Dolly Parton to Receive the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at Upcoming CMA Awards

Dolly Parton to Receive the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at Upcoming CMA Awards

Posted on October 4, 2016

Dolly Parton is certainly one of popular music’s most colorful characters—a gifted singer and songwriter, a savvy entrepreneur and a multi-media entertainer.

On Nov. 2, Dolly will be the 2016 recipient of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, which will be presented during the 50th annual CMA Awards. The announcement was made last night (Oct. 3) during Dolly’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award is given to an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in country music. The award was established to recognize an artist who has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, record sales and public representation at the highest level.

Following in the footsteps of previous recipients of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award—Willie Nelson (2012), Kenny Rogers (2013) and Johnny Cash (2015)—Dolly sounds like the perfect choice.

Watch a clip of Dolly on Jimmy Kimmel Live below, where she talks about hanging with Willie.

 

 

photo courtesy of Webster PR

Forever Country Celebration Continues With Artists Covering Award-Winning Songs

Forever Country Celebration Continues With Artists Covering Award-Winning Songs

Posted on October 4, 2016

In celebration of the CMA Awards 50th Anniversary this year, country music stars are continuing to show their support for the Golden Anniversary.

Last month, 30 CMA Award-winning artists got together to record a new song and video, “Forever Country,”—comprised of three country classics, John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” Wilie Nelson’s “On The Road Again,” and Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You”—which has since gone viral and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Now, 45 more country artists are lending their talents to perform covers of CMA Award-winning songs from the past 50 years. Some of those artists include John Berry, T. Graham Brown, Deana Carter, Mark Chesnutt, Easton Corbin, Billy Currington, Billy Ray Cyrus, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Jo Dee Messina, John Michael Montgomery, Lorrie Morgan, Eric Paslay, Collin Raye, Shenandoah, Ricky Skaggs, Josh Turner, Steve Wariner, Amanda and Tyler Wilkinson, Mark Wills, Lee Ann Womack and today’s new talent, Lauren Alaina, Kane Brown, Dustin Lynch, Jon Pardi, Scotty McCreery and Drake White.

“This is a great opportunity for the fans to experience and discover the rich heritage of the format by hearing these classic songs performed by contemporary and legendary artists,” said Damon Whiteside, CMA Senior Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships.

The CMA will be releasing one new song each day on ForeverCountry50.com through Wednesday Nov. 2—the day of the 50th Annual CMA Awards on ABC.

You can check out the first five videos below— which include Mark Wills performing Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler,” Jon Pardi performing Randy Travis’ “Forever and Ever Amen,” Lauren Alaina performing Brooks and Dunn’s “Believe,” Dustin Lynch performing Garth Brooks’ “Friends In Low Places,” and Michael Ray performing Johnny Cash’s “Sunday Morning Coming Down.”

Watch Jana Kramer Earn Her Best Score Yet With a Smooth Foxtrot on “Dancing With the Stars”

Watch Jana Kramer Earn Her Best Score Yet With a Smooth Foxtrot on “Dancing With the Stars”

Posted on October 4, 2016

For the first time Cirque Du Soleil took over the dance floor last night (Oct. 3) in Week 4 of Dancing With the Stars.

The 11 remaining contestants were tasked with performing spectacle dances inspired by the music from Cirque Du Soleil shows, including The Beatles Love, Kurios, Mystére, Zumanity, KÁ and O. With only three judges this week—Len Goodman was in England working on another show—the most points any dancer could receive was 30.

jana-kramer-dwts-glebThe bond between Jana and her partner Gleb Savchenko continued to grow this week as they were chosen to dance the foxtrot to the song “Here Comes the Sun” from The Beatles Love.

“Yes we have our moments, but at the end of it, he truly is a great friend,” Jana said of her partner. “He’s encouraging 99 percent of the time. I am very fortunate to have him as my partner.”

“I want to dance for you,” Gleb told Jana during rehearsal.

“Awww, that’s so sweet” she replied.

“So let’s just dance for each other, nobody else,” Gleb continued.

“OK, I’ll dance for you, you dance for me,” said Jana.

With that, the couple elegantly performed their foxtrot, and they received their best scores yet: 8 from Carrie Ann Inaba, 7 from Julianne Hough and 8 from Bruno Tonioli, giving them a total of 23 out 30 points.

“First of all, I love the choreography, Gleb, very well done,” Carrie Ann began with her critique. “Jana, you have this incredible ability to express yourself so beautifully—every movement you nuance and there is so much going on. But every once in a while you come out of it. There are certain times when you just kind of freeze up and you look a little lost. It’s a tiny mistake and it’s a tiny correction that I want to give you, because you are so wonderful.”

“I really want to see you guys break out of the middle because right now you are in the middle and I think the one thing that I find in each style of dance, is kind of what Carrie Ann was saying, I want you to go back and learn how to spot,” added Julianne.

You can catch the elimination show tonight (Oct. 4) at 7 p.m. CT on ABC to see if Jana is safe for another week. Due to the vice presidential debate, Tuesday night’s elimination show will be cut from two hours to one hour.

To keep Jana dancing on the show, call 1-800-868-3406 to vote immediately following the airing of the show, or vote online up to 24 hours after the show. You can see Jana and Gleb do their thing on Dancing With The Stars each Monday and Tuesday night at 7 p.m. CT on ABC.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KPeE8VzB78

Photos by Eric McCandless/ABC

Listen to Hunter Hayes’ New Single “Yesterday’s Song”

Listen to Hunter Hayes’ New Single “Yesterday’s Song”

Posted on October 3, 2016

Since releasing his third major-label studio album, The 21 Project, in November 2015, Hunter Hayes has been busy at work, writing more than 100 new songs and building a mobile studio to be able to record music at the drop of a hat.

getfileattachmentLast month, Hunter released three new tracks—“Yesterday’s Song,” “Amen” and “Youngblood”—available for streaming on his birthday (Sept. 9) to allow fans to hear some of the new music he’s been working on.

Today (Oct. 3) the Louisiana native is releasing the first single, “Yesterday’s Song,” from his upcoming album to country radio.

“I’m beyond excited to share this new single with everyone,” Hunter said in a statement. “I’ve been on such an incredible journey this past year, not just musically but personally as well. There’s always been that next goal to reach, whether it was a single or an album or an arena tour, and this is the first time I’ve really been able to kind of step back from all of that and just let my instincts and creativity flow.”

The new single, written by Hunter, Barry Dean and Martin Johnson, is an uptempo rocker that puts Hunter’s creativity on display while proving that the 25-year-old’s sound has evolved.

“I’ve waited a long time to get this new music out, and ‘Yesterday’s Song’ really captures that free feeling, that joyous realization that you’re moving on and starting this fresh, new chapter,” adds Hunter.

Listen to “Yesterday’s Song” and judge for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHwF0V2N3sQ

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

New Tennessee Ambassador of Goodwill Garth Brooks Announces Free Nashville Show on Oct. 24

New Tennessee Ambassador of Goodwill Garth Brooks Announces Free Nashville Show on Oct. 24

Posted on October 3, 2016

Nash Country Daily was on hand at Nashville’s State Capitol building this morning (Oct. 3) as Governor Bill Haslam named Garth Brooks a Tennessee Ambassador of Goodwill in honor of his record-setting seven RIAA diamond certifications.

“I’m an Oklahoma native, but Tennessee is where the dream led me to,” says Garth to NCD. “We all came to Nashville for a dream. I’m always going to be from Oklahoma, and 99 percent of this music was based on what I learned in Oklahoma growing up. I think being an ambassador for Tennessee is a wonderful marriage of two states that have treated me like sons.”

To commemorate Garth’s seven diamond certifications—albums with 10 million units sold—Governor Haslam announced that Garth has joined forces with the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development to host a free concert at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater on Oct. 24 at 7 p.m., with additional seating at downtown’s Riverfront Park.

garth-brooks-award
The plaque presented to Garth commemorating his 7x diamond certification and being named Tennessee Goodwill Ambassador.

“Seven diamond certifications is at the top of my list [of accomplishments] because it’s all about the music—that’s what I like about it,” says Garth. “The truth is, maybe a year from now I’ll have a better grip on this accomplishment, but right now, this one is out there. I feel very lucky to be standing here.”

Free tickets for the Ascend show will be available using codes issued on TDTD’s new Snapchat account @Tennessee, which officially launches today. By following the account, fans can access these codes as well as exclusive Garth Brooks stories and surprise celebrity takeovers.

“October 24 will be a celebration, so if we look at it that way instead of a show, you’ll get a lot more honed in on what it’s going to be,” says Garth. “It’s going to be me and my guitar. Tennessee Tourism says I’ll get to pick one song from each diamond album, so those seven songs are going to be a lot of fun. I’m hoping to see the fans—who gave me these seven diamonds—take these songs over and sing them. I’m just going to be watching and laughing and crying the whole time. After that, we’ll see what happens. It’s going to be fun.”

The albums that have reached diamond certification are Garth Brooks, No Fences, Ropin’ the Wind, The Hits, Double-Live, Sevens, and The Ultimate Hits.

garth-brooks-haslam-bill
Garth Brooks looks on as Gov. Haslam announces that Garth has been named Tennessee Goodwill Ambassador.

photos by Jim Casey

La Belle Vie: Kelsea Ballerini Gets Well Deserved Vacation and Shares Photos From Italy and Paris Trip

La Belle Vie: Kelsea Ballerini Gets Well Deserved Vacation and Shares Photos From Italy and Paris Trip

Posted on October 3, 2016

It’s been quite a busy year for Kelsea Ballerini between the three No. 1 singles she racked up—“Love Me Like You Mean It,” “Dibs” and “Peter Pan”—and her ACM New Female Vocalist of the Year award.

The “Love Me Like You Mean It” singer also just finished up a run on Rascal Flatts Rhythm and Roots tour and she’s getting ready to kick off her first-ever headlining tour in Houston, Texas on Oct. 21. So it’s only right that she get to take some time off and enjoy herself before hitting the road again.

“I plan breaks now instead of trying to get a date at home each week. I’ll block a week,” Kelsea told Nash Country Daily back in August. “So I’m going to Europe after the Flatts tour for a week just to kind of reset. That’s how I’m learning to find balance.”

To kick off her trip, Kelsea started off in the City of Love—Paris, France— with her boyfriend Morgan Evans, an Australian singer/songwriter. The couple can be seen kissing, piggy back riding and just being tourists. The adventure continued on to Florence, Italy.

To see where else the blonde stunner is headed, you’lll need to keep checking Kelsea’s instagram page. By the looks of it, the 22-year-old is having the time of her life.

Check out the photos Kelsea shared from Paris and Italy.

** La Belle Vie: English translation – The Good Life

Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors” Coming to a Children’s Book Near You

Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors” Coming to a Children’s Book Near You

Posted on October 3, 2016

Last year, Dolly Parton’s 1971 Top 5 hit, “Coat of Many Colors,” was transformed into a very successful television movie on NBC. This year, the iconic song is being brought to life in the form of a children’s book.

clickUsing lyrics from “Coat of Many Colors,” and inspired by Dolly’s rural upbringing in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, the picture book Coat of Many Colors tells the story of a young girl in need of a warm winter coat. When her mother sews her a coat made of rags, the girl is mocked by classmates for being poor. But Dolly’s trademark positivity carries through to the end as the girl realizes that her coat was made with love.

Coat of Many Colors will be available on Oct. 18 via Grosset & Dunlap.

In addition, the television sequel, Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, will air later this year on NBC.

 

Dierks Bentley Announces First Leg of 2017 What the Hell World Tour

Dierks Bentley Announces First Leg of 2017 What the Hell World Tour

Posted on October 3, 2016

Fresh off of his No. 1 hit “It’s Different for Girls” in September, Dierks Bentley announced his new What the Hell World Tour today (Oct. 3).

dierks3d_700x880Dierks’ tour will kick off in Dayton, Ohio, on Jan. 19, 2017, with friends Jon Pardi and Cole Swindell opening the show.

“Coming off the electricity and emotion of two nights at Red Rocks last week, it felt right to just go ahead and announce plans for next year and keep this thing rolling,” Dierks said in a statement. “There’s a song on my album called ‘What the Hell Did I Say’ and it seemed like an appropriate title for a tour with Cole and Pardi. I have a feeling I’ll be asking myself that question the morning after many of our shows and late night hangs because you really don’t know what will happen when the three of us get together. There has been a lot of drunk calls and texts between all of us over the last year trying to make this tour happen, and I’m excited we were able to pull it off.”

Sounds like one heck of a party. Dierks will take the first leg of his tour through 23 cities, including a first-ever headlining stop at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Jan. 21.

Pre-sale tickets for select dates, including Nashville, go on sale tomorrow (Oct. 4), with the first public on-sale date scheduled for Friday, Oct. 7, at dierks.com and livenation.com.

2017 WHAT THE HELL WORLD TOUR Cities:
Dayton, Ohio
Louisville, Ky.
Nashville
Hamilton, Ontario
Oshawa, Ontario
Ottawa, Ontario
London, Ontario
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Calgary, Alberta
Dawson Creek, British Columbia
Edmonton, Alberta
Penticton, British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Columbus, Ga.
Tupelo, Miss.
Knoxville, Tenn.
Billings, Mont.
Rapid City, S.D.
Fresno, Calif.
Reno, Nev.
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill to Play the Ryman Auditorium on Oct. 4—Tickets Go On Sale Today at 10 a.m. CT

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill to Play the Ryman Auditorium on Oct. 4—Tickets Go On Sale Today at 10 a.m. CT

Posted on October 3, 2016

After a few days of speculation regarding the Ryman’s cryptic Sam & Audrey headliner on Oct. 4, the Mother Church has confirmed that the mysterious moniker belongs to Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. The husband and wife tandem—full names Samuel Timothy and Audrey Faith—will play together at the Ryman for the first time on Tuesday night.

The Ryman concert is the beginning of a big week for Tim and Faith. On Oct. 5, they will be inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame, and on Oct. 6, the couple will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.

Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. show are $20 and will go on sale today (Oct. 4) at 10 a.m. at the Ryman box office and through Ticketmaster.

 

“You’re the One” Op-Ed: Dwight Yoakam PROVES He’s Always Had Bluegrass in His Veins With a Little Help From Flatt Lonesome at the International Bluegrass Awards

“You’re the One” Op-Ed: Dwight Yoakam PROVES He’s Always Had Bluegrass in His Veins With a Little Help From Flatt Lonesome at the International Bluegrass Awards

Posted on September 30, 2016

In addition to winning Vocal Group and Album of the Year at the International Bluegrass Music Awards last night (Sept. 29), Flatt Lonesome won Song of the Year for “You’re the One,” a tune written by Dwight Yoakam that was featured on his 1990 album, If There Was a Way.

That got me thinking about Dwight. Full disclosure, Dwight is my favorite artist, so it doesn’t take much to get me thinking about him.

Last week (Sept. 23), Dwight released his first bluegrass album, Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars, a collection of tunes from his past catalogue—with one outlier: Prince’s “Purple Rain”—that are re-invented as bluegrass ditties.

Although the album is technically his first foray into bluegrass, it’s quintessentially Dwight. There’s no doubt that bluegrass music is in Dwight’s Kentucky blood as he hoots and swaggers throughout the album like only he can.

With the backing of an A-list band of bluegrass virtuosos, Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars is a prodigious record, and fans of both country and bluegrass will enjoy it.

During an intimate performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sept. 21, Dwight talked at length about the process of selecting the album’s songs with co-producers Gary Paczosa and Jon Randall. Many of the tunes on the new album are deep cuts from Dwight’s collection, including “What I Don’t Know” (1988’s Buenas Noches From a Lonely Room), “Sad, Sad Music” (1990’s If There Was a Way) and “Free to Go” (2000’s Tomorrow’s Sounds Today), among others. He coupled those deeps cuts with Top 10 hits like “Guitars, Cadillacs” and “Please, Please Baby,” before rounding out the album with “Purple Rain,” which was recorded with scratch vocals after Dwight heard the news that Prince had died.

unknown
Flatt Lonesome at the 2016 International Bluegrass Music Awards. photo by Dave Brainard

Which brings me back to Flatt Lonesome and their re-recording of Dwight’s “You’re the One,” which, by the way, was not featured on Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars.

Although “You’re the One” originally appeared on Dwight’s fourth studio album, If There Was a Way, in 1990, he actually recorded a demo of it in 1981. The demo version was released on Dwight’s 2002 box set, Reprise Please, Baby, as well as the 2006 reissue of his debut album, Guitars, Cadillacs. When the song was released as single in 1991, it climbed to No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart.

I wrote all of that so I could write this: “You’re the One,” a song that Dwight wrote and recorded more than 35 years ago, just won the 2016 Bluegrass Song of the Year.

Props to Flatt Lonesome for proving Dwight has always had bluegrass in his veins, and props to Dwight for backing up that sentiment with Swimmin’ Pools, Movie Stars.

Check out both Flatt Lonesome and Dwight’s versions of “You’re the One” below.

 

main photo by Emily Joyce

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