About Country Music

Taylor Swift Named Entertainer of the Year by The Associated Press

2009-12-22T13:54:17Z

The Midas touch continues for Taylor Swift as she has just been named the entertainer of the year by The Associated Press. Chosen by a survey of newspaper editors and broadcast producers, Taylor follows last year's winner, 30 Rock star and creator, Tina Fey, and 2007 winner, Stephen Colbert.

Taylor has been everywhere in 2009, and there is no denying that no other star has had the kind of year she has. From winning most of the major trophies at the Country Music Association awards last month to picking up eight Grammy nominations, 2009 has definitely been her year. She's hosted Saturday Night Live. She's enjoyed a massively successful and sold-out 52-date tour. At one point during 2009 she even had eight songs on the charts simultaneously, which very well might be a record. I'm looking into that one, and a hunch tells me you might have to go all the way back to the Beatles to find anyone who's duplicated that feat.

Taylor will have to wait until the Grammy awards on January 31 to learn if she's going to need a bigger trophy case. Smart money says she'd better call a carpenter. Her current album, Fearless, has already gone quintuple platinum (5 million units sold), and it's still No. 4 on Billboard's Hot 100 and the No. 1 on the country chart.

Photo � Big Machine

Taylor Swift Named Entertainer of the Year by The Associated Press originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009 at 13:54:17.

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Carrie Underwood Engaged to Hockey Star

2009-12-21T15:51:04Z

The rumors of Carrie Underwood's possible engagement to a National Hockey League star started circulating a few weeks ago on one of Carrie's bigger fan websites. Fans were sure they had spotted Mike Fisher, a gritty, hard-nosed center for the Ottawa Senators, shopping for an engagement ring.

Well, the rumors are true, and the happy couple are now officially engaged. Carrie's Nashville-based publicist, Jessie Schmidt, confirmed that Carrie and Mike are engaged and are very happy. She went on to say that no date has been set for the wedding.

Fisher is an alternate-captain for the Senators and a former Selke Trophy nominee, which is awarded to the best defensive-forward in the N.H.L. He first met Carrie in Ottawa in 2008 when he was backstage at her concert. Word has it that he proposed to Carrie at his home in front of family and friends.

Carrie is currently preparing for her upcoming major North American tour in support of her new album, Play On. The 45-date tour launches on March 11 in Reading, PA and will conclude in Spokane, WA on May 30.

Photo � Arista Nashville

Carrie Underwood Engaged to Hockey Star originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Monday, December 21st, 2009 at 15:51:04.

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Brother Henry Is One of Nashville Best-Kept Secrets

2009-12-17T17:59:20Z

Every once in a blue moon I come across an artist or band who have been around for a while yet are criminally flying too low under the radar. Nashville-based Brother Henry is one of those groups. Fronted by twin brothers, Ned and David Henry, Brother Henry is one of those rare groups where the moment you hear them for the first time, you do a bit of a double-take and say, "Who is that?" I've had the good pleasure of seeing them perform a number of times over the past couple of years, and they never fail to put on an amazing show. The vocal chemistry between Ned and David is remarkable - think the Everly Brothers sprinkled with a dash of Simon and Garfunkel.

Over the years, Brother Henry has either performed shows with or loaned their considerable musical talents to some of the biggest names in country, rock, pop and Americana, including Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift, Steve Earle, Ben Folds, the Indigo Girls, R.E.M. and many others.

Brother Henry have just released their fifth studio album, a wonderful gospel CD titled God Is Alive. Even if you're not really into gospel music, this CD is worth listening to. It doesn't sound like any gospel album I've ever heard, and it's extremely refreshing. Ned and David's harmonies are simply a wonder, and the messages in the songs, though definitely spiritual, are subtle and far from pulpit-rattling. It's just a matter of time before a major label picks these guys up.

Brother Henry is performing over the next three days with Jars of Clay in Florida, North Carolina and Georgia. If you're in the vicinity, check them out. I promise you'll become a convert in no time.

Upcoming Brother Henry Shows:

December 17 - UCF Arena - Orlando, FL
December 18 - Grace Centre - Mills River, NC
December 19 - Carriage Lane Presbyterian Church - Peachtree City, GA

Photo � Brother Henry

Brother Henry Is One of Nashville Best-Kept Secrets originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 17:59:20.

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Steve Wariner Earns Grammy Nomination and BMI Recognition

2009-12-16T16:34:30Z

One of the truly great things about working in the music business here in Nashville is the opportunity to meet some of the stars who make the music that we all love so much. It's even more pleasurable when you learn that a lot of these stars are really just normal folks like the rest of us. Steve Wariner is one of those guys.

Steve recently received a Grammy nomination for his song, "Producer's Medley," from his wonderful new album, Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins. Back before Steve made it as a solo artist, he toured with Chet. Steve was very young back then, and he actually played bass for Chet and not guitar.

Speaking to CMT.com about the song "Producer's Medley," Steve said, "When I toured with Chet, he would talk to the audience and say, 'You know, folks, I'd get lucky every now and then. I'd be with some great artists in the studio, and some great songs would come across my desk.' He never would add, 'And I'm a great producer.' But he'd say, 'Every once in a while, we made some hits. And here's some of those songs."

Among the songs covered on "Producer's Medley" are "Welcome to My World" by Jim Reeves, "The End of the World" by Skeeter Davis, "When You're Hot, You're Hot" by Jerry Reed and "The Three Bells," by The Browns. I write and produce a couple of nationally syndicated radio shows hosted by Jim Ed Brown of The Browns, and I recently had the good fortune of meeting Steve when he came into the studio to discuss his tribute album to Chet. A nicer and more humble "star" you will not meet.

Here's a wonderful link to Steve Wariner performing "Producer's Medley" live in concert.

Hot on the heels of his Grammy nomination, BMI just recognized Steve for his songwriting accomplishments. He picked up his 15th BMI Million-Air award, which signifies that songs written or co-written by Steve have enjoyed more than 15 million spins on the radio. Among his biggest songs are his own 1998 hit "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" (2 million spins), Keith Urban's 2001 hit "Where the Blacktop Ends" (2 million spins) and Clint Black's 1998 No. 1 hit "Nothin' but the Taillights" (3 million spins).

Photo � Selectone

Steve Wariner Earns Grammy Nomination and BMI Recognition originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Wednesday, December 16th, 2009 at 16:34:30.

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Garth Brooks Performs in Las Vegas

2009-12-15T21:20:59Z

Elvis did it. So did Celine Dion. Countless other big-name acts have cashed in later in their careers by taking their acts to Sin City. Why not Garth Brooks ?

His recent decision to re-launch his performing career in Vegas doesn't necessarily appear to be all about money. Garth did, however, mention in a recent press conference that when the idea of performing in Vegas was still just an idea, he told Wynn Hotel owner, Steve Wynn, that he couldn't possibly afford his services. Garth went on to admit that Wynn surprised him by not only meeting his asking price, but he tossed in a fancy private jet just to sweeten the pot. There's still a little confusion over who actually approached who first. Both men point to the other as the culprit.

Regardless, Garth's first weekend in Vegas is in the books, and by most accounts, it went exceedingly well albeit with a few minor bumps. Apparently there were a few folks in the crowd of 1,500 who weren't too pleased with the sparse nature of the show. For starters, there is no band with Garth. It's just him and an acoustic guitar. No big lights, big sound, smoke, lasers or over-the-top production so prevalent at a proper Garth Brooks concert.

Still, the reviews are in, and the vast majority of folks left happy. During the 100 minute show, Garth performed many of his biggest hits. Sometimes he sang an entire song, while other times he performed only a snippet of a song. He broke some songs down and actually showed the audience how they were written. Songwriting 101! He covered other artists' songs, including a few by personal heroes like Billy Joel and James Taylor. He told stories and was confident and self-deprecating at the same time.

One of the highlights of the evening was when Garth's wife, Trisha Yearwood , joined him on stage to perform a few songs, including "She's in Love with the Boy" and "Walkaway Joe." Garth accompanied her on guitar while singing harmony. Trisha left the stage to a thunderous standing ovation.

Garth is scheduled to perform 15 weekends a year in Las Vegas, though he has the luxury of being somewhat flexible on just which weekends to work.

Photo � Capitol Nashville

Garth Brooks Performs in Las Vegas originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Tuesday, December 15th, 2009 at 21:20:59.

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Carrie Underwood Tour Dates

2009-12-11T14:31:31Z

Hot on the heels of her two Grammy nominations and a successful network television holiday special, Carrie Underwood has just announced a 45-date North American tour to support her third album, Play On.

The tour will launch on March 11 in Reading, PA and will conclude on May 30 in Spokane, WA. She will venture into Canada in late March for a couple of dates before returning to the states. Craig Morgan is scheduled to open up for Carrie, as will Sons of Sylvia, a trio of brothers previously known as the Clark Brothers. Adam, Ashley and Austin Clark are featured with Carrie in the song "What Can I Say" from Play On. They also performed the song with Carrie on Carrie Underwood: An All Star Holiday Special.

Carrie's last major tour was in 2008 in support of her album Carnival Ride. She performed 137 shows for over a million fans.

"I cannot wait to perform new music and see familiar faces across the U.S. and Canada!" she said.

Carrie Underwood Tour Dates

March 11: Reading, PA
March 12: Albany, NY
March 13: Providence, RI
March 15: Portland, ME
March 16: Bridgeport, CT
March 19: Atlantic City, NJ
March 20: Mashantucket, CT
March 21: Worcester, MA
March 23: Hamilton, Ontario
March 24: Kanata, Ontario
March 26: Trenton, NJ
March 27: Amherst, MA
March 29: Wilkes Barre, PA
March 31: Rochester, NY

April 1: Pittsburgh, PA
April 3: Pikeville, KY
April 6: Columbus, OH
April 7: Peoria, IL
April 9: Indianapolis, IN
April 10: Rockford, IL
April 12: Fort Wayne, IN
April 13: Saginaw, MI
April 14: Lansing, MI
April 23: Grand Rapids, MI
April 24: Toledo, OH
April 25: Cincinnati, OH
April 27: Richmond, VA
April 28: Charleston, WV
April 30: Fayetteville, NC

May 1: Columbia, SC
May 2: Augusta, GA
May 4: Tallahassee, FL
May 5: Pensacola, FL
May 7: New Orleans, LA
May 8: Lafayette, LA
May 10: Beaumont, TX
May 12: Austin, TX
May 13: Corpus Christi, TX
May 15: Tucson, AZ
May 18: Fresno, CA
May 20: Sacramento, CA
May 21: Reno, NV
May 22: Las Vegas, NV
May 29: Everett, WA
May 30: Spokane, WA

Photo � Arista Nashville

Carrie Underwood Tour Dates originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Friday, December 11th, 2009 at 14:31:31.

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Just What Is Country Music Anyway? (Part 2)

2009-12-09T14:45:23Z

Wow! Two weeks ago I wrote about the backlash a lot of folks felt about Taylor Swift running away with the Country Music Association awards show. I pondered about the meaning and definition of country music and about the blurring of the lines between country, pop and rock. I also reminded everyone that this debate is not a new one and that it's been going on in country music for many decades.

Well, the people have spoken, and the topic has really touched a nerve! So for the sake of more discussion, I decided to print portions of a number of your responses. I've edited these down to what I believe are the meat-and-potatoes of the argument.

Belle Zora: Country critics once bemoaned the influence the singing cowboys of early movies had on pure country music, but Johnny Cash , Marty Robbins, and Merle Haggard all cited Gene Autry as an early influence. Rather than bemoan evolution, it is more fun to simply observe it.

Sandra: Country music is a very broad topic encompassing a wide variety of musical interpretation. To me, any music that has strayed away from traditional county is mislabeled as country. There are only a handful of true traditionalists left, artists like Ray Price, Merle Haggard and George Jones .

Steve: Country music changes daily, but it always remains, as Willie Nelson said, a place where "people tell their life stories."

Feathers: Country is a state of mind, first of all, and it's also a certain musical formulation, ways chords are combined, etc. As to state of mind, Taylor Swift's lyrics are quite country. She writes from the heart, tells a story, makes it real and you believe her when she sings it. Conversely, Carrie Underwood is one of the best singers out there, but I don't believe a word she sings because her songs are so inauthentic, overproduced and beyond her personality. Country music is a mindset, not a certain specific set of instruments, and no single geographic region or stereotyped group of individuals has a monopoly on it.

Charlie Frederick: Country music reflects life's overall umbrella of situations. A good country song is a three minute movie about real life. A great country music artist is one who has been there and done that. Sorry, but to Brad Paisley , Keith Urban , Dierks Bentley and a whole lot of today's artists: unless you've lived it, you really cannot understand it.

Countryfan: Country music has evolved and is probably a little more pop than some people would like, but it is a broad enough label. One can listen to many types of country music. Reject what you don't like and listen to some. It's a wide enough label to make everybody happy!

SwedishMattias: To me, country music is a genre that has a specific sound with instruments like steel guitar, fiddle, and banjo, the root instruments of country. No matter what you call "real country," it has nothing to do with music from the recent CMA awards show. That was nothing but rock-pop music.

John Stannard: Is it or is it not Country? The answer is really very simple. If it sounds like country to you, then it is country for you.

This is obviously an important debate that sparks a lot of passion in country music fans. Please chime in below and give us your two cents!

Just What Is Country Music Anyway? (Part 2) originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 at 14:45:23.

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Brooks and Dunn Announce Final Tour Plans

2009-12-08T16:56:43Z

The rumor mill has been swirling about just why Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn decided to call it a day on the most successful country music duo of all time. But by all accounts, their impending split really does appear to be amicable.

According to both, it's just the right time, and neither is interested in going through the motions when they both feel that their better days as a duo are probably behind them. They have no interest in becoming a nostalgic touring act though they could easily do it, and quite successfully, for many years to come. They are also ready to pursue personal endeavors both inside and outside of music.

Rumors about Brooks and Dunn's demise have dogged the pair for years, partly because of their well-known personality differences. Brooks is easily the more fiery and outgoing of the pair, while Dunn tends to be more shy, preferring to keep things closer to the vest. Their manager, Clarence Spalding, recently likened them to brothers who don't always see eye to eye but can come together when needed to get the job done.

It was Dunn who actually called Brooks one day to tell him that he felt like the duo had run its course, and Brooks agreed with him on the spot. Conversely, it was Brooks who had to do a little convincing of Dunn to load up the semi-trucks one more time for a big blowout farewell tour. Dunn finally came around, and both agree that it's the right thing to do for their millions of loyal fans.

The Brooks and Dunn Last Rodeo tour will visit 47 cities beginning April 23 in Sacramento and ending August 8 in Chicago. Let me tell you from personal experience that Brooks and Dunn put on a tremendous show. It's always a spectacle and very entertaining. Look for Jason Aldean to open up for the first leg of the tour. Gary Allan is scheduled to take over sometime in mid-June.

Photo � Arista Nashville

Brooks and Dunn Announce Final Tour Plans originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Tuesday, December 8th, 2009 at 16:56:43.

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Taylor Swift Earns Eight Grammy Nominations

2009-12-03T15:31:13Z

The Taylor Swift Express just keeps steaming right along. The Grammy nominations are in, and Taylor racked up eight, including nominations in the "Big Three" categories: Album of the Year, Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Taylor's unwitting partner in the Kanye West-MTV Awards fiasco, Beyonce, led the way with 10 nominations. She'll go head to head against Taylor in the Big Three, as will freaky enigmatic pop-sensation, Lady Gaga.

Of her eight nominations, Taylor said, "To be recognized by the Grammys is the ultimate honor. The last couple of months have been a nonstop dream come true."

Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles said that Swift's remarkable success is a great thing because "she's brought a lot of young people into country music." This may be true, but judging from a number of comments from my recent blog on the blurring of the lines in country music , more than a few folks don't believe that Taylor's success is actually converting new fans to country. Time will tell.

I did see a couple of pleasant surprises in the Grammy nomination list. Kudos to Lee Ann Womack for her nomination in the category of Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her song "Solitary Thinkin'." It's a wonderful song, and it would sure be nice if country radio gave it more of a chance. The same goes for Jamey Johnson and his well deserved nomination in the Best Male Country Vocal Performance category for his song "High Cost of Living."

CBS will televise the 52nd Grammy Awards from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 31, 2010 from 8-11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

And for those thinking about (or hoping for) any more drama between Kanye, Taylor and Beyonce, Kanye has been nominated for three awards, so chances are excellent he'll be in the house.

Can you say "steel-cage match?"

Photo � Big Machine

Taylor Swift Earns Eight Grammy Nominations originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 at 15:31:13.

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Toby Keith Conquers Europe

2009-12-01T13:50:38Z

I always enjoy hearing about country stars who do well overseas, especially in non-English speaking countries. I was surprised to learn that Toby Keith, as huge as he is in the U.S., had never done a proper European tour until very recently. Of course, his USO touring schedule is legendary, and he's been to the Middle East and Africa many times, but the jury was still out on what kind of a reception he'd receive on a real European tour.

Well, the verdict is in, and by all accounts, Toby blew the roof off of all venues he played on his recent two-week sold out tour. All nine shows in six different countries were completely sold out before Toby ever set foot in Glasgow, Scotland for his first gig.

"The accents are a little different and the food sure isn't what you get in Oklahoma," Toby said shortly after playing his last concert in Oslo, Norway. "But they say music's a universal language, and the folks we saw sure seemed to be having a good time. And so did we."

After opening in Glasgow, Toby and his band moved on to London to play the famed Hammersmith Apollo. Next up was Dublin's Olympia Theater, then on to Denmark, Sweden and Finland before finishing up in Norway.

Country music has always had a surprisingly strong fan base overseas. The great Jim Reeves was one of country's earliest world-wide pioneers. Johnny Cash had a huge international following, as did the Gentle Giant, Don Williams, who was legendary in places like Brazil and Zimbabwe.

Quick question for you: Who was the first major country artist you ever saw in concert. My first big country show was Merle Haggard back in 1981 in Dallas. Feel free to share your story in the comment section below.

Photo � Getty Images - Frank Micelotta

Toby Keith Conquers Europe originally appeared on About.com Country Music on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 at 13:50:38.

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