March 22, 2011

Ronnie Dunn, Justin Moore, Craig Morgan and others

Ronnie Dunn To Release Solo Album
It’s been more than 25 years since Ronnie Dunn released an album bearing only his name, but that’s all about to change. The former half of Brooks & Dunn is set to release his first solo project following the spilt June 7th. Ronnie’s debut single, “Bleed Red,” from his self-titled album is already in the Top 15 on the charts and climbing. He produced the CD and either wrote or co-wrote eight out of 12 tracks on the project. Fans will have the chance to see Dunn deliver his first televised performance of “Bleed Red” on The 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, airing April 3rd on CBS. While in Las Vegas for the ACM Awards, Dunn will also headline the free, open-to-the-public concert on April 2nd, as part of ACM Weekend on Fremont Street Experience.

Moore's Tribute To The Grandfathers
Justin Moore's latest single, "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away," honors not only those who have died; it includes a specific line paying tribute to grandfathers - "If heaven wasn't so far away/I'd pack up the kids and go for the day/introduce them to their grandpa/watch them laugh at the way he talked." Justin connected with the song on a personal level the first time that he heard it, especially because he lost his beloved grandfather in November of 2009, Tom "PawPaw" Moore, due to complications from cancer. Moore was very close with his grandfather, a retired Navy man, who taught young Justin how to hunt and fish, and even had him in a deer stand when he was just two years old. Moore says that the song is sort of a replacement for not releasing probably his favorite song he's ever written, "Grandpa," which was included on his self-titled, debut album. He explains, "Everybody knows, or a lot of people know, obviously, what went on in my personal life last year, and that I wanted to put out 'Grandpa' as a single that was on my first album, but we never got to it." Justin adds, "When I heard ['If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away'], I said, 'Well, this has to be the first single and kind of fill that void.'" The current single is the first release off his forthcoming CD, which is due out later this year.

Craig Morgan Honored For Life Saving Efforts
Four members of the Tennessee City Volunteer Fire Department gathered backstage at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville Saturday night to recognize Craig Morgan for his actions in February saving two small children from a house fire in Charlotte, Tennessee. On behalf of the TCVFD and the National Volunteer Fire Council, Morgan was presented an award for his courageous efforts. He was also awarded honorary lifetime membership to the Tennessee City Fire Department will full rights and privileges as a member, including his own helmet and department identification number, #565.

ACM Awards Lineup Expands
Dierks Bentley, Alabama, Reba, Blake Shelton, Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans and the Zac Brown Band with James Taylor have been added to the growing list of performers at this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards. The artists join previously announced performers, Entertainer of the Year nominees Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Brad, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban. Initial presenters include Nancy O’Dell and Ryan Seacrest. More performers and presenters will be announced in the coming days. The 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Reba and Blake Shelton, will broadcast live on CBS from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas April 3rd.

Loving Alabama
As Brad Paisley's current single, "This Is Country Music," remains in the Top 10 on the country charts this week, Brad is already focusing on his next single "Old Alabama," which features Country Music Hall Of Famers Alabama. Paisley told Buffalo, New York radio station WYRK, "My next single has something that's really cool, I think, that we came up with when we were writing this new album. We were writing a song that mentions a few things and realized that the perfect bridge for the song is the bridge from 'Mountain Music.' And so I contacted [Alabama member] Randy Owen and asked if he wanted to write it with us, and then got those guys back together. Instead of sampling a piece of 'Mountain Music,' I had those guys come in the studio and record it. It was one of the most mind-blowing experiences of my life." Brad admitted that he was a little star struck when he hung out in the studio with the group, saying, "That's the biggest group in the history of country music!"
 
Bentley Releases New Single
Dierks Bentley has released “Am I The Only One.” Fans can stream the song this week through Bentley’s social networks and can purchase through iTunes beginning March 29th. Written by Bentley, Jim Beavers and Jon Randall, the new song was recorded at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, North Carolina, where Bentley and the other musicians lived and recorded 15 songs for the new project in five days. More than 35,000 fans tuned in and streamed the recording process that Bentley made available to them through a 24-hour web cam. Bentley’s next CD will be out later this year. Bentley will debut the song on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” next Tuesday. He will also perform the new song the following day on CBS’ “The Talk” and the 46th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 3rd where he is nominated for Album of the Year.
 
Chesney’s Tour Opens Big
Kenny Chesney’s “Goin’ Coastal” tour opened on Thursday night in West Palm Beach, Florida. The show also included Chesney’s friends Uncle Kracker and Billy Currington. Chesney also welcomed to the stage special guest reggae singer Mishka for Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.” The party in West Palm Beach also included friends of Chesney’s such as football legend Joe Namath, Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys, Mike Vrabel of the Kansas City Chiefs, Wes Welker and Matt Light of the New England Patriots and Steve Hutchinson of the Minnesota Vikings. Saturday marked the first of 11 stadium shows when the tour cruised into Tampa Bay’s Raymond James Stadium. By 2:00 pm the parking lots around the stadium were overflowing with tailgaters partying to Chesney’s music, grilling and warming up to welcome Chesney back to the stadium where he hadn’t played since 2006. The sold-out crowd of 50,548 were also treated special musical guests, including a 30-minute jam with Zac Brown Band. The tour hits Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday, St. Paul, Minnesota on Friday and Omaha on Saturday.

Shania Twain In Talks For Vegas Gig
Shania Twain is in talks for a Las Vegas concert run. Twain’s prospective string of shows would take place later in the year, once Celine Dion’s current headlining gig ends. Promotion company AEG noted last week that they have been in talks with Twain, who had earlier volunteered to perform any shows Dion might have to miss. A company rep said last week that “the talks are ongoing.” Twain will also be appearing on her own reality show, “Why Not? With Shania Twain,” on the Oprah Winfrey Network, starting on May 8th.

Carrie's Nickname For Currington
Carrie Underwood has a special nickname for her former tour opener, Billy Currington, and he didn't even know it existed until he heard her doing an interview just the other day. Billy shares, "I think she was just joking, no doubt, but I was on her tour last year and the whole year I'm always barefoot and that was just part of my life growing up. I grew up on a beach, so I run barefoot I walk around bare foot especially when it's summertime. I just heard this interview the other day, she (the interviewer) was going 'What do you think about Billy on the tour?' and she's like, 'Oh you mean, Wal-Mart feet?' I'm like, 'Oh, okay nice nickname.'" Billy is currently touring with another barefoot bandit, Kenny Chesney.

Flatt's Song Shows Unconditional Love, Universal Lyric
Rascal Flatts' Joe Don Rooney thinks that their latest single, "I Won't Let Go," is one of the best tunes that they have ever recorded. A lot of it stems from the fact that Joe Don is a daddy nowadays too. He shares, "I think once you have children, have kids, like [me and] Gary [LeVox] and like Jay [DeMarcus], I think you really feel that in this song - that unconditional love and support for your children." Gary agrees, adding that it has a universal lyric and that it can be applied to anyone or anything in your life. LeVox says, "It could be anything from God to mother to children to anything. It's however you perceive the song." The song is inside the Top 15 on the country charts.