In response to the wildfires that have devastated the East Tennessee Smoky Mountains area, Dolly Parton has created a telethon, Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund to help the victims of the fires.
The benefit will be a three-hour telecast—airing Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 8pm E.T. on GAC—designed to raise money for the Dollywood Foundation My People Fund, a fund established by Dolly and her Dollywood companies to help the victims whose homes and business have been destroyed.
Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers and Alison Krauss have been the first performers announced to join Dolly as participants of the telethon, with more artists to be announced in the coming days.
“My home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee is some place special,” Dolly said in a statement. “Wildfires have affected many of the people—my people—who live in those beautiful mountains. We want to provide a hand up to those families who have lost everything in the fires. I know it has been a trying time for my people and this assistance will help get them back on their feet.”
Smoky Mountains Rise will be simulcast across multiple radio chains, including iHeart Media’s digital and select on-air platforms, Cumulus Media’s NASH Nights LIVE and TuneIn’s Country Roads channel. During the telethon, viewers will be asked to call 1-866-CARE MORE to donate to the My People Fund.
Anyone who would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the My People Fund may visit dollywoodfoundation.org. For those wishing to send donations via mail, those contributions should be sent to: My People Fund, c/o Dollywood Foundation, 111 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863.
NCD will keep you updated as more artists are added to the lineup and as more outlets carrying the broadcast are announced.
UPDATE Dec. 8, 4pm CT:
Chris Stapleton, Chris Young, Big&Rich, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, LoCash, Chris Janson and Montgomery Gentry have been added to the list of performers for the Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund telethon. In addition to the broadcast partners mentioned above, AXS TV, RFD and The Heartland Network will also air the show. Stay tuned for more info as we get it.
What would the Christmas season be without music? It’s the soundtrack for trimming the tree, wrapping presents and cooking Christmas dinner.
While those activities are fun for a lot of folks and Martina McBride’s White Christmas is must-have musical accompaniment, I decided to create the manliest of holiday playlists, perfect for listening to while splitting firewood, playing bocce ball in the backyard and sipping spiked eggnog around the fire (my favorite holiday activities).
Without further ado, here we go.
10. “Santa Claus and Popcorn”
Merle Haggard
1973
Most people will tell you that Merle Haggard’s finest holiday tune is “If We Make It Through December,” and it’s hard to argue against that. But for my Merle money, it doesn’t get any better than when the Okie sings “Santa Claus and Popcorn,” a warm, upbeat track that’s full of sleigh bells, mistletoe and reindeer horns.
9. “Christmas in Prison” John Prine
1973
You probably won’t hear “Christmas in Prison” on a conventional holiday playlist, but then again, John Prine is anything but conventional. What you will hear if you take the time to listen to this song are lyrics as rich as figgy pudding and an accordion that’s sweeter than wassail.
8. “Christmas Time’s A-Comin’” Jerry Reed
1983
Bill Monroe first recorded the tune in 1951 and a slew of other artists have covered it—including Johnny Cash and Sammy Kershaw—but Jerry Reed lays the hammer down on this bluegrass ditty like only the Snowman can. That’s a big 10-4, good buddy.
7. “Christmas Cookies” George Strait
1999
Not only is George Strait’s Texas two-step the greatest song about Christmas confections, it’s also quite simply the best cookie song of all-time, topping the Cookie Monter’s stellar “C Is for Cookie.” With George’s signature vocal swagger and some dynamite chicken-pickin’, “Christmas Cookies” is a sweet ditty from the first chomp to the last bite. If anyone tells you that cookies aren’t manly, they’ve never had a Double Stuf Oreo.
6. “Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy” Buck Owens
1965
With the backing of his Buckaroos, Buck Owens adds a little West Coast warmth to the holiday season with his Bakersfield-infused tune. Everyone’s Christmas needs equal doses of honky and tonky, and Buck happily supplies it with “Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy.”
5. “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” Gene Autry
1949
Many country singers have tried to top Gene Autry’s version of “Rudolph”—including Alan Jackson, Merle Haggard and Dolly Parton—but the Singing Cowboy’s classic interpretation of “Rudolph” is the like a spiked glass of eggnog: the perfect holiday concoction.
4. “Come On Christmas” Dwight Yoakam
1997
The holidays aren’t always as warm and fuzzy as a pair of Frosty the Snowman footie pajamas—for many people, it’s a sad, lonely time of year. Dwight captures those forlorn sentiments with his haunting, melodic voice in “Come on Christmas,” a tune that beckons the season to conclude so his loneliness will end.
3. “Blue Christmas” Elvis Presley
1957
Ernest Tubb took “Blue Christmas” to No. 1 on Billboard’s Country & Western chart in 1950, but Elvis Presley cemented the tune as a perennial holiday must-hear when he put his aching croon on it in 1957, and later featured it on his 1968 television special. Bing Crosby can keep dreaming of a “White Christmas”—I’ll take a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas every year.
2. “Pretty Paper” Willie Nelson
1964
With both a whisper and a roar, Willie delivers a melancholy ballad about a disabled street vendor trying to sell pretty paper, ribbons and pencils to busy holiday passersby. Much like a medieval minstrel going from town to town to sing his story-songs, Willie’s tender rendition of “Pretty Paper” is the perfect parable to prompt us to slow down during the holidays, help those in need and be thankful for what we have.
1. “Merry Christmas From the Family” Robert Earl Keen
1994
Robert Earl puts the “fun” in dysfunctional with his twisted Texas anthem of Christmas cheer. In keeping with the spirit of the season, REK reminds us that the holidays are about spending time with family—in this case, a motley crew that likes to drink champagne punch, smoke Marlboro Lights and eat bean dip while singing “Silent Night” and making runs to the local Stop ’N Go for “some celery and a can of fake snow.” That’s my kind of crowd.
Listen to “The 10 Manliest Christmas Songs This Side of Paradise” Playlist
Willie Nelson by Jim Herrington/UMG; Dwight Yoakam courtesy Warner Bros. Records; Gene Autry courtesy Buena Vista Home Video; Merle Haggard from If We Make It Through December album art; Illustrations from OpenClipart.org
With a new album, The Devil Don’t Sleep, set for release in January 2017 and a headlining tour of the same name kicking off in February, Brantley Gilbert is going to be a busy man as the new year begins.
Before he gets down to business in 2017, Nash Country Daily caught up with “The Weekend” singer to find out 17 random things that you may not know about him, including the story behind some of his tattoos, what he’s binge watching on Netflix and what makes him happy. Check it out.
1. What’s your favorite animal to hunt?
White-tailed deer.
2. Last place you went on vacation?
Mexico. I took my wife to Mexico. That was fun.
3. What question do you hate to answer? That one.
4. What’s your favorite movie or TV show? Roadhouse. That’s a great movie. I do like that one. I like The Notebook. I like Rambo and Rocky.
5. Did you say The Notebook?
Yeah. I love that. You got to throw that in the mix, right?
6. What makes you happy?
My wife.
7. What makes you sad?
My wife, when I don’t get my way.
8. What’s your favorite word?
I can’t say it.
9. What’s your favorite item of clothing to wear?
I guess my hat.
10. What’s one vice that you have?
Cigarettes.
11. Are you usually late, early or right on time? Early, which wasn’t the case today.
12. What’s your middle name?
Keith.
13. What are you binge watching right now?
Binge watching? I just set up a Netflix account yesterday, actually.
14. Just yesterday?
Yeah. I’m kind of behind the time. A lot of catching up to do.
15. Tell me one person you admire.
There’s a lot of people I admire. My mom, my dad. My grandfather. I admire my wife a lot. A lot of people I work with—a lot of guys in my band. I have a lot of admiration for a lot of people.
16. How many tattoos do you have?
I don’t know if I have a legitimate answer that’s very accurate because all of them kind of molded into one. They’re all kind of connected. This one goes up to my chest and then around to my back.
17. Do you have a favorite tattoo?
It kind of tells the story of my life. There are flames and skulls on the bottom part of my arm and my initials, which we also use for the logo of the organization, and that stands for the hell that I put myself and everybody else through for a little while. As you go up, you’ll see the flames dissipate. There’s a big cross on my arm. Modern Day Prodigal Son was the title of my first record. It’s right there on the front of my arm, because this was the transition spot. I do see myself as definitely a modern day prodigal son. As you go up, that’s the journey home. I got Jesus on my arm and I have three angels. I have one chubby angel, in particular. It has a pretty awesome spear, and they’re keeping the devil off my shoulder. The devil’s right there on the back. I have brass knuckles tattooed on the back of my elbow to symbolize the good fight, and then I have a hand here and a hand here, and it’s God’s hand reaching down and my hand reaching up. It says mama in the middle, because before my wife, my mom was always that connection there.
After Dolly Parton set up a telethon—Smoky Mountains Rise—to help those affected by the wildfires that devastated her hometown in East Tennessee, Zac Brown Band is stepping up to the plate by headlining the Mountain Tough Benefit set for Saturday, Dec. 17, in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
The day-long outdoor festival, presented by Ole Smoky Moonshine, Yee Haw Brewing Company, The Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau and Music City Roots, is designed to raise money for the Gatlinburg community with 100 percent of proceeds going to the Sevier County Community Fund.
Along with Zac Brown Band, other artists participating in the the festival include Jim Lauderdale, Sam Bush, Derek St. Holmes, Jason D. Williams, Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley, Randy Kohrs, Sarah Potenza, Moe Pitney and Chelle Rose, with more announcements expected in the coming days.
“Our hometown has experienced immeasurable pain and suffering over the last week,” said Joseph A. Baker, founder of Ole Smoky Moonshine. “We’re working hard to open up the city, get people back to work and start making memories again for the millions of families that love to visit Gatlinburg. We’re incredibly grateful to the Zac Brown Band, Music City Roots, and many others for their help in making this Mountain Tough Benefit possible. While this event is free and all are invited, we hope that people will share what they can knowing that 100 percent of all proceeds from this effort will go to those affected by the recent fires.”
Justin Moore will release his fourth studio album, Kinda Don’t Care, on August 12. As the album’s lead single, “You Look Like I Need a Drink,” continues to climb Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart (#13), Justin decided to release an instant grat video of the record’s title track.
Written by Rhett Akins, Ross Copperman and Ben Hayslip, “Kinda Don’t Care” made such an impression on Justin when he was in the studio recording the album that it soon became the title for the 12-song offering.
“The more I thought about it, naming the album Kinda Don’t Care just made sense,” says Justin to Nash Country Daily. “I really stretched my legs on this album and got outside my comfort zone in some spots, and I was concerned about that in the respect that I never want to contradict myself from what I’ve been as an artist or said as an artist. I have a really passionate core fan base that have provided me with so many opportunities within in this industry, and I don’t ever want them to be disappointed in anything. My producer pulled me aside when we were making the record and said, ‘Dude, you realize if you sing it, it sounds like you, and it sounds country. Chill out, and stop worrying about this.’ I thought, ‘You know what, he’s right. I need to not really care.’ If I have passion for this music and I love this music—which I do—it’s going to be infectious.”
Check out Justin’s new video for “Kinda Don’t Care.”
2016 Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Randy Travis will be getting a tribute fit for a country king on Feb. 8, 2017, as a bevy of stars gather at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for 1 Night. 1 Place. 1 Time: A Heroes & Friends Tribute to Randy Travis.
The tribute concert will feature performances from Alabama, Kenny Rogers, Rodney Atkins, Chris Janson, Jamey Johnson, Montgomery Gentry, Michael Ray, Ricky Skaggs, Michael W. Smith, The Randy Travis Band, Tanya Tucker, Josh Turner and more to be announced in the coming weeks.
After suffering a massive stroke in 2013, Randy has made remarkable strides toward recovery, recently singing “Amazing Grace” at his Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony in October as well as the tagline to his iconic “Forever and Ever, Amen” at the 2016 CMA Awards in November. A portion of the proceeds of the tribute concert will go to the Randy Travis Foundation, a nonprofit that raises money for stroke research and rehabilitation.
Tickets go on sale on Friday, Dec. 9, at 11 a.m. CT at all Ticketmaster locations and the Bridgestone Arena box office.
One day after receiving the news of her two Grammy nominations for Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for “Vice,” Miranda Lambert stopped by Ellen yesterday (Dec. 7) to perform the Grammy-nominated song.
“Vice,” the first single released from Miranda’s sixth studio album, The Weight of These Wings, was penned by Miranda, Josh Osborne and Shane McAnally. The tune climbed to No. 11 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
Since dropping his debut studio album in 1990, Alan Jackson has been keeping it country—selling nearly 60 million albums worldwide and ranking as one of the 10 best-selling country artists of all-time. As you probably imagined, Alan will be keeping it country in 2017 during his 27th year in the biz.
Today (Dec. 7) Alan announced the first 13 dates of his new Honky Tonk Highway Tour. Kicking off on Jan. 20 in Tulsa, Okla., Alan will play a smorgasbord of arenas, amphitheaters and festivals, including stops in Atlanta, Minneapolis and Tortuga Music Festival in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Special guest Lee Ann Womack will join Alan on select dates, with several more dates to be announced soon. Tickets to some dates are on sale now.
Alan Jackson’s 2017 Honky Tonk Highway Tour
Month
Date
Location
Venue
Jan.
20
Tulsa, OK
Paradise Cove **
27
Pensacola, FL
Pensacola Bay Center **++
28
Atlanta (Duluth), GA
Infinite Energy Center **++
Feb.
25
Laughlin, NV
Laughlin Events Center ^^
March
10
Durant, OK
Choctaw Casino Resort **
24
Rancho Mirage, CA
Aqua Caliente Casino **
25
Rancho Mirage, CA
Aqua Caliente Casino **
April
8
St. Augustine, FL
St. Augustine Amphitheatre ~~++
9
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Tortuga Music Festival **
May
27
Forest City, IA
Tree Town Country Music Festival **
June
23
North Platte, NE
Nebraskaland Days **
24
Manhattan, KS
Country Stampede **
Oct.
28
Minneapolis, MN
Target Center **
**Date is already on sale ^^Tickets on sale Friday, Dec. 9 ~~Tickets on sale Friday, Dec. 16 ++with special guest Lee Ann Womack
Keith Urban has been known to bring fans onstage during his concerts to share the spotlight. He did just that during a stop in Adelaide, Australia, on his Ripcord World Tour with Carrie Underwood.
Keith kicked off his tour Tuesday night (Dec. 6) at the Entertainment Centre in Adelaide, Australia, and made the dreams of one fan come true. Amy Jennifer was in the audience with her own guitar, hoping Keith would share the spotlight. As luck would have it, she was invited onstage by the Aussie singer and he proceeded to have a hilarious interaction with Amy, to the point of becoming her very own guitar tech.
“I kinda like dreamt that this would happen, but I didn’t really know it would actually happen,” Amy said from the stage before singing an original song she wrote, “Closing That Door.”
Proof that dreams do come true.
Check out Amy’s performance and Keith’s interaction.
In May, traditional-leaning country crooner Josh Turner delighted his fans by releasing “Hometown Girl,” his first single in nearly two years. The new tune, which was penned by Mark Beeson and Daniel Tashian, is expected to appear on Josh’s upcoming sixth studio album.
Josh, a family man in his own right with wife Jennifer and four sons, was drawn to “Hometown Girl” and its message of family and tradition.
“I love the third verse where it talks about Her mamma’s mamma was born right here, and her roots run deeper than that old town square,” says Josh. “There’s a heritage there, there’s a tradition there, there’s a family lineage there.”
On August 30, Josh took his message of family to the Grand Ole Opry, where he performed “Hometown Girl” for the Opry faithful. Since debuting on the Opry stage in 2001—and being inducted in 2007—Josh has become a regular favorite of the Opry family.
During his three-song set, Josh performed his No. 1 hit “All Over Me,” “Long Black Train” and “Hometown Girl,” which is currently No. 28 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.
Check out the video premiere of Josh’s “Hometown Girl” on the Opry stage.
![[UPDATE] Reba, Kenny Rogers and Alison Krauss Join Dolly Parton for “Smoky Mountains Rise” Telethon To Benefit Victims of East Tennessee Wildfires; More Performers Added](https://cdn.socast.io/6616/sites/602/2016/12/26151922/Dolly-Parton-Kenny-Rogers.jpg#aqua_resizer_image_not_local)
The benefit will be a three-hour telecast—airing Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 8pm E.T. on GAC—designed to raise money for the Dollywood Foundation My People Fund, a fund established by Dolly and her Dollywood companies to help the victims whose homes and business have been destroyed.
