TNS Video History- Lyle Lovett Covers Johnny Cash

Nearly ten years ago today, Lyle Lovett covered "Tennesse Flat Top Box" in New York at a Cash tribute show. Watch it below.



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Stream The Grand Ole Opry Live Tonight

The grand dame of country music known as The Grand Ole Opry is teaming up with MySpace Music to offer fans the chance to watch Opry performances streamed live on their MySpace page. The first live streaming will be tonight when Martina McBride, Rodney Atkins, Jake Owen, and Carrie Underwood will take the stage.

A pre-show webcast will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET featuring artist interviews, video clips, and more live from backstage at the Opry. Make sure you catch all the action HERE.

An Interview With Rodney Atkins On The 9513

With the 2006 release of “If You’re Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)” (the first single from his sophomore album), Rodney Atkins scored his first number one. Since then, he’s continued to score big hits with four additional (and consecutive) chart toppers, including “Watching You,” “These Are My People,” “Cleaning This Gun (Come On In Boy),” and “It’s America.”

The ACM award-winner for Top New Male Vocalist released a brand new album earlier this year that has spawned two hit singles, and his most recent release, “Chasin’ Girls,” is about to enter the charts. I had a chance to catch up with Atkins in person after an intimate California radio show at a local bar and grill for a quick interview for The 9513.

Read a snippet of the interview below but catch the entire interview right HERE.

“I didn’t know my name was going to be on the building. It’s on the children’s home that I was adopted from–the orphanage that my parents got me from. I was born in Knoxville, but that is where I ended up. I went through foster care and went through three sets of adopted parents before I wound up with my Mom and Dad. Our goal a few years back was to raise about a million dollars to update that place. It had been there since the 50s, and the building had gotten run down. We wound up raising over five million dollars and they built two new youth homes and a lot of new places there. When we went to the building dedication, they named one of the buildings The Rodney Atkins Youth Home. It’s truly unbelievable. Charles Hutchins, the gentleman that still works there, was the guy that placed me with my family. The whole thing was bigger than I ever dreamed it could be.”

Watch Dolly Parton's Jay Leno Performance on 9 @ 9

Watch The Zac Brown Band's Great CDB Tribute At The CMA's

The Zac Brown Band’s performance of the 1979 Charlie Daniels Band hit, “Devil Went Down To Georgia,” was the highlight of the CMA Awards this week for this country fan. In case you missed it (or want to watch it again), here it is below…

The Unofficial CMA Awards Awards

Yep, you read it correctly. That Nashville Sound, after being soundly thumped in it’s predictions of the CMA winners (4 out of 12), has been entrusted in handing out the awards that celebrate the best and worst of last night’s Country Music Association Awards ceremony. So without further ado, here are the imaginary awards that came out after you went to bed last night…

The Welcome To The Future Award-
Handed not to Brad Paisley for his hit single of the same name, but to Darius Rucker who was the first African American nominated in the CMA Awards in 37 years. AND, he took home the prize for Best New Artist. Very cool.

Cutest Ditty Of The Night Award-
Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood did a decent job hosting the awards show this year, and their short songs at the beginning of the show were cute. But the best one was their tribute to Brooks & Dunn in the opening monologue with lyrics saying that the only ones happy about Brooks and Dunn breaking up are Sugarland.

The REALLY????? Award-
It was Taylor Swift’s night, pulling home Video Of The Year, Album Of The Year and the coveted Entertainer Of The Year. After the year she’s had, all of that could be understood. But Female Vocalist Of The Year? With her consistent off-tone live performances, you wonder where’s Simon from American Idol when you need him.

The Hell Hasn’t Frozen Over After All Award-
The CMA voters got it very right when the chose the right winner for Song Of The Year- Jamey Johnson’s “In Color.” It wasn’t a smash commercial success, but was the critical darling of Nashville over the last year.

The Doofus Hair-Do Award Of The Night-
Easily goes out to the bass player in Miranda Lamberts band with the spiked Mohawk. Daughtry’s weird extended mutton chops are a close second.

Best Look Forward By Looking Back Award (tie)-
The Zac Brown Band’s cover of the 1979 classic “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” was a great tribute to their home state, a validation of their roots and a show of great musicianship. Also terrific was Martina McBride and George Strait covering Barbara Mandrell’s “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool.”

The Worst Special Effect Of The Night Award-
Goes to the giant movie/LED screen behind the first few artists that played. Special effects are supposed to support and augment the performance of the artist, not overshadow them and be a giant distraction.

The Best Special Effect Of The Night Award-
The naked lit light bulbs, antique photos as background and the snow that fell on top of the Lady Antebellum as they sang “I Need You Now” was beautiful.

Biggest Surprise Of The Night Award-
It wasn’t Taylor Swift bringing home all that glassware, but Lady Antebellum bringing home two trophies for Single Of The Year and Vocal Group Of The Year. It couldn’t happen to a better group of three people.

The Dry Cleaners Appreciation Award-
I counted nine different wardrobe changes for Miss Carrie Underwood last night- and she looked beautiful in all of them. Well… except for that green number that looked like a cross between a slinky and a bow on a present.

Best Look Of The Night Award-
Didn’t go out to a specific outfit, but something that was missing. Wynonna, who is actively promoting a new diet supplement, looked fantastic after obviously losing a ton of weight. Lets hope that for her own health, she reaches all her objectives.

Best Reminder To What We Knew Already Award-
Vince Gill sings the finest harmony on the planet.

The Smallest Thing To Steal The Show Moment Award-
Little Jimmie Dickens playing Kanye West to Brad Paisley’s Taylor Swift and interrupting his fake acceptance speech to tell him Taylor’s video was better was fantastic.

The Most Guitars In One Place Award-
During Brooks and Dunn’s swan song, “Honkytonk Stomp,” they had eight guitars, yes eight, playing at one time.

I’ve Never Felt So Old In Awhile Award-
Goes to me- after watching hundreds of teens singing along with Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen” from the crowd.

As for the real winners, here’s a list below…

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift
MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Brad Paisley
FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
Taylor Swift
VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
Lady Antebellum
VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR
Sugarland
NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Darius Rucker
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Fearless
Taylor Swift
Produced by Nathan Chapman and Taylor Swift
Big Machine Records
SINGLE OF THE YEAR
“I Run To You”
Lady Antebellum
Produced by Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley
Capitol Records Nashville
SONG OF THE YEAR
“In Color”
Written by Jamey Johnson, Lee Thomas Miller and James Otto
MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR
“Start A Band”
Brad Paisley (duet with Keith Urban)
Arista Nashville
MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR
“Love Story”
Taylor Swift
Directed by Trey Fanjoy
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Mac McAnally - Guitar

Jay Leno To Host Dolly Parton Tonight

Dolly Parton will make her debut on "The Jay Leno Show" tonight. Parton is in Los Angeles next week to promote the release of her new DVD, "Dolly: Live From London." However, she won't be appearing on the L.A.-based "Leno" in person. She'll be the celebrity guest for the spot "10@10," in which Leno asks the guest 10 questions about themselves. Parton will be answering the questions via satellite from Nashville, says an NBC spokesperson. With her wit and humor, it should make for a very entertaining segment.

Watch Big Kenny Concert Here After CMA’s Tonight

Tonight at 10PM central time, after watching the CMA’s, come back to That Nashville Sound to watch Big Kenny's CMA after party and concert LIVE from the Cadillac Ranch in Nashville, TN. Celebrate, chat with other fans and hear new music from Big Kenny's release, The Quiet Times of a Rock and Roll Farm Boy.

Live Broadcasting by Ustream

That Nashville Sound's CMA Award Predictions For Tonight

The 43rd Annual CMA Awards," hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, airs live tonight from the Sommet Center in Nashville, (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network. This is That Nashville Sound’s fearless predictions on who should win each category. Check back in tomorrow for the results.

Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
>Brad Paisley
George Strait
Taylor Swift
Keith Urban

Male Vocalist of the Year
Kenny Chesney
>Brad Paisley
Darius Rucker
George Strait
Keith Urban

Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
>Carrie Underwood

Vocal Group of the Year
Eagles
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Rascal Flatts
>Zac Brown Band

Vocal Duo of the Year
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
>Sugarland

New Artist of the Year
Randy Houser
>Jamey Johnson
Jake Owen
Darius Rucker
Zac Brown Band

Musician of the Year
Eddie Bayers - Drums
>Paul Franklin - Steel Guitar
Dann Huff - Guitar
Brent Mason - Guitar
Mac McAnally - Guitar

Album of the Year
American Saturday Night, Brad Paisley
Produced by Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois
Defying Gravity, Keith Urban
Produced by Dann Huff and Keith Urban
Fearless, Taylor Swift
Produced by Nathan Chapman and Taylor Swift
Love On The Inside, Sugarland
Produced by Byron Gallimore, Kristian Bush, and Jennifer Nettles
>That Lonesome Song, Jamey Johnson
Produced by The Kent Hardly Playboys

Single of the Year
"Chicken Fried" - Zac Brown Band
Produced by Keith Stegall
"I Run To You" - Lady Antebellum
Produced by Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley
>"In Color" - Jamey Johnson
Produced by The Kent Hardly Playboys
"People Are Crazy" - Billy Currington
Produced by Carson Chamberlain and Billy Currington
"Then" - Brad Paisley
Produced by Frank Rogers and Chris DuBois

Song of the Year
"Chicken Fried"
Zac Brown/Wyatt Durrette
"I Told You So"
Randy Travis
>"In Color"
Jamey Johnson/Lee Thomas Miller/James Otto
People Are Crazy"
Bobby Braddock/Troy Jones
"Then"
Brad Paisley/Chris DuBois/Ashley Gorley

Musical Event of the Year
"Cowgirls Don't Cry" - Brooks & Dunn featuring Reba McEntire
"Down The Road" - Kenny Chesney (with Mac McAnally)
"Everything But Quits" - Lee Ann Womack (duet with George Strait)
> "I Told You So" - Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis
"Old Enough" - The Raconteurs featuring Ricky Skaggs and Ashley Monroe
"Start a Band" - Brad Paisley featuring Keith Urban

Music Video of the Year
"Boots On" - Randy Houser
Directed by Eric Welch
>"Love Story" - Taylor Swift
Directed by Trey Fanjoy
"People Are Crazy" - Billy Currington
Directed by The Brads
"Start A Band" - Brad Paisley (duet with Keith Urban)
Directed by Jim Shea
"Troubadour" - George Strait
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

Darius Rucker Releases New Video For "History In The Making"

Fresh out of the oven just today- watch Rucker's brand new video here...

Jerry Lee Lewis Releases Amazon.com Exclusive New EP

Jerry Lee Lewis released a digital EP, Mean Old Man, through Amazon.com this week for only $2.99 The five-song country project includes collaborations with Merle Haggard ("Swinging Doors"), Kid Rock and Slash ("Rockin' My Life Away"), Sheryl Crow ("You Are My Sunshine"), Eric Clapton and James Burton ("You Can Have Her") and Kris Kristofferson ("Mean Old Man," written by Kristofferson specifically for Lewis). Currently on tour in Europe, Lewis will release a full-length album in early 2010.

CD Reviews- Carrie Underwood- Play On

Background:
This is the highly anticipated 2009 release from the four-time Grammy Award winner and former American Idol winner. Carrie has come a long way since her AI days including selling more than 10 million albums, garnering ACM and CMA awards and becoming the first country artist in history to achieve 10 #1 singles from her first two albums. To top that all off, she was also recently inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.

The Review:
So let’s get that white elephant out of the room right off the bat. Carrie Underwood, like Taylor Swift, walks that fine line between country music and pop music. That’s not to say that that place in contemporary country is wrong- it’s probably one of the most profitable places to be in music today. But to discount that genre that they’ve created in music- from either side- probably isn't being fair. Like it or not, the contemporary country music genre is as much as part of the fabric of the overall country music scene as any subgenre there is. Today, even more so than any classic movement or outlaw music, contemporary country music is the face of the genre. And it’s with that mindset that we went out and reviewed this album. The first song and first single, "Cowboy Casanova" is the biggest crossover song on the album, with a stomping dance beat under Underwood's warnings about a playboy. Reminiscent of some of Shania Twain’s hook driven hits, it’s a catchy, albeit loud, song that has been racing up the charts. Where Carrie Underwood shines here with is with two of the ballads that were co-written with her pen in “Mama’s Song” and “Temporary Home.” "Mama's Song" is a touching and soft song about generations of mothers trying to let daughters grow up and move on. "I wanted to leave it really general," Underwood says. "So it could be, you know, even if your mom is kind of letting you go, not to a man specifically, but letting you go and God will take care of my daughter." Most importantly, the production is mellow enough that it allows Underwood to use her vocals to “feel” the lyrics instead of let them go full-blast like on some of the more up-tempos on the album. The three verses of “Temporary Home” utilize lyrics that help share Underwood’s faith and are a terrific storytelling journey in the process. The first depicts a 6-year-old boy in a foster home; the second, a single mother in a halfway house. In the final verse, a dying man is surrounded by family members in a hospital. And on "What Can I Say," Underwood brings in Sons of Sylvia (formerly the Clark Brothers) for a duet. While they’re justifiably no match for Underwood’s vocals, the Clarks make a great partner and this radio-friendly song also marks one of the highlights on the album. Several songs from "Play On" will likely be successful radio hits. But overall, the album feels a bit uneven, somewhat odd and choppy without a clear style. Perhaps that is by design by the producers to reach the widest possible audience, but it kept this reviewer from being able to dig in to the album in any depth. Bottom line, Carrie Underwood is a truly gifted vocalist with an amazing range. The album could use some better material for her to work with, however.

Sounds Like:
Martina McBride & Shania Twain

Track Highlights (suggested iPod adds):
Mama’s Song
Temporary Home
What Can I Say?

The Verdict:
Three Stars Out Of Five

Justin Moore Releases New Music Video For “Backwoods”

Enjoy Justin Moore’s brand new music video for “Backwoods,” his second release off the same album that featured the number one hit “Small Town USA.”

Up & Coming New Nashville- The Carter Twins

Growing up in Akron, Ohio, twins Josh and Zach Carter were surrounded by music from the time they were born. Their mother worked in country radio and encouraged their interest — Zach stole time at her piano, while she taught Josh “Stairway to Heaven” on the guitar. The family moved to Hilton Head, S.C. when the brothers were 15, where they landed their first live gig at Coligny Plaza. They realized their true passion was performing in front of a live audience and continued to craft their musicianship while juggling a busy high school schedule and playing hundreds live gigs.

The young duo’s air-tight harmonies reflect a wide range of musical influences, including everyone from Rascal Flatts, Brooks & Dunn and Keith Urban; to John Mayer, the Everly Brothers and Gavin DeGraw. Songwriting comes naturally to the twins, who easily finish each other’s thoughts and benefit from a little brotherly competition.

In 2008, the Carter Twins scored a chance meeting with an MTV executive in Los Angeles, who ultimately led them to CMT. The brothers recently completed high school and moved to Nashville to pursue their music career full-time under the development of CMT Music and Meteor 17. Now 19 years old, Joshua Scott Carter and Zachary Edward Carter are settling into their new Nashville digs, and spent the summer working with some of Music City’s best songwriters and crafting as many as 80 songs in just six months.

Under the helm of Frank Rogers, Billboard Magazine’s #1 country producer, the Carter Twins have just released an EP and are working on their debut album for a release in early 2010.



That Nashville Sound had an opportunity to interview the guys as they put the finishing touches on their soon-to-be-released album.

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

Zach- Our mom worked in Country radio, which instantly made us a big fan of music. Growing up, we'd see artists like Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks pass through the station, and we always hope that one day we'd get to do the same thing.

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

Zach- We like to call it "New Country" - kind of like a blend of The Everly Brothers meets somebody like Brooks & Dunn. It's a lot of harmony driven stuff. We got to work with Frank Rogers, which is really cool because he's worked with artists like Brad Paisley, Trace Adkins, Josh Turner, and the list goes on. Frank is known for producing really good straight up country music, and since we have more of a "New Country" sound, we feel that we really created something unique.

Josh: Our mission is to get as many people as possible to listen to our music - and hopefully they'll enjoy and relate to it!

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

Josh- I really like to play golf - that's something a lot of people don't know about me. Sometimes people are really surprised by that.

Zach- I like to spend a lot of time outdoors. I know this is really random, but I really like to go on hikes.

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

Josh & Zach- We listen to every genre of music! Our iPods are loaded with anything from what's new and hot in the pop world to what's currently on the radio in the country world. Then we have things like Simon & Garfunkel, George Strait, and John Mayer. We love everything!

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

Josh- We'd like to see ourselves still making music, exposing our music to more people, and hopefully headlining a tour one day. That would be really nice!

Zach- If I had a crystal ball, I'd love to see Taylor Swift open up for us (laughter). We still want to be getting our music out there, and hopefully connecting with more and more fans everyday! We just want to keep doing what we love.

New Music Video From Randy Houser In "Whistlin' Dixie"

Universal Records South’s Randy Houser launched his brand new music video for his new single, “Whistlin’ Dixie,” directly prior to CMT's Top 20 Countdown Friday, November 6th and it's already being loaded into their Hot Shot rotation all weekend on CMT and Heavy rotation on CMT Pure starting today. Watch it below...

Taylor Swift A Hit On Saturday Night Live

Taylor Swift showed her comedic acting chops last night on Saturday Night Live. In case you missed it, here’s some clips from the show including her funny “musical monologue.”

TNS Video History- Bob Seger & Martina McBride- "Chances Are"

Today's Sunday version of TNS Video History gets dedicated to my beautiful bride- this is one of her favorite songs. Bob Seger and Martina McBride sing this beautiful duet called "Chances Are" from the movie Hope Floats.



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