues Live at the Ryman Album
Earl Scruggs, best known for his pioneering work on the banjo, released a new album, The Ultimate Collection/Live at the Ryman, as a digital download Tuesday (Sept. 30). ...Read More
Kevin Costner Takes Country Music For a Spin
Kevin Costner may be best known for his Oscar winning acting and directing in films such as Dances With Wolves, but he is also the latest actor to embark into the world of country music ...Read More
McCready Ready To Face Music
Mindy McCready is planning to voluntarily surrender to police in Franklin, Tenn., in order to serve a 60-day sentence she received for violating parole in connection with her 2004 conviction for ...Read More
CMA Awards Announces Performers
Reps for this year's CMA Awards have announced that the annual awards show will feature performances from Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert and more ...Read More
George Jones University In Session
An invitation-only party at Jones' Nashville ranch kicked off the fall session of George Jones University on Thursday night (Sept. 25). The program serves to educate young, up and coming country artists ...Read More
Amy Grant and Vince Gill Team Up For Christmas
Amy Grant and Vince Gill have announced a 15-date Christmas tour that will kick off Dec. 4 in Manchester, N.H. and conclude with two shows at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium on ...Read More
Turner Bandmate Marries Martha Stewart Assistant
Josh Turner and Martha Stewart crossed paths in Nashville this weekend, as Kevin Haynie, a member of Turner's band, wed Liesl Menning, Stewart's assistant. The pair met last year when ...Read More
Nelson, Mellencamp, Young Push Congress for Farm Investment
Farm Aid board members have asked Congress to apportion funds from the proposed $700 billion Wall Street bailout to the working men and women in farm communities. ...Read More
Gill, Harris, Crowell to Play NYC Benefit Concert
Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell and Emmylou Harris will play the second annual All for the Hall New York benefit in New York City on Oct. 15. Proceeds from the show will benefit Nashville's Country Music Hall ...Read More
Toby Keith Rakes In Record Earnings
Forbes magazine has reported that Toby Keith earned $48 million between June 1, 2007 and June 1, 2008. Those figures make the country singer the third highest-earning musician during that span ...Read More
Johnny Cash Documentary Prepares Release
Johnny Cash's America, a new documentary featuring the unreleased recitation "I Am the Nation," will be released in a CD/DVD package on Legacy Recordings on Oct. 28 ...Read More
CMT Gets Pumped for Hulk Hogan Celebrity Wrestling Show
CMT will launch its new series, Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling, on Oct. 18. The show will take 10 celebrity wrestlers and attempt to transform them into pro-grade wrestlers ...Read More
Darius Rucker Tops Country Charts With Solo Debut
As former lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish, Darius Rucker was used to racking up hits. Now, he may be finding similar success in country music, as he has the No. 1 country album ...Read More
Lady Antebellum Staying Up Late, Late on Friday
Lady Antebellum, the award-winning country trio who just picked up their first CMA nominations, are returning to late night TV. The band will perform the infectiously catchy single "Lookin' For A Good Time" ...Read More
Nicole Kidman Says Fertile Australian Waters Led to Pregnancy
Keith Urban's Oscar-winning wife, actress Nicole Kidman, said that she may have become pregnant in the past year due to a dip she took in Australian Outback waterfalls that promote fertility ...Read More
Randy Travis to Release Holiday DVD
Randy Travis is getting into the holiday spirit this season with his first holiday DVD, Christmas on the Pecos. The disc will hit stores on Nov. 4 courtesy of Image Entertainment. Part of the special was recorded ...Read More
Old Crow Medicine Show Releases New Album
Old Crow Medicine Show is back with a new album, Tennessee Pusher, which hit stores on Tuesday (Sept. 23). Produced by Don Was, the album was released on Nettwerk Records ...Read More
Julianne Hough Records Christmas Record
Julianne Hough will release a Christmas EP, titled The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection, exclusively at Target stores on Oct. 12. Tracks will include "Jingle Bell Rock," "Feliz Navidad," "Santa Baby ...Read More
Randy Rogers Band Releases New Album
The highly-anticipated new album from Randy Rogers Band is available in stores now. The self-titled album, Randy Rogers Band, was produced by Radney Foster ...Read More
Sun Rises Early on Kenny Chesney's Lucky Old Sun
With the release of Kenny Chesney’s Lucky Old Sun still nearly a month away, the sun will rise early for eager fans on September 23 with iTunes’ “Countdown To Kenny Chesney’s Lucky Old Sun” ...Read More
Kellie Pickler to Perform On Today Show, Promote Album Release
Kellie Pickler will christen the release of her sophomore album with a Tuesday, September 30 appearance on The Today Show. This is exactly the kind of jumpstart the CMA Top New Artist nominee could ...Read More
Carrie Underwood Riding High With Two CMA Nods
Carrie Underwood will look to continue her winning ways this November at the 2008 CMA Awards. The Idol phenomenon has been nominated for two awards ...Read More
Lee Ann Womack Samples Songs From New Album
Lee Ann Womack gave fans a taste of her upcoming album, Call Me Crazy, last week at a performance at the Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City ...Read More
Cyrus to Star in New Disney Movie
Miley Cyrus will star in a new film written specifically for her, ET has reported. The film was penned by author Nicholas Sparks, who has adapted such novels as 'The Notebook' and ...Read More
James Taylor Covers Country on Upcoming Album
James Taylor's new album may have some treats for some country fans. The dulcet-toned crooner recorded new versions of songs made popular by George Jones, John Anderson, Glen Campbell and ...Read More
Trace Adkins Talks American Carol
Trace Adkins is making the leap to the silver screen, taking the role of the Angel of Death in the new film, An American Carol. "I really haven’t done a whole lot of acting. I think it’s gonna ...Read More
Grey's Anatomy Season Premiere to Feature New Taylor Swift Song
Taylor Swift will debut a new song on the two-hour season premiere of ABC's Grey's Anatomy, which airs Thursday (Sept. 25). The song is also featured on Swift's upcoming ...Read More
Miley Cyrus Sticking With Montana
Miley Cyrus has denied rumors that she's seeking to get fired from Hannah Montana. "I am fully committed to 'Hannah Montana.' ...Read More
Country Stars Talk Heroes
Carrie Underwood, George Strait, Kenny Chesney and others recently spoke up about the "real-life heroes" who inspired them to reach for their dreams ...Read More
ACM Endows Charity Fund With $850K
The Academy of Country Music (ACM) endowed its charitable fund with $850,000 at an ACM board meeting last week. The endowment consists partly of ...Read More
Craig Morgan Invited to Join Grand Ole Opry
Craig Morgan recently received a welcome interruption while onstage in Fayetteville, N.C.. At a Thursday (Sept. 18) show at Ft. Bragg, Opry member John Conlee surprised Morgan during ...Read More
Billy Joe Shaver Indicted in Saloon Shooting
Singer-songwriter Billy Joe Shaver was indicted on felony charges in connection with a bar shooting that occurred near Waco, Texas. The indictments were returned by a McLennan County grand jury ...Read More
Hank Williams Jr. Earns BMI Honors
Hank Williams Jr. is set to receive a BMI Icon award during the performing rights organization's 56th annual Country Awards. Williams will be honored with an all-star musical tribute ...Read More
Chuck Wicks Fans Get Chance at Backstage Access
Chuck Wicks and country music's online social network DigitalRodeo.com are collaborating to give one lucky fan and a guest the "All You Ever Wanted In A Chuck Wicks Backstage Pass Experience ...Read More
Toby Keith, Willie Nelson Join Stephen Colbert for Christmas Special
Stephen Colbert will have country artists Toby Keith and Willie Nelson join him for his holiday special, A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! This will be Colbert's first holiday special, and will feature ...Read More
ASCAP to Honor Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire is set to be honored with the ASCAP Golden Note Award during the 46th annual ASCAP Country Music Awards ceremony on Oct. 13 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium ...Read More
Sara Evans, Josh Turner to Attend Nashville Premiere
Sara Evans and Josh Turner will be in Nashville to attend the world premiere of the Billy Graham biopic, Billy: The Early Years on Oct. 2. Turner portrays George Beverly Shea in the movie ...Read More
Alison Krauss to Take Stage with Jerry Douglas
Alison Krauss is set to perform with Jerry Douglas at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville on Tuesday night (Sept. 16). Other special guests appearing will be ...Read More
Sheryl Crow to Perform for Levon Helm Concert
Sheryl Crow will join special guests Sam Bush, Buddy Miller and Billy Bob Thornton at Levon Helm's Wednesday night (Sept. 17) concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville ...Read More
Adam Gregory Camps Out on Latest Tour
Canadian country star Adam Gregory has been touring extensively on the second leg of his radio tour to promote "Crazy Days," his Top 30 single. Though most musicians would look for a hotel while ...Read More
Taylor Swift Partners with iTunes for FEARLESS Campaign
Taylor Swift is partnering with iTunes for a Countdown to FEARLESS Campaign. Fans that can't wait for the new album's release date of November 11th will get the chance to access four tracks ...Read More
Charlie Walker Dead at 81
Charlie Walker, a member of the Grand Ole Opry, died Friday morning (Sept. 12) in Hendersonville, Tenn., at age 81. The honky-tonk singer also enjoyed success as a radio broadcaster ...Read More
Brooks & Dunn, LeAnn Rimes Cancel Shows
Brooks & Dunn are calling off two shows scheduled for this weekend in Pennsylvania and Illinois because Ronnie Dunn has fallen ill with "a severe respiratory condition," their Web site reports ...Read More
James Otto Picks Up First CMA Nod
James Otto is thrilled to have been nominated for the first time for a CMA Award. The rising country star picked up a nod for New Artist Of The Year during CMA Awards live nomination press conference ...Read More
George Jones Earns Kennedy Honors
George Jones is receiving the kind of recognition that comes to a precious few in their respective fields. The country legend is among a handful selected for the 31st annual Kennedy Center Honors ...Read More
CMA Nominations UPDATE: Kenny Chesney Leads With Seven Nods
Kenny Chesney is the leading nominee for the 42nd Annual Country Music Association Awards; he’s received seven nods, including Entertainer of Year, Album of the Year... ...Read More
