New Music Video From Toby Keith, Luke Combs & Joe Diffie - "Ships That Don't Come In"

Country Music Legend Toby Keith Passes Away At The Age Of 62

It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness that we announce the passing of Toby Keith, the legendary country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. He left us on February 5, 2024, at the age of 62, after a valiant and dignified battle with stomach cancer. His departure marks the end of an era in country music, leaving behind a legacy that will forever echo through the hearts of fans and the annals of music history.

Born on July 8, 1961, in Clinton, Oklahoma, Toby's passion for music was evident from a young age. His grandmother owned a supper club where he first encountered the musicians that would inspire his journey into the world of country music. Toby's early life was marked by a blend of hard work, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of his musical dreams, which he balanced with his love for rodeo and football.

Toby Keith burst onto the country music scene in the early 1990s, quickly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with. His debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy," catapulted to the top of the charts, becoming the most-played country song of the 1990s. This was only the beginning of what would become a storied career, spanning over three decades, during which he released numerous albums, chart-topping singles, and garnered a plethora of awards and accolades.

Known for his deep, resonant voice, and patriotic anthems, Toby's music resonated with fans across the globe. Songs like "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" and "Beer for My Horses" became anthems of American resilience and spirit. Yet, it was not just his music that endeared him to millions; Toby's unwavering support for the troops and his philanthropic efforts, particularly his work with the Toby Keith Foundation and the OK Kids Korral, a home for children battling cancer, showcased the depth of his character and his commitment to giving back.

Toby's influence extended beyond music. He was a savvy businessman, with ventures including his record label, Show Dog Nashville, and the I Love This Bar & Grill restaurant chain, further cementing his legacy as an icon of the American spirit.

Keith had made numerous trips to the Middle East, starting in 2002, to perform for those serving in the U.S. military. “My father was a soldier. He taught his kids to respect veterans,” said Keith. “It's that respect and the thank-you that we have a military that's in place and ready to defend our nation; our freedom."

He leaves behind his loving wife, Tricia Lucus, and their children, Shelley, Krystal, and Stelen, along with grandchildren, who, along with his legions of fans, will miss him dearly. Toby's music and the memories he created will continue to inspire and uplift, serving as a testament to a life lived with passion, dedication, and an unwavering love for country music.

Today, we say goodbye to a country music legend, a patriot, a philanthropist, and a beloved husband and father. Toby Keith's songs will forever remain a part of our lives, reminding us of the power of music to unite, inspire, and heal. Rest in peace, Toby. Your music will play on, a lasting tribute to your incredible journey and the indelible mark you've left on the world.

Dean Dillon Producing New Sundance Head Album Release, Stained Glass & Neon

Artist: Sundance Head
Album: Stained Glass & Neon
Label: Dean Dillon's Wildcatter Records
Release date: January 25, 2018

Sundance Head's Stained Glass and Neon, will be released on Dean Dillon's Wildcatter Records on January 25, 2018. Dean Dillon is one of country music's most iconic songwriters, with over 62 songs cut by George Strait alone ("The Chair," "Ocean Front Property," etc), plus other hits like "Tennessee Whiskey" (George Jones/Chris Stapleton), "I'm Alive" & "A Lot Of Things Different", hits for Alabama, Toby Keith, Lee Ann Womack & many others. He is also producer on this album by The Voice winner and self-proclaimed "soul country" singer.

Dean Dillon on Sundance Head, “With the help of some business associates in Texas, I had the opportunity to create my own record label, Dean Dillon’s Wildcatter Records, and I knew that wanted to work with him. I’ve been in this business all my life, and with the exception of a couple of people, I’ve never heard anybody sing the way this man does. I think the most amazing thing to me is his vocal range and control. He is extremely special,” 

The 40-year-old Texan Head talked about what fans can expect from his album, "It’s not rock, it’s not country, it’s not blues. But I think once this record comes out, people will understand. It’s kind of a throwback to when songs meant something. It’s real music, and we’re not trying to compress it and put beats on it. It’s a really old-school modern country record. That’s my style, man. I’m an old cat. I don’t really identify with the country that’s currently on the radio.”

New Music Video From Toby Keith - "Don't Let The Old Man In" (From The Movie The Mule)

That Nashville Sound Saturday Newsbytes: New Music Videos, Opry Expansion & New Albums

Several newsworthy items popped up on the newsfeed yesterday including a couple of new music projects, a historic expansion for the Grand Ole Opry and some new music videos.

~ Seth Ennis premiered a new music video for his debut single "Call Your Mama."

~ Parmalee premiered a new music video for "Down Town" that supports the relief fundraising for victims of the Hurricane Florence.

~ Luke Combs unveiled a new acoustic music video for his song "I Got Away With You."

~ HoneyHoney released a new music video for their song "Arrow of Love."

~ John Prine's Austin City Limits performance of "Everything is Cool" was released on YouTube.

~ The album that started it all for Toby Keith, his self-titled 1993 debut featuring four hit singles, is being celebrated with a special 25th anniversary release titled Should've Been A Cowboy. The album has been remastered from the original analog tapes and includes a commemorative cover, liner notes from Keith and three rare tracks from Keith's personal vault. It will be released on November 30, 2018.

~ The historic Grand Ole Opry unveiled plans to start a 12 million dollar renovation of the building.

 "The project features several additions and enhancements, including a larger 5,000-square-foot retail footprint and a new box office, and a new parking area featuring 1,100 surface parking spaces on undeveloped land just north of the Opry House, adding a convenient parking option for Opry guests and the public during peak times. Plans were also revealed for a new, state-of-the-art Opry House backstage tour theater and 100-seat VIP event space to open in Spring 2019, which will feature a new backstage tour film including new Opry member interviews and performances as well as highlights from the Opry’s vast video and audio archives."

- Kip Moore is releasing a new EP on November 16 called Room To Spare: The Acoustic Sessions. Here's the track listing below:

 1. “Plead The Fifth” (Acoustic Version)
(Luke Dick, Josh Kear)
2. “Tennessee Boy”
(Kip Moore, Dan Couch)
3. “Love You To The Moon”
(Charlie Worsham, Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby)
4. “It Ain’t California”
(Kip Moore, Charlie Worsham, Jon Mabe)
5. “Wish It Was Me”
(Kip Moore, Adam Browder, Scott Stepakoff, Dan Couch)
6. “Come Home With You”
(Kip Moore, Troy Verges, Blair Daly)
7. “Part Of Growing Up”
(Kip Moore, Josh Miller, Andrew DeRoberts)

That Nashville Sound Monday Newsbytes: Willie Nelson, Krystal Keith, Rory Feek, Maggie Rose & More

Lots of new projects were unveiled over the weekend- many of which are new on the radar. So consider yourself first in on the know. It's like a little club. Except we don't have meetings and there are no dues.

- A special collection of Willie Nelson's earliest demos is going to be made available through Real Gone Music with a double album called Things To Remember: The Pamper Demos. The project is scheduled for release on CD and digital platforms on July 13th. Here's the scoop on the project:

For the series of sessions that laid the foundation for Willie Nelson’s career and thus changed the course of modern country music, these recordings have been treated pretty cavalierly over the years. But first, a little history…Willie Nelson was a struggling songwriter, hungry for work and maybe even just plain hungry, when he moved to Nashville in late 1960 with his wife and kids and met Hank Cochran, who was a writer for Pamper Music. Pamper, which was owned by country star Ray Price, fiddle player Hal Smith, and a baker (!) from Pico Rivera, California named Claude Caviness, was the hottest publishing company in town, thanks to writers like Cochran and Harlan Howard and songs like “Heartaches by the Number” and “I Fall to Pieces.”

At first, Willie wasn’t going to sign with Pamper because Hal Smith wouldn’t give Willie the draw he needed, but Cochran told Smith to front Willie fifty bucks a week from his own draw. So Willie, determined to reward Cochran’s trust, got to work. “I was writing to prove I could write,” he said. “To get the money and feel like I was earning it.” He would end most work days with a new song, and then he and Cochran would call a session with A-team musicians who didn’t have major label studio work that day. The result: a body of work that just may well represent the most fertile creative period ever to issue from a country songwriter. The songs Willie recorded for Pamper during the early ‘60s remain among his most famous, and include tunes he still performs to this day: “Crazy,” “Funny (How Time Slips Away),’ “Night Life,” “Pretty Paper,” “Half a Man,” “Hello Walls,” “Healing Hands of Time,” and more.

And these, the Pamper demos, are the first recordings of those legendary songs. In other words, this is what artists and label guys back in the day heard when Hal Smith or Hank Cochran handed over a little acetate, and said, “Hey, listen here to what our guy Willie Nelson just come up with.” It simply doesn’t get much more historic than that! But, for some reason, these demos have hitherto turned up in bits and pieces, mostly on budget packages with little documentation or care. Now, finally, these incredibly important recordings are getting the respect they deserve. Things to Remember—The Pamper Demos brings together these 28 performances for the first time (several of which have hitherto eluded compilation), all remastered by Mike Milchner at SonicVision to sound much better than they ever have, and annotated by Grammy-winning writer Colin Escott, with photos courtesy of Bear Family label founder Richard Weize.

 - Sonia Leigh, former songwriter and tour-mate of Zac Brown and Eric Church, has a new live album coming out on June 15 called Live in London - Studio 3 Sessions.

- Maggie Rose has been releasing digital 45's damn-near every single month and they've been terrific. Her voice is one of the best in Nashville and each dual-track release has had her soulful style front and center. Her next one is being released on June 15 and features "Long Way To Go" and "Do Right By My Love." 

- Krystal Keith, daughter of Toby Keith, has a new EP coming out on July 13 called Boulder. The five track Show Dog label release features a duet with Lance Carpenter. Track list:

1. Boulder

2. I Got You

3. Anyone Else

4. Then It Started Raining

5. Resting Beach Face

 

- Big-voiced newcomer Dillon Carmichael has set August 17th as the release date for his debut album, Hell on an Angel. He's quietly released some fantastic independent work and according to Rolling Stone Country, "mixes some hard-nosed Outlaw country with the melodic edge of Southern rock.  The album's 10 tracks were recorded in Nashville's historic RCA Studio A by Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton). Seven of the songs were written or co-written by the young Kentucky native – a nephew of John Michael Montgomery and Montgomery Gentry's Eddie Montgomery – including the gritty title track and the previously released "It's Simple." Fellow singer-songwriters such as Jon Pardi and Leroy Powell also show up in the credits of Hell on an Angel, along with Carmichael's mother Becky Montgomery on "Hard on a Hangover.""

 

- Rory Feek released a final version of his film trailer for Josephine, a movie filmed with he and his cousin Aaron Carnahan based loosely on a true story that inspired a Joey+Rory song by the same name.

 

- Classic country songs are alive and well. William Michael Morgan proves such as with one of our favorite tracks of the year and an incredible track titled "The Last Monday in May."  Check out this video of him performing it with some veterans via Operation Song on the historic Grand Ole Opry stage on May 25, 2018.

 

That Nashville Sound Sunday Newsbytes

This weekend has plenty of country music news to share including tidbits on Sammy Kershaw, Brandy Clark, The Dixie Chicks, Valerie June, Terri Clark, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Dan Tyminski, Johnny Lang and more.

- Valerie June does a beautiful job of combining R&B, bluegrass, country, blues and folk in her new music video for "Got Soul." 

- If you missed The Dixie Chicks in concert this past year, you can head to the movie theaters to watch it. DCX MMXVI — In Concert will play in select movie theaters for one night only on August 7.

- The always-intriguing Brandy Clark released a new previously-unreleased song called "You're Drunk" that you can listen to here.

- Kevin John Coyne shares his love of Terri Clark's new podcast over at Country Universe- complete with a link to listen to a couple of them including ones Clark does with Suzy Bogguss, Pam Tillis, Reba McEntire and Wade Hayes.

- Sammy Kershaw has three different album projects in the way. First up is a Louisiana "swamp pop"album out later this year with a country and gospel album planned in early 2018. On the first album: “I’ve been listening to them since I was a boy,” Kershaw says, citing artists such as Eddy Raven, Willie Tee, TK Hulin and more, “so I just thought I would like to do a tribute album to those guys and get those guys on the album with me.”

- Union Station's Dan Tyminski has signed with Universal Records and has an album coming out in the fall. “I ended up getting to write with the young man Jesse Frasure — he’s on fire right now. When we first started to sit down to write, he had a take on where the music should go that was so fun and so daring. He wasn’t afraid to go anywhere — way outside of the box that I had found myself trying to write in. And we hit it off and started writing more music. Before we knew it, we had acquired a few songs that we really liked, “Southern Gothic” being one of them.”

- Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen recorded and made a music video for Guy Clark's "Rita Ballou" at Bruce Robison's The Next Waltz's Country Bunker studio in Lockhart, Texas.

- Toby Keith's new The Bus Songs album, out September 8th, features 12 of Keith's more unorthodox songs, all of which were written – as the title suggests – with that special mentality that only the back of a tour bus can provide.

- Searing instrumentalist Johnny Lang will release his first new album in four years. Signs comes out on September 8 on Concord Records. “A lot of my earlier influences have been coming to the surface, like Robert Johnson, and Howlin’ Wolf,” he reports. “I have been appreciating how raw and unrefined that stuff is. I had an itch to emulate some of that and I think it shows in the songs. Still, I let the writing be what it was and that was sometimes not necessarily the blues.”

Waylon Jennings Tribute Concert Featuring Womack, Stapleton, Church, Krauss, Kristofferson, Willie and More To See Album Release In April

Album: Outlaw: Celebrating the Music of Waylon Jennings
Label: Sony Legacy
Release date: April 7, 2017

On July 6, 2015, a collection of music's legendary outlaws and rising superstars came together for a once-in-a lifetime concert in Austin, Texas, to celebrate the life of country music legend Waylon Jennings. The show is now available as the Outlaw: Celebrating the Music of Waylon Jennings CD/DVD, including concert performances by Chris Stapleton, Shooter Jennings, Jessi Colter, Bobby Bare, Lee Ann Womack, Buddy Miller, Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgrave, Jamey Johnson, Robert Earl Keen, Kris Kristofferson, Ryan Bingham, Alison Krauss, Toby Keith, Eric Church, and Willie Nelson.

Grammy Award-winner Don Was served as co-music director and led an all-star band backing the performers at this concert event. Legendary music producer Buddy Cannon also served as co-music director. “Waylon Jennings was my friend, brother, and musical soul mate”, said Willie Nelson. “Playing his songs with these incredible artists, is going to be one hell of a concert event.”

On Friday, April 7, 2017, the two-hour broadcast premiere will air on CMT at 10 pm ET/PT



Disc: 1

1. I Ain't Living Long Like This - Chris Stapleton
2. Whistlers and Jugglers - Shooter Jennings
3. Mona - Jessi Colter
4. Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line - Bobby Bare
5. Ride Me Down Easy - Lee Ann Womack
6. Yours Love - Lee Ann Womack & Buddy Miller
7. Freedom to Stay - Jamey Johnson
8. The Wurlitzer Prize - Kacey Musgraves
9. Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way - Robert Earl Keen
10. I Do Believe - Kris Kristofferson
11. Rainy Day Woman - Ryan Bingham
12. Dreaming My Dreams with You - Alison Krauss
13. I Ain't the One - Alison Krauss & Jamey Johnson
14. Honky Tonk Heroes - Toby Keith
15. Lonesome, On'ry and Mean - Eric Church
16. Till I Gain Control Again - Willie Nelson
17. Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys - Willie Nelson & Toby Keith
18. My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys - Willie Nelson & Chris Stapleton
19. Highwayman - Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Shooter Jennings & Jamey Johnson
20. Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) - Willie Nelson & Full Ensemble

Disc: 2

1. Blackbird Opening Titles - Various
2. Waylon Jennings Opening titles - Various
3. I Ain't Living Long Like This - Chris Stapleton
4. Whistlers and Jugglers - Shooter Jennings
5. Mona - Jessi Colter
6. Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line - Bobby Bare
7. Ride Me Down Easy - Lee Ann Womack
8. Yours Love - Lee Ann Womack & Buddy Miller
9. Freedom to Stay - Jamey Johnson
10. The Wurlitzer Prize - Kacey Musgraves
11. Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way - Robert Earl Keen
12. I Do Believe - Kris Kristofferson
13. Rainy Day Woman - Ryan Bingham
14. Dreaming My Dreams with You - Alison Krauss
15. I Ain't the One - Alison Krauss & Jamey Johnson
16. Honky Tonk Heroes - Toby Keith
17. Lonesome, On'ry and Mean - Eric Church
18. Till I Gain Control Again - Willie Nelson
19. Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys - Willie Nelson & Toby Keith
20. My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys - Willie Nelson & Chris Stapleton
21. I Can Get Off On You - Willie Nelson & Sturgill Simpson
22. Highwayman - Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Shooter Jennings & Jamey Johnson
23. Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love) - Willie Nelson & Full Ensemble
24. Credits - Various
25. Waylon In a Word - Various
26. Waylon's Influence - Various
27. The Highwaymen - Various
28. First Heard Waylon - Various
29. Gone Fishin' - Various
30. Highwaymen Family - Various
31. Outlaws - Various

Willie Nelson & A Few Of His Friends Cover Waylon - "Luckenbach, Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)"

Singer-Songwriter Natalie Hemby Goes Home For Upcoming Puxico Release

Artist: Natalie Hemby
Album: Puxico
Label: GetWrucke Records
Release date: Jan. 13, 2017

You can officially mark this as the first highly anticipated album of 2017. Accomplished and critically-acclaimed songwriter Natalie Hemby has announced that she'll be releasing her album Puxico in mid-January. She has written songs for Lee Ann Womack, Eli Young Band, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Sunny Sweeney and Little Big Town. Hemby has accumulated five #1 Billboard singles during her career. Hemby's cuts include "White Liar" and "Only Prettier" by Lambert, "Pontoon" and "Tornado" by Little Big Town, "Drinks After Work" by Keith and "Automatic" by Miranda Lambert.

The album follows the documentary of the same name that Hemby released in late 2014. Named after the hometown of her grandparents in Missouri, the filmed celebrated the lives of the people living in the town and the Homecoming celebration happening during filming.

"When I originally set out to make this film, I wanted to tell the story of Homecoming," said Hemby. "How it's put on, who's involved, what's involved, how do you keep it going, etc. I wanted to show that small town America still existed and the kind of unsung heroes it still creates."

"I really want people to fall in love with their hometowns again, big or small," said Hemby. "I want people to see this documentary and say, 'Hey, that reminds me of my hometown.' I want people to understand how sacred and rare it is to have a long-standing tradition and how important it is that we keep it alive." 

"When you keep these traditions alive, you keep your hometown from disappearing, and it is so important that we never let our towns disappear because they raise such extraordinary people."

Hemby recorded all of the music for the documentary and while it's unclear at press time of this article whether the album is the soundtrack release , it is categorized that way under Apple Music. You can listen to a snippet of the first single below.
 

New Projects From Don Henley, Bucky Covington & Toby Keith

Artist: Don Henley
Album: Cass County
Release Date: 9/25
Label: Capitol Records

"I'm associated with California a lot because of that other band that I play in, but I really and truly was born and raised in Cass County, Texas," Henley said last month during a private listening party in Nashville. "I'm a Southerner and a Texan. I have ancestors in Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia. So this is a natural progression for me. It's not me trying to do the 'Don Henley country album.' It's who I am and where I come from." 
Track listing:
1. "Bramble Rose" (with Mick Jagger and Miranda Lambert)
2. "The Cost of Living" (with Merle Haggard)
3. "Take A Picture of This"
4. "Waiting Tables"
5. "No, Thank You"
6. "Praying for Rain"
7. "Words Can Break Your Heart"
8. "That Old Flame" (with Martina McBride)
9. "When I Stop Dreaming" (with Dolly Parton)
10. "A Younger Man"
11. "Train In The Distance"
12. "Where I Am Now"

Artist: Bucky Covington
Album: Happy Man
Release Date: 7/14
Label: Independent

“This project means a lot to me as an independent artist,” Bucky says. “The good part is that there’s no one telling me what songs to pick, and the bad part is no one is there to tell me what songs to pick or paying for making the music, so all the risk is on me. That said, I hope everyone loves it as much as I do!”

Track listing:
1. “I Feel Ya” (Eric Mallon, Ruben Estevez, Jason Afable)
2. “Girl You Get To Me” (Dale Oliver, Serg Salinas, Michael Harter)
3. “I’m Saying Something” (Matt Warren)
4. “Somewhere Looking Beautiful” (Bucky Covington, Dale Oliver, Dan Couch)
5. “Buzzin” (Brad Hull)
6. “Happy Man” (Shannon Lawson)

Artist: Toby Keith
Album: 35 MPH Town
Release Date: 10/9
Label: Show Dog Nashville

Brandy Clark, Bob DiPiero, and Shane McAnally penned the collection’s debut single, “Drunk Americans,” and songwriters Pinson, Scotty Emerick, and Rivers Rutherford also have cuts on the new project.

Track listing: TBD

New Music Video From Toby Keith- "Drunk Americans"

Merle Haggard Tribute Album Planned for April 1 Release

Broken Bow Records announced the April 1st release of a star-studded tribute compilation honoring one of the greatest Country music icons of our time – Merle Haggard. The musical celebration, Working Man's Poet: A Tribute to Merle Haggard, features brand new covers of some of the living legend’s biggest hits, recorded by some of the hottest stars in Country music today. The album includes performances by: Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Luke Bryan, Kristy Lee Cook, Ben Haggard, Randy Houser, Toby Keith, Dustin Lynch, Joe Nichols, Jake Owen, Parmalee, Thompson Square and James Wesley.

Working Man's Poet: A Tribute to Merle Haggard
Official Track Listing:

1. Misery And Gin (performed by Randy Houser)
 2. Footlights (performed by Joe Nichols)
 3. Going Where The Lonely Go (performed by Jason Aldean)
 4. Today I Started Loving You Again (performed by Kristy Lee Cook)
 5. Carolyn (performed by Toby Keith)
 6. Pancho And Lefty (performed by Luke Bryan & Dierks Bentley)
 7. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down (* performed by Garth Brooks)
 8. You Take Me For Granted (performed by Thompson Square)
 9. Mama Tried (performed by Ben Haggard)
 10. That’s The Way Love Goes (performed by Dustin Lynch)
 11. Make Up and Faded Blue Jeans (performed by Jake Owen)
 12. I’m A Lonesome Fugitive (performed by James Wesley)
 13. Workin’ Man Blues (performed by Parmalee)
 14. Are The Good Times Really Over (performed by Jason Aldean)
 15. Let’s Chase Each Other Around The Room (performed by Thompson Square)
 16. I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink (performed by Dustin Lynch)
 17. The Fightin’ Side Of Me (performed by James Wesley)
 18. My Favorite Memory (performed by Joe Nichols)
 19. Ramblin’ Fever (performed by Randy Houser)
 20. Sing Me Back Home (performed by Ben Haggard)

*Appears only on Walmart exclusive

Bruce Springsteen and the Doobie Brothers Both Prep New Projects

Two legends of the rock world, Bruce Springsteen and the Doobie Brothers, are both prepping new projects this spring. Springsteen will be releasing a new 4-song 12" vinyl EP in conjunction with Record Store Day and the Doobie Brothers are reuniting with Michael McDonald and collaborating with a dozen of country's brightest stars for an yet-to-be-named country music project.

Bruce Springsteen will release four unreleased songs on an EP entitled American Beauty on April 19th. Three of the tracks - "American Beauty," "Mary Mary" and "Hey Blue Eyes" - were recorded during the High Hopes sessions (a full album released in January of this year), but ultimately discarded. The origin of the other song, "Hurry Up Sundown," is unknown.
Brad Paisley, Love & Theft, Chris Young, Zac Brown Band, Jerrod Niemann, Toby Keith and Sara Evans are among the country acts teaming with the legendary Doobie Brothers to record a new album covering the Grammy winning band's classic hits.

Longtime Doobie band-member Tom Johnston says this about a release date, "There are a couple of nuts and bolts that still need to be tightened, but it's pretty close."  On going country, he says, "The Doobies cover a wide swath musically. We're an American band. We cover everything from blues and R&B to bluegrass, and even a little bit country. At the same time we do rock and roll and these days it seems country has adopted a good bit of rock and roll to go along with the country style of singing and the banjo and pedal steel. It all works together and I think it's fascinating."

Love and Theft's Stephen Barker Liles says, "This is going to be an incredible album and we couldn't be more honored to be a part of a project with one our favorite iconic bands and musical influences."

After nearly 30 years away from the band, former lead singer Michael McDonald will also be reuniting with the band for this special project.

New Music Video From Toby Keith & Jimmy Buffet- "Too Drunk To Karaoke"

Get More: Too Drunk to Karaoke, Jimmy Buffett, Jimmy Buffett Videos

Alabama Getting A Little Help From Their Friends On New 8/27 Release

One of country music's most successful and influential groups of all time, ALABAMA, will release their highly anticipated new album, ALABAMA & Friends, on Tuesday, August 27 through Show Dog-Universal Music. The project is a tribute album, honoring the legendary group that helped change the face of country music.

ALABAMA & Friends will feature some of country music's hottest stars -- all delivering their own unique versions of the multi-platinum-selling band's biggest hits, including Jason Aldean ("Tennessee River"), Luke Bryan ("Love in the First Degree"), Kenny Chesney ("Lady Down on Love"), Eli Young Band ("The Closer You Get"), Florida Georgia Line ("I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)"), Jamey Johnson ("My Home's in Alabama"), Toby Keith ("She and I"), Rascal Flatts ("Old Flame") and Trisha Yearwood ("Forever's As Far As I'll Go").

The 11-song collection will also feature the band's first new tracks in over 10 years - "All American" (written by Trey Bruce) and "That's How I Was Raised" (written by Charley Stefl, Tony Ramey, Skip Sasser and Trent Tomlinson), which has the group teaming again with legendary producer Harold Shedd who worked closely with the group in their early years.

"It's a storybook episode in my life and in the career of ALABAMA to have Harold on board and to see him as excited as we were after all these years," says frontman Randy Owen.

The songs chosen for the project are among the most memorable in country music and will remind fans and the music industry alike why this Southern Rock/Country band broke so many sales records throughout their remarkable career. Their crossover appeal to country, rock and pop audiences and meteoric accomplishments set the bar high for those that have since followed.

"Our longevity is a tribute to the hard work we did in selecting songs, because it's the songs that people remember," says bassist Teddy Gentry.

"It's very much an honor that they'd take part in an ALABAMA tribute," guitarist Jeff Cook says of the acts included on the album. "We had a lot of fun working with them, and I think the finished product testifies to both the fun and the quality that went into it."

After signing with RCA in 1980, ALABAMA soared to the top with 21 consecutive No. 1 hits, a feat that will most likely never be equaled in any genre. During their career, they have had more than 30 singles that have topped the country charts and have sold more than 73 million albums worldwide. They are one of the most celebrated groups, scoring more than 150 major industry nods, including two Grammys, the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian award, Entertainer of the Year awards three times from the CMA and five times from the ACM, as well as the ACM Artist of the Decade award. They have earned 21 Gold ®, Platinum ®, and Multi-Platinum ® albums and were named the RIAA's Country Group of the Century.

For more information on ALABAMA & Friends, as well as a complete listing of tour dates, visit www.thealabamaband.com.

Eric Church Leads 2013 ACM Award Nominees

Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan will co-host Country Music’s Party of the Year, the 48^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, honoring country music’s best and introducing the industry’s hottest emerging talent, broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Sunday, April 7^th, 2013 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Yesterday, they announced the nominees. Any favorites?

Songwriter of the Year

Rodney Clawson
Dallas Davidson
Josh Kear
Luke Laird
Shane McAnally

Entertainer of the Year

Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Miranda Lambert
Blake Shelton
Taylor Swift

Male Vocalist of the Year

Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Toby Keith
Blake Shelton

Female Vocalist of the Year

Miranda Lambert
Martina McBride
Kacey Musgraves
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Vocal Duo of the Year

Big and Rich
Florida Georgia Line
Love and Theft
Sugarland
Thompson Square

Vocal Group of the Year

The Band Perry
Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Zac Brown Band

New Artist of the Year
Jana Kramer
Brantley Gilbert
Florida Georgia Line

Album of the Year

Carrie Underwood — Blown Away
Eric Church – Chief
Taylor Swift – Red
Luke Bryan – Tailgates and Tanlines
Little Big Town – Tornado

Song of the Year

Lee Brice, “A Woman Like You”
Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”
Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
Eric Church, “Springsteen”
Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”

Single Record of the Year

Eli Young Band, “Even If It Breaks Your Heart”
Miranda Lambert, “Over You”
Little Big Town, “Pontoon”
Eric Church, “Springsteen”
Hunter Hayes, “Wanted”

Video of the Year

Eric Church, “Creepin’” (Producer: Iris Baker Director: Peter Zavadil)
Hunter Hayes, “Wanted” (Producers: Stephanie Reeves, Eric Williams Directors: Traci Goudie, Patrick Hubik)
Little Big Town, “Tornado” (Producer: Iris Baker Director: Shane Drake)
Kacey Musgraves, “Merry Go Round” (Producers: Perry Bean, Kacey Musgraves Director: Perry Bean)
Taylor Swift, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” (Producer: John Nguyen Director: Declan Whitebloom)
Zac Brown Band, ‘”The Wind” (Producer: Ben Kalina Director: Mike Judge)

Vocal Event of the Year

Kelly Clarkson, featuring Vince Gill, “Don’t Rush”
Rascal Flatts, featuring Natasha Bedingfield, “Easy”
Kenny Chesney, duet with Tim McGraw, “Feel Like a Rock Star”
David Nail, featuring Sarah Buxton, “Let It Rain”
Jason Aldean with Luke Bryan and Eric Church, “The Only Way I Know”

New Music Video From Toby Keith- "Hope on the Rocks"

Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town Are Big CMA Winners (with video)

It was the coming out party for wise-cracking Blake Shelton and wife Miranda Lambert last night at the 46th Annual Country Music Association Awards Ceremony. The married couple hauled in trophies for four different awards. Little Big Town was the other big winner with two trophies. What were your favorite highlights and lowlights?

Here is a list of the winners:
◦Entertainer of the year- Blake Shelton
◦Female vocalist- Miranda Lambert
◦Male vocalist- Blake Shelton
◦New artist- Hunter Hayes
◦Vocal group- Little Big Town
◦Vocal duo- Thompson Square
◦Single- “Pontoon” – Little Big Town
◦Album- Chief – Eric Church
◦Song- “Over You” – performed by Miranda Lambert- written by Miranda Lambert & Blake Shelton
◦Musical event- “Feel Like a Rock Star” – Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw
◦Music video- “Red Solo Cup” – Toby Keith
◦Musician- Mac McAnally

New Music Video From Toby Keith- "I Like Girls That Drink Beer"