Brooks & Dunn Launch Final Single And Music Video

"Honky Tonk Stomp" is the new single and music video by country music duo Brooks & Dunn. It was written by duo member Ronnie Dunn along with Terry McBride and Bobby Pinson and is the 50th overall single for the duo. It is also the final single of their career. The song features Billy Gibbons, lead singer of the band ZZ Top. Enjoy the video below…

Chicken Catching Country Singer Kevin Skinner Wins A Million Bucks

Kevin Skinner, 35, the unemployed chicken catcher turned country singer from Mayfield, Ky., completed his rags to riches story and was the surprise winner of America's Got Talent Wednesday. He beat runner up Barbara Padilla, the opera singer and cancer survivor in the fourth season season finale.

As winner, Skinner, who sang Aerosmith's "Don't Want to Miss a Thing" with his own twang in the final performance show Monday, will get $1 million and a headlining gig in Las Vegas.

"I'm ready to perform, man," he drawled as confetti fell and he was surrounded by the other Top 10 contestants. "I 'm going to go out there and give 'em the best show I can. Thank American for voting me in. I love you all."

Skinner certainly fills the bill as an unknown who didn't look like he'd be able to sing but who had a way around a country song. Still, he never reached a level one would call sensational.

America's Got Talent was certainly a ratings winner, finishing at or near No. 1 most of the season with audiences as high as 8.5 million.

Capital Records Stops Ronnie Milsap's New Project In Its Tracks

New record label Bleve Records reports that it has stopped promotion of its debut single by Trace Adkins and Ronnie Milsap called ”My First Ride” following a cease and desist order from Capitol Records Nashville. The song was scheduled to be part of a multi-artist compilation album with a targeted release date of November 1.

A statement from Bleve on Wednesday the 16th said, “Capitol Records has threatened legal action if Bleve Records does not immediately halt any further publicity or sales of ‘My First Ride.’” This is following the cancellation of a single release party that was scheduled this week as well.

Mickey Milam, Bleve Entertainment President and CEO, says, “Trace was gracious enough to sing on this single, not only as a favor to his good friend Ronnie Milsap, but also because he believes in our cause,“ says Milam. “I just don’t understand Capitol’s reaction.”

The album was to be a fundraiser for police and firemen disaster relief funds.

It looks as if this charity initiative was met with the unfortunate and harsh big-label realities of artist release schedules and exclusive recording agreements.

9513 Interview With Johnny Van Zant Of Lynyrd Skynyrd

Johnny Van Zant took over as the new lead singer and primary songwriter of Lynyrd Skynyrd after the tragic plane crash that took the lives of his brother and several band members. Skynyrd has made a mark unlike any other southern rock band with important southern anthems like "Free Bird" and "Sweet Home Alabama." Six albums and millions of concert ticket sales later, Johnny Van Zant and the rest of the Lynyrd Skynyrd boys are keeping the music alive. The band’s latest release God + Guns hits stores on September 29.

I had a chance to interview the charismatic lead singer Van Zant for the other site I write for, The 9513. You can read the whole interview HERE.

"I think a lot of the country artists that are coming out today listened a lot to the Allman Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ted Nugent and Aerosmith (Laughing). For example, Jason Aldean opened up for us a couple years ago, and he did a cover of an Aerosmith or a Zepplin song–I can’t remember which. But I was really surprised that he was doing that as part of his set. Of course, people like Montgomery Gentry are influenced–we’ve done a CMT Crossroads with them. We’ve been recording records in Nashville for as long as we’ve been recording records. They’ve been recorded in Nashville or Memphis or down in Muscle Shoals."

Mary From Peter, Paul & Mary Passes On

It’s not exactly country music, but the music industry lost a key family member today with the passing of Mary Travers of the hugely successful 60’s folk group, Peter, Paul & Mary. Famous for tunes such as “Puff The Magic Dragon,” “Leaving On A Jet Plane” and “Blowin’ In The Wind,” As an indication of their popularity, all three of their first three albums the band recorded were in the top ten the week of the assassination of President Kennedy. Ms. Travers’s voice blended seamlessly with those of her colleagues, Peter Yarrow and Paul Stookey, to create a rich three-part harmony that propelled the group to the top of the pop charts.

Musical stylings and apparel fashions have changed, but PPM fans have stayed fiercely loyal to the music and the political ideals of the group. Ms. Travers once told the music magazine Goldmine, “People say to us, ‘Oh, I grew up with your music,’ and we often say, sotto voce, ‘So did we.’ ”

Celebrate her rich musical legacy with a quick watch of a Peter, Paul & Mary performance below...

That Nashville Soundbites- Tom Wurth- If The Road Runs Out

We're starting a new little mini feature here at That Nashville Sound today. I receive many different CD releases throughout the year and just simply due to a lack of time, I cannot review them all. There are lots of indie and small-label releases I just cannot dedicate a full CD review to. So, beginning with this new release from Tom Wurth, we're going to start a That Nashville Soundbites feature that will allow me to give some props to some albums and artists that deserve more. Enjoy.

Release Date: September 8, 2009
Music Label: Echelon Records
The Skinny: After producing records for Eddie Money and John Ford Coley, Tom Wurth has a made a natural feeling storytelling album in a similar vein of writers he admires like Vince Gill and Steve Wariner.
Sounds Like: Troy Gentry
Standout Tracks: "Bread On The Table," "It Ain’t What You Think" & "Your Hometown"
The Verdict: Three Stars Out Of Five

Country Music Hall Of Fame Readies New Exhibit On The Man Behind Elvis

Mysterious and shrewd, Colonel Tom Parker revo-lutionized the business of promotion and manage-ment while guiding the careers of Eddy Arnold, Elvis Presley, and others. Marking the hundredth birth anniversary of the late music industry legend, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will pay tribute to Parker in a spotlight exhibit featuring personal photos, correspondence, documents, apparel, a scrapbook, and other artifacts from throughout his controversial career.

Spotlight Exhibit: Colonel Tom Parker
Opens: September 25, 2009
Where: Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville, Tennessee

Chip In With Trace To Help The Bethlehem United Methodist Church

On July 15th, 2009 the church featured in Trace's video for "Muddy Water" was destroyed by a fire. Bethlehem United Methodist Church was so kind to allow Trace to film there, and he would like to return the favor. Please join Trace and everyone at TraceAdkins.com by chipping in and donating to help this congregation rebuild this historic church. You can also help spread the word by posting this widget on your personal page.

TNS Video History- Travis Tritt & Trace Adkins Sing "Jailhouse Rock"

Travis Tritt and Trace Adkins fire up the old Elvis tune, "Jailhouse Rock" on the CBS show Yes, Dear...



Email subscribers can click on the headline to watch the video.

An Interview With Darryl Worley on 9513

I had an opportunity to interview Darryl Worley this past week on my other site I work on at 9513. I'd love for all my TNS readers to click through HERE to read it and let me know what you think with comments.

Darryl Worley signed with DreamWorks Nashville back in 1999. His debut album, Hard Rain Don’t Last (2000) was the first of four albums for the label. I Miss My Friend (2002), Have You Forgotten? (2003), and Darryl Worley (2004) would all follow, spawning three number one singles and 12 charted hits. After the label closed in 2005, he moved to 903 Music (an independent label owned by Neal McCoy), releasing Here and Now in 2006, shortly before that label’s closure. His most recent studio release is 2009’s Sounds Like Life via Stroudavarious Records and its first charted single, “Sounds Like Life” is racing up the charts now.

"We’re down there (at the Tennessee River Run event) giving everything we got to the cause. Obviously, we award grants to people in need in that whole region down there. We’re giving money to several national charities every single year including Cystic Fibrosis and St. Jude–a whole lot of charities. But we have a new focus the past few years, we’ve started a campaign to build a four million dollar cancer treatment center in my home town. I think financially, we’re ready to break ground, but we’ve got a few political hurdles to clear right now. Hopefully we’ll have that straightened out and cleared up so we can get started later this year or this fall."

Up & Coming New Nashville- Becky Schlegel (With Exclusive Interview)

Becky's Schlegel's new single, "So Embarrassing," is a lilting tale of infidelity that showcases Schlegel's poetic and (sometimes) painfully honest writing style. It is the debut single from Becky's upcoming CD, DANDELION, on Lilly Ray/IGO Records (distributed by Select-O-Hits). Click HERE to listen to the new single.

Becky's spellbinding soprano is the obvious highlight of "So Embarrassing," and renowned singer/instrumentalist Randy Kohrs' striking background vocal creates an intriguing dynamic. A stellar group of musicians fill out the track, and they are: Brian Fesler (guitar); Phil Hey (drums) Gordon Johnson (bass); Randy Kohrs (dobro) and Kenny Wilson (steel guitar).

Becky is not only a singer/songwriter, she is a wife and mother as well. While soft-spoken and tenderhearted, she has a lighter side that is quirky, fun and vibrant. Her stage shows are lively, and she guides her career with a strong and willing hand. Schlegel’s artistic journey began with piano lessons when she was just five years old, growing up in Kimball, South Dakota (pop. 700). She played the piano for the next 13 years, performing at VFW and American Legion halls as a member of her mother’s band, The Country Benders. During the prairie summers following high school, Becky continued to immerse herself in traditional country while singing and playing keyboards for the Mountain Music Show in the Black Hills of South Dakota - seven nights a week. She also recorded (and produced) two projects of her own to sell after her performances.

Becky stepped out on her own in 2002, and recorded her first solo CD, RED LEAF. All 11 tracks were originals – and they were “one-step removed” from bluegrass. “I feel that it’s a beautiful & timeless project,” she says of RED LEAF. “I was fortunate enough to have some incredible players join me on this album– Peter Ostroushko, Marc Anderson and Gordon Johnson among them.” The album received critical acclaim – and the title track was named 2002’s Music City Minnesota Song of the Year by the Minnesota Music Festival.

Also that year, the Minnesota Music Academy voted Schlegel Bluegrass/Old-Time Artist of the Year, and named RED LEAF the year’s best Bluegrass/Old-Time Recording. In 2003, Becky was again voted Bluegrass/Old-Time Artist of the Year by the MMA. The following year, she was named the organization’s Bluegrass Group/Artist of the Year. Additional honors include performances at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) Songwriters’ Showcase in both 2003 and 2005.

We had a chance to chat with the talented songwriter about some of her inspirations in music.

That Nashville Sound- What brought you to music in the first place?

Becky Schlegel- Well, I remember being drawn to music at a very young age. I started playing piano and singing around age 5. I remember listening to people sing on the radio and thinking "I'd LOVE to do that!". I have always loved Country music, because that is what we listened to growing up. When I was 16, I heard Bluegrass for the first time. I couldn't move. It had such an impact on me... Now, my greatest love it songwriting. It's nice to have something of your own...

TNS- Describe your music- what's the mission behind the music?

BS- It's hard to describe... I usually tell people it's just pretty music, almost "sleepy". I write to be creative, and hope that it may touch other people as much as it does me. It's a wonderful sort of therapy...

TNS- What might people be surprised to find out about you?

BS- Oh boy... that I'm an awful cook.

TNS- What kind of music are you listening to? What's in your iPod?

BS- Well, today I listened to a Country Gentlemen record, and also a Donna Fargo record... LOVE "Amelia Earhart"! Oh, and thinking of Donna Fargo, I found an old 45 of "Funny Face" a couple months ago... What a find! - I'm going to frame it and hang it on the wall. (I don't have an iPod.)

TNS- If you had a crystal ball and looked forward five years, what do you see for yourself?

BS- Hopefully, enjoying someone's version of a song I wrote, writing for a living, and enjoying my children and family more than ever...

TNS- Quick questions… Favorite Hobby?

BS- I love to collect old toys.

TNS- Record Stores or Downloads?

BS- Digging through the record bins at flea markets...

TNS- Favorite Food?

BS- Mountain Dew, Decaf Coffee, and Snickers.

Kanye West Is A Schmuck- Interrupts Taylor Swift During Her MTV Win Speech

During tonight’s MTV Video Music Awards, young country star Taylor Swift beat all other artists and all other genres with a big win for Best Female Video for "You Belong With Me." It was her first Moon Man trophy for the 19-year-old country star.

She began, "I always dreamed about what it would be like to win one of these one day," Taylor said with surprise. "I never thought it would happen."

But halfway through her acceptance, Kanye West, the boorish, arrogant and idiotic music star joined her on stage, took away the microphone and promptly announced that he thought Beyonce should have won. "Hey Taylor, I'm really happy for you, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time."

Click here to watch Kanye's outburt.

Taylor looked justifiably horrified. That was the bad part.

The good part? The audience booed him. Loudly. And then louder still. And then they promptly gave Taylor a standing ovation. And then booed Kanye throughout the night whenever his name was mentioned for an award. Karma is a great thing.

The best quote of the night came from pop sensation, Pink. Before the end of the awards, she tweeted about her annoyance with Kanye. "Kanye West is the biggest piece of sh-t on earth. Quote me," she wrote. "My heart goes out to Taylor Swift. She is a sweet and talented girl, and deserved her moment. She should know we all love her."

Fortunately, Taylor got another chance to complete her acceptance speech. When Beyonce accepted the Best Video Award for "Single Ladies," she invited Taylor back on stage and did one of the more classy things I’ve ever seen done, set aside her own speech so Taylor could finish hers.

"Wow, this is amazing," Beyonce said when receiving her award. "I remember being 17-years-old and up for my first MTV award with Destiny's Child. It was one of the most exciting moments in my life. So, I'd like for Taylor to come out and have her moment."

See the video below:



Taylor then joined Beyonce on stage and recited her acceptance speech, finishing off a wild evening for the teenager.

Canadian Country Music Association Names Dean Brody's "Brothers" Single Of The Year

The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) celebrated another fantastic year in country music. Hosted by actor and director Jason Priestley, this year's Canadian Country Music Awards took place in Vancouver, BC at GM Place, where country music fans were treated to amazing performances by such artists as Aaron Pritchett, Paul Brandt with High Valley, Reba McEntire, and Martina McBride, to name a few.The big winner of the night was Johnny Reid, who took home five CCMA Awards. Also of note were newcomers Dean Brody and Tara Oram, who were each presented with their first award.

Recipients of a 2009 Canadian Country Music Association Award were as follows:

• Single of the Year: "Brothers" ~ Dean Brody

Album of the Year: Dance With Me ~ Johnny Reid

Songwriter(s) of the Year: Johnny Reid/Brent Maher for "A Woman Like You"

CMT Video of the Year: "A Woman Like You" ~ Johnny Reid

Female Artist of the Year: Crystal Shawanda

Male Artist of the Year: Johnny Reid

Group or Duo of the Year: Doc Walker

Roots Artist or Group of the Year: Corb Lund

Rising Star: Tara Oram

Fans' Choice Award: Johnny Reid

TNS Video History- Jerry Reed Covers Jim Croce's "I Got A Name"

The late Jerry Reed covers Jim Croce's "I Got A Name." For those that might only recognize Reed as the Snowman from the Smokey & The Bandit movies, this is a great reminder of what an amazing talent he truly was.