Sugarland's Incredible Machine Goes Platinum!

Sugarland’s latest album, The Incredible Machine, recently received platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) indicating sales of more than one million albums.

This recent certification marks the fourth consecutive release from the international super-duo that has reached platinum or multi-platinum status, resulting in more than 9 million records sold.

Sugarland will begin their 2011 The Incredible Machine Tour this spring beginning in Houston , TX on March 3 and ending in their hometown of Atlanta , GA on October 22. Last year’s The Incredible Machine Tour was one of Pollstar’s Top 50 North American Tours of 2010 and has been described as “stunning,” “fantastically fun” and “not one to be missed.” Tickets are currently on sale in select markets at www.sugarlandmusic.com/events.

For more information on Sugarland, visit www.sugarlandmusic.com

Bleed Red - Ronnie Dunn (New Single)

Heart Like Mine - Miranda Lambert (Live)

Fiddlin' Around - Dierks Bentley (Music Video)

From A Table Away - Sunny Sweeney (Music Video)

From a Table Away - Sunny Sweeney - Sunny Sweeney Videos

Toby Keith's New DVD '10' Is Available for Pre-order Now

From the news release:

The new DVD release by Toby Keith' called '10' collects exactly that many of Keith's most engaging videos, giving everyone the chance to see just how much the small screen loves Toby ... and vice versa. The Western imagery and story-telling of his debut single "Should've Been A Cowboy," his Willie Nelson collaboration "Beer For My Horses" and his latest "Bullets In The Gun" butts up against the fun and frivolity of "I Love This Bar" and "As Good As I Once Was." And Keith's never afraid to take a hard stand or drive home wry social commentary, as in "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue" and "American Ride." In fact, of his literally dozens of major awards, 10 (fittingly) have been for his videos.

His current single "Bullets In The Gun" is shooting up to the top of the charts. The album for which it serves as title track debuted at No. 1 all-genre. And his American Ride Tour was ranked as one of the year's top tours by Pollstar. He's also nominated for the Best Male Country Vocal Performance Grammy for his emotional tribute to his late friend Wayman Tisdale, "Cryin' For Me (Wayman's Song)." And on Jan. 29, Toby will return to the Grand Ole Opry stage eight years after his first and only performance there.

Pre-Order Toby Keith's "10" Here!

"10" Track Listing:

1. Should've Been A Cowboy
2. How Do You Like Me Now?!
3. Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)
4. Beer For My Horses (Toby Keith & Willie Nelson)
5. I Love This Bar
6. American Soldier
7. As Good As I Once Was
8. American Ride
9. Bullets In The Gun
10. God Love Her

The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated To Waylon Jennings Volume 1 (Listening Party)

Release Date: February 8

Various Artists
"The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated To Waylon Jennings Volume 1"
(Big Machine Records)

1. "This Time" - Jamey Johnson

2. "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" - Alabama

3. "I'm A Ramblin' Man" - Randy Houser

4. "Belle of the Ball" - Shooter Jennings

5. "Good Hearted Woman" - Sunny Sweeney & Jessi Colter

6. "Don't You Think This Outlaw Bit's Done Got Out Of Hand" - James Otto

7. "Just To Satisfy You" - John Hiatt with Waylon Jennings

8. "Rose In Paradise" - Kriss Kristofferson & Patty Griffin

9. "You Ask Me To" - Trace Adkins

10. "Go Down Rockin'" - Waylon Jennings

11. "The Wurlitzer Prize (I Don't Want To Get Over You)" - Chanel Campbell (Bonus Track)

CW Exclusive: Reba Among ACM Honorees

Country Weekly has learned that country superstars Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood will be honored by the Academy of Country Music at Girls Night Out: Superstar Women of Country, which will be taped on Monday, April 4 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and which will later air on CBS. Additional honorees and participating talent for the special tribute concert are forthcoming.

Each woman will be honored for the special achievements in their careers.

Miranda will be recognized for being the only female artist in the Academy’s history to ever win Album of the Year twice. First for Crazy Ex-Girlfriend in 2007 and again for Revolution in 2009.

Martina will be recognized by ACM Lifting Lives for her dedication to raising social consciousness through songs such as “Independence Day” and “Concrete Angel,” which raise awareness of domestic violence and encourage female empowerment. She has won Top Female Vocalist three times, in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Meanwhile, Jennifer will be recognized for being only one of two female artists in the Academy’s history to ever solo write and perform Song of the Year, in 2007, with “Stay.”

Reba will be recognized for winning Top Female Vocalist more times than any other artist in the Academy’s history – an impressive seven times.

Carrie will be recognized for being the only female artist in the Academy’s history to ever win Entertainer of the Year, twice, first in 2008 and again in 2009.

Tickets for Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women of Country are on sale now at Ticketmaster and are priced at $200, $150 and $100. Ticket sales will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy.

For more information on Girls’ Night Out or the ACM Awards, visit acmcountry.com.

The Shape I'm In - Joe Nichols (Music Video)

The Shape I'm In - Joe Nichols - Joe Nichols Videos

Lorraine - Lori McKenna (Listening Party)

January 25

Lori McKenna
"Lorraine"
(Signature)

Track List:

1. "The Luxury Of Knowing"

2. "The Most"

3. "If He Tried"

4. "Lorraine"

5. "You Get A Love Song"

6. "Rocket Science"

7. "Buy This Town"

8. "All I Ever Do"

9. "That's How You Know"

10. "Sweet Disposition"

11. "American Revolver"

12. "Ladders And Parachutes"

Source(s): Amazon, Mediabase

Josh Kelley Will Release Country Debut Album 'Georgia Clay' on March 22

MCA Nashville singer/songwriter Josh Kelley will release his debut country album, Georgia Clay, on March 22.

The industry excitement surrounding the project led to Josh’s inclusion in a recent Tennessean feature on “11 Artist to Watch in 2011.”

Georgia Clay is Josh’s most autobiographical album to date and powerfully describes the most important moments of his life, including his marriage to actress Katherine Heigl, their adoption of daughter Naleigh and the family’s move to Utah.

“This record is a time capsule,” says Josh, who wrote or co-wrote every song on the album. “It’s by far the best thing I’ve written and I’ve never been more proud. I’m proud to be in a genre where people pay attention to meaningful lyrics and truly appreciate storytelling. I feel like I’ve become more of a man with the writing of this record.”

“Georgia Clay,” the project’s first hit and title track, recalls the carefree summers of Josh’s youth. He wrote the song with his brother, Charles Kelley of Lady Antebellum, while they were at Charles’ house with Josh’s producer, Clint Lagerberg. They began reminiscing about high school, remembering fondly the times when they would hook up jet skis behind their father’s 1977 Chevy Silverado and go to the lake.

“I asked Charles whatever happened to that old truck Dad used to let us drive,” he says. “He said it was in a junkyard somewhere. I said, ‘Man, if there’s still some Georgia clay underneath it, if that Georgia clay could speak, what would it say?’ It would have seen our childhood and seen Charles and I experiencing our first everythings.

“This song takes me back to Georgia every time I sing it. No matter where I go in this world, I will never wash away my Southern roots, just like that ‘Georgia Clay’ on my dad’s old truck.”

Another album standout is “Gone Like That,” which depicts a sensitive man who keeps running into someone who could be the woman of his dreams. “This was the song that actually started my journey into country music,” he says. “I had written and presented it to my music publisher to pitch to other artists, but they liked my demo and encouraged me to cut it. It was the first song I wrote that gave me the confidence to pursue a career as a country singer.”

“Raining Whiskey” is destined to become a favorite at honkytonks across the country. Quoting the song’s lyrics, he says, “It’s hard staying dry when it’s raining whiskey. That’s my favorite forecast!”

“Naleigh Moon” poignantly captures the intense connection he has with his daughter. “We’d only had Naleigh for a couple of weeks when I wrote this and I think it’s the best song I’ve ever written,” he says. “The way the chords and the melody intertwine, it really tugs on your heartstrings. I mean every word of it each time I sing ‘Naleigh Moon.’”

He unveils a beautiful falsetto in “Baby Blue Eyes,” which he co-wrote with Lee Brice. “Let’s just say I’ve caught a lot of crap for this one because my wife has brown eyes,” he says. “What can I say? It’s like I tell my wife, I wrote that one with Lee, and maybe his girl has blue eyes. While the eye color has changed for artistic reasons, the feeling and emotion is true.”

While the man in “Ain’t Letting Go” isn’t desperate, he remains acutely aware of the mistakes he’s made. “He’s having a hard time trying to let her go, so he wants to give her a hard time as well,” says Josh, who co-wrote the song with his brother, Charles, and Patrick Davis. “The whole song is basically a phone conversation that he’s having with her answering machine. He’s going, ‘I want you back. I ain’t letting you go.’”

He singlehandedly wrote “A Real Good Try,” which is about never giving up. “’A Real Good Try’ is about letting my family and friends and my wife know, ‘Bear with me. I have a goal in mind here. It’s going to take a lot of work.’”

Indeed, Josh has been working hard lately, whether it’s touring with Miranda Lambert and Eric Church, singing at the Grand Ole Opry or performing his own shows.

“Everybody that knows me has said it’s by far the best album I’ve ever made,” says Josh, who co-produced the project with Lagerberg. “Everything I’ve learned over the last seven years has led up to this point.”

Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way - Alabama (Music Video)

Darius Rucker on Letterman

My Kinda Party Certified Platinum

Just eleven weeks after its release, Billboard’s 2010 Top Male Country Artist Jason Aldean is celebrating PLATINUM certification for sales of one million copies for his fourth studio album MY KINDA PARTY. The 15 track disc becomes Aldean’s third career PLATINUM album and brings the country rocker to five million total albums sold since his debut five years ago.

"I just can't say enough about country music fans and the amount of loyalty they have for their favorite artists," said Aldean. "To think that a million people already bought this record is hard for me to get my head around. And five million since I started? No way! I am so grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to play music every night."

MY KINDA PARTY opened big in Nov. with an impressive first week moving over 193,000 units and earning the biggest first week debut by a male vocalist in over three years. The album’s lead and title track recently earned GOLD certification for digital downloads and took the No. one spot on Mediabase’s country chart. Aldean’s powerful duet with Kelly Clarkson “Don’t You Wanna Stay” follows closely behind, jumping into the Top 15 this week. Both singles also remain in the Top 10 on iTunes’ Country Songs Chart.

Aldean will kick off the sold out first weekend of arena dates on his MY KINDA PARTY TOUR this Friday in Little Rock, AR. The 30 city run through May features special guests Eric Church and the JaneDear girls.

RASCAL FLATTS' ABC TELEVISION SPECIAL TO AIR MARCH 12

Rascal Flatts in the Hot Ticket on ABC with the Television Special - "Rascal Flatts: Nothing Like This Presented By JCPenney"

The ABC Television Network presents “Rascal Flatts: Nothing Like This Presented by JCPenney.” One of the best touring acts in country music with over 6 million concert tickets sold, Rascal Flatts will film a live music special from the Xcel Energy Center this Friday, January 21st in St. Paul, Minnesota. The show is being filmed during a regularly scheduled date on their “Nothing Like This” tour, which launched this past weekend. “RASCAL FLATTS: NOTHING LIKE THIS PRESENTED BY JCPENNEY” AIRS SATURDAY, MARCH 12 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on ABC.

George Flanigen will direct the special and Robert Deaton will executive produce.

Rascal Flatts – Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney – debuted their first album on Big Machine Records, Nothing Like This, in November at #1 on the country album sales chart and became one of only four country acts to debut six consecutive studio albums at #1. Since their musical debut in 2000, the band has sold 20 million albums, 25 million digital downloads, and delivered 12 #1 singles to the top of the chart. Rascal Flatts is the most awarded country group of the past decade with nearly 40 trophies from the American Country Awards, Academy of Country Music, American Music Awards, Country Music Association, People’s Choice Awards and more.

SUGARLAND TO HEADLINE FIRST EVER ACM FAN JAM

Country superduo Sugarland will headline the first-ever ACM Fan Jam, a fans-only live concert event taking place in Las Vegas during and after the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards broadcast Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. 
 
The ACM Fan Jam will take place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, during and after the ACM Awards from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and will give fans the ultimate opportunity to be part of the LIVE telecast. Throughout the three-hour live show from the MGM Grand Garden Arena, there will be performances from the Mandalay Bay Events Center by Sugarland and other top-tier music acts, to be announced at a later date.  Tickets for the ACM Fan Jam will go on sale Wednesday, priced at $35 and $55.
"We sell out our Awards show tickets within minutes of going on sale, every year," explains Bob Romeo, CEO of the Academy of Country Music. "With Sugarland's help, the Academy is answering the demand of more and better access to the Awards show with the Fan Jam, with a family-friendly ticket price and a promise that this experience will be like no other in ACM Awards history."

"I am wound up about the ACM Fan Jam," said Jennifer Nettles. "It's going to be like hosting our own ACM party for the fans. They'll get to see the show AND have their own private show in the same evening! It's like having your biscuit and eating it too, all in one big jar of Fan Jam!"

The ACM Fan Jam will include three LIVE remotes into the 46^th Annual ACM Awards telecast-one for each hour of the show-and will also include a profusion of entertainment, including live performances by upcoming country music acts, prizes and special giveaways only for attendees, such as autographed guitars, trip packages to country music events and merchandise.  Fans at the ACM Awards wear cocktail or dressy attire, but at the Fan Jam, concert attire is key because the night continues with many more live performances and appearances after the Awards' taping ends.

"This is the ultimate fan experience and we couldn't be happier that Sugarland is kicking it off!  We'll have cameras there bringing all of the action to millions of viewers on CBS," said Orly Adelson, President of dick clark productions and Executive Producer of the Awards.

Tickets for ALL Academy of Country Music events in April will be on sale beginning Wednesday, January 19^th at 10:00 AM PST at Ticketmaster.com including 46^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday, April 3, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, ACM Fan Jam on Sunday April 3, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, and Girls' Night Out:  Superstar Women of Country taping on Monday, April 4, 2011 featuring an A-list cast in tribute performances to country music's most amazing female performers.

For more information on Sugarland, please visit sugarlandmusic.com. You can also follow them on Twitter (@Sugarlandmusic) for up-to-the-minute information on the ACM Fan Jam and their 2011 Incredible Machine Tour.

CMT News - Rascal Flatts: 10 Prime Hits

These days, Rascal Flatts have racked up more country hits than a set list can hold. Yet, when they launch the second leg of their Nothing Like This tour on Friday (Jan. 14) in Sioux Falls, S.D., fans will surely stand when they hear their favorites. We can't take you there ... but, hey, why wait? Check out these 10 prime hits by Rascal Flatts, chosen by members of the CMT.com staff.

"Bless the Broken Road"
"Bless the Broken Road" remains for me the most satisfying and expressive vocal effort by those three very versatile voices of Rascal Flatts. And the song has taken on a vital life of its own. "Broken Road" itself had a very rich musical history even before it reached the members of Flatts. "Broken Road" was written by Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band member Jeff Hanna. It appeared on the Dirt Band's 1994 album Acoustic and got no attention. Hummon included his version on his 1995 debut Columbia Records album, All in Good Time. Again, it got no notice. The much-anticipated Nashville group Sons of the Desert cut it in 1998 for what was to be the group's sophomore album. Alas, a dispute with the record label resulted in the album's cancellation. The song was still alive, though, and was recorded in a very melodic version by the heralded vocalist Melodie Crittenden on her debut Asylum album. Not much ensued from that. The Christian group Selah also recorded it. Enter Rascal Flatts in 2004, and the rest is history. Their version spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard country songs chart and won a Grammy as best country song. Carrie Underwood has performed it, both with Flatts and solo. In addition to becoming a huge hit, the song is now one of the most-performed at weddings. -- Chet Flippo

"Here Comes Goodbye"
I think one of the things that makes Rascal Flatts so appealing is the way they can switch gears between emotional extremes. They're equally believable whether they're singing about the best day of their lives or the worst. "Here Comes Goodbye" obviously focuses on the latter. The title sums up the song perfectly, and I appreciate its slightly different take on the standard breakup song. While it seems like too many of those are written about experiences after the fact -- trying to move on, make things right or just plain forget -- "Here Comes Goodbye" is sung just before the hammer falls to end the relationship. The guy has clearly been through this before and knows what to expect, but that just makes it worse. The descriptions are so clear that a sense of dread underlines the whole thing. Could be a mood-killer, for sure. -- Chris Parton

"Mayberry"
Like the first line of the chorus, I miss Mayberry. In fact, I often go back there in my mind. "Mayberry" is what I like to call my mother's hometown in Illinois -- a place we used to visit where Grandpa would take me by the hand and mimic train whistles as we'd walk the tracks behind his home. It was a place where we'd go to the local post office to see his friends or enjoy a chat on his rickety chairs in the front yard. Even those who lived there were picture perfect, real-life characters with homegrown names like Mrs. Prittle, Gladys and Grandpa's next-door neighbor, Smitty. It was a place where I could breathe and feel completely at home. Each time I hear this wistful tune, the clock turns back about 20 years. There I am, fumbling over the unsteady ground as I look up and ask, "Grandpa, how far do these tracks go?" And he always smiles and replies the same, "As far as you want them to." -- Whitney Self

"Prayin' for Daylight"
I will never, ever forget the first time I heard "Prayin' for Daylight." I was instantly hooked. Not only was Gary LeVox's twang so refreshing -- at a time when singers were trying to hide theirs -- and the up-tempo arrangement so infectious, but the idea that this guy is so crushed by a breakup that he just wants morning to come so he can try to win her back was a solid little country story. It's certainly not the band's deepest song, but in 2000, it was the perfect way for a trio to debut a new kind of pop-country sound. -- Alison Bonaguro

"Skin (Sarabeth)"
It is virtually impossible to describe this quiet, gut-wrenching ballad without a box of Kleenex by your side. I dare you. Just one line in, after a fiddle intro, there is mention of a doctor. Then there's talk of red cells and white, over a swelling piano. Yet there's something about Rascal Flatts' take on teen tragedy that makes it so compelling. You can't turn this 2005 track off. You have to find out how it ends. This one has a happy ending when the girl with leukemia not only gets to go to the prom, but does so with a boy compassionate enough to shave his head to match hers. -- Alison Bonaguro

"Summer Nights"
Got a case of the winter blues? I do. I hate absolutely everything about winter weather. The surefire remedy I've found is Rascal Flatts' party anthem, "Summer Nights." The track serves as a helpful reminder that warm weather is right around the corner, and I can't help but sing along to "everybody's feeling sexy." And when Gary LeVox belts out, "Holler if you're ready for some summer nights," I immediately want to jump in my car, head to the beach and find a party like the one in this music video. Oh, Gary, can you hear me? I'm hollering as loud as possible. -- Stephanie Pendergrass

"Take Me There"
Sweet, cheery and charming, the Flatts boys capture the early stages of a young love with "Take Me There," a tune that always reminded me of something a guy might hum to himself as he walks home from a really good first date. ("I-I-I-I wanna know, everything about you!") Imagine being in that moment when the world seems a little more forgiving and the future looks promising, and you would want to dig deeper into the reason for all that happiness, too. Gotta love that hopeless-romantic stuff. Plus, the hook in the beginning is really catchy: "Tell me 'bout your mama, your daddy, your hometown!" -- Chris Parton

"These Days"
This pining cry for a past love provided the gang with their first No.1 country single -- a track from their 2002 sophomore album,Melt. A song about old flames and happenstance, the lyrics depict a brief meeting between two past lovers who haven't seen each other in years. Though she's moved on and married a rodeo cowboy, he finds himself struggling with his feelings for her. A relatable message, the song speaks to anyone who still carries memories of their past loves. "These Days" marked the beginning of a string of major hits. Since that time, their career has flourished as they've nabbed several CMA, ACM and CMT awards. But here's an interesting tidbit: The production set of "These Days" is where bassist Jay DeMarcus met his wife, CMT Insider correspondent Allison DeMarcus. What's more, just this month they welcomed their first child. -- Whitney Self

"What Hurts the Most"
If you're listening to "What Hurts the Most" as a breakup ballad, the song is easy to relate to -- dealing with the loneliness, pretending to be OK and wondering if you should have tried harder. But when you watch the cinematic video, as a high school student loses her serious boyfriend in a car wreck, the vivid lyrics make the whole thing almost unbearably tragic. The production is big and sweeping, which is pretty typical with Rascal Flatts' music of that era, but in this case, the storyline is equally dramatic. I think the lyrics also hit an elusive songwriting goal by conveying a complex emotion in just a few words: "What hurts the most was being so close." Anyone who's reeling from an unexpected loss of a loved one can immediately understand that message. -- Craig Shelburne

"Why Wait"
How many times do you hear a song on the radio and have no earthly idea who's performing it? Say what you will. Whether you love them, hate them or fall somewhere in between, when you hear a Rascal Flatts track, there's no doubt whatsoever. You knowit's Rascal Flatts. And that's a huge accomplishment and a huge compliment by any standard. "Why Wait" doesn't have the emotional power of songs such as "Bless the Broken Road" or "What Hurts the Most," but that wasn't the intention when songwriters Neil Thrasher, Jimmy Yeary and Tom Shapiro collaborated on it. Yes, a message is there, but there's a lot to be said for well-crafted songs that are tailor made for the arena stage. The unexpected guest stars in the music video make it worth watching, too. -- Calvin Gilbert

Lady Antebellum's 'Hello World' to be Featured on TV Show NCIS

GRAMMY nominated superstar trio Lady Antebellum’s epic ballad “Hello World” is slated to be featured on an upcoming episode of CBS’s hit drama NCIS (Navel Criminal Investigative Service) set to air Jan. 18. “Hello World” is currently in the Top 15 and climbing on Billboard’s country chart and comes on the heels of three consecutive No. one’s off their TRIPLE PLATINUM album NEED YOU NOW.

Steel Magnolia - Steel Magnolia (Listening Party)

Steel Magnolia - "Steel Magnolia" (JAN 11, 2011)

[LISTEN] 1. "Ooh La La"

[LISTEN] 2. "Keep On Lovin' You"

[LISTEN] 3. "Just By Being You"

[LISTEN] 4. "Edge Of Goodbye"

[LISTEN] 5. "Bulletproof"

[LISTEN] 6. "Not Tonight"

[LISTEN] 7. "Last Night Again"

[LISTEN] 8. "Without You"

[LISTEN] 9. "Rainbow"

[LISTEN] 10. "Eggs Over Easy"

[LISTEN] 11. "Homespun Love"

[LISTEN] 12. "Glass Houses"

Source: Mediabase

Back to December - Taylor Swift (Music Video)

Taylor Swift   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

Rascal Flatts Launch Second Leg Of Their “Nothing Like This Tour”

Rascal Flatts will launch the second leg of their “Nothing Like This Tour” this Friday, January 14 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the Sioux Falls Arena featuring opening acts Luke Bryan and Chris Young. The tour with then wrap in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on March 12.

When Rascal Flatts closed the first leg of the “Nothing Like This Tour” in October 2010, the band had performed for more than 650,000 fans in all of 2010, including earlier shows on their “Unstoppable Tour.” Since their touring career began, they have sold over 6 million concert tickets.

Rascal Flatts – Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney – debuted their first album on Big Machine Records, Nothing Like This, in November at #1 on the country album sales chart and became one of only four country acts to debut six consecutive studio albums at #1.  Since their musical debut in 2000, the band has sold 20 million albums and 25 million digital downloads and delivered 12 #1 singles to the top of the chart.   Rascal Flatts is the most awarded country group of the past decade with nearly 40 trophies from the American Country Awards, Academy of Country Music, American Music Awards, Country Music Association, People’s Choice Awards and more.

Capitol Records Nashville artist Luke Bryan leaps into the New Year still enjoying the success of his current album, Doin’ My Thing, which contains his co-penned, #1 hits “Do I” and “Rain Is A Good Thing” and current smash “Someone Else Calling You Baby,” as well as his recent award accolades. Bryan was named the 2010 Academy of Country Music’s Top New Artist and Top New Solo Vocalist, both fan-voted, and won a 2010 CMT trophy for the fan-voted USA Weekend Breakthrough Video of The Year for his “Do I” music clip.  For more information on Luke, visit www.lukebryan.com.

Accomplished singer/songwriter and 2011 GRAMMY® Award nominee Chris Young has topped the charts with back-to-back #1 singles with “Gettin’ You Home” and “The Man I Want to Be.”  His current Top 5 single, “Voices,” also from his acclaimed sophomore album, The Man I Want to Be, is quickly moving up the charts.  With his rich, warm baritone and penchant for writing classic slice-of-life songs, Young emerged as an immediate fan-favorite when his self-titled first album became the highest-selling debut by a new country male in the year of its release.  In 2010 Chris was named the winner of the Breakthrough Songwriter Award at the 22nd Annual MusicRow Awards and received his first CMA Award nomination as New Artist of the Year.  He recently earned his first GRAMMY nomination for Best Male Country Vocal Performance for his co-penned “Gettin’ You Home.”  For more information, visit www.chrisyoungcountry.com.

For additional information on Rascal Flatts and their tour go to www.rascalflatts.com.

2011 “Nothing Like This Tour” dates:
1/14                  Sioux Falls, SD             Sioux Falls Arena
1/15                  Rapid City, SD              Rushmore Civic Center
1/21                  St. Paul, MN                 Xcel Energy Center
1/22                  Omaha, NE                   Qwest Center
1/27                  Lexington, KY              Rupp Arena
1/28                  Dayton, OH                  Nutter Center
1/29                  Champaign, IL              Assembly Hall
2/3                    Cedar Park, TX             Cedar Park Center
2/4                    New Orleans, LA          New Orleans Arena
2/5                    Tupelo, MS                   Bancorp South Arena
2/17                  Erie, PA                       Erie Civic Center
2/18                  Uncasville, CT              Mohegan Sun Arena
2/24                  Rochester, NY             Blue Cross Arena
2/25                  Uniondale, NY              Nassau Coliseum
2/26                  Manchester, NH           Verizon Wireless Arena
3/4                    Moline, IL                     iWireless Center *(no Luke)
3/5                    Springfield, MO            JQH Arena
3/6                    Kansas City, MO          Sprint Center
3/12                  Oklahoma City, OK       Oklahoma City Center

Love Don't Run - Steve Holy

This song is amazing! Way better than I initially thought it would be. Steve has a very rich, emotional voice, which fits extremely well with this song. Click on the link below to listen to it:

AUDIO : [LISTEN] (Mediabase)

Full Details Emerge On New Johnny Cash Double-Disc Bootleg Album

The musical treasures left behind by Johnny Cash at the House Of Cash estate in Hendersonville, Tennessee, continue to provide insight into his character as an American music icon – perhaps the American music icon. The rich backwoods archive first bore fruit on Columbia/Legacy nearly five years ago, with the release of Personal File aka Bootleg Vol. 1, a fascinating double-CD collection of 49 privately recorded, intimate solo performances dating from 1973 to 1982.

From Memphis To Hollywood: Bootleg Volume 2 continues the series, as compilation producer Gregg Geller focuses on the dawning of Johnny Cash’s recording career at Sun Records in Memphis from late 1954 to late ’57 (on CD One), into his first decade at Columbia Records in Nashville, from 1958 to 1969 (on CD Two). Bootleg Vol. 2 will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting February 22, 2011, through Columbia/Legacy, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.

Putting the Bootleg Vol. 2 collection in historical perspective is a carefully detailed essay written by Ashley Kahn, author of Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece (DaCapo Press, 2000), and other titles. Kahn also contributes to National Public Radio.

The trove of archival material on Bootleg Vol. 2 begins with a 15-minute live radio broadcast from KWEM in Memphis, hosted by Johnny Cash, who worked for Home Equipment Company, the show’s sponsor right across the street from the radio station. The date was Saturday, May 21, 1955, in the same month that Cash recorded his first Sun single, “Cry! Cry! Cry!” b/w “Hey Porter.” In addition to his lively palaver, Cash and the Tennessee Two – guitarist Luther Perkins and bassist Marshall Grant – performed a handful of tunes, including the honky tonk “Wide Open Road,” a cover of “One More Ride” (from the Sons Of the Pioneers), the gospel “Belshazzar,” and the guitar showpiece, “Luther’s Boogie.” The broadcast is followed by a one minute spot advertising an upcoming show at the Overton Park Shell, starring Webb Pierce, Red Sovine, Elvis Presley, Cash, and other country acts.

CD One continues with a dozen historically-significant, pre-Sun demos by Cash, 11 of them previously unreleased. These rare home-recorded demos served as blueprints to such enduring Cash originals as “I Walk The Line,” “Get Rhythm” and “Country Boy,” and provide new insight into Cash’s songwriting. Two of these demos would soon turn into rockabilly hits for Roy Orbison (“You’re My Baby”) and Warren Smith (“Rock And Roll Ruby”).

Under the heading Sun Rarities are seven outtakes produced between late 1954 and late 1957 by Sam Phillips and Jack Clement. In addition to familiar Cash titles (“Big River,” “Wide Open Road”), there are covers of tunes by Jimmy Rodgers (“Brakeman’s Blues”), Marty Robbins (“I Couldn’t Keep From Crying”), and Lead Belly (“Goodnight Irene”), an indication of Cash’s abiding interest and love for the burgeoning folk music movement, whose embrace of him was a hallmark of his career. CD One concludes with two final demos, “Restless Kid” (later recorded by Ricky Nelson), and “It’s All Over.”

The 25 tracks on CD Two span Cash’s first 11 years at Columbia Records; he was ultimately with the label for 28 years, through 1986. This disc presents a fresh gathering of Columbia non-album singles, outtakes, and B-sides being released digitally for the first time in the U.S. (11 of them previously unreleased in the U.S.).

The move to Columbia also meant a move to Los Angeles for Cash and his family as he developed a taste for film and television work, both as a songwriter and as an actor. In the Golden Age of TV westerns and movies, Cash was a natural. His larger-than-life presence boosted the popularity of the gunfighter ballads and Americana tales that became a pop music genre at the end of the 1950s and into the ’60s, exemplified by such titles as “Restless Kid,” “Johnny Yuma Theme,” and “Hardin Wouldn’t Run.” Another example is “Shifting, Whispering Sands,” a spoken-sung collaboration with Lorne Greene, better known as Bonanza TV patriarch Ben Cartwright.

The musical passions of Johnny Cash – from traditional gospel and folk, to Tin Pan Alley and Music Row, among many other sources – were given full rein in 1969, when The Johnny Cash Show became a weekly event on ABC-TV. It is at that point, with the evocative theme of the show’s central feature, “Come Along And Ride This Train,” that Bootleg Vol. 2 concludes.

“To know the tree,” Kahn sums up, “one should begin at the root – so goes an old saying. Yet one is well advised to take in all the branches as well. From Memphis To Hollywood: Bootleg Vol. 2 offers the opportunity to hear Johnny Cash’s earliest performances plus a wealth of unreleased and unfairly forgotten recordings, to grasp his commanding, old-growth legend in full.”

FROM MEMPHIS TO HOLLYWOOD: BOOTLEG VOL. 2 by JOHNNY CASH (Columbia/Legacy 88697 60051 2)

CD ONE: THE 1950s

A. On The Air

1. KWEM Announcements and Advertisements • 2. Johnny Cash Show Intro and Theme • 3. Wide Open Road • 4. Home Equipment Company Advertisement • 5. One More Ride • 6. Home Equipment Company Advertisement/Luther Perkins Intro • 7. Luther’s Boogie • 8. Belshazzar Intro • 9. Belshazzar • 10. Closing Comments and Theme • 11. Overton Park Shell “Country Music Jamboree” Advertisement by “Texas” Bill Strength, broadcast August 4, 1955. (Tracks 1-10 recorded May 21, 1955 in West Memphis, Arkansas. Tracks 1-11 previously released as bonus CD in limited edition of The Legend boxed set, 2005.)

B. Early Demos

12. I Walk The Line (demo) • 13. Get Rhythm (demo) • 14. Train Of Love (demo) • 15. Country Boy (demo) • 16. My Treasure (demo) • 17. Belshazzar (demo) • 18. He’ll Be A Friend (demo) • 19. When I Think Of You (demo) • 20. I Just Don’t Care Enough (To Carry On) (demo) • 21. I’ll Cry For You (demo) • 22. You’re My Baby (demo) • 23. Rock And Roll Ruby (demo, recorded probably late 1955; West Memphis, Arkansas, courtesy of Sun Entertainment Corporation.)

(Tracks 12-22 previously unreleased, recording dates and locations unknown.)

C. Sun Rarities

24. Wide Open Road (recorded late 1954; produced by Sam Phillips)
25. Leave That Junk Alone (recorded August 4, 1957; produced by Jack Clement)
26. Brakeman’s Blues (incomplete) (recorded April 2, 1956; produced by Sam Phillips)
27. Big River (recorded November 12, 1957; produced by Jack Clement)
28. I Couldn’t Keep From Crying (recorded probably 1955; produced by Sam Phillips)
29. New Mexico (recorded probably 1955; produced by Sam Phillips)
30. Goodnight Irene (recorded November 12, 1957; produced by Jack Clement)
(Tracks 24-30 recorded in Memphis, courtesy of Sun Entertainment Corporation.)

D. More Demos

31. Restless Kid (demo) • 32 It’s All Over (demo). (Tracks 31-32 previously unreleased, recording dates and locations unknown.)

CD TWO: THE 1960s

1. All Over Again
2. You Dreamer You
3. I’ll Remember You
4. Johnny Yuma Theme (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
5. Five Minutes To Live (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
6. The Losing Kind (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
7. Locomotive Man
8. Girl In Saskatoon
9. There’s A Mother Always Waiting (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
10. Johnny Reb (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
11. Shifting, Whispering Sands-with Lorne Greene (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
12. Send A Picture Of Mother
13. Hardin Wouldn’t Run (demo)
14. Thunderball (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
15. One Too Many Mornings (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
16. The Frozen Logger (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
17. Foolish Questions (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
18. Bottom Of The Mountain
19. Put The Sugar To Bed
20. You Beat All I Ever Saw
21. On The Line (previously unreleased in the U.S.)
22. Roll Call
23. The Folk Singer
24. Six White Horses (demo) (previously unreleased)
25. Come Along And Ride This Train (demo) (previously unreleased).

(Tracks 1-6 recorded in Nashville, produced by Don Law.)
(Tracks 7-12, 14-21 recorded in Nashville, produced by Don Law and Frank Jones.)
(Tracks 22-23 recorded in Nashville, produced by Bob Johnston.)