PEOPLE Magazine's December Country Special Hits Stands

Save $2.00 and get ready for the holidays- right now with this extra special issue of People Magazine that's just hitting store shelves now.

* Get Faith Hill's exclusive holiday recipe -- only in this issue of PEOPLE Country

* See why Alan Jackson counts his blessings

* Share your favorite country stars' most cherished holiday memories including great stories about Brad Paisley, Taylor Swift, Trace Adkins, Tim McGraw and more.

* Plus, discover secrets for fabulous holiday décor that fits your budget along with fun and easy recipes for the perfect Country Christmas!

That Nashville Sound is even saving you money. Here's a $2 off coupon to buy your issue the next time you're at your local book store or grocery store!

Bamajam Music & Arts Festival Stacking Up With Stars- Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift, Montgomery Gentry & More Slated To Perform

If vacationing around music festivals and large concert events is your thing, mark your calendar for June 4th through the 6th in Alabama for the BamaJam Music and Arts Festival- right up there on par with the Stagecoach Festival and Nashville's CMA Fest as country music nirvanas.

Sprawling across 450 acres of breathtaking, rolling countryside (along Boy Scout Road and Highway #167), the fields of green will transform once again into a community entertainment and recreation center dedicated to offer the festivalgoer a once-in-a-lifetime musical experience.

More than 30 acts will round out the entertainment line-up at BamaJam 2009. Currently confirmed to perform at the 3-day/3-night musical affair are Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift, Montgomery Gentry, Charlie Daniels, 38 Special, Jason Aldean, Heidi Newfield, Jamey Johnson and Houston County.

Multi-Platinum selling duo Brooks & Dunn, one of the most successful two-sums in country music history with 20 No.1 hits (“My Maria,” “Play Something Country,” “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” “Believe” and “Ain’t Nothing ‘bout You”) and 14 Country Music Association Vocal Duo of The Year awards, will perform on Saturday evening, June 6.

Multi-platinum, country music superstar Alan Jackson will perform on Friday, June 5. Over the course of his career, with 16 Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum albums (leading up to his latest CD entitled GOOD TIME which debuted at No. 1 in March 2008), Alan Jackson has become one of country music’s most respected and honored artists. Having sold over 50 million albums, Jackson has more than 100 major industry awards to his credit. He is a three-time Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year and the most-nominated artist in CMA history. Jackson penned 23 of his 33 No. 1 singles, including “Don’t Rock The Jukebox,” “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” “Chattahoochee,” “I’ll Go On Loving You,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” and his GRAMMY-winning Best Country Song, “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).”

Eighteen year-old starlet Taylor Swift, who launched her country music career just two years ago, will perform on the BamaJam main stage Thursday night. In 2008, Swift won Top New Female Vocalist from the Academy of Country Music and CMT's Video of the Year for "Our Song." She already has five chart-topping hits to her credit: “Tim McGraw," "Our Song,” “Teardrops On My Guitar," "Picture to Burn," and "Should've Said No."

Columbia Records tenacious Montgomery Gentry, known for their boisterous performances and unbiased party attitudes, will light up the BamaJam Stage to perform a number of their hits including “Something to Be Proud Of,” “Back When I knew It All,” ”If You Ever Stop Loving Me” and their current smash, “Roll With Me.”

Grand Old Opry inductee Charlie Daniels is best known for songs like “Long Haired Country Boy,” “The South’s Gonna’ Do It Again” and his GRAMMY award winning “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” In addition to his gold, platinum and multi-platinum status, this living legend co-wrote songs recorded by world famous recording artists such as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.

Gold and platinum selling act 38 Special (best known for their No. 1 hits “Caught Up In You,” “If I’d Been The One” and “Hold On Loosely”) will bring a refreshing sound to the BamaJam stage along with, Jason Aldean who leads the new crop of young country music stars with almost 2 million albums sold, five consecutive Top 10 hits and a trove of accolades and awards; country music newcomer Jamey Johnson (who co-wrote Trace Adkins’ “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk” and just released his latest album, THAT LONESOME SONG which debuted at No. 6 on the country music album charts); and Heidi Newfield, former lead singer and songstress of the CMA Artist of The Year Award (2001) and AMA Top New Artist Award (2001) trio, Trick Pony, brings her new show and wildfire energy to BamaJam on Saturday. Heidi recently launched her solo career and her new single, “Johnny & June,” is skyrocketing up the charts.

“This year’s event will supercede last year, and I’d venture to say any other music festival in 2009,” said Ronnie Gilley, Ronnie Gilley Entertainment. “We have a spectacular, jam-packed artist line-up to attract music lovers of all ages, FAN-tastic food, more tents to provide shade from the heat, expanded campsites and larger-than-life video screens.”

The gates open to the outdoor entertainment & performance arena on Thursday, June 4 @ 12:00PM.

For the true outdoorsman (and women), BamaJam is a place you won’t need to leave. More RV campsites and tent areas will be created this year where festival-goers (after seeing the stars) can sleep under the stars. BamaJam will accommodate more than 1,500 RV’s. (Rates: RV Camping - $150.00/Tent Camping - $75.00/Additional Vehicle Charge - $50.00) Day parking is $15.00.

Ticket Information:
Ronnie Gilley Entertainment is offering three easy ways to purchase tickets for BamaJam 2009. BamaJamers can take advantage of the “Early Bird Special” and purchase the 3-day general admission ticket TODAY at the price of $139.50. (The early bird tickets are limited; only 5,000 tickets will be sold at the “special” early-bird rate.)

As an added incentive, ticket buyers can purchase their BamaJam tickets on the Easy-Pay Plan. The event promoters are making it easier and more affordable for any and all music enthusiasts to join the party in June 2009. Ronnie Gilley Entertainment is offering for the first time an extended payment plan wherein the 3-day Easy-Pay General Admission Ticket can be purchased online and paid for in four equal installments. Ticket fees will be charged to the ticket purchaser’s credit card in four equal amounts (plus handling fees and tax) and tickets will be emailed to the purchaser at the time of the fourth and final installment.

In addition, the festivalgoer can go online to download a weekly payment booklet whereby they will be able to make payments each week until the 3-day general admission ticket is paid in full. A $5 down payment is required for each ticket purchased in order to take advantage of this special installment offer.

All payments should be hand-delivered or mailed to Ronnie Gilley Entertainment/BamaJam Offices, One Maverick Way, Enterprise, AL 36330. (Please do not send cash.) All tickets must be paid in full by May 31, 2009. Once tickets are paid in full, they may be picked up at the same location or they can be mailed. Please call (877) 4BAMAJAM or visit www.bamajammusicfestival.com and click on tickets for additional information.

“We are all feeling the pain of the economic crunch; we feel it every time we buy groceries or pump gas,” Ronnie Gilley, added. “So, we’re hoping to make it more affordable for those who want to come on out and join us. If someone buys a 3-day ticket today, it’s only $5.00 a week and it’s well worth the money!”

All information surrounding artist performances, tickets, the BamaJam Payment Plan and camping can be found online at www.BamaJammusicfestival.com or by calling BamaJam headquarters at (877) 4BAMAJAM.

BamaJam is a Ronnie Gilley Entertainment Production. A portion of the proceeds from BamaJam will be donated to The Harlon Gilley Small Man Foundation, Inc. and The Bo Harrell Foundation, Inc.—501 (c) 3 public benefit corporations created by Ronnie Gilley to assist in enhancing and improving the lives of the people and community of Coffee County and the surrounding area.

Listen To Or Download Jason Aldean's New Single For Free

After debuting his rockin' new single, "She's Country," on Wednesday night's (Nov. 12) CMA Awards in Nashville, Jason Aldean is providing his fan club members with a free download of the song on his official Web site. The entire track is also available for free streaming on his website http://www.jasonaldean.com/ and at CMT.com.

My Heart Might Beat Forever...

Listening to music that makes you happy, especially if it's country music, may be good for your heart, a new study suggests.

In a small study of 10 participants, researchers found that music that makes the listener feel good causes the inner lining of the blood vessels to expand, which increases blood flow to the heart. On average, listening to joyful music led blood-vessel dilation in the upper arm to increase by 26 per cent, while music that induced anxiety caused the vessels to narrow by six per cent.

The theory is that the positive emotions trigger the release of endorphins, the so-called happy chemicals, in the brain. This in turn activates the vessel-dilating chemical nitric oxide, lead study author Dr. Michael Miller says. Miller, who is director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, presented the research on Tuesday at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions conference in New Orleans.

Study participants were allowed to choose the type of music they would listen to in order to evoke feelings of joy and anxiety. Many subjects chose country music artists, such as Hal Ketchum and Dwight Yoakam, to make themselves feel happy, as well as music from the "Footloose" soundtrack, Miller said. Participants chose hard rock bands such as System of a Down and Disturbed to induce feelings of anxiety.

The study included four phases: listening to music that evoked happiness, listening to music that evoked anxiousness, listening to an audio relaxation tape and watching a video that induced laughter. The same 10 participants participated in all phases of the research. The researchers also found that laughter caused a 19 per cent increase in blood-vessel dilatation. The relaxation tape was linked to a blood-vessel dilation increase of 11 per cent, but the investigators concluded that this was not statistically significant.

"I believe that stimulating positive emotions, especially over the long term, would improve vascular function and overall heart health," Miller said. "In addition to traditional heart prevention strategies, listening to joyful music and engaging in a good belly laugh on a regular, if not daily, basis would go a long (and inexpensive) way in this regard."

The CMA Awards Nobody Handed Out...

As predicted... That Nashville Sound only predicted 50% of the winners last night in the CMA Award Show. Last I remember, that wasn't a passing grade. For those that missed the show or needed a recap, here's a list of the winners:

2008 CMA Winners
Entertainer: Kenny Chesney
Male Vocalist: Brad Paisley
Female Vocalist: Carrie Underwood
Album: George Strait, Troubadour
Vocal Duo: Sugarland
New Artist: Lady Antebellum
Vocal Group: Rascal Flatts
Song: Jennifer Nettles, “Stay”
Single: George Strait, “I Saw God Today”
Music Video: Brad Paisley feat. Andy Griffith, “Waiting on a Woman”
Musical Event: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, “Gone Gone Gone”
Musician: Mac McAnally

But for those that did watch the show, there were several different awards that should have been awarded in between the awards. Without further ado, I hand out the CMA Awards Show Awards...

Best CMA Awards Moment- Brad Paisley walking down off the stage and kissing his wife Kim's pregnant belly after being announced Best Male Vocalist.

Best Sign Of Country Music Legitimacy- In a night filled with huge stage spectacles, Darius Rucker played a down home performance of his #1 hit "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" that brough the crowd to its feet.

Best Proof That The More Things Change The More They Stay The Same- George Strait winning another CMA Award shows that traditional country music is more relevant than ever.

Best Speech- Mrs. Leslie Ponder touchingly talking about her Master Seargent husband Trey whom she lost in Afghanistan and the power of music getting her through her loss before introducing Carrie Underwoods performance. It was a highlight of the night.

The Lonliest Performance- While his performance was great, James Otto felt out of place with just he and his guitar up on the stage with no band behind him.

Best Reaction Of The Night- Lady Antebellum was visibly shaken when announced as the Best New Artist Award, their enthusiasm was very genuine and infectious.

Biggest Suprise of the Night- Brad Paisley's humor and Carrie Underwood's "straight-guy-role" made their hosting job a terrific vote of confidence for having them do the same in 2009.

Best Bling Of The Night- Carrie Underwood's diamond-encrusted necklace (pictured) is rumored to be valued at some crazy multi-million dollars (7 to 70 depending on what you read).

Best Performance Of The Night- Kid Rock suprised the crowd, Carrie Underwood blew them away and Sugarland touched everyone.

Best Welcome-Home Moment- Shania Twain getting choked up as she walked out on stage to a standing ovation before handing out Entertainer Of The Year.

Listen To Blake Shelton's New CD- Being Released 11/18

For a limited time, you can here the entire new Blake Shelton, "Startin' Fires," in its entirety here.

With the success of his 2008 chart-topper "Home," Blake Shelton took a long career step forward. With the release of Startin' Fires, he leaps to a whole new level."Home" took Shelton into new musical territory, stretching him vocally and stylistically, helping him expand his audience to include those who might have missed the more traditional approach he'd taken to that point. Startin' Fires, his fifth album, completes that journey, establishing him in the process as one of country music's most talented and versatile song stylists.

"This is something I've been wanting to do," he says, "exploring richer melodies and challenging myself as a singer."Perhaps nowhere is his success more evident than in the project's first single."'She Wouldn't Be Gone' is definitely not the typical cut you'd hear on one of my albums," he says. "It's got a lot of minor chords and a unique melody for country music. Vocally, it's one of the tougher songs I'll ever sing and I love that. You have to have the right song and the right timing to do that, and 'Home' kind of opened the door for me."Long-time fans will find that Shelton honors his roots as well. Long known for the way he wraps his rich baritone around both emotion-laden ballads like "Austin" and "The Baby" and light-hearted party anthems like "Some Beach" and "The More I Drink," he tackles songs about country life and attitudes with more joyful assurance than ever, bringing his personality to bear on the record as never before."I think this album is probably more autobiographical than anything I've ever done," he says. "While Pure BS was a kind of reflection of what I was going through at the time, this album is a reflection of who I am and the things I love and always have--driving back roads, drinking beer, being outdoors. Hell, I finally found a song that has deer in it and that tickled me. People know these things about me, but I've never really had that in my music, and I'm finally dumping myself onto my album. It's about who I am personally, and I hope other people can relate to it.

That autobiographical tone kicks off the album in the rollicking Craig Wiseman/George Teren barnburner "Green.""That's what I do," he says of the song's rural images. "I sit with my guitar, plant corn and watch the deer and hawks. When I left the house this morning, there was camouflage hanging on the clothesline--as redneck as it gets. And it's funny, the lifestyle I've lived for years and years has become the new green movement. It's my favorite song on the album because I can sing that with a big smile on my face, confident that people are getting a hundred percent who I am as a person."The album has plenty of all the elements that make Shelton the multidimensional artist he is today--soaring melodies, passionate lyrics, a bit of romance, and songs that celebrate the country life."I think this album takes things a step above where they have been," he says. "It shows me as the artist I've always wanted to be, which is somebody with a fresh sound that when you hear it, you think, 'That's got Blake Shelton's stamp on it.'"To that end, songs like "She Wouldn't Be Gone" and "I'll Just Hold On" are twin showcases for the challenging vocal approach Blake is taking, while "100 Miles" has its own riches both vocally and emotionally. Blake is at his romantic best in "Here I Am," which he co-wrote with Dean Dillon, and "This Is Gonna Take All Night." The classic sound that has nailed down his country bona fides is evident in "Never Lovin' You," and there is his trademark down-home wit and the celebration of the country life in songs like "Home Sweet Home" and "Country Strong.""Good At Starting Fires" will be widely seen as an ode to girlfriend Miranda Lambert, but it is on the album's closer, "Bare Skin Rug," that the musical riches inherent in that relationship--and the irreverence of which they are capable--get their first full workout following Miranda's splendid harmonies on "Home.""Everyone expected us to come out with a big power ballad and we did just the opposite," he says. "Obviously, we want to write and record together--we'd be crazy not to. But we certainly wanted to approach it in a way that isn't cheesy. I can get away with things--people expect about anything from me--but Miranda protects her image fiercely. She's the tough girl in country music. We ended up writing a song about a couple of hillbillies who meet up in the mountains. They're young, they're virgins, and, damn it, they're tired of waiting. That's what it is. And we decided, 'Let's just do this how we wrote it.'”The result, recorded live in front of a friendly campfire, is a modern redneck classic.Taken as a whole, Startin' Fires is a richly nuanced look at one of this generation's most engaging singers and certainly one of its most interesting characters. Last year's star turn on the NBC miniseries Clash of the Choirs and Blake's appearance as a judge on Nashville Star have helped raise his profile across the board, introducing his irreverently skewed personality to millions of new fans.

That Nashville Sound's CMA Award Predictions

Here are the nominees for the 42nd CMA Awards which will be broadcast live from the Sommet Center in Nashville tonight on ABC. And just to prove that I'm willing to crawl out on a limb and prove just how wrong I can be, here are That Nashville Sound's predictions for the winners:

Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, George Strait, Sugarland & Keith Urban
Winner: Brad Paisley

Male Vocalist of the Year
Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, George Strait & Keith Urban
Winner: Brad Paisley

Female Vocalist of the Year
Alison Krauss, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride, Taylor Swift & Carrie Underwood
Winner: Carrie Underwood (wish it was Alison Krauss)

Vocal Group of the Year
Eagles, Emerson Drive, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town & Rascal Flatts
Winner: Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo of the Year
Big & Rich, Brooks & Dunn, Montgomery Gentry, Sugarland & The Wreckers
Winner: Sugarland

New Artist of the Year (Formerly the Horizon Award)
Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, Lady Antebellum, James Otto & Kellie Pickler
Winner: Rodney Atkins

Musician of the Year
Jerry Douglas - Dobro, Paul Franklin - Steel, Dana Huff - Guitar, Brent Mason - Guitar, Mac McAnally - Guitar
Winner: Mac McAnally

Album of the Year
Carnival Ride- Carrie Underwood, Cowboy Town- Brooks & Dunn, Good Time- Alan Jackson, Just Who I Am: Poets and Pirates- Kenny Chesney & Troubadour- George Strait
Winner: Kenny Chesney

Single of the Year
“Don’t Blink” - Kenny Chesney, “Gunpowder & Lead” - Miranda Lambert, “I Saw God Today” - George Strait, “Stay” - Sugarland, “You’re Gonna Miss This” - Trace Adkins
Winner: Kenny Chesney

Song of the Year- (Award goes to Songwriter and Primary Publisher)
“Good Time”Alan JacksonEMI-April Music/Tri-Angels Music
“I Saw God Today”Rodney Clawson/Monty Criswell/Wade KirbyBig Red Toe/Extremely Loud Music/Steel Wheels Music/Blind Mule Music
“Letter To Me”Brad PaisleyEMI-April Music/New Sea Gayle Music
“Stay”Jennifer NettlesJennifer Nettles Publishing
“You’re Gonna Miss This”Lee Thomas Miller/Ashley GorleyEMI Blackwood Music/New Songs of Sea Gayle/Noah’s Little Boat Music/Songs of Combustion Music
Winner: "You're Gonna Miss This"

Musical Event of the Year
“Every Other Weekend” - Reba McEntire and Kenny Chesney
“Another Try” - Josh Turner and Trisha Yearwood
“Gone Gone Gone” - Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
“Life in a Northern Town” - Sugarland, Little Big Town, and Jake Owen
“Shiftwork” - Kenny Chesney and George Strait
Winner: "Life in a Northern Town"

Music Video of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Director)
“Don’t Blink” - Kenny ChesneyDirected by Shaun Silva
“Good Time” - Alan JacksonDirected by Trey Fanjoy
“Stay” - SugarlandDirected by Shaun Silva
“Waitin’ On A Woman” - Brad PaisleyDirected by Jim Shea
“You’re Gonna Miss This” - Trace AdkinsDirected by Peter Zavadil
Winner: "Waitin' On A Woman"- Brad Paisley

CD Review- Joey+Rory- The Life Of A Song

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 with the new release of their first album- The Life Of A Song.

Joey+Rory are authentic country. The couple resides in an 1870’s farmhouse in tiny Hardison Mill, TN, where Joey helps run a nearby family restaurant called Marcy Jo’s Mealhouse. Each song is carefully handpicked and handcrafted and like a comfortable pair of jeans, feels genuine and real. Whether their songs are about cowboy boots, hand-building a home, rodeos or cherished vinyl records, there’s a legitimacy in every word, every note and every song.

It’s ironic that the show that launched the duo had Naomi Judd as a judge. Joey Martin’s voice is the lead vocal on nearly every track on the album and at times, the listener is transformed back to the early 80’s when Naomi and Wynonna Judd were hitting it big with the Judds. It isn’t just song selection, either. Her voice is pleasantly reminiscent of Wynonna’s early in her career. And like the Wynonna, Joey is steadfast in her passion that their music is going to be just that, their music.

“I get tired of hearing that a song is ‘too country’ or ‘too serious,” says Rory. “Let’s stop guessing what people want to hear, and let the fans make up their own minds. I bet we’ll all be surprised what we find out.” Rory’s simple words amplify what you’re about to hear on the album. The listener is luckier for it. “Play The Song” is the first track and it proves out Rory’s words above. The tune shares the duo’s frustration over the music industry’s narrow genre of what sellable country is. Joey+Rory sing a great song, but flip the proverbial bird to those that would be critical. “Why does music have to be so dang PC… so damn PC” go the lyrics.

Joey Martin has a heavenly voice and with “Sweet Emmylou,” Joey shares how her favorite artist Emmylou Harris brought her out of heartbreak. Aubrey Haynie’s superb fiddle skills are the feature on “Cheater, Cheater,” the first single from the record- that has just entered the top 40.

My first listen through, the acoustic ballad “Heart of the Wood,” struck me as a weak link in the album. Interestingly enough, with each further review, it’s become one of my favorites. It’s simply Joey singing with Rory over his guitar playing. It was recorded in one take. The song details Joey and her grandfather sitting in a field of tree stumps on his ranch explaining to her the joy that each tree brought the family. Some were for their home, one was for a guitar for her father. It’s a touching tribute and haunting memorable song.

Producer Carl Jackson and Joey+Rory have created a beautiful album that is one of the best of the year. Whether the album gets play at radio is an entirely different topic (maybe one of concern). I highly recommend The Life Of A Song for any country music lover.

Download Taylor Swift's New Album "Fearless" For Only $3.99

We thought we'd pass along an amazingly great deal on the new album from country sensation, Taylor Swift. Currently, a full MP3 download album is only $3.99 at Amazon.com. Pretty amazing price!

See Kevin Costner & Modern West's New Video- Superman 14

Kevin Costner and Modern West have a Music Video out for the song “Superman 14” from their debut album Untold Truths that will be released today! Watch it here...

Taylor Swift's New CD "Fearless" Hits Today

Could this be the lines for Taylor Swift's new album? Um... could be...

With Taylor Swift's new Big Machine Records release "Fearless" arriving in stores today, the main question is just how monstrously big the release will be. Industry insiders are guessing that first week sales will top an amazing 1 million sold. That Nashville Sound will be reviewing the CD soon, but in the meantime, here's a letter from Swift herself on the eve of the release:

Hey guys!
I should be sleeping, because I have to get up in a few hours to go to Good Morning America tomorrow-- but I can't. I can't stop thinking about the fact that in less than 24 HOURS, the new album is going to be out. It's crazy to think about, because this is literally everything I've thought about for the past two years. I've been wanting you to hear these new songs since the very moment of their creation. Every single song has a face attached. They're all about people. Some even mention names. But most importantly, these songs tell my stories. These songs tell the story of my freshmen year of high school, and the day I met Abigail. They tell the story of the guy who apologized over and over again without ever meaning it. The story about saying goodbye to someone when you don't want to, because you can't breathe without them. The story of the boy who never realized he was with the wrong girl, and that the right one was right there in front of him. The story of my childhood, and the moment I realized my mom was the best friend I'll ever have. The memories of running and laughing and having the best days with her. These songs tell stories about fairytale romances, and how sometimes they don't work out the way you dream about when you're a little girl. Because when we're young, we dream about Romeo and Prince Charming-- and we hope he'll ride up on a white horse and rescue us. But sometimes the white horse shows up too late, after the prince has already let you down and left your dreams out in the rain. I never read a fairy tale with that ending. I guess that's the hard part about living in reality.One song tells the story of the underdogs who spent every day dreaming about the day they'd see things change, and the story of the night things finally.... did. And they sang hallelujah. There's the story of the first date that's so magical, you want to dance around the parking lot in the rain. In your best dress. There's the tragic story of the boy who walked away--because he found some other girl to promise forever to. Then there's the love story about how it can all actually work out perfectly and wonderfully. And how love really CAN be everything we dream about. About how someday, we all just might find the one that will kneel to the ground and pull out a ring and say "Marry me, Juliet. You never have to be alone. I love you and that's all I really know."And maybe that's wishful thinking. But maybe... that's just being fearless. ;) Midnight tonight. Be there.

lovelovelove

-T-

Reba McEntire Signs With Valory Music Label

Superstar Reba McEntire has signed with The Valory Music Co. The move reunites the multimedia entertainer Reba McEntire with industry leader Scott Borchetta, now President & CEO of Big Machine Records and The Valory Music Co. During MCA Nashville’s heyday as 'Label of the Decade' in the 90s (of which Borchetta was Sr. VP of Promotion), McEntire forged a path of airplay, sales and touring dominance that set the bar and paved the way for other female country artists. McEntire and Borchetta achieved amazing results during two different stints together at MCA Nashville that started with McEntire's phenomenal next-level release Rumor Has It. While working with Borchetta at MCA Nashville, McEntire earned 14 #1 singles and sold over 22 million albums.

“It is as if a day hasn’t even passed,” says Borchetta. “The toughest thing about leaving MCA-Nashville again was leaving behind this relationship that I value so much. It is with great honor that I announce today that Reba McEntire will now exclusively record for The Valory Music Co.” “I am thrilled to be joining the Valory team. Scott and I worked together on some of the biggest singles of my career, and I am excited to renew our partnership,” McEntire states.The announcement comes on the cusp of The Valory Music Co.’s one-year anniversary. The upstart sister label to Big Machine Records, has earned astounding success in the year since its launch with a #1 Country debut album by multi-platinum recording artist Jewel and a three-week #1 single by Country soul singer Jimmy Wayne.

McEntire’s debut single on The Valory Music Co. will impact Country radio in early Spring 2009 with her new studio album to follow later that summer. The new release follows her Reba Duets release, which debuted at #1 on both pop and country album charts. McEntire’s last 13 studio albums have all achieved platinum-plus status.

Reba McEntire is one of the most successful female recording artists in history, selling over 55 million albums worldwide and boasting 33 #1 hits. McEntire is the winner of 2 Grammy Awards, 7 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, 9 People’s Choice Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards and 15 American Music Awards. She is also an acclaimed film, television and Broadway actress whose primetime comedy, Reba, was a top-rated sitcom for six seasons. In addition, McEntire is a celebrated author and designer of the REBA brand which includes clothing, footwear, home collections, and other products.

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, Grammy-Nominated band Emerson Drive, and newcomer Southern Country stylist Justin Moore. The Valory Music Co. celebrated its first #1 album with Jewel’s Perfectly Clear, only 7 months after opening its doors. The label celebrated its first #1 single 3 months later when Jimmy Wayne’s “Do You Believe Me Now,” spent 3 weeks atop the Country singles charts. The Valory Music Co. possesses an exclusive, in-house promotion branding team while utilizing existing Big Machine Records backroom service and is distributed by UMGD.

New Charlie Daniels DVD Arrives In Stores Today

One of my very favorite country artists has a wonderful treat that he's sharing with the country music community today. Charlie Daniels releases a special DVD called Preachin', Prayin', Singin'- Charlie Daniels and Friends- Live From Nashville.

When Charlie Daniels took the stage at the Country Music Hall of Fame in the beautiful Ford Theater on April 25, 2005 to perform songs from his Grammy-nominated album Songs From The Longleaf Pines, the packed house had no idea what a historical evening it would turn out to be.

Over the course of the evening, Daniels invited several of his personal friends and bluegrass heroes up on stage that night for a good ol' fashioned jam session. It's truly a instrumentalization marvel. Fortunately, those performances were caught on tape, and the result is a fascinating night of music. It's a blessing to watch.

Musicians on the stage that night included Mac Wiseman, Earl, Gary and Randy Scruggs, Del, Ronnie and Rob McCoury and Sharon, Cheryl and Buck White. Shot with a simple three camera set-up, the DVD gets to the heart of Charlie's roots and the gospel-bluegrass music he grew up with. It's an intimate snapshot into what brought Charlie into the music business.

The real gem of the DVD, however, is the "extras" from the DVD. There's great interviews with Charlie wehre he reflects back on the early days of the Charlie Daniels Band, playing with the Earl Scruggs Review and many of his good friends. With a career that spans 50 amazing years, it's and incredible journey for the legendary fiddle player.

Amazon has this great DVD for sale for $12.99 and it can be purchased here: Preachin', Prayin', Singin'.

Tracy Lawrence's "You Can't Hide Redneck" Sweepstakes

Between now and December 1st, Tracy Lawrence will be running a promotion surrounding his new single "You Can't Hide Redneck." The grand prize is an autographed guitar signed by Tracy Lawrence himself!

The Grand Prize consists of: (one winner)
An autographed guitar
A Wrangler gift certificate worth $75.00
A Charlie One Horse cowboy hat

Second Prize consists of: (10 winners)
autographed CD or full-length album download
an autographed t-shirt

Up And Coming New Nashville- Van Preston

Van Preston's music blends hook-driven Americana and Country melodies with honest, provocative lyrics to create a signature crossover sound. You can't help but be intrigued by this singer-songwriter who has accomplished so much with so little help. Not only has she managed to get several of her songs to radio as an unsigned Nashville artist, her most recent single, "Everything I've Never Seen," is currently ranked at #12 on the New Music Weekly country radio charts.

http://www.newmusicweekly.com/chart.php?chart=Country (click on the 'printer-friendly version' link at the bottom of the page to see the most up-to-date version of the chart)

Preston grew up in a small Arkansas town, discovering her love and talent for songwriting at the age of nine. The valedictorian of her class in a small Arkansas town, Preston earned a marketing and management Bachelor's degree in Minnesota before heading to Music City in 2004. Her music can best be described as rootsy country, with strong influences ofAmericana, rock, pop and folk. In the tradition of Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Kelly Willis and Shania Twain, Van has crossed genre lines to create her signature style of hook-driven country music, kicked up by a strong-woman perspective and infectious energy.

Van is currently touring the eastern U.S. and is scheduled to go overseas next year, including a month long armed forces tour and dates in several European countries. Van's music has caught on a little quicker over in Europe than it has in the states. Last year, Van's self-titled debut album was nominated for album of the year at the European CMA's.

You can listen to her self-titled album here.

The Top Tens- Best Country Songs About Driving

With apologies to Forrest Gump, cars and music are like peas and carrots. You can’t think of one without the other. One of the best feelings in the world is flying down the freeway, convertible top or windows down, the love of your life sitting in the passenger seat next to you, and a great tune blaring a little too loud on the speakers around you. There’s absolutely nothing like listening to a great country song while driving. That blissful thought turns us to this week’s TNS The Top Tens list- The Top Ten Country Driving Songs.

10. Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)- Alabama- This ballad song of a lost trucker jack-knifed in a snow bank and the plight of his family waiting on him is one of the classic top country songs and makes out cut as a Top Ten.

9. Six Days On The Road- Sawyer Brown- "Six Days on the Road" is an American song written by songwriter Carl Montgomery and Earl Green made originally famous by country singer Dave Dudley. Originally released in 1963, the song became a major hit that year and is often hailed as the definitive celebration of the truck driver. In 1997, the song was successfully covered by Sawyer Brown, who took the song into the Top 15 of the country charts.

8. On The Road Again- Willie Nelson- Written for the 1980 movie Honeysuckle Rose, this tune is one of Nelson’s most recognizable. The amazing part is that it hit number one on the country charts AND number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

7. A Thousand Miles From Nowhere- Dwight Yoakam- "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" was featured as the closing credits music for the film Red Rock West, in which Dwight Yoakam also made his film acting debut- it reached #2 on the country charts back in 1993.

6. Highway 20 Ride- Zac Brown Band- My only addition from this year, this great tune comes out November 18th of this month. This slow-tempo tune is a wondrous song about a father having to drive down Georgia’s Highway 20 away from his son who is living with his divorced wife. It’s a moving tribute and a beautiful song.

5. Road Goes On Forever- The Highwaymen- The Highwaymen were Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson and this was the title track of the last of their three albums they worked on together. Released in 1995, this song follows the life of a criminal on the lam on the road and eventually caught.

4. Life Is A Highway- Chris LeDoux- Written and performed originally by Tom Cochrane in Canada, this tune was made more famous by Rascal Flatts than Chris LeDoux. However, those that have heard the version released by LeDoux back in 1998 know that his version feels “lived in.”

3. Against The Wind- Bob Seger- Okay. Okay. So this isn’t really a country song. But I’m giving Seger a break since he’s recorded in the country genre with Martina McBride. And if Kid Rock can score a top ten hit on the country charts with “All Summer Long,” Seger can be counted as somewhat close to the genre. This tune embodies the essence of what its like rolling along the highway.

2. One Piece At A Time- Johnny Cash- Johnny Cash wrote some of the more creative lyrics on radio long before Brad Paisley came along. This tune is the story of a GM worker who decides to steal parts and build his own Cadillac one piece at a time. Google the story of a real British LandRover worker who did just this in real life.

1. The Ride- David Allen Coe (pictured)- The Ride is a song written by Gary Gentry and J.B. Detterline Jr- released in 1983. It is written in a ballad style and tells the story of an encounter with the ghost of Hank Williams, Sr. of an artist driving into Nashville to make it big. It’s been covered by Tim McGraw and Hank Williams Jr. and is our #1 Country Song About Driving.

Honorable Mentions-
· I’ve Been Everywhere- Johnny Cash
· Take Me Home Country Roads- John Denver
· East Bound & Down- Jerry Reed
· Free and Easy Down The Road I Go- Dierks Bentley
· Drivin’ My Life Away- Eddie Rabbit

Tim McGraw To Host Saturday Night Live

Tim McGraw will host Saturday Night Live in his first appearance on the show on Saturday, November 22nd. McGraw becomes the first country music artist this decade to host the show. Previous hosts were Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks.

"I'm looking forward to hosting the show," said McGraw. "I'm not exactly known for my comedy but then again if you've been to one of my shows you might feel differently. Hopefully, hanging around Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon and Jon Favreau is good training."

McGraw will appear in the Warner Brothers film "Four Christmases," with Vaughn, Witherspoon and Favreau, in theaters on Nov. 26. He also has a new COTY cologne, "McGraw By Tim McGraw," and a children's book, "My Little Girl," in stores now.