iTunes Gives Away Joey+Rory's First Radio Single

With a made-for-TV kind of twist, husband and wife duo Joey+Rory only started performing as a duo for the audition of CMT’s hit series, Can You Duet, in early 2008-but you’d never know it. Bringing beautiful harmonies, top-notch songwriting plus their natural joyfulness, authenticity and romance to traditional country music, Joey+Rory quickly became fan favorites on the show. As finalists, their rendition of “Cheater Cheater” earned them a huge response and went on to become an internet phenomenon. Now signed to Vanguard/Sugar Hill Records alongside a venerable roster of alternative country, bluegrass and Americana greats, Joey+Rory’s musical journey together is just beginning.

All this week (until 10/21), iTunes will offer a free download of Joey+Rory’s debut single “Cheater Cheater” as part of their highly selective Single of the Week program. “Cheater Cheater” is the lead single from Joey+Rory’s debut album, The Life Of A Song, to be released on October 28th. The release is likely to break into the top 40 this week on the countdown. Click here to go straight to the download.

Toby Keith To Release New Album October 28th

Entertainer, entrepreneur and now film star (of the soon to be on CMT "Beer For My Horses") Toby Keith has succeeded at many endeavors in his career, but the Oct. 28 release of his next full length studio album will only reinforce his reputation as an artist who is very hands-on. His new album, That Don't Make Me A Bad Guy, displays Keith's greatest strengths in vertical full flex: as a songwriter, vocalist and producer- all done on a label he created with Show Dog Nashville.

Writing has always been at the very center of Keith's accomplishments, as he's written almost all of his biggest hits. It started with his very first single and No. 1 smash "Should've Been A Cowboy," and extends to his current single and top 5 (and climbing to the top) hit "She Never Cried In Front Of Me." As the first single from the new album, the song is one of 11 cuts crediting Keith's pen. Additionally, Bobby Pinson, Vicky McGehee and Eddy Raven all have co-writes on the album.

That Don't Make Me A Bad Guy is Toby's second consecutive album in the producer's chair, following the platinum certified Big Dog Daddy. And perhaps most impressively for a self-produced artist, the album is marked by some of the finest vocal performances of his career, as has already been noted by radio programmers and critics on the aforementioned first single. As his fans well know, Keith's status as one of the most successful musical performers of his era -- with 25 million in album sales this century alone, scores of peer and critical awards, two successful and celebrated feature film performances, and his recent status as the top male artist on Forbes' list of the world's best-paid music stars -- rests primarily on the creativity, hard work and attention to detail he's brought to every project. It looks as if there's one more CD on my shopping list at the end of the month!

Cool Country Halloween Pumpkins At The Opry

The Grand Ole Opry Pumpkin Patch is growing! In celebration of Opry Month as well as the upcoming Halloween holiday, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville has created a unique display of pumpkins with famous country artists on them. Fans can view the display in the Opry House Lobby while visiting shows and special events throughout October.

The Pumpkin Patch features eleven pumpkins hand-carved by artist Brad Miller of Mechanicsville, VA. Depicted in the Pumpkin Patch are Opry members Little Jimmy Dickens, Vince Gill, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Josh Turner, Carrie Underwood, Charlie Daniels, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart and Trace Atkins. Aren't they cool?

Happy Birthday, Alan Jackson- October 17

Alan Eugene Jackson was born October 17th in Newnan, Georgia. Luckily for country music what was born was an unheralded singer-songwriterwho has sold over 50 million records. Alan turns a whopping 50 years young today. Happy birthday, Alan.

Celebrate his big day with a watch of the song that healed a nation shortly after 9/11- Where Were You When The World Stopped Turning- here live from the ACM awards.

Unique Promotion Allows Fans To Be A Record Executive

The Valory Music Co. Gives FANS the Chance to Create Country Star Justin Moore’s New Album. The Valory Music Co. is launching an innovative promotion that gives music fans the chance to select songs, album artwork and ultimately create up-and-coming Country star Justin Moore’s debut album. The 10-week promotion called, “So You Want To Be A Record Label Executive,” will give music fans a first-hand experience of the song selection and album packaging process for an upcoming album. Fans will get the chance to preview new music from Justin Moore FIRST and directly give their feedback on what songs should be selected for Moore’s debut album. Music fans can listen to new Justin Moore music via a widget placed on Moore’s social networking sites including MySpace, iLike, Facebook, Digital Rodeo as well as on additional sites. Two new Justin Moore songs will be placed on the widget each week for fans to hear. After listening, fans can vote for their favorite song. Over the course of the 10 weeks, the 10 songs with the most votes will comprise Moore’s new album. Fans can encourage other music fans to check out Moore’s new music and be a part of the album’s song-selection process by posting the widget on their own social-networking sites.In addition, fans will be able to create their own personalized 10-song playlist of Moore’s new music. As the contest continues, fans will give their feedback on what 10 songs should be included on Moore’s new album by adding those songs to their personal song players. Fans can enter their personalized playlists for a chance to win a trip to Justin Moore’s Album Premiere Listening Party (sponsored by DigitalRodeo.com) scheduled for early 2009 in Nashville, TN.As part of the promotion, fans can also participate in live chats with Justin Moore as well as access personal blogs and photos from Moore as he spends time on the road. Fans can vote on promotional photos of Moore that they feel should be used for Moore’s album cover and inside packaging. Additional interactive fan features will continue to be added to the promotion over the course of the 10 weeks.

Moore’s first radio single, “Back That Thing Up,” can currently be heard on Country radio. The colorful music video for the single created a stir amongst fans and the industry. Born and raised in Poyen, Arkansas (Pop. 272), Southern Country Stylist Justin Moore embodies the soul and character of a kid from a small town in both life and in music with his tough-talking, straight-shooting brand of Country music.

Earlier this year, Moore opened a string of tour dates for Country superstar Trace Adkins in January. He then joined the Rowdy Frynds Tour, opening for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Lynyrd Skynyrd and Country music icon Hank Williams, Jr. He recently opened for superstars Brooks & Dunn and ZZ Top.

Moore has been featured in People magazine’s Country issue, was named one of Country Weekly’s “Who’s Hot in 2008,” and been profiled on NBC-affiliate WSMV’s Better Nashville.

The Valory Music Co., the sister label to Big Machine Records, was established in November 2007 with an initial artist roster that includes multi-platinum recording artist Jewel as well as Country Soul singer Jimmy Wayne and newcomer Southern Country stylist Justin Moore.

To access the “So You Want To Be A Record Label Executive” promotion, visit: http://www.thevalorymusicco.com/wannabe OR one of the following sites:

MooreJustinMusic.com

DigitalRodeo.com/JustinMoore

MySpace.com/MooreJustinMusic

ASCAP Honors Country Stars With Awards

The stars came out for the Annual Country Music ASCAP Awards. The performing rights organization presents the event annually to honor the writers of the most-performed country songs of the past yearAlan Jackson won songwriter/artist of the year honors for his hits "A Woman's Love" and "Small Town Southern Man" during the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers country awards Monday. Rachel Thibodeau (pictured) accepted ASCAP's country song of the year honor for "Good Directions," the Billy Currington hit she co-wrote with Luke Bryan, who is affiliated with BMI, another performing rights organization. The two songwriters performed the song during Monday's awards show.

Reba McEntire won ASCAP's Golden Note Award, presented to songwriters, composers and artists who have achieved extraordinary career milestones. Brooks & Dunn, LeAnn Rimes and Kelly Clarkson honored McEntire by performing some of her songs. McEntire herself surprised the crowd by singing one of her earliest hits, "(You Lift Me) Up to Heaven."

EMI Music Publishing won publisher of the year for songs including "How Long" (Eagles) and "Never Wanted Nothing More" (Kenny Chesney).

Songwriters including McEntire, Lyle Lovett, Buddy Miller, David Lee Murphy and Brent Rowan won the Silver Circle honor in recognition of 25 years or more of membership in the performance rights organization.

Up & Coming New Nashville- Kyle Jacobs

That Nashville Sound likes to preview Up & Coming Nashville artists and this week's current feature is singer/songwriter Kyle Jacobs.

Kyle Jacobs moved to Nashville from Minneapolis, MN in 2000 and achieved his first significant success as a writer in 2003 with Kimberley Locke’s Top 10 A/C single “8th World Wonder”. In 2007 Kyle co-wrote what became the fastest rising single in the history of country music, Garth Brooks’ “More Than A Memory”, which debuted at #1 in R&R on 09/04/2007. Since then Kyle Jacobs has had a remarkable run of success with cuts by Tim McGraw, Trace Adkins, Kellie Pickler, Lee Brice, Phil Stacey, Adam Gregory, Terri Clark and Vince Gill, Star DeAzlan, Bomshel and Emily West. A staff writer for Curb since 2004, Kyle’s songs have also been recorded by Craig Morgan, Plumb, Crossin’ Dixon, and Jo Dee Messina. Kyle writes on piano and guitar and is an accomplished vocalist and producer.

He has some great tunes on his MySpace page here. Check him out, he's one of Nashville's most unheralded songwriters.

The Top Tens- The All-Time Best Tracy Lawrence Songs

Tracy Lawrence is one of those artists who seems like he’s been on the charts and been relevant as far back as you can remember. Every song that pops on the radio is one you know the words to and each one makes you want to just sing along. It was actually 1991 when Lawrence made his debut on the country music charts that year with the single "Sticks and Stones."

His debut album, also titled Sticks and Stones, was also a Number One album on the Top Country Albums charts, and was certified platinum. Lawrence was Billboard's Top New Male Vocalist in 1992 and received the ACM’s Best New Artist and Top New Male Vocalist awards in 1993. Overall, Lawrence has charted more than thirty singles on the country music charts, including eight Number Ones and fourteen additional Top Ten hits.

This week’s Top Ten List is this listener's favorite Tracy Lawrence songs- hopefully subject to change as Tracy releases great songs down the road…

10. I’ll Never Pass This Way Again- 1999- Nearly unheard, this amazingly moving song from The Civil War: The Nashville Sessions is a haunting rendition of a Civil War soldier heading off to war.

9. Til’ I Was A Daddy Too- 2007- Released off his For The Love album of his own Rocky Comforts Label, this parental tearjerkers is a great gift for any new parent.

8. Lessons Learned- 1997- This title is a perfect redemption song as Lawrence returned to radio following a much-publicized scuffle with an ex-wife.

7. If The Good Die Young- 1994- Amazingly this was his 4th #1 single off his Alibis album.

6. My Second Home- 1993- A great tune about making your favorite corner bar home #1 after getting kicked out of your first.

5. Sticks & Stones- 1992- People forget that Lawrence’s career got off to a rocky start. On May 31, 1991, Tracy walked his former girlfriend to the door of her hotel room and was confronted by three armed men. The men robbed them and attempted to force Lawrence and his friend into her motel room. Lawrence resisted and was shot four times, allowing his friend to escape. Two of the wounds were major and necessitated surgery. One of the bullets remains embedded in Lawrence's pelvis. A year later, he was atop the charts with this tune. That's living a country song right there...

4. Time Marches On- 1996- Quite possibly his most recognizable and easiest to sing-along-with tune he’s ever released. Has it really been 12 years since it was released?

3. Texas Tornado- 1995- “My Little Texas Tornado…I'm like a tumbleweed in a wild west Texas wind, You're blowing me away again, Texas tornado blowing me away again” His best hook ever.

2. Find Out Who Your Friends Are- 2006- It had been 11 years since his last #1 and the labels of Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney made it difficult to get this song with Lawrence and the two superstars on radio. 41 weeks after its release, it would hit the top spot on the Billboard charts and it would go on to win CMA Musical Event Of The Year.

1. Paint Me A Birmingham- 2004- Easily my favorite Tracy Lawrence tune, this song evokes a deep emotion in his southern voice that’s missing from many of the shouted songs on today’s radio. It’s truly what makes Lawrence one of the top unheralded singer-songwriters of our generations.

Country Music Gets Out The Vote With REDBOOK

REDBOOK magazine is a fan of country music this month. Their cover girls Reba, Martina and Taylor are part of a big initiative with Lifetime TV to get out the vote this November as well as talk about all those things right with the good ol’ United States of America. There’s a great pictorial and a few key comments by each artist. Says Taylor Swift, “The first thing I did this year on my 18th birthday was register to vote. I was still in my pajamas and I got on my computer and registered. It was so cool and empowering. I felt this sense of responsibility that I’ve never felt before- I actually had a say in the political decisions of my country.”

That Nashville Sound has found a unique pictorial peek at this month’s issue and all of the artists featured- all put together to Decca recording artists One Flew South’s rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner. You can click below or here. Artists included in the pictorial include:

Jewel
Reba McEntire
Martina McBride
Taylor Swift
Julianne Hough
Ashton Sheperd
Clint Black
Little Big Town
Rissi Palmer
James Otto
Luke Bryan
Jennifer Hanson
Trisha Yearwood
Rodney Atkins
Wynonna Judd
SheDaisy
Laura Bryna
Carter’s Chord
Craig Morgan
Jeremy McComb
Lady Antebellum
Emily West

Randy Owen Of Alabama To Release Solo Album in November

Randy Owen from the legendary country music group Alabama will be back in the new release section across record stores next month. After more than 150 industry awards, 73 million albums sold, 42 number one singles, and a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame with the rest of his band mates, it's time for a new chapter to be written. One On One is the debut solo album title. It will be in stores on November 4th, but you can listen to tracks from the album and read Randy's thoughts on each song here.

Off the Broken Bow Records label and produced by John Rich, of Big & Rich fame, Randy wrote or co-wrote seven of the 11 cuts on One On One. Also on the writing team are Muzik Mafia members Shannon Lawson and James Otto- as well as one Dolly Parton on "Holding Everything." Says Owen, "Dolly and I share the same hair stylist, and she has brought me several songs over the years. She kept telling me about this wonderful song Dolly just wrote, and she said I just had to hear it. It’s a great song, and I had the chance to have Megan Mullins to sing it with me. It’s one of the most exciting tracks on the whole cd."

Sounds like one more thing's on my shopping list come the first week of November!