As a child growing up in Oklahoma, Carrie Underwood watched the Grand Ole Opry on television at her grandparents’ house. Just three years into her country music career, childhood hero Randy Travis surprised Carrie with a Grand Ole Opry invitation at a performance on March 15, 2008—nine years ago today.
Less than two months later, fellow Okie Garth Brooks inducted Carrie into the esteemed organization.
“I think being a member of the Grand Ole Opry is just one of the most special things for anybody who has ever wanted to be a country music singer,” said Carrie to Nash Country Daily in 2015. “It’s just such a cool thing. There’s no other genre of music that has something like it—you can be a member of this club. It’s just such a special, elite family. It’s definitely one of my proudest moments and highest honors.”
The 20,000-square-foot palace sits, which was built in 2007, sits on four acres. Kelly bought the home in 2013 for $2.8 million.
The waterfront estate features an eat-in kitchen, cowboy-themed bar, seven bedrooms, 11 baths, a saltwater pool, a private dock and a sand volleyball court.
Take a look at some pics, courtesy of parksathome.com.
Ever since Jason Aldean dropped his debut album in 2005, he’s never gone more than two years in-between releasing projects, with follow-up albums in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. From early indications, it sounds like the Georgia native is intent on keeping his two-years-or-less streak intact.
It’s only been six months since Jason released his seventh studio album, They Don’t Know, but he is already back in the studio working on album No. 8, according to a video Jason posted on Instagram yesterday (March 13).
“A’ight, so we’re in the studio, day one, filming the eighth album and [we’ve] got some pretty cool stuff we’re kicking off here with,” said Jason during the selfie video before he pans to his production crew and band. “I’m in the control room with these guys yelling, the band [is] in there. Can’t wait for you guys to hear it.”
Beautiful. Stunning. Gorgeous. All adjectives one can use when describing Jessie James Decker’s outer beauty, but take a look on the inside and the word that comes to mind is gold. It’s no wonder the “Lights Down Low” singer chose that for the title of her latest EP.
Jessie’s excitement over her new collection of songs is palpable. The 28-year-old, with a personality to match the title, opens her heart on the five-track EP. The collection offers a mix of songs, including her latest single “Lights Down Low,” the inspiring Maren Morris penned “Too Young To Know” and the true to life title track, “Gold.”
“Oh my God, we’ve been working so hard on this thing,” Jessie tells Nash Country Daily. “It was just crazy trying to figure out what five songs we were going to put on this EP. We just felt like it was the perfect combination of songs. It’s easy listening, you know, I have those moments where I’m belting and singing and showing off a little but for the most part, I feel like that’s where I have evolved as a vocalist. I used to think that’s all I had to do all the time was just do these big vocal power house moves where I’m showing off my runs and this is how high I can sing, that I never focused on that lower register of my voice. Through this EP I really am showcasing a different side of my vocals that I’m really proud of.”
A strong showcase of her songwriting skills, a task she loves more than performing, is also evident on “Lights Down Low” and “Girl On The Coast,” Jessie’s only solo-penned effort on the EP. The tune, written about a moment in time when she needed a momentary break from her life, turned out to be her favorite on the album.
“I wrote it in the car on my phone. I write everything on my phone,” explains Jessie. “My kids were screaming in the backseat, we were on the way back to Nashville from visiting my mom in Georgia. They were screaming, they were just making me crazy and my happy place is thinking about our beach house in Florida. You know that Blake Shelton song, [“Some Beach”], well for me I was like, ‘I just want to go to the beach. I just want to lay out on the sand. They’re driving me nuts!’ So I wrote the whole song in 15 minutes. I don’t know where it fits musically, it’s an interesting song, but I felt like it was so cool it didn’t matter. It’s just so easy listening. Even if I didn’t write it and someone else was singing it, I just know I would still enjoy it”
Jessie isn’t the only stellar songwriter on the album. The songstress enlisted the help of songwriters Jeffery Steele and country’s current “it” girl, Maren Morris. After a few writing sessions together, the pair immediately hit it off. That relationship resulted in Maren giving “Too Young To Know” and “Shoot Out The Lights” to Jessie for her EP.
“I was introduced to her a few years ago before she blew up,” Jessie recalls. “We wrote together a couple times and I just liked her, I thought she was so cool. As she left my house after we had written a couple of songs, I just thought to ask her if she had anything for me for a record. So she sent me a bunch of songs and one of the songs, ‘Too Young to Know,’ was emailed to me and I just lost it. I was like, ‘This is huge, this song is beautiful.’ She’s like,’You can have it, you can have it.’ So then a year later I’m like, ‘Hey Maren, can I still have that song, like are we good?’ And she goes,’Actually, I’m thinking about putting it on my album, I just got signed.’ And I was like, ‘Okay, okay. I mean, good for you, that’s really exciting! If you wrote the song than just take it, just take it.’ Well then I kept going back around and I went knocking on the door again when I heard her record was done. I was like, ‘Maren? Is that song available?’ She was like,’Okay, I didn’t use it. You can have it.’ I was like, ‘Yes!’
Gold is the culmination of events in life where Jessie finds herself today—married to Eric Decker, wide receiver for the New York Jets, mom to two kids under the age of three, a fashion and beauty entrepreneur, a singer and a songwriter. It’s all in a days work for the singer and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Jessie with son Eric II – Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images
“I am just—the perfect word is grateful—I am just so grateful. I get to go to sleep every night with my two healthy, beautiful children in their beds and a man next to me who loves me more than anything in the whole world. I get to do what I love for a living, and I have such a support system of a wonderful mother and father and family. I just feel so blessed. So this is about enjoying those moments and it just being gold. It’s the tone of where I’m at and I’m just grateful, it’s gold.”
Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Mohegan Sun
The bidding is underway on Charitybuzz’s first-ever curated music auction, which includes the chance to spend time with country music stars such as Carrie Underwood, Sam Hunt, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Florida Georgia Line, Zac Brown Band and more.
Carrie’s VIP experience, which is valued at $10,000 and currently has a bid of $3,000, will take place at the Grand Ole Opry on March 24 or 25. According to the auction post: “This exclusive experience allows you and a guest to have VIP tickets to Carrie Underwood at the Grand Ole Opry with a backstage meet & greet! In addition to meeting Carrie Underwood and enjoying VIP tickets in the audience, you will also receive a VIP backstage tour of the renowned theater. This is the perfect package for any country fans out there.”
Carrie’s auction supports the MusicCares Foundation. Bidding closes on March 16 at 3 p.m. ET.
Charitybuzz is a for-profit company that raises funds for nonprofits through upscale online charity auctions. Celebrities do not make any money from the auctions, although Charitybuzz retains about 20 percent of the proceeds at the end of the auction to cover their services and website upkeep.
Take a look at some of the other country music-related Charitybuzz auctions that you can currently bid on, and the worthy charities involved.
In the lead-up to the ACM Awards show on April 2, the Academy of Country Music announced three ACM Award winners today (March 14).
New Vocal Duo/Group of the Year: Brothers Osborne
New Female Vocalist of the Year: Maren Morris
New Male Vocalist of the Year: Jon Pardi
These awards mark the first-ever ACM Award wins for Brothers Osborne, Maren and Jon.
Brothers Osborne are also nominated for Vocal Duo of the Year. Maren received an additional five nominations, including Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year (as artist and producer) and Single Record of the Year (as artist and producer).
It was also announced that Brothers Osborne, Maren and Jon will be performing during the ACM Awards show on April 2 in Las Vegas, which is hosted by Dierks Bentley and Luke Bryan.
New Male Vocalist of the Year
Jon Pardi
Kane Brown
Chris Janson
Chris Lane
Brett Young
New Female Vocalist of the Year
Maren Morris
Lauren Alaina
Cam
Brandy Clark
(four nominees only)
New Vocal Duo/Group of the Year
Brothers Osborne
A Thousand Horses
Dan + Shay
LOCASH
Maddie & Tae
Photos: Brothers Osborne courtesy UMG; Maren Morris by LeAnn Mueller/Sony Music; Jon Pardi courtesy UMG
With a plethora of new music being released every week, it’s easy for a song to get lost in the shuffle. With hits from Little Big Town, Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean, the top of the charts can get pretty crowded. To make it easier for you, I’ve come up with 5 songs that get me through my day. Five new songs that need to be on your radar because they are just that good.
Songs about drinking, heartbreak, surf and sand, phases and fighting round out my top 5 favorite new songs that I think you should be listening to. Check them out.
Warm weather here we come. Big & Rich’s song about the Golden State begs you to roll down your windows and turn the dial up. “California” is a summer anthem that’s ready to shine.
4. Midland – “Drinkin’ Problem”
If you like the Eagles and George Strait, you’ll love Midland. The new trio of Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy and Jess Carson have a “Drinkin’ Problem,” and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Their sultry vocals will pour over you like a smooth whiskey over rocks.
3. Brooke Eden – “Act Like You Don’t”
Most of us have had to deal with a broken heart and worry about those little reminders that bring that person back into our lives. “Act Like You Don’t” is the song you keep playing on repeat to help you take that space and move on. It worked for Brooke after all.
2. Adam Craig – “Just a Phase”
That moment you realize you aren’t the one for your significant other—ouch! You can hear the pain in Adam’s heartbreaking vocals as he utters every poignant word. “Just a Phase” brings to the surface those emotions that are all too real.
1. Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood – “The Fighter”
It’s Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood, duh. Just listen.
In 2014, Kelleigh Bannen previewed her song “Church Clothes” as part of CMT Next Women of Country showcase. Kelleigh’s poignant performance earned a rousing ovation from those in attendance, and now, more than two years later, Kelleigh is ready for the world to hear “Church Clothes.”
Kelleigh released “Church Clothes” on March 10, and one day later she premiered the tune’s new video.
“Church clothes is about the ways that we cover up what’s really going on in our lives,” Kelleigh says to Nash Country Daily. “The song itself paints such a specific picture that we didn’t feel like the video needed to literally act out the song, so much as show another layer of it. It was a really cool opportunity to dream up a setting that is kind of dreamlike and otherworldly.”
Last night (March 13), Luke Bryan showed off his acting and singing chops on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
During a skit, Luke and Jimmy traverse the streets of NYC before stopping at a street vendor to order lunch. While Jimmy successfully orders the falafel, sheepish Luke struggles to pronounce “gyro” and ultimately gives up his quest for food. Luke is visibly upset as Jimmy tries to console him.
Cut to the studio, and we see that Luke has crafted a new song—“I Don’t Know How to Pronounce Gyro”—that he duets with Jimmy.
It sounds like the boys have a hit on their hands, with delicious lyrics like “I just want something to eat, made with a vertical rotisserie of lamb meat” and “It’s just lamb meat and other stuff, rolled up in a pita, I wished they just called it a lamb-topped tzatziki wrap, I could eat 1,000 ounces, if I just knew how to pronounce it.”
![You Can Own Kelly Clarkson’s Mansion for a Cool $8.75 Million [Pics]](https://www.wivk.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/602/2017/03/Kelly-Clarkson-652x228.jpg)
“Oh my God, we’ve been working so hard on this thing,” Jessie tells Nash Country Daily. “It was just crazy trying to figure out what five songs we were going to put on this EP. We just felt like it was the perfect combination of songs. It’s easy listening, you know, I have those moments where I’m belting and singing and showing off a little but for the most part, I feel like that’s where I have evolved as a vocalist. I used to think that’s all I had to do all the time was just do these big vocal power house moves where I’m showing off my runs and this is how high I can sing, that I never focused on that lower register of my voice. Through this EP I really am showcasing a different side of my vocals that I’m really proud of.”
