Carrie Underwood—and her Calia clothing line—teamed with the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation to announce a $100,000 Sports Matter grant to support female youth and high school sports in Houston’s Aldine Independent School District on Oct. 21.
From left: Jennifer Moreau, Dick’s director of communications; Carrie; Richard Delgato, A.I.S.D athletic director; Julia Morales, Houston sports reporter
Earlier this year, Calia and the Dick’s Foundation announced plans to donate $500,000 in Sports Matter grants to female youth sports teams across the country. The first grant was awarded in June in Carrie’s Oklahoma hometown to athletic programs in the Checotah School District.
“I am so honored to partner with the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation as we continue to give back to girls’ sports teams across the country,” said Carrie. “Through today’s donation, we aim to support the girls’ athletic programs in Houston, providing many girls with the opportunity to participate in sports.”
Since forming the Chief Cares foundation in 2013, Eric Church and wife Katherine have been serving people in need in communities throughout the world, including: aiding underprivileged families and children in North Carolina and Tennessee; providing beds and clothing to orphans in Nepal; funding the Humane Society’s no-kill shelters; and delivering aid to Haiti after Hurricane Matthew devastated the country earlier this month.
In addition, the impact of the foundation’s mission was felt domestically last night (Oct. 22) as it donated $1 million toward diabetes research, a cause that is near and dear to the Church family as Eric’s mom suffers from type 1 diabetes.
The JDRF’s Hope Gala held in Charlotte, N.C., was honoring Eric’s parents, Ken and Rita Church, with the Living and Giving Award for their dedication when Eric and Katherine surprised the 1,000-plus audience to announce the donation.
“Our foundation work and giving to others in need is my absolute favorite thing that we get to do,” said Katherine. “We are blessed to be a blessing. What a special opportunity it is for us to give through Chief Cares and present this gift tonight to JDRF in honor of Rita to eliminate this disease.”
“I can’t think of a more fitting occasion to make Chief Cares’ largest donation than in honor of my mother and her battle with type 1 diabetes,” said Eric.
“JDRF is thrilled and grateful to Eric and Katherine Church for their generous gift to further type 1 diabetes research,” said Laura Maciag, executive director, JDRF Greater Western Carolinas Chapter. “We have made incredible progress to treat, prevent and cure this disease and are at such an exciting stage in our journey. The commitment and dedication of the Church family is extremely appreciated as we move forward in our vision to create a world without type 1 diabetes.”
A tip of the hat to Eric and Katherine for their ongoing philanthropy.
In honor of the 50th annual CMA Awards on Nov. 2, the Country Music Association has created a Forever Country cover series, where country artists perform covers of a variety of CMA award-winning songs.
Each day the CMA releases a new video with a different artist performing the cover. In a past video, the incredibly talented Lee Ann Womack joined the series to cover “Chiseled in Stone” by Vern Gosdin.
Artists who have participated so far include Jon Pardi, Lauren Alaina, Dustin Lynch, Mark Wills, Michael Ray, Drake White, Billy Ray Cyrus, Johnny Reid, Canaan Smith, Josh Turner, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, David Nail, Jess Moskaluke, William Michael Morgan, Tim Hicks, Lucie Sivas, Brett Kissel, Chad Brownlee, Deana Carter, The Common Linnets, Mark Collie, Jill Johnson, Shenandoah, Lee Ann Womack, The Wilkinsons, Eric Paslay and Clare Dunn.
You can check out all the videos on ForeverCountry50.com through Wednesday Nov. 2—the day of the 50th annual CMA Awards on ABC.
Jason Aldean got quite the surprise when his wife, Brittany Kerr, had a 9-foot-tall, bulletproof aquarium built for him as part of the Animal Planet series, Tanked.
“This could go one of two ways. He could kill me or he’ll be really excited,” Brittany said at the start of the show. “I think he deserves a good surprise, he works really, really hard. But I also think that adding this tropical element to our dream home is going to be awesome. I think he’s going to really love it.”
Brittany joined forces with Wayde King and Brett Raymer, hosts of the show, to surprise Jason with the new tank. While her husband was away on tour, Brittany and the guys got to work building the tank just in time for Jason’s return.
Jason was shocked as he walked into his home and spotted the new aquarium. “What’s going on? You got to be kidding me,” Jason said about the tank. “This is unbelievable, man. I don’t know what to say. This is amazing.”
The Nash Next Challenge is down to its 10 finalists, and in the lead-up to the announcement of the champion on Oct. 25, NCD will be profiling each of the 10 finalists.
Today, we are getting to know finalist Murphy’s Ford, which is a band comprised of Brandon Matthews, Ryan Tomlinson, Adam Hunt, Craig Wingate and Quinten Rice.
In July, Cumulus Media and Big Machine Label Group invited aspiring country artists and bands to participate in the Nash Next Challenge, an artist development competition where the winner will receive a recording contract with Big Machine Label Group and have an original song produced by Jay DeMarcus, which will garner national radio airplay on Cumulus Media radio stations across the U.S.
The winner of the Nash Next Challenge will be crowned on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Mercy Lounge in Nashville by judges Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn, Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, Danielle Bradbery and Big Machine CEO Scott Borchetta. The event, which will also feature a performance from Trent Harmon, is open to the public from 7–10 p.m.
Murphy’s Ford
Members & Ages: Brandon Matthews, 28; Ryan Tomlinson, 28; Adam Hunt, 32; Craig Wingate, 36; Quinten Rice, 35 Twitter:@MurphysFord Home City Market: Columbia/Jefferson City, Mo.
Who are your musical influences?
We’re all big music fans and grew up with pretty eclectic tastes, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Strait, Blackberry Smoke, Eric Church, Prince and B.B. King. It really doesn’t matter what genre. If it’s real music—hopefully with some roots music influence—we probably dig it and have been influenced by it.
What three words describe your band?
Laid, back, dudes.
What would you say is unique about your sound?
Our sound is unique because our musical tastes and backgrounds differ so much. We try to let our influences show in our writing, so sometimes we’ll write something with a bluegrass feel or a blues or rock feel, but we still try to write the song to fit our band and genre and appeal to as many people as possible.
What three albums would you take to a deserted island?
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Second Helping, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Live at Carnegie Hall and Drive by Truckers’ Decoration Day.
What’s a song you wish you had written?
“Freebird.” Not only is it an awesome tune lyrically and musically and it has that killer guitar jam at the end, but damn near every bar gig we’ve ever played, there’s always someone in the back of the room yelling “Freebird” at the top of their lungs. That has to be a pretty good feeling.
What’s the last song you heard that blew you away?
Chris Stapleton’s “Fire Away” really amazed us the first time we heard it. Damn near everything Stapleton does is awesome.
Who are the King and Queen of country music?
Gotta go with George Strait and Dolly Parton.
What’s your go-to karaoke song?
“Cowboys Like Us,” speaking of King George Strait.
What’s the first thing you do after a show?
Typically we try to find a frosty beverage.
What’s been your most exciting or unusual fan encounter?
Encountering a fan of your own music is always exciting—just to get that little extra encouragement or to know you’re making an impact or a difference or that someone is enjoying what your doing is just an awesome feeling.
What’s your favorite song to cover?
We covered “Tuesday’s Gone” once, and we tore it up! But for whatever reason, we haven’t played it since that show.
What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done onstage?
There are way too many things to list. We’ve slipped and fallen pretty hard in front of way too many people a couple times, unplugged guitars on accident a few times, had insanely out of tune guitars a few times, forgotten lyrics. You name it. It’s just part of live music. It ain’t gonna be perfect, and embarrassing things are bound to happen you. You just gotta roll with the punches.
In the lead-up to the CMA Awards on Nov. 2, Nash Country Daily will be conducting its own election to let you—the readers—decide who should win each of the 12 categories at this year’s show. We’re taking politics out of the equation and letting the popular vote speak for itself.
The good news is there is no voter registration. The bad news is we aren’t giving out any trophies. It’s just for bragging rights.
Every two or three days, we will provide a new ballot for one of the 12 categories and allow fans to vote until the next category is announced. Along the way, we’ll post our winners.
Entertainer of the Year: Oct. 10 – WINNER Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood: 34%
Keith Urban: 32%
Luke Bryan: 19%
Garth Brooks: 9%
Chris Stapleton: 6%
Female Vocalist of the Year: Oct. 12 – WINNER Carrie Underwood
Carrie Underwood: 58%
Miranda Lambert: 24%
Kelsea Ballerini: 8%
Maren Morris: 5%
Kacey Musgraves: 5%
Male Vocalist of the Year: Oct. 14 – WINNER Keith Urban
Keith Urban: 40%
Eric Church: 20%
Tim McGraw: 17%
Dierks Bentley: 14%
Chris Stapleton: 9%
Album of the Year: Oct. 17 – WINNER Storyteller – Carrie Underwood
Storyteller – Carrie Underwood 41%
Ripcord – Keith Urban 27%
Mr. Misunderstood – Eric Church 18%
Black – Dierks Bentley 10%
Hero – Maren Morris 4%
Vocal Group of the Year: Oct. 19 – WINNER Little Big Town
Little Big Town 47%
Old Dominion 15%
Zac Brown Band 15%
Lady Antebellum 14%
Rascal Flatts 9%
Vocal Duo of the Year: Oct. 21 – WINNER Joey + Rory
Joey + Rory: 60%
Florida Georgia Line: 17%
Brothers Osborne: 9%
Dan + Shay: 8%
Maddie & Tae: 6%
Song of the Year (Awarded to Songwriters): Oct. 26
“Burning House” – Cam, Tyler Johnson, Jeff Bhasker
“Die a Happy Man” – Sean Douglas, Thomas Rhett, Joe Spargur
“Humble and Kind” – Lori McKenna
“Record Year” – Eric Church, Jeff Hyde
“My Church” – busbee, Maren Morris
Single of the Year: Oct. 28
“Die a Happy Man” – Thomas Rhett
“Humble and Kind” – Tim McGraw
“My Church” – Maren Morris
“Nobody to Blame” – Chris Stapleton
“Record Year” – Eric Church
Musical Event of the Year: Oct. 28
“Different for Girls” – Dierks Bentley feat. Elle King
“Home Alone Tonight” – Luke Bryan feat. Karen Fairchild
“The Fighter” – Keith Urban feat. Carrie Underwood)
“Think of You” – Chris Young with Cassadee Pope
“You Are My Sunshine” – Morgane Stapleton with Chris Stapleton
Video of the Year: Oct. 31
“Burning House” – Cam, directed by Trey Fanjoy
“Fire Away” – Chris Stapleton, directed by Tim Mattia
“Humble and Kind” – Tim McGraw, directed by Wes Edwards
“Record Year” – Eric Church, directed by Jon Peets and Reid Long
“Somewhere on a Beach” – Dierks Bentley, directed by Wes Edwards
Musician of the Year: Oct. 31
Jerry Douglas – Dobro/Lap Steel Guitar
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Dan Huff – Guitar
Brent Mason – Guitar
Derek Wells – Guitar
Hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, The 50th annual CMA Awards will air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.
Brothers Osborne by Jason Simanek; Cole Swindell by Jason Simanek; Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini by Katie Krauss/Sony Music Nashville; Old Dominion by Michael Elins/EB Media;
Are you ready for your daily Garth Brooks announcement?
Today (Oct. 24) Garth revealed the complete track listing and pre-order information for Garth Brooks: The Ultimate Collection, the 10-disc boxed set featuring Garth’s new studio album, Gunslinger, and nine discs of curated music from his celebrated catalog. The collection, available only at Target, features 18 previously unreleased tracks, including “American Pie” featuring Don McLean, “New York State of Mind” with Billy Joel, “In Another’s Eyes” with Trisha Yearwood and the 25th anniversary edition of “Friends in Low Places” with special guests George Strait, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line and Keith Urban.
Garth Brooks: The Ultimate Collection will be released on Nov. 11, two weeks prior to the release of Gunslinger on Nov. 25. During the pre-order sale, which begins today on Target.com, fans can purchase a limited-release $29.99 holiday bundle: the 10-disc collection and Christmas Together, the first-ever duets album with Garth and wife Trisha Yearwood.
Check out the track listing for Garth Brooks: The Ultimate Collection below.
Old School
1. Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)
2. If Tomorrow Never Comes
3. 1982+
4. Unwound
5. Longneck Bottle
6. Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House
7. Good Ol’ Boys Like Me
8. Amos Moses
9. That Ol’ Wind
10. Alabama Clay
11. White Lightning
12. Don’t Close Your Eyes
Midnight Fire
1. Shameless
2. The Red Strokes
3. She’s Every Woman
4. What She’s Doing Now
5. In Another’s Eyes (The Duet with Trisha Yearwood)
6. One Night a Day
7. A Friend to Me
8. Anonymous
9. Victim of the Game
10. Which One of Them
11. More Than a Memory
12. To Make You Feel My Love
Cowboys
1. Good Ride Cowboy
2. Rodeo
3. That Girl Is a Cowboy
4. Rodeo or Mexico
5. Night Rider’s Lament
6. My Baby No Esta Aqui
7. Cowgirl’s Saddle
8. Cowboy Bill
9. Midnight Sun
10. Rodeo and Juliet
11. In Lonesome Dove
12. The Cowboy Song
The Road (Disc One)
1. Standing Outside the Fire
2. Rodeo
3. Shameless
4. If Tomorrow Never Comes
5. That Summer
6. In Another’s Eyes (Duet With Trisha Yearwood)+
7. Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old)
8. Unanswered Prayers
9. Longneck Bottle
10. One Night a Day+
11. To Make You Feel My Love
12. Wrapped Up In You (Featuring Keb Mo)
13. The River
14. American Pie (Featuring Don McLean)+
The Road (Disc Two)
1. The Thunder Rolls (The Long Version)
2. Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House
3. Two Piña Coladas
4. More Than a Memory
5. Good Ride Cowboy
6. Wild As the Wind (Duet With Trisha Yearwood)
7. Working for a Living (The Duet With Huey Lewis In LA)
8. It’s Your Song
9. New York State of Mind (The Duet With Billy Joel)+
10. Midnight Sun+
11. The Dance
Anthems
1. The Dance
2. Standing Outside the Fire
3. Unanswered Prayers
4. Thicker Than Blood
5. How You Ever Gonna Know
6. The Change
7. Belleau Wood
8. People Loving People
9. The River
10. Mom
11. Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream
12. When You Come Back to Me Again
The Covers
1. Against the Wind
2. Sweet Home Alabama
3. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me
4. Mrs. Robinson
5. Midnight Train to Georgia
6. (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay
7. Hard Luck Woman (With Kiss)
8. Who’ll Stop the Rain
9. Wild World
10. All Right Now
11. Drift Away
12. Goodnight Saigon
RPMs
1. Against the Grain
2. She’s Tired of Boys
3. Rollin’
4. Addicted to Love
5. Cold Like That
6. You Move Me
7. Ireland
8. Don’t Cross the River
9. I’ll Be the Wind
10. Doctor My Eyes
11. Working for a Living (The Duet With Huey Lewis)
12. Do What You Gotta Do
Turn It Up
1. The Thunder Rolls
2. That Summer
3. You Wreck Me
4. Why Ain’t I Running
5. Wrapped Up in You
6. I’d Rather Have Nothing
7. Allison Miranda
8. Black Water
9. Midnight Train
10. Dixie Chicken
11. Man Against Machine
12. Two Piña Coladas
Gunslinger
1. Honky-Tonk Somewhere+
2. Weekend+
3. Ask Me How I Know+
4. Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance+
5. He Really Loves You+
6. Whiskey to Wine+
7. BANG! BANG! +
8. Pure Adrenaline+
9. 8teen+
10. SugarCane+
11. Cowboys and Friends+ (Target exclusive track)
12. Friends in Low Places – 25th Anniversary Edition+ (Target exclusive track)
+ previously unreleased track
photo courtesy of Jason Merritt/Academy of Country Music
Alan Jackson will release his new Precious Memories Collection exclusively at Walmart on October 28. The two-disc collection features previous albums Precious Memories and Precious Memories Volume II, as well as two previously unreleased songs: “It’s All About Him” and “That’s the Way.”
Alan sang “That’s the Way” to his wife, Denise, at their wedding in 1979.
“It’s All About Him” was inspired by Denise’s book of the same title. “Inspired by Denise’s strength and ability [in writing her book], I sat down and wrote a song of the same title, hoping to add musically to an already uplifting story,” said Alan.
Precious Memories was originally recorded as a Christmas gift for Alan’s mother, and a handful of copies were shared with close friends. Prompted and urged by family and friends, Alan agreed to make the music available to fans in 2006. Seven years later, Jackson and his wife, Denise, revisited the list of their favorite hymns they compiled for the first album and Jackson decided to release Precious Memories Volume II in 2013.
Garth Brooks stopped by The Ellen DeGeneres Show today (Oct. 21) to perform his new single, “Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance,” which marked the television debut of the new tune. But before Garth took his talents to Ellen’s stage, the hostess gave him a good-natured grilling about what the title to the song actually means.
“It’s ‘Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance,’ which is a awkward way to dance, I think,” said Ellen to Garth. “I tweeted you about it. I was confused about the title and some of your fans answered what they thought it was. But you explain to me what ‘Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance’ means.”
After Garth tried to give Ellen a frivolous explanation about snow angels, he finally admitted, to the audience’s amusement, that “There’s only one thing left [for it to mean], right?”
“So then my question to you is, how often do you lay down and dance, and what is your favorite room to lay down and dance in?” asked Ellen.
“Any room with Mrs. Yearwood in it,” answered Garth.
Check out the clip below, as well as his performance of “Baby, Let’s Lay Down and Dance.”
“You’re our first repeat guest on the show. You’re like the Steve Martin of Saturday Night Live for us.” Jim Casey
“We hoped people would like [“Think of You”] but, 15-week run to No. 1 is insanely fast.” Chris Young
“Somebody was just telling me Jon Pardi just had his first No. 1 [‘Head Over Boots’] and it was 47 weeks on the chart. So, when you put those [two songs] next to each other, it’s like, ‘Wow, that is really quick.’” Chris Young
“I didn’t cold-call [Vince Gill] at first, but that’s what it ended up as. I kinda cold-emailed him. I was just gonna ask him if he wanted to be on it and I got an email back saying, ‘Hey, Vince doesn’t really … email, so you might want to call him.’” Chris Young
“I got to go hang out at Vince Gill’s house all day and, y’know, be in the studio with him, which is just … an incredible feeling. Such a good dude. Just so, so nice. I can’t say that enough. Just being around him is—regardless of the music aspect—is just fun because he’s a good dude.” Chris Young
“[Vince Gill] literally is the nicest guy in country music. I believe that. And if you want him on your record, don’t email him. Just knock on his door, he’s got the studio right there…” Jim Casey
“There are a couple of original songs on [It Must Be Christmas]. Which is fun, because I’ve tried in the past to write Christmas songs and I’ve never really written one that I was like, ‘Man, I love that.’ And this was the first time that—right when we needed it—we kinda got a couple of them.” Chris Young
“My favorite Christmas song is Merle Haggard’s ‘Santa Claus and Popcorn.’ Remember that one? Is there a song […] from your childhood that really jumps out at you that kinda makes you think about your childhood from your Christmas days?” Jim Casey
“That Alan Jackson Christmas record, to me, was—it was that and the Beach Boys Christmas album—those two things had to be played or it wasn’t Christmas time at my house.” Chris Young
“I was actually walking through a supermarket singing [Alan Jackson’s ‘Please Daddy Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas’] at one point my mom was like, ‘You have to stop singing that. People are gonna think there’s something wrong.’” Chris Young
“Whenever I’m in my car right now—doesn’t matter if I’m going to the grocery store, the supermarket, coming to work—I find myself singing ‘I’m Coming Over.’ […] That line is now stuck in my head.” Jim Casey
“Good! That was what we were trying to do! [laughs]” Chris Young
The Writers Room, Ep. 39, 16 minutes photos by Jason Simanek
