CMA Awards 2011 Recap

What a night! The awards was full of surprises, laughs, great music performances and well deserved awards. The opening from Brad and Carrie was probably the best they have done yet. With mentions of the new Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Barbie dolls, to an appearance from Hank Williams Jr. - the opening had it all - energy, comedy and a great duo.

Oh... and don't forget the special appearance from Little Justin Bieber... who really aged and looked a lot like Little Jimmy Dickens. :) Brad Paisley always puts him up to something.

The CMA's are known for their passion and for recognizing artists that have had a lasting influence on country music. The tribute to Glen Campbell this year was amazing. Artists Vince Gill, Keith Urban, and Brad Paisley did a medley of songs in honor of recognizing Glen Campbell. Very touching.


In case you missed it. Here's a list of winners:

Single of the Year - "If I Die Young" - The Band Perry
Song of the Year - "If I Die Young" - The Band Perry
Male Vocalist of the Year - Blake Shelton
Female Vocalist of the Year - Miranda Lambert
Album of the Year - Jason Aldean - My Kinda Party
Vocal Duo of the Year - Sugarland
Vocal Group of the Year - Lady Antebellum
New Artist of the Year - The Band Perry
Entertainer of the Year - Taylor Swift
Musician of the Year - Mac Macanally
Video of the Year - "You and Tequila" - Kenny Chesney w/ Grace Potter - Directed by:
Musical Event of the Year - Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson - "Don't You Wanna Stay"

Performances by:
Blake Shelton - Footloose
Keith Urban - "You Gonna Fly"
Sara Evans - Stronger
Miranda Lambert - "Baggage Claim"
Zac Brown with  - "Georgia on my Mind"
Rascal Flatts with Natasha Bedingfield - "Easy"
Eric Church - "Drink in my Hand"
Thompson Square - "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not"
Chris Young - "Voices" - This was his first CMA performance at CMA's
Taylor Swift - "Ours"
Luke Bryan - "Country Girl Shake it for Me"
Lady Antebellum - "Own the Night"
Kenny Chesney with Grace Potter - "You and Tequila"
Lionel Richie with Little Big Town, Darius Rucker, Rascal Flatts -
The Band Perry - "Only Girl"
Sugarland with Matt Nathanson - "Run"
Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood - "Remind Me"
Scotty McCreery -
Jason Aldean - "Tattoo's on this Town"
Martina McBride "I'm Gonna Love You Through It"
Tribute to Glen Campbell - Vince Gill, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley
Faith Hill - "Come Home"

Check out the Country Muse Forum at www.countrymuse.proboards.com Get registered, and discuss your thoughts on the CMA Awards 2011 with other country music fans, and check out the other boards.

-AG

What's New with Country Muse?

Happy Halloween from everyone at Country Muse! Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

What's new? We haven't written in a while, but we have been up to some creative ideas and working on bringing you some awesome things. We have articles ready to post and pictures ready to upload on Facebook.

Although we need your help. We want you to be involved with the interviews with your favorite country music artists. Send in questions via e-mail at andrea.guess@countrymuse.com , post questions on Facebook, or tweet your questions to us @countrymuseblog. We just want you to be a part of the process.

Look for articles on drummers Dean "Captain Deen" Collier and Ashley Smith, music artist Phil Vaught, South Central Kentucky band Andy and the Rockers, and the inside's and out's of country music that you should know.

Thanks again for all your support!
Keep checking back for updates. We are working hard to bring you the best!

AG

Hang tight

New blogs will be posted soon.... waiting on a few more details to get back through e-mail then the stories will be posted. For now you can keep updated on our Facebook page "Country Muse" and our twitter @countrymuseblog

The website is still under construction but will be up and running soon. Again I'm so sorry for the delay in posts. Thanks for all of your support!

-AG

Dierks announces Country & Cold Cans Fall Tour

Jerrod Nieman

Eli Young Band

Starting October 6th in Lacrosse WI, Dierks Bentley will kick off his fall tour Country & Cold Cans. Joining him for the 22 city tour will be Jerrod Nieman and the Eli Young Band. Denver, Colorado will be the last stop on November 19th.

Tickets for the general public go on sale this Friday August 19th, but those who are members of the fan club can start purchasing August 16th.

To keep up to date visit www.dierks.com
To follow @DierksBentley on twitter

Stage Collapse in Indiana: One of three stages collapsed within a month

**This video is not owned by Country Muse. This video was uploaded by JSilas7 on youtube.com

As most of the world has heard by now, one of the most terrifying turn of events happened Saturday night (August 13th) at the Indiana State Fair. Winds began to blow in from storms in the area and caused the stage to collapse just minutes before country music's hot duo Sugarland took the stage. At 8:39pm a severe thunderstorm was issued by the National Weather Service, with the crowd announcement at 8:45pm. Just a few short minutes later a gust of wind took the stage, tumbling upon the first few rows, leaving many injured, trapped and five dead.

This is has been the third stage to collapse within a month due to strong winds. On July 17th, in Canada at the Ottawa Blues Festival, Cheap Trick's concert took a turn when wind gusts brought the stage crashing down towards the backstage area. Eight people were injured including the driver for the band.

Then in Oklahoma August 7th, at the Brady Block Party, high winds hit the area and caused the roof to peel off, a small tent to fly into the equipment tent, and the video screen that was 15 foot tall to fall with the lighting off the back of the stage. Thankfully no one was hurt, but witnesses say that the bass guitarist jumped to get out of the path of the falling screen.

Withing each of these events it happened so quickly, there was nothing that could have prevented the stages from collapsing. However, the communication between the National Weather Service and Fair Staff for the Indiana State Fair, was high.

After the nightmarish event, Sugarland tweeted: @SugarlandMusic
     "We are all right. We are praying for our fans, and the people of Indianapolis. We hope you join us. They need your strength."

Bassist for Sugarland Annie Clements posted on Facebook today a picture with the caption  "My thoughts and prayers go out to Indy this morning and the memorial service being held at the fair."
Investigations are underway to see how well the stage was put together.

Dolly Parton Adds Dates to Tour

Dolly is going strong, adding tour dates for the fall. The legendary singer, performer, comedian, songwriter, actress, writer, philanthropist, you name it she's done it will wrap up the first part of this tour on August 3rd and then travel overseas for 18 shows. Those shows will take place in England, Ireland, Denmark, and Sweeden starting August 20th.

Of course that's not the only place you'll be able to catch Dolly. She'll also have TV appearances throughout the course of July beginning with July 14th on GAC's "The Collection" at 7pm (central time), then July 19th GAC's "On the Streets" at 9am with replays at 1pm, 6:30pm, 9:30pm (central time).

July 22nd you can catch Dolly on "The Tonight Show" when she performs her latest single "Together You and I" off her new album Better Day.

So when is Dolly adding the new dates? After her September 7th show at the O2 Arena, where DOLLY: Recorded live from London (Dolly Records) was filmed, she will do a few more dates overseas and then head back to the states for shows beginning October 7th in Cedar Park, Texas. Those shows will continue throughout mid October. Then, she will travel to Australia for shows beginning in November. 

Keeping busy, I'd say so, but the world sure can't get enough of Dolly Parton and you can't definitely tell she loves performing and entertaining.

For more information about tickets, shows, to purchase albums, and more visit dollypartonmusic.net

Win a Date with Sugarland

Sugarland wants to send you and a guest/date round trip to Atlanta for their show October 22, but that's not all. The package includes hotel accommodations, tickets to the show, a pre-show candlelit dinner in the parking lot for you and your date, courtesy of Dega, and a meet and greet with the amazing Jennifer and Kristian!

What do you have to do to enter?

Via Sugarlandmusic.com
"Make a 2 minute video that answers the question, "What are you waiting for 'Tonight'?"
Is it a dream date with your partner? A night in with your children? An evening out with friends? Some quiet time alone? We want to know what YOUR idea of a perfect "Tonight" looks like. "

For all rules and entry regulations visit sugarlandmusic.com


Country Muse is not in any part affiliated with the contest. 

Rascal Flatts Goes Heavy Metal?

That's right! Their single, "I won't Let Go" off the Nothing Like This album has been certified gold. After half a million (500,000) digital downloads, this brings the group up to three gold singles and four platinum singles. However this is the first gold single after signing with Big Machine Records. Congrats to Rascal Flatts!

Follow the link to download the single or album on iTunes

Dates For Your Datebook

When are your favorite artists coming to Nashville, TN or Louisville,KY? Check no further. Here's a list of concerts coming your way! This one will continuously be updated as I find out of shows and release dates, so keep checking back. 

Aug 6th - Keith Urban - Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Aug 18th - Lady Antebellum and Lee Brice - Kentucky State Fair - Mainstage Concert
Aug 20th - Jason Aldean, Chris Young, Thompson Square - KY State Fair - Mainstage Concert
Aug 21st - The Oak Ridge Boys and The Grascals - Free concert @ Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY
Aug 23rd - Joe Nichols w/ Phil Vassar - Free Concert @ Cardinal Stadium, Lousiville, KY
Aug 25th - John Michael Montgomery w/ Lorrie Morgan - Free concert @ Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY
Aug 26th - Allison Krauss and Union Station @ The Ryman Auditorium
Aug 27th - Allison Krauss and Union Station @ The ryman Auditorium
Aug 27th - Luke Bryan w/ Candy Coburn - Free Concert @ Cardinal Stadium, Louisville, KY
Sept 16th - Taylor Swift - Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Sept 17th - Taylor Swift -Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Oct 11th - Taylor Swift - KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY- *This is the rescheduled concert date


Updated Upcoming Album Release Dates:

July 12th

• Ashton Shepherd - Where Country Grows
• Blake Shelton - Red River Blue

July 15th - Randy Travis - Around the Bend
July 19th - Ricky Skaggs - Country Hits, Bluegrass Style
July 25th - Jason Michael Carroll - Numbers
July 26th -

• Randy Montana - Randy Montana
• Terri Clark - Roots and Wings          

August 9th  - Luke Bryan - Tailgates and Tanlines
August 23rd

• Connie Smith - Long List of Heartaches
• Pistol Annies - Hell on Heels

September 13th - Lady Antebellum - Own the Night
November 1st - Miranda Lambert - Four the Record

Please "Like" us on Facebook Country Muse
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Country Muse full website coming soon!!!

Oak Ridge Boys to Join Grand Ole Opry

Last night (7/8) the legendary group was asked to join The Grand Ole Opry by Little Jimmy Dickens, long time Opry member. The group was completely surprised when Little Jimmy Dickens came out on stage with them dressed with a long beard and sunglasses as a mini William Lee Golden. "All my life I've wanted to be a little bitty Oak Ridge Boy", Dickens claimed as he went on to tell the group the great news. "On August 6th, I will become the newest member of the Oak Ridge Boys, and at that time, you will become the newest members of the Grand Ole Opry."

The country quartet has earned CMA, ACM, Dove and Grammy awards along with dozens of hits, and even a #1 pop hit. This group is well deserving of joining the list of Opry members.

To get tickets for The Grand Ole Opry visit www.opry.com or call 1-800-SEE-OPRY

For more on the Oak Ridge Boys visit www.oakridgeboys.com

Pistol Annies: A Powerhouse Trio

 
  This trio is full of powerhouse vocals, super-talent, just enough sass and all around fun, but you may recognize some familiar faces in the group. Pistol Annies consists of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley, three of country music's most talented ladies. Their harmony is sure to give you chills. With their debut single "Hell on Heels" comes a debut album on August 23rd. The powerhouse trio are already playing shows and making their presence be known. I'm sure there will be many great things to come from this group and definitely looking forward to new things.

You can pre-order the album on the website www.pistolannies.com 

Download "Hell on Heels" on iTunes now!

For more Pistol Annies actions follow them on:
Twitter @PistolAnnies
Facebook Pistol Annies page

More to come on Pistol Annies... so keep checking back!

Luke Bryan is shakin' things up!

The Georgia native may have to change the words in his new single to fit what he is feeling right now. Luke's new single "Country Girl (Shake it for me)" has been certified Gold. This is the fastest rising single he has released, but the excitement doesn't end. Luke can be found out on tour with Tim McGraw this summer and this fall for CMT ON TOUR: Luke Bryan Tailgates and Tanlines.

The past three singles ('Do I', 'Rain is a Good Thing', and 'Someone Else calling you Baby') have all been #1's. 'Country Girl (Shake it for Me)' was deemed #1 in country for the most downloaded at it's debut. 

Along with all the excitement already comes even more excitement for the awaited album. Tailgates and Tanlines will be released August 9th. Keep shakin' it Luke!

Follow Luke on Twitter: @LukeBryanOnline
www.lukebryan.com

Upcoming album releases you may want to know about

June 21st 

• Justin Moore - Outlaws Like Me
• Jim Lauderdale - Reason and Rhyme
• Mark Wills - Looking for America

June 26th - Eric Church - Chief

June 28th

• Dolly Parton - Better Day
• Gillian Welch - The Harrow and The Harvest

July 12th

• Ashton Shepherd - Where Country Grows
• Blake Shelton - Red River Blue

July 15th - Randy Travis - Around the Bend

July 19th - Ricky Skaggs - Country Hits, Bluegrass Style

July 25th - Jason Michael Carroll - Numbers

July 26th - Randy Montana - Randy Montana

August 9th  - Luke Bryan - Tailgates and Tanlines

August 23rd - Connie Smith - Long List of Heartaches

September 13th - Lady Antebellum - Own the Night

Keep checking back for updates and reviews. Click the links to go directly to the artist web page.

Tim McGraw to the Rescue... again.

You can bet for sure that when domestic violence is even threatened, Tim McGraw will stop his show to try to come to the rescue. That's what he did when a man threatened to hit a woman at his concert held at the Gorge in Washington state this past weekend. This is not the first time that Tim has stepped in at his concerts, especially in Washington. In 2008, Tim pulled a guy out of the crowd in the defense of another female fan.

What do you think about Tim taking security matters into his own hands?

Comment below or send an e-mail to andrea.guess@countrymuse.com

Bama Rising: A Benefit Concert For Alabama Tornado Recovery

Some of country music's biggest acts took to the stage along with a few extra celebrities and acts to help raise money towards the recovery of the 53 devastating tornadoes that ripped through Alabama this past April. Out of those, seven were classified as EF-4 and two were classified EF-5. This was the most severe outbreak in history. There was over $4 billion worth of damage to homes and businesses.

That's where the big hearts in country music come to help. The group Alabama put together a benefit concert along with the help of others. Alabama's Teddy Gentry said "As soon as we talked that night, me and Randy, he said we gotta do something. And I said yeah whatever we can do. So that's the reason we're here is to help people and not worry about anything else. [We] try to come out and play some music and raise some money for these folks." The super-group of country, who has been in the business for 30 years are on a comeback, but this was not part of the plan. Their big hearts to help those in need definitely was shining through all night.

When you sit and take a look at the list of artists that contributed to Bama Rising by performing or making an appearance it's amazing. According to Randy Owen of Alabama, "It's gonna be like a historical kind of night for our state and for the people that hurting so much. I think that our hopes and our wishes are that it'll be where that people understand that hey, people really do care about us."

And with that said, they sure do. When disaster strikes you can count on country music artists to jump in and be there to help. Alabama native Ashton Shepherd though of the even as special. "It's really really special being from Alabama and I'm still a resident of Alabama. Ya know, it really means a lot to get to do something for my state. She talked in an interview of her aunt who lived in Tuscaloosa. "That's where we used to go stay with her. You really kinda have roots there. We're not but an hour and 15 min driving distance away from Tuscaloosa and we were fortunate the weather missed us and there were so many unfortunate. That's why we're here tonight is to try to bring some smiles to some people's faces who've been frowning for a little while."

The show was spectacular. Here's a list of the line-up.

Alabama

Ashton Shepherd

Bo Bice

Darius Rucker

Brad Paisley

David Nail

Dierks Bentley

Jake Owen

Kellie Pickler

Little Big Town

Luke Bryan

Martina McBride

Rodney Atkins

Sara Evans

Sheryl Crow

Taylor Hicks

 

The Commodores also made a special appearance singing the famous hits "Brickhouse" and "Lady." Dale Earnhart Jr made an appearance as well, introducing some artists.

On May 20th, tickets went on sale for the event and sold out early that afternoon. The funds from the ticket sales as well as a generous donation from Verizon Wireless, who also signed on as a sponsor, will be distributed through The Greater Birmingham Community Foundation. This will help rebuild communities that have been hit so hard by the tornadoes. During the course of the night, fans were asked to text "BAMA" to "501501" to donate $10. (Charges will be applied to your cell phone bill.) You can still donate by texting the number above.

Brad Paisley, who donated his sound, light and video equipment for the show, talked about how country music artists come together in time of need. "It was so absolutely devastating. I mean, you don't really see all that often from a thing like a tornado and it really means a lot to me that something I do can help. That's the thing about music you wouldn't expect. It's one of those things that can actually help out and put a little band-aid on it." All services for the night were donated, including performances and equipment.


The Blind Boys of Alabama, who opened the show with a heartfelt rendition of Amazing Grace said, "We always come together. That's the way America is. When things are down, when ships are down we can depend on the American people to come together and stand up." All artists agreed throughout the night that no matter what happens you can depend on your good neighbors to be there for each other.


Over $2 million dollars was raised through Bama Rising.

Of the artists that performed there were many that were from Alabama. Taylor Hicks, Bo Bice, Ashton Shepherd, Little Big Town, Blind Boys of Alabama, The Commodores and of course, Alabama.

More Videos of the artists interviews will be posted later. Thanks to everyone who took part in the benefit concert or took the time to donate.

www.bamarising.org

Dreamin' with Curtis and Luckey

Upon meeting for the first time around 2006/2007, songwriters Curtis and Luckey found a bond in music that would forever change their lives. The duo began performing their music all over Nashville and received great response from the crowds. With one thing leading to another, the duo now is performing 200+ gigs a year and has a new single out titled "I Have a Dream." The single is from their debut album "The Hard Way."

When talking about their new single that has specifically been released in Texas, Brian Curtis talked about why Curtis and Luckey love Texas so much. "The reason we love Texas is that Texas is big supporters of live music and original songs. Ya know, it's really a different flavor than we are used to and a lot of spots in the country and it's so refreshing to play to a crowd that really enjoys that."

This year Curtis and Luckey took to the Budlight stage at the CMA Music Fest, but that's just a step in the right direction for the duo. They said they have their eyes on Riverfront stage next year and LP Field the year after that. Luckey said he was excited for two reasons about being at the CMA Music Fest. "Well, one it's CMA Music Fest and I'm back home. I get to play for, ya know, the two shows we've already done the places have been packed out the door. Number two, getting to meet all the fans."

Something that definitely struck a chord with me about the duo is how big their hearts are. Every city they visit, the guys take time out to perform for local children. Curtis said, "Who better to perform for than a room full of kids. They don't judge you. They just love the music. For us, it's a relief from the rest of the world. Alot of the kids were removed from homes by the state and music is therapeutic, from writing to playing. So playing for these kids is a win win situation. Everyone walks away feeling good." Luckey said that playing this past week at Tennessee Baptist Children's Home really hit home with him this past week. He was adopted out of the Tennessee Baptist Children's Home, so he said it was good to come back and give back. Now they are starting to get donations from local music stores and music teachers for gently used instruments and lessons. This project keeps getting bigger and better. 

Here's the facts: Brian Curtis
Favorite dessert: Cheesecake (with blackberry topping)
Ipod: James Taylor, John Denver, Garth Brooks, and more

Here's the facts: Luckey
Favorite dessert:Chocolate chip cookies
Ipod/Cd Player: Bob Dylan, James Taylor and more

These two guys are full of entertainment on and off stage. If you get the chance to see them live, I would definitely recommend it. The set is full of energy and jam packed with rockin' country. The next six months to a year will be full of shows. To find out if Curtis and Luckey is playing near you visit www.curtisandluckey.com

Also, I'm giving away FIVE Curtis and Luckey cd's. The album "The Hard Way" has all original songs and is one you will want to add to your collection. So if you want to snag a copy send an e-mail to andrea.guess@countrymuse.com with CD giveaway in the subject line. Be sure to include your phone number in the e-mail. Winners will be notified through both sources of communication. Remember there's only 5 copies, so hurry and send the e-mail NOW!

Follow Curtis and Luckey on Facebook or Twitter

Relaxing with Steve Holy

Coming back with a new single that is quickly climbing up the charts, Steve Holy's "Love Don't Run" is his next "Brand New Girlfriend." We sat down on his tour bus right before his fan club party during CMA Music Fest to talk about the single, what he has been up to since his last release, and to get a few impersonations just for fun.

You may know Steve from his songs "Good Morning Beautiful" and "Brand New Girlfriend" which were huge hits. The way it is looking, "Love Don't Run" is right up there with them. I asked Steve how he found the song. "Well it was one of the songs that was being pitched to me but I didn't know it was also being pitched to Ronnie Dunn for his solo album at the same time. I loved the song. Thankfully, we got to track it the next day as planned because Ronnie turned it down."

What's next for Steve? More shows, more touring and making "Love Don't Run" keep climbing up the charts, but that is left up to the fans. Call your local radio stations to request "Love Don't Run" by Steve Holy. Click here to download the new single.

If you ever get the chance to meet Steve, make sure you ask him about his impersonations. I'm not mentioning who, but it is well worth the laugh. Thanks to Steve for taking the time to sit down and talk with me and keep me entertained.

www.steveholy.com

What's New with Rehab

Most known for their hit song "The Bartender Song (Sitting at a Bar)" which was a huge hit in rap and country, covered by Hank Williams Jr., Rehab stopped by CMA Music Fest to visit with their fans. They also made a surprise appearance with artists Sunny Ledfurd on the Hard Rock stage.

Damun and Danny, who I talked to this week, are two of the nicest people you will come across. It was a pleasure to get to have a quick talk about what Rehab has been up to and of course the random artist facts for the fans.

So what's new with Rehab? A new album called Welcome Home was released back in August 2010 on Universal Republic Records. Damun said within the next year to two years Rehab fans might see collaborations with Colt Ford, Uncle Kracker, and more on at least six albums. They have been working hard and are putting out a variety of different genres within these next few albums. Damun said "It's going to be huge for Rehab and Rehab fans."

What's Damun and Danny's favorite part of CMA Music Fest?

• Danny: "Getting to meet every fan you possibly can. It's great to get to know who listens to your music and who supports you."
• Damun: "Interacting with the fans. Especially since at the shows, the fans are usually drunk." 

Quick facts with Danny
Favorite ice cream: Chocolate
What's in your cd player that your listening to right now?: Nothing.

On the website www.rehabmusic.com you can grab a free download of "Talk About" and see tour dates, latest headlines, videos from the group, and more.

While chatting with Rehab, Damun and Danny gave me an autographed picture for you all! So send an email to andrea.guess@countrymuse.com to be entered in to win the autographed picture. The picture will be mailed to the winner and the winner will be announced July 1. The lucky winner will be selected randomly. So go tell your friends to enter for a chance to win an AUTOGRAPHED PICTURE of Rehab! Also tell your friends to like the Country Muse Facebook page

Down South with Northern Boy Greg Hanna

Canada and country music seem to have a strong connection. There have been quite a few of artists that find their way in the open arms of country music fans such as Shania Twain, Terri Clark, and Emerson Drive. That is what Greg Hanna is working hard to do. His new single "Makin' Love Real" is already turning some heads and making its way up the charts.

I had the pleasure of sitting down to chat with Greg after his show at the Wildhorse Saloon during CMA Music Fest week. The show was packed full of high energy with rockin' country, a few traditional country feel songs and a ZZ Top cover that made the entire dance floor fill up. Greg and I talked about his new single, what was coming up in the next year or so, and a few interesting facts that his fans might want to know.


Within the next six months to a year Greg said with a smile, "There'll be more shows, more radio touring, hopefully awards and some number ones." The ultimate goal for Greg is to be on the Grand Ole Opry. "To call my family, and say 'Hey, you're gonna get to come down in two weeks to watch me play on the Opry!' How cool would that be? That's the most prized thing right there. I think that is every artists dream is to be on the Opry stage. So yeah, that's the biggest goal in my career."

Within every artist interview I always ask a few questions for the fans to get to know their favorite artists better. So I asked Greg 3 questions. Here's what Greg had to say:

• Favorite Dessert: Pumpkin Pie
  
• What's in your cd player/on your MP3 player right now that you're listening to?: Iron-man soundtrack with AC/DC
  
• Since hockey and Canada go hand in hand, I have to ask about it. Did you play or do you still play hockey?: I have played since I was 4 years old. Then I started to referee. There are different levels in a career of a referee and you have to take tests and I was asked to take the test for the NHL, but I had this opportunity to start playing music and I'm with you today sitting here. I wouldn't have it any other way though. This is way more exciting than skating up and down the ice.

If you want to hear Greg's new single or buy it, Click here to download off iTunes or Click here to get an autographed copy from his website. Request "Makin' Love Real" on your local radio station to support Greg Hanna.

To find out more about Greg, visit his website at www.greghanna.com. You will find tour dates, photos, and more.

Thanks to Greg for taking the time for sitting down with Country Muse for a great chat. Looking forward to seeing more from Greg.

Down home with artist Mark Cooke

A Longview, Texas native who is as down to earth as you can possibly get, took his time to sit down with me for a quick interview. This handsome hunk, who has been performing since his early teens just released a new single that is going for radio adds called "I Love It." The song is modern country with a traditional feel. That is a hard concept to grasp but after talking with Mark, you can definitely tell he is a homegrown country boy who loves anything and everything about country music.

As a timid kid Mark said that most people could not believe that he chose this line of work. Writing parody's with his friend Eli Smith in his early teens, Mark began to really get into performing and writing music. Mark joined the navy rather than going to college and by the end of his four year period, he knew that country music was where he wanted to be. "As a child I even had these premonitions of being on a bus, writing songs and everything. I knew that is what I wanted to do. I tried college for a while, but it wasn't for me." It's a good thing Mark stuck with performing and making his dream of having a country music career come true. If you ever get the chance to see him perform, I would highly suggest doing so. He is most definitely a seasoned performer, with a heart of gold and down home feel.

His current single can be requested on radio, so if you want to help support Mark Cooke, call up your favorite country radio station and request "I Love It". His debut album on Cotton Valley Records is in the final stages and should be released soon in two portions. First, a six pack collection of songs, then later the full length album.

Mark has been working with Steve Holy for quite some time and has a fan club party tomorrow outside Cotton Valley Records located at 713 18th Ave. S in Nashville. The party starts at 4pm and lasts til 6pm, with performances from both Mark and Steve Holy. I'll get the chance to sit down with Steve Holy tomorrow before the show.

Thanks to Mark Cooke for taking the time to sit down for a chat, and thanks to Kristen Palmer and Cotton Valley Records.

I know one thing, that's for sure, "I Love It" will quickly become a favorite once you hear it.

Follow Mark Cooke on twitter @MarkCookeMusic or Facebook or visit www.markcooke.com

CMT Awards Recap

Let's take a quick glance at the winners of the buckles:

Best Male Video - Blake Shelton - "Who Are You When I'm Not looking"
Best Female Video - Miranda Lambert "House That Built Me"
Group -Lady Antebellum - "Hello World"
Video of the Year - Taylor Swift "Mine"
Duo - Sugarland "Stuck Like Glue"
USA Weekend Breakthrough Video - The Band Perry - "If I Die Young"
Collaboration - Rascal Flatts w/ Justin Bieber - "That Should Be Me"
CMT Performance of the Year - Zac Brown Band w/ Jimmy Buffet
Video Director - Trey Fanjoy
Web Video - Blake Shelton "Kiss My Country Ass"


Overall the awards were amazing! With a few minor mishaps such as Shania Twain's fall, and slip of Sheryl Crow's underwear, there was a ton of fun packed into just a few hours. It was my first time at the awards, but I'm definitely looking forward to next year. Go to CMT.com to read what Shania said about her fall and what she is going to do with the shoes she was wearing.

One of the best performances of the night I would have to say was Lady Antebellum. Breaking out into Prince's "Kiss" in the middle of their performance was definitely not expected, but most definitely a groovy spin on the song. Click here to go to CMT.com to watch the performance.

Another surprising performance of the night was Sugarland. The audience participated in the performance by holding up flags with the word LOVE written on it. Two sisters from Joplin, Missouri were in attendance and waved a huge flag during the duo's performance.  Click here to go to CMT.com to watch the performance.

There definitely was an eclectic amount of genres of artists in attendance last night. From Justin Bieber to Ludacris, Kid Rock (the host) and Sheryl Crow and other appearances from Paramore and Pat Mohan, lead singer of Train. It amazed me how many difference genres come together to take part of the CMT Awards. One question I had though: Why don't country artists drop in on MTV Music Awards or something to that extent? With all these other genres at the awards, it makes me wonder why country cannot stand out on its own.

Country music fans are loyal to their favorite artists and to each other. Just by attending the CMA Music Fest, you are bound to meet thousands of people just like you who share the same love for country music.

Look for more pics and blogs later from interviews with Rehab and Mark Cooke.

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Shania Twain to play at Caesars Palace

     Today in a press conference, Shania revealed along with The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas that she has signed a two year contract for performances (Shania: Still the One) beginning in December 2012. Tickets began pre-sale tonight for the first 10 performances in December 2012. The pre-sale tickets are for American Express Cardmembers. Tickets for the public go on sale June 19, 2011 at 10a.m.
Price range for the shows: $55 to $250, plus fees. Call 800.745.3000 or go to www.shaniainvegas.com to purchase tickets. The box office for The Colosseum at Caesars Palace is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (PT) daily.

     Shania stated "This past year has been such an amazing journey and to find myself poised to play at The Colosseum is truly magical. The Colosseum is an iconic location with unmatched energy, and I'm excited to bring a pop/country spin to the city. People from all over the world travel to Las Vegas and I'm so thrilled to be able to share my music with a truly global audience."

     With a memior on New York Times Best Sellers list, receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a document series (Why not? With Shania Twain)on the Oprah Winfrey Network, Shania is definitely making a comeback into the country music scene. She is the only female artist to sell 10 million copies of 3 consecutive albums.

     When asked if she received advice from other artists that have headlined shows in Las Vegas, Shania said she had not called anyone, but wanted to let everything develop in its own way. She said the show was going to be jam packed of all her creativeness and let it rule the show. Also Shania said that her family was very important and that she would be bringing the show and her family together.

     Want more from Shania? Visit www.shaniainvegas.com for more details.

Things you should know:

Ronnie Dunn's new album released this week. Click here to listen to samples or download his new solo album. Let me know what you think of it!

Kristen Chenowith released  a new single "I want somebody" with a video that aired on CMT.com. You may know her from appearing on Glee, or Pushing Daisies. This single comes from Chenowith's fourth studio album. Click download to sample or purchase her new single. Let me know what you think!

Dolly Parton will be signing autographs for the first time since the mid-70s. She will be at the Fan Fair Exhibit Hall for a limited number of lucky winners on June 11th at 12pm.

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Coverage of CMA Music Fest

There are so many events that I'm going to go to and bring you the latest behind the scenes action during CMA Music Fest 2011. Today, I'll be attending a press conference for Shania Twain's big announcment, then I'll be heading to the CMT Awards tonight. Don't worry, I'll keep this posted as often as possible, with pictures of a first hand glance of all the action.

Last night, I kicked this week off with the wonderful Grand Ole Opry. This show was jam packed for a Tuesday night Opry.
A list of the performers:
Lady Antebellum
Martina McBride
Jarrod Niemann
Carrie Underwood
Oak Ridge Boys
Darius Rucker
Whispering Bill Anderson



All the artists were truly amazing. I recommend if you have never been to the Opry, schedule a visit, take a tour and enjoy a wonderful show. While I'm in Nashville this week, I'll make a list of places to visit if you have never been to Nashville, TN.

For now, I'm about to head out, check in my hotel and get ready for the press conference. Check back often for plenty of updates, artist profiles, random facts and more.