When The Flatts Were Starving Rascal Flatts' Jay DeMarcus says the fact they had to struggle early on in their career and play in small clubs - sometimes to just three or four people - really worked to their advantage in the long run. He claims it was a great learning experience and taught them how to be entertainers.
Chesney Set For Knoxville Movie Premiere
Knoxville TV station WVLT is reporting that Kenny Chesney is set to present his first concert in Knoxville in nearly seven years. Chesney is expected to attend the premiere of his Summer in 3-D concert on April 14 at the Regal Pinnacle 18. The premiere is being held to raise money for Variety of East Tennessee, a children's charity that has hosted similar events in the past. Kenny's last show in the Knoxville area was June 7, 2003 when he played to more than 63 thousand fans at Neyland Stadium. Tickets to the fundraiser will reportedly cost 25 dollars and include a catered reception as well as a viewing of the 3-D concert. Chesney will also talk to the audience about the film.
Carrie's Ready To "Play On" Carrie Underwood's "Play On" tour kicks off in Reading, Pennsylvania tonight. Carrie has been rehearsing since last month in Mobile, Alabama, but it's all been kept very hush-hush. Civic Center Manager Jay Hagerman, who in the '70s and '80s managed major tours for Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney and Wings, Bob Dylan and the Bee Gees, tells AL.com he was blown away by the scope and scale of Underwood's "Play On" tour, noting, "The technology is beyond anything I've ever seen. The clarity of the sound system is unbelievable."
Craig Morgan is looking forward to hitting the road with Carrie and tells AOL's The Boot, "This is just perfect. It's a great mix, and I'm excited about this tour. I have understood that she and I are going to be doing a duet every other night or so at the end of the show. She'll bring me back out, which is very cool, and I just love her for that." Apparently not all tour partners are the best match. Morgan recalls, "Someone [once] got on my last nerve at the beginning of a tour. It was in a few shows early in my career, and it's an individual who's no longer in the business, but he was just a complete butt-head to the fans, and I just had no respect for him because of that."
From "In Color" To Black & White
Jamey Johnson fans will be happy to hear that he plans to release two new albums this year. Ironically, the country rebel who is known for his hit song "In Color" is now recording in black and white! According to Rolling Stone's spring music preview, The Guitar Song, slated for July, will feature more upbeat material, and Jamey calls this project the "white" album. He's also working on a more somber "black album," which will focus more on songs about hard times and the tough economy. The yet untitled CD is expected to be released in the fall. So, why two albums in the works? Johnson says he's been on a creative streak for over a year that's been "an epic journey through honky-tonk-ville." He shares, "If I record all this material, I fully intend to get it out."
In other Jamey news, he will be inducted into The Alabama Music Hall of Fame during the 13th Induction Banquet and Awards Show to be held in the Convention Center in Montgomery, Alabama on March 25. Johnson, who was born in Enterprise and grew up in Montgomery, will be honored with Alabama's Rising Star Award.
Keith's Okay With Sharing Personal Songs
Keith Urban has never been one to talk about his personal life much, unless it's through his music. While addressing fan questions on his website, Keith revealed that even though so many of his songs are written from a private place, it's not difficult to record them and have everyone hear them. Urban claims his songs are "not too personally divulging - just honest," and he never thought about not recording a song because it's too personal. So what kind of atmosphere does Keith like to be in when he's writing? A quiet one! He doesn't like to have the radio or TV on. He usually starts with a beat, and enjoys writing with a bunch of drum machines to create a groove first. After that, he may come up with a guitar riff, the story, and then the melody.
And The ACM Nominees Are...
Yesterday, Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton read the nominees for The 45th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards, live on CBS' Early Show. Lady Antebellum led with seven nominations, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood each received six, Taylor Swift five, and Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Zac Brown Band each received four nods. Zac Brown received two additional nominations for producing entries in the Album and Song categories.
Here is the list of ACM Awards nominees:
Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney
Toby Keith
Brad Paisley
GeorgeStrait
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Keith Urban
Zac Brown Band
Top Male Vocalist of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Brad Paisley
Darius Rucker
GeorgeStrait
Keith Urban
Top Female Vocalist of the Year
Miranda Lambert
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood
Lee Ann Womack
Top Vocal Group of the Year Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
Randy Rogers Band
Rascal Flatts
Zac Brown Band
Top Vocal Duo of the Year Brooks & Dunn
Joey + Rory
Montgomery Gentry
Steel Magnolia
Sugarland
Top New Solo Vocalist of the Year
Luke Bryan
Jamey Johnson
Chris Young
Top New Duo of the Year Bomshel
Joey + Rory
Steel Magnolia
Top New Vocal Group of the Year
Eli Young Band
Gloriana
The Lost Trailers
Album of the Year
American Saturday Night – Brad Paisley (Arista Nashville)
Produced by: Chris DuBois, Frank Rogers
Lady Antebellum – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by: Victoria Shaw, Paul Worley
Play On – Carrie Underwood (19/Arista Nashville)
Produced by: Mark Bright
"Quitter" Produced by Max Martin & Shellback for Maratone Productions and Mark Bright
Revolution – Miranda Lambert (ColumbiaNashville)
Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
The Foundation – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)
Produced by Keith Stegall, Zac Brown
Single Record of the Year
"Need You Now" – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville)
Produced by Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley
"People Are Crazy" – Billy Currington (Mercury)
Produced by Carson Chamberlain, Billy Currington
"Red Light" – David Nail (MCA Nashville)
Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
"Toes" – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Bigger Picture / Atlantic)
Produced by Keith Stegall, Zac Brown
"White Liar" – Miranda Lambert (ColumbiaNashville)
Produced by Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
Song of the Year [Award to Writer and Artist] "Cowboy Casanova" – Carrie Underwood
Composers: Mike Elizondo, Brett James, Carrie Underwood
"Need You Now" – Lady Antebellum
Composers: Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott
"People Are Crazy" – Billy Currington
Composers: Bobby Braddock, Troy Jones
"White Liar" – Miranda Lambert
Composers: Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert
"You Belong With Me" – Taylor Swift
Composers: Liz Rose, Taylor Swift
Video of the Year "Boots On" – Randy Houser
"Need You Now" – Lady Antebellum
"Welcome To The Future" – Brad Paisley
"White Liar" – Miranda Lambert
"You Belong With Me" – Taylor Swift
Vocal Event of the Year
"Hillbilly Bone" – Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins (Reprise Records / Warner Music Nashville)
Producer: Scott Hendricks
"Honky Tonk Stomp" – Brooks & Dunn featuring Billy Gibbons (Arista Nashville)
Producer: Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride
"I Told You So" – Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis (19/Artista Nashville)
Producer: Mark Bright
"I’m Alive" – Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews (Blue Chair / BNA)
Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
"Seeing Stars" – Jack Ingram featuring Patty Griffin (Big Machine Records)
Produced by Jack Ingram, Jeremy Stover
ACM/The Home Depot Humanitarian Award
Montgomery Gentry
Reba will host the three-hour ACM Awards special, which will air live Sunday, April 18 on CBS from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas at 8 PM, ET. Fans can vote at VoteACM.com for Top New Solo Vocalist, Top New Vocal Groupand Top New Vocal Duothrough March 12. The winner in each of the three categories will be announced March 23, and will move on to compete for Top New Artist. Fan voting for Top New Artist and Entertainer of the Year runs from April 1-18, and voting for Entertainer of the Year will close during the third hour of the live broadcast.
The Leaders Of The Pack
Lady Antebellum continues their successful 2010 by leading the Academy of Country Music Awards nominations with a total of seven nods in five categories. The trio is up for Top Vocal Group, as well as Album of the Year for their self-titled debut release. Charles Kelley reveals, "We were actually flying out of Las Vegas when we heard the news about our nominations. I can't wait to get back here... it's always one of the most fun events of the year, and we have really special memories of winning the 'New Artist' award here a few years ago." He adds, "I never thought we'd have a bigger night than that... all of this is just unreal!"
On the strength of their sophomore album's title track and lead single, the multi-week #1 "Need You Now," Lady A also picked up nominations in the Single Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Video of the Year races. Dave Haywood shares, "You always hear about the power of a great song, and there's no doubt that 'Need You Now' has definitely been a career-changer for us... but seven nominations?! We are blown away!"
