Fans have final say at 2009 CMT Music Awards

Comedian-turned-actor Bill Engvall--who was sometimes amusing and sometimes not as the event's emcee--kicked off this year’s CMT Music Awards, which were broadcast live June 16 from Nashville on the country music-focused cable network.

Although CMT has yielded criticism in recent months for not having as much music-video programming as it once boasted, the network’s annual awards show was once more a clear fan favorite among both country-music lovers and the genre's artists.

Going into the 2009 CMT Music Awards, country-duo Sugarland scored more nods than any other contender, with five nominations—meaning more than both Taylor Swift and Brad Paisley, both of whom notched a quartet of nominations each, and also more than Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts, both of which landed a trio of nods apiece.

At the close of final voting, however, it was the fans' who were in charge, with online voting accepted until the nth hour--and even after the Buckle presentations had begun in appropriate contests. To learn who took what home when all the votes were cast, as well as to see who the night's biggest winner was, please access my Examiner.com story by clicking here.

P.S. You can also view one of Taylor Swift's fan-nominated video, if you're so inclined, by clicking said link.

Country stars hit the runway for June 10 fashion show

Come June 10, a fashion-savvy lineup of country-music artists will take a break from their respective touring trails, songwriting and recording to hit the fashion runway in the name charity.

Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon, 120 2nd Ave. North, is the site for the upcoming 2009 Country Weekly Fashion Show and Concert, which his sponsored annually by country-entertainment magazine Country Weekly. And this year’s show ‘n’ shindig will benefit Musicians on Call, a 10-year-old organization that was created with the mission of bringing recorded music to the bedsides of patients in healthcare facilities to enhance the healing process.

In addition to Country Weekly, now in its 15th year of publication, the 2009 fashion event will be sponsored by Durango, Lifetime Networks and Chevy. In turn, clothing and boots from Durango, Flavour boutique and Wrangler will be featured on the runway.

“We are truly excited and anxious for our Country Weekly Fashion Show and Concert to kick off June.10,” said the on-deadline Larry Holden, editor in chief of the magazine, during an interview via e-mail. “This is our third year to sponsor the show and we’ve got an array of country stars—from legends to newcomers—ready to walk the fashion runway.”

Chuck Wicks, Jessica Harp and GAC's Suzanne Alexander will co-host this year’s event, with a fashion-forward-meets-country-styled talent lineup that will include Keith Anderson, Chris Young, John Michael Montgomery, Mark Wills, Adam Gregory, Trent Willmon, Emily West, Aaron Tippin and Thea Tippin, Sarah Buxton, Trent Tomlinson, Jennifer Hanson, Richard Sterban of the Oak Ridge Boys, Eric Durrance, Bo Bice, Katie Armiger, Joey + Rory, Whitney Duncan, The Roys, Crystal Shawanda, Megan Mullins, Justin Moore, Dean Brody, Mica Roberts, Carter’s Chord, Bomshel, Jypsi, LoCash Cowboys, Krista Marie, Love & Theft and last but not least, Brad Cotter.

“Our three co-hosts—Chuck Wicks, Jessica Harp and GAC’s Suzanne Alexander—are key reasons for fans to come to the show,” Holden said. “And the icing on the cake is that the event goes to help a great charity—Musicians On Call. … This is our third year to sponsor the show and we’ve got an array of country stars—from legends to newcomers—ready to walk the fashion runway.”

Among this year's first-time country artists-turned-models is Flordia native Durrance, whose latest single, "Turn It Off," rose to No. 17 in popularity on GAC's fan-voted, music-video countdown. Now based in Nashville, the talented singer-songwriter has been busy recording music for his next release, but he's more than happy to take a break to participate in this year's CW-sponsored fashion show.

"I don't know that I am much of a model, but I'm going to give it my best shot," he said in a recent interview. "It's for a great cause, Musicians On Call, and when it comes down to it, that's what this is all about—teaming to help others where you can. I'm excited to take part, honored to have been invited and ready to give it my all!"

Doors for this year’s show will open at 11 a.m. and the fashion-related festivities officially get under way beginning at noon.

Tickets: Special VIP tickets in the front row areas and prime runway seating are almost sold out, Holden reported. However, a limited number of $125 runway tickets and $50 reserved tickets near the runway are available.

Also available for purchase is a table in the event’s “Music Row” section, which is a row of premium tables behind the runway seats. These tables are $750 and include eight seats, name recognition from the stage, appetizers from the Wildhorse Saloon and two buckets of domestic beer.

For more info: For more information or to purchase VIP tickets, go to www.countryweekly.com/fashionshow or call 212-741-2709. General admission seating is on sale now through TicketMaster.

To view Durrance and two of his bandmates performing a live-acoustic version of "Turn It Off," please click here. (You'll like it, so come on, do it!)

Steve Wariner launches webisodes about new CD

Steve Wariner has become one of the latest country artists (following the lead of Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town, among others) to jump aboard the webisode wagon in an effort to promote his current music project and keep fans updated.

On behalf of his newest endeavor, the Grammy-winning performer has recorded the first of what will be a series of webisodes to introduce listeners to each track on his forthcoming CD, Steve Wariner, c.g.p., My Tribute to Chet Atkins.

The first clip is currently posted at Wariner's official Web page, as well as on the artist's MySpace and Facebook pages. A new clip is set to be posted every few days leading up to the album's June 23 release.

To read the full scoop and view the first webisode, please access the complete story by clicking here.

Hello, Dr. Dolly! Dolly Parton gets honorary degree

The country-turned-international star who's done it all, and then some, has done it yet again—just call her Dr. Dolly.

The University of Tennessee at Knoxville presented the petite powerhouse entertainer and business woman—who's a self-proclaimed "Backwoods Barbie"—with an honorary doctorate of humane and musical letters during an April 8, 2009, ceremony on the school's campus.

A longtime education advocate, Parton attended the university's Friday commencement, along with just more than 1,000 other new UT graduates. At the event, and in true Dolly style, she donned a curve-hugging academic gown that reportedly brought her a standing ovation from students.

To read the full story, including comments from Dolly about the honor, or view the commencement video or Dolly's newest music video, "Backwoods Barbie," please click here.

Taylor Swift shares heartfelt Mother's Day video

Mother’s Day falls on May 10 this year, and while many of us may be scampering to get those flowers wired to dear, sweet Mom, country-pop princess Swift Taylor already has delivered her present for mom Andrea—and shared it with the lot of us.

The hit-making country performer has created a hard-to-beat Mother’s Day video-turned-automatic-heirloom that will undoubtedly resonate through the ages. That is, it’s likely to stick around in the country music world, if nothing else, and perhaps pop up as a recurrent tune this time every year as a tribute to moms everywhere.

An early planner, the blond-haired Swift, who’s taken home Grammy Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and even a CMA Award, graciously unveiled her timeless Mother’s Day gift already, a song and music video made in honor of her one and only mom, Andrea, to show her how much she’s mattered over the still-young starlet’s lifetime.

The song, titled “The Best Day,” is an autobiographical tale and ode for her "also-blond" mom. Its accompanying music clip was crafted exclusively from home movies, with a glimpse here and there of Swift's “excellent” dad, Scott, and equally great younger brother, Austin.

To read the full story about the just-for-mom video or to view it--and it's worth viewing, trust me, even if you aren't a dyed-in-the-wool Taylor devotee--please access the full scoop by visiting my National Country Music Examiner page.

Country's Jimmy Wayne blogs about mothers

Those familiar with country singer Jimmy Wayne’s background know he didn’t always have the easiest time of things as a youth. He’s talked openly about his time in foster care and penned songs about his experiences as a child, combining his real life with his art.

The merging of his memories with his music, in the end, has resulted in a hit-country sound for the now-36-year-old performer, who first emerged on the commercial-country scene with his self-titled album in 2003, a debut that scored with country radio and fans alike.

His former record label, DreamWorks, released four singles from the freshman effort, including “Stay Gone” and “I Love You This Much,” which peaked at No. 3 and No. 6 on the charts, respectively, along with the two other top-20 tunes, “You Are” and the childhood-inspired “Paper Angels,” a song that came from Wayne’s memories of being a child with his name on one of those holiday-time paper angels at the mall.

These days, Wayne’s on board with a new label home, Nashville’s Valory Music, and his sophomore album—his first for Valory—made its entrance in 2008. To date, the CD’s given Wayne his first-ever No. 1, “Do You Believe Me Now,” as well as the recent No. 18-ranked “I Will.” His brand-new single from the Do You Believe Me Now CD is “I’ll Be That.”

Chart rankings aside, and in spite of the ups and downs, the N.C.-born performer’s endured. And like most others this time of year, the advent of Mother’s Day causes many, including country music’s Wayne, to reflect on his own mother, as well as the women in his life who’ve fulfilled a motherly role in one way or another.

To read Jimmy Wayne's open letter about the importance of moms, from birth moms and sisters, to surrogate moms and bird moms, or to view his music video for "Do You Believe Me Now, his former and only No. 1 to date, please click here.

Swine flu affects country artists' touring & fans

The influenza that won’t easily lose its initial “swine flu” moniker has made its mark on the country music world already, and in particular, on the Lone Star concert circuit.

Since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Ga., recently reported that there is one death and 28 confirmed H1N1 flu cases in Texas, country-music performers on tour in the Friendship State have begun altering their tour routes and usual road routines, according to artist Web sites and interviews broadcast on country radio.

The newly launched Kenny Chesney tour, for one, has confirmed that the genre superstar is among those feeling the backlash of the infuenza formerly known as Swine. In turn, the Tennessee performer, who’s touring with Texas-born and based Miranda Lambert throughout the summer, has nixed fan meet ‘n’ greets In San Antonio, Houston and Dallas over the H1N1-induced panic.

To read the full story, as well as comments from the artists swine flu is affecting on the road, please access my latest National Country Music Examiner article.

Joe Nichols to star in 'Pure Country' on Broadway

Country music’s Joe Nichols is about to add Broadway to his professional resume. Yep, the four-time Grammy nominee is heading to the big stage come next year.

Now promoting his latest country single, “Believers,” which was recently released to country radio by the singer’s Universal South label, Nichols was offered, and accepted, the lead role in the Broadway production of Pure Country.

Texan George Strait made the role famous in the Pure Country movie, and according to the stage production’s producer, the Tony Award-winning Randall L. Wreghitt, the musical is in the process of securing the remainder of its financing and casting, with plans to open in early 2010.

"Pure Country is thrilled to welcome Joe Nichols to the family," Wreghitt said. "Not only does Joe bring his incredible talents to the project, but an understanding and authenticity to the role of 'Rusty' (originally 'Dusty' in the movie) that his fans and fans of the movie are going to love. We are very excited and proud to bring Pure Country and Joe Nichols to Broadway."

• To read the full scoop, click here, won't you?
  

The Red Stick Ramblers merge Cajun & country

The Red Stick Ramblers, a young roots band that both embodies and transcends its influences, will release its fifth CD to date come May 19 when they unveil My Suitcase Is Always Packed.

The upcoming disc, which is the band’s second album for the Sugar Hill label, is an 11-song effort that reflects the lineup’s unique hybrid of Cajun, honky-tonk and Western-swing.

Already called the group’s “most visceral, personal album yet,” the disc is set to contain tunes in both English and Cajun French, including a couple Cajun numbers that masterfully demonstrate The Red Stick Ramblers' undeniable affinity for classic Louisiana music.

To learn more about the band and its upcoming CD on Sugar Hill, as well as its latest tour dates, please click here. (There's also a nifty music video on the same site by the band from the players' first CD for Sugar Hill. Check'em out!)

Carrie Underwood's '09 ACM dress causes a buzz!

Although she looks FANTASTIC no matter what she wears, on the eve of the 44th annual ACM contest, which will be delivered live via CBS-TV from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on April 5, it’s Carrie Underwood’s planned (but still a secret) attire that seems to be taking the spotlight, not so much her Academy of Country Music nods.

Of course, never mind that nobody has yet seen said dress, because, in an AP report, Underwood--a known best-dressed fashionista--described it. OK, well, she kind of described it. Sort of. But not really. Wait, no, she kinda did, but, well. ... Nobody's seen it yet; that's the point, but everyone is all "a Twitter," pun intended, over it.

To view the full write-up on said dress by this blogger, which includes a nifty lil' slideshow (even if I do say so myself) of Underwood's prior dresses in the spotlight, please click here. ... And thanks for taking the time to stop in and ready my ramblings!

Snapshot preview of the 44th ACM Awards April 5

Just a friendly reminder for country music fans that Sunday, April 5, is the day to catch the Academy of Country Music's annual awards show, which will be broadcast live on CBS Television from the MGM Grand Las Vegas.

For the 11th consecutive year, Reba McEntire will serve as host for the annual West Coast-based ACM Awards, which are now in their 44th incarnation.

Some honorees have already been announced by the ACM, including Humanitarian Award-winner LeAnn Rimes, who will receive her prize during the live broadcast, as well as the winner's of the ACM's Radio Awards, the latter of which were handed out Feb. 24.

To help get country fans and viewers readied for the live broadcast, which will begin at 8 p.m. (Eastern/Pacific), I've compiled a few fun, nominee-related ACM-watching facts to keep in mind come viewing time.

To check out the overview of the events contenders, along with said facts, please click here.

Open auditions for 'Can You Duet' on March 7

The popular TV-talent show for country crooners who come in pairs, Can You Duet, will return for a second season, and that said, they’re looking for some top-notch duo talent.

The CMT-broadcast show, which earned the highest-rated series premiere ever for the country audience-targeted network, will conduct an open call audition on Saturday, March 7,Wildhorse Saloon, 120 2nd Ave., in Nashville. for thousands of country star hopefuls at the Wildhorse Saloon on 2nd Avenue in Nashville.

The show’s producers—the same folks who bring viewers the North American version of American Idol—are hoping to find the next Johnny Cash and June Carter, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Brooks & Dunn, Dailey & Vincent, or even the new Dolly and Porter, they reported in a recent e-mail.

SLATED TO BEGIN airing its second season this summer, the weekly series is designed to find America’s next great country music duo. Unlike other talent competition shows, each contestant will compete as part of a duo. As a result, viewers witness, first-hand, all the on- and off-stage drama that comes with creating a dynamic musical duet.

• To get the full scoop, including news about past contestants' industry success and info on all the details one needs to complete to complete, please click here.

Cupid's top hits: 14 of country's best couples

FROM THE ROLLER-COASTER HIGHS that love can bring to the heartbreaking devastation it leaves in its wake, country-music stars, like the songs they sing, are among the most passion-filled souls around all year, not just on Valentine's Day.

Their romances and break-ups, in fact, inspire some of the most heartfelt artistry our culture has known. And country fans, in turn, revel in happiness when a favorite country-music couple stands the test of time, just as they mourn when their favorite artists endure heartache from a love gone wrong.

• To see Lisa's list of 14 of the top love matches in country music, please access Cupid's arrows aim for the (country) stars, too by clicking here.
  

Free Feb. 12 talk on Nashville's record industry

Music journalist Craig Havighurst will be a featured guest speaker beginning at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at Middle Tennessee State University, where he'll present his Music City Remixed series.

Free and open to the public, the six-part series will focus on the recording industry, and in particular, Nashville's Music Row, and the historic changes buffering the music industry, especially in regard to the city's country music industry.

Last fall, Havighurst reported and produced the series for Nashville Public Radio. During his upcoming MTSU visit, Havighurst will present the documentary report, which has a run time of about 30 minutes, and then participate in open discussion, including Q&A, moderated by Michael Fleming, assistant professor of audio production at MTSU.

Havighurst's participation in the community series is sponsored by the MTSU Audio Engineering Society, a group that comprises students enrolled in the Department of Recording Industry at the nearby Murfreesboro university.

Based in Nashville, Havighurst is an independent journalist and producer who has won awards for his work in print, radio and television. He's a regular public radio contributor on Nashville's WPLN and specializes in music documentaries through his company, String Theory Media.

From 2000 and 2004, Havighurst was a staff writer covering music and the music business for The Tennessean, where his feature writing was recognized with the 2004 Charlie Lamb Award for Excellence in Country Music Journalism. Havighurst also is the author of Air Castle of the South: WSM and the Making of Music City, which was published in fall 2007 by the University of Illinois Press.

• To view an overview of the session titles or get more info on the free talk, please click here.
  

Lady Antebellum goes gold on the 'Ellen' TV show

On the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards, hot-country trio Lady Antebellum learned their self-titled debut album for Capitol Records had secured gold status, signifying sales in excess of 500,000 copies.

Nominated in the two categories in this year's Grammy Awards, Lady Antebellum's members were surprised with a gold plaque during a Feb. 5 taping of the Ellen TV-talk show.

Host DeGeneres hit the trio with the news just after they completed a performance of the act's latest single, "I Run To You," which is contained on the self-dubbed Lady Antebellum CD. (The disc also contains the group's prior hit singles, "Love Don't Live Here" and "Lookin' For A Good Time.")

"Of course, leave it to the girl in the group to cry," laughed Lady Antbellum vocalist Hillary Scott, regarding the on-air "gone gold" announcement.

"We were so caught off guard, but it was such a special place for this to happen since our first national television performance was on Ellen back when our album was released," she continued. "It was a really cool moment for us to be able to stop and reflect on how amazing the last nine months have been," she added.

• To read the full story, including when to watch Lady A on Ellen, please click here.
  

Legendary steel player Tom Brumley dies

Legendary pedal steel guitarist Tom Brumley, 73, who’s best known for his stellar musicianship as a member of the late Buck Owens’ band, has died of a heart attack in a San Antonio, Texas.

A member of Owens' hot-pickin’ Buckaroos band from 1963 to ’69, Brumley suffered a heart attack on Jan. 26 and was taken to Northeast Baptist Hospital in San Antonio, where he died Tuesday, according to his wife, Rolene Brumley. He was 73.

Born Nov. 12, 1935, as the third of six children, Brumley played steel guitar with Buck Owens and the Buckaroos from 1963 to 1969 and with Rick Nelson for a decade, including on the late singer’s crossover hit, “Garden Party.”

The son Albert E. Brumley, a legendary gospel songwriter who wrote "I'll Fly Away" and "Turn Your Radio On," a 14-year-old Brumley began his music career as a bassist in his brothers’ band. He went on to become a much-celebrated, award-winning steel guitarist and was inducted into both the Texas Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, which is part of the Texas Steel Guitar Association, and the International Steel Guitar Hall of Fame, among other honors. He also was awarded an Academy of Country Music honor for being the genre’s No. 1 steel player.

• To read the full story and view music videos featuring Brumley performing with the Buckaroos, please click here.

Country music's 2009 Grammy Award contenders

There’s a healthy showing of country-music talent nominated in this year’s 51st Grammy Awards, which will be broadcast Sunday, Feb. 8, from Los Angeles on CBS beginning at 8 p.m. (Eastern/Pacific).

In fact, one knows it’s going to be a great Grammy year for the genre when the powers that be select a country artist to help announce the nominations, and this go around they elected to have country starlet Taylor Swift serve as co-host for that prime-time broadcast event, where all learned who had been given the nod.

There are a number of compelling contests in this year’s Grammy event, but among the 2009 nods that may of particular interest to country fans are the nominations held by longtime Lone Star country-music icon George Strait,who's nominated in four categories this time.

Somewhat surprisingly, in all his years of chart-topping, record-breaking recording artist and big-arena concert draw, the singing cowboy's yet to win a Grammy over the course of his three decades on the country-music scene. Although this writer isn't the gamblin' kind, my bet is on Mr. Strait to rope one in this year; thus, "Grammyless George" shouldn't be an accurate moniker for the white-hatted one this time next year. (Cross your fingers, George fans.)

Also in this year’s contest, this writer is especially hoping to see Tompkins Square recording artist Charlie Louvin, who made his name as one-half the Country Music Hall of Fame-inducted duo The Louvin Brothers, score a much-deserved Grammy in the Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album area. (He was nominated last year, but it managed to elude him. My money’s on Charlie to take this one, and if not, call 9-1-1 so 'cause someone's been robbed!)

Of course, the country masses are rootingfor newcomers Lady Antebellum to pull it out on the trio’s first go at the Grammy this year. The players—Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood—are the lone country act in their category, and let’s face it, if they lose to The Jonas Brothers, there could be rioting—in my living room, if nothing else. (It's probably relevant to note here that I have a teen son, not a daughter, so Lady A's music rules at our place, not the Jonas boys.)

This writer is also closely watching the songwriting category, where every nominee is a winner. However, Nashville tunesmith Lee Thomas Miller, who pens under the BMI publishing umbrella, has not one, but two songs nominated in the Best Country Song contest; namely, "You're Gonna Miss This," which was recorded by Trace Adkins, and "In Color," a track he penned with co-writers/recording artists James Otto and Jamey Johnson. ... Looks like it will be a double nail-biter in the Miller home these days.

As for Grammy-trivia buffs, it may be of interest to note that bluegrasser/country artist Alison Krauss has won more than 20 Grammys to date, which is more than any other female in Grammy history, thanks to her talents as a solo artist, producer, collaborator and member of Union Station.

For a full overview of the country, bluegrass and country-gospel artists, albums, songs and songwriters in this year’s contest, as well as their competition, please access 51st Grammy Awards: 2009 Country Music Nominees.

• This year's Grammys air Sunday, Feb. 8, on CBS. Check local listings to ensure accuracy of live broadcast time.

Little Texas plays Feb. 6 benefit near Nashville

Platinum-selling country group Little Texas will perform a Feb. 6 benefit show to the Nashville-area community of Watertown and honor the memory of one of its young residents.

Beginning at 6 p.m., the country-rockers, along with openers The O'Donnells and Doug Collins, will hit the stage at Watertown High School, 515 West Main St.

Little Texas bassist Duane Propes, in a Feb. 1 interview, said he and fellow LT founding members Porter Howell (lead guitar/lead vocals), Del
Gray (drums/backing vocals) and Dwayne O'Brien (rhythm guitar) jumped at the chance to perform the fundraising show which will aid Watertown Elementary, a small-town school that is sorely in need of athletic facilities for its K-8 students.

“This all-ages concert is being held to raise funds for athletic facilities … for games and practice for this Wilson County elementary, which hosts kindergarten through 8th grade,” explained Propes, who added that a former student at the school, Cody Choate, worked hard to draw attention to the school’s need for such facilities.

“Cody Choate was a sixth-grader at Watertown Elementary who was killed in an ATV accident in summer 2007,” Propes shared. “(And) while he was alive, he championed the cause to have a football field at the school for the seventh- and eighth-grade teams."

For more details about this story, including where to buy tickets for the performance, please access the full story here: Little Texas performs benefit show for Cody, community.

Montgomery Gentry hosts 1st Country on the Beach

Columbia Nashville recording artist Montgomery Gentry announced that they will host the inaugural “Country on the Beach,” the ultimate beach event for country music fans, scheduled for Dec. 3-6, 2009, at the Beach Palace Resort in Cancun, Mexico, benefiting the T.J. Martell Foundation.

The Country on the Beach “all-inclusive” trip will feature activities such as local tours, celebrity auctions, volleyball, karaoke, a poolside/oceanside clambake, celebrity bartending, spa experiences, water sports, all meals and adult beverages, a celebrity golf tournament at the Riviera Cancun Golf Resort (a Jack Nicklaus Signature Course), private receptions and performances by Montgomery Gentry and special guests.

“We wanted to do something fun to help raise vital dollars for the T.J. Martell Foundation’s mission of funding ground-breaking cancer research,” said Troy Gentry. “A warm weather event will be great especially at the end of the year when it’s cold in Nashville.”

“We will have some special guests joining us for the private performances, celebrity golf classic and the celebrity bartending activities,” said Eddie Montgomery. “This will be the ultimate country music experience all for a great cause.”

Packages based on double occupancy (excluding air transportation) are $1,100 per person and include all activities, meals and beverages. The Celebrity Golf Classic is an additional charge of $250 per person. Space is limited and participants should sign up early to get room preferences. To make reservations contact Travelin’ Inc. at www.travelininc.com or (888) 473-8856.

The T.J. Martell Foundation is a national 501 (c)3 organization that supports innovative research for leukemia cancer and AIDS through eight top research hospitals in the United States. In Nashville, the Foundation supports the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center.

For more information about the T.J. Martell Foundation, log onto www.tjmartellfoundation.org or call (615) 256-2002.

Toby Keith & Taylor Swift on the fashion runway

A few years back, country superstar Reba McEntire launched her REBA brand, a line that includes clothing, footwear, home collections and other products. But now, two more country stars are looking be fashionistas, too.

Toby Keith and Taylor Swift each recently announced they’re expanding the already-diverse scope of their respective celebrity brands by jumping into the fashion biz with their own self-approved lines.

Specifically, Keith has created a new clothing line called TK Steelman that was developed in partnership with Royal Merchandising Group—a company that already produces merchandise for the country star’s restaurants. The line debuts Feb. 18 in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, country-pop princess Swift is sticking with what she knows; namely, sundresses. On Feb. 1, the starlet's economically priced line of sundresses will debut at and be sold exclusively through Wal-Mart.

Swift says she will be among the first to don the self-approved designs, which are marketed by L.e.i., whose L.e.i. jeans Taylor endorsed in the brand's extensive 2008 ad campaign. (The dresses will run $14-$20, according to early reports.)

• To read the full scoop on both artists new fashion lineups, please access Country music 'behind the seams'. ...

Country's Dierks Bentley set to 'drop it like it's hot' Feb 3

For the past two years, country heartthrob Dierks Bentley has been recording and “road-testing” his new CD’s dozen-song lineup, and on Tuesday, Feb. 3, Capitol Nashville will unleash the disc for the public at large, with 10 days of jam-packed promotion behind it.

A multi-platinum country artist, Bentley says he put more time behind this record’s pre-production than ever before. He also served as the album's co-producer for the first time ever. Feel That Fire is the title of Bentley's latest and fourth studio offering, and already it's title track has scored with country fans and radio alike.

'Feel That Fire' ignites new passion within singer

Discussing the new CD, Bentley said, "I know everybody always says it, but I really mean it when I say that this is the best album I've ever made. … We came off the road for the first time in six years and took our time to make sure it was just right."

• To read the full story, including to learn when Bentley will be on NBC's Today (two different days in the same week), Live with Regis and Kelly!, The Late Show with Jay Leno and more, please visit Red-hot country: Dierks Bentley releases 'Feel That Fire.' ... You can also spy the music video for the album's top-five single that's still climbing up the charts.

Connie Smith Delivers Show to Remember and Country's 'King of Honky-Tonk Rock' Remembers Lucille

Dolly Parton has listed her among one of only three “real” female country singers, and on Jan. 22, 2009, at Nashville’s Station Inn, Connie Smith celebrated the 45th anniversary of her debut appearance in Music City by performing a full-scale show.

Per WSM-AM radio host Eddie Stubbs, who also happens to serve as the announcer for RFD-TV's The Marty Stuart Show, it’ been at least 15 or more years since the cute ‘n’ country Ms. Smith delivered a full show.

Over the years, Smith—whom Stubbs refers to as “The Rolls-Royce of Country Music"—has performed on the coveted Opry stage, as indicated above, but never with her full band, the Sundowners.

Ricky Lynn Gregg Mourns Loss of His First & Favorite Fan

Prayers and condolences go out to country artist Ricky Lynn Gregg, who recently lost his beloved mother, Lucille, 84. Funeral services were held Jan. 2, 2009, in Longview, Texas, the Gregg family's hometown.

Country fans may remember that Gregg made his foray onto the commercial country-music scene with his self-titled Liberty Records debut, which spawned the singles "If I Had a Cheatin' Heart," a former No. 36, as well as "Three Nickels and a Dime" and "Can You Feel It." The success of the album earned him the No. 4 spot on Billboard’s Top New Artist list of 1993.

He followed the hit-debut with his second album, 1994’s Can You Feel It. However, after label-chief Jimmy Bowen retired because of thyroid cancer, Ricky opted to take a "buyout" on his contract with Liberty upon Bowen's advice.

• For more details on both of these country news items, please access the full Country Music posting.
  

Photo: Ricky Lynn Gregg and Lucille Gregg. Courtesy of RLG Enterprises.

Finally, Music-TV Worth Watching: 'The Marty Stuart Show' Returns to RFD Network for 2nd Hit Season

Grand Ole Opry member Marty Stuart has begun taping the second season of The Marty Stuart Show, which pays homage to the finest musical traditions of the genre.

The program is broadcast at 8 p.m. (Central) each Saturday on cable’s RFD-TV, a rural lifestyle network.

Each week, musician-historian Stuart, along with his country-star wife and fellow Grand Ole Opry member Connie Smith, plays host to some serious, as in seriously good, country pickin' and singing, with a dash of humor thrown in, thanks to banjo player-comedian Leroy Troy.

To learn more about the program, with its focus on traditional country, bluegrass and gospel that beckons back to the days of The Porter Wagoner Show, access the full Country Music posting here.

• Marty Stuart and Connie Smith Photo Credit: Lisa L. Rollins, 2009.

Country's Jo Dee Messina Becomes A First-Time Mommy & Trace Adkins Takes the Hall of Fame Spotlight

Country artist Jo Dee Messina has scored nine No. 1 country singles to date, but on Monday, Jan. 19, she achieved a first: motherhood.

Messina, 38, and her woodworker husband, Chris Deffenbaugh, 28, were married in October 2007. The couple welcomed their first child, who was a “happy surprise,” on Martin Luther King Day, according to a press report.

And in other news of the country-music persuasion, a spotlight exhibit on one of country music’s biggest contemporary superstars, Trace Adkins, will debut Jan. 27, 2009, at Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. (Plus, Jan. 24, 2009, is a day of free admission at the museum, thanks to Ford Community Day.)

• To check out all the details, including what Jo Dee and hubby named the new arrival, please access my full Country Music posting.
  

Grammy-Bound: Living Music Legend Charlie Louvin Releases New CD for Tompkins Square label

Rare is the instance when I get the opportunity to call someone a "legend," because one of the many tried 'n' true writing rules I learned way back when in journalism school was that such an adjective is reserved for those who no longer walk this plane.

In other words, one must no longer breathe air for me to be able to apply this term to him or her, no matter how seemingly worthy one may be. (Yes, I know you probably see writers calling folks who are alive "legends" or "legendary" relatively frequently, but I assure you they were not trained by the hard-core, old-school journalists who beat me over the head with the journalist's Bible, the Associated Press manual.)

At any rate, it's with great joy that I'm able to make mention of low-tenor/guitarist Charlie Louvin, one-half the legendary gospel/bluegrass-meets-country duo known as the Louvin Brothers, who's having a mighty prolific recording surge at the ripe and ever-creative age of 81. His late brother, high tenor/mandolinist Ira Louvin, tragically died in summer 1965 in a car accident, but the duo's music goes on and on. (My story on the brothers is linked to here, above.)

Rainsville, Ala., native Charlie, who now calls Bell Buckle, Tenn., home, has accrued an incredibly impressive recording and music career over the decades, both with his late brother, whom he still misses dearly, and as a solo artist.

Charlie's record label, Tompkins Square in New York, released this living legend's latest album offering, Charlie Louvin Sings Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs, on Dec. 9, 2008. Life's hardships have etched their way into the prolific octenegarian's voice, but it makes this selection of tragedy-rooted songs all the more intriguing. It's a must-listen for fans of old-time country, bluegrass, Americana and gospel.

Grammy Alert: Charlie's Steps to Heaven CD, released earlier in 2008, is nominated in the 51st annual Grammy Awards' "Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album" category. This year's awards will be held Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles.

• Note: Check out the music video for "Ira," a poignant song Charlie wrote and recorded in honor of his beloved brother in life and song. It's worth waiting through the commercial for on the CMT site linked to herein.
  

'The Mark Twain of Traditional Music': Country Music Hall of Fame Honors Bluegrass Icon John Hartford with Exhibit

John Hartford was many things in life, from steamboat captain, fiddle and banjo player, to hit songwriter, Grammy-winning artist, author, folklorist and father.

Born John Cowan Harford on Dec. 30, 1937, in New York City, the Grammy-winning artist grew up in St. Louis, Mo., with a love for two things: the Mississippi River and music, especially old-time music and bluegrass. When it came to the latter, he brought new life to his genre of choice, influencing the likes of critically acclaimed musicians Bela Fleck, Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush of New Grass Revival and Tim O’Brien, among many.

Although many best know Hartford as the tunesmith behind Gentle on My Mind, a signature song that country artist Glen Campbell is usually associated with, his life is a storied and compelling portrait that will be reflected in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s upcoming Spotlight exhibit in his honor, John Hartford: Ever Smiling, Ever Gentle on My Mind, which will open Jan. 24, 2009, and continue through Jan. 2, 2010.

Bluegrass Player's Love for Old-Time Music Inspires 'New Grass' Sound

“In many ways, John Hartford is the Mark Twain of traditional music,” Mick Buck, the museum’s curator of collections, has said. “He was a beloved American figure whose influence went far beyond his commercial success. He brought literacy, humor and inventiveness to his music and an eclectic sense of adventure to his life. He was a true artist in every sense of the word.”

Jeremy Rush, a representative for the Nashville-based hall of fame and museum, reported that the exhibit in Hartford’s honor—which will feature moving images, photographs, costumes, handwritten lyrics and instruments from both the museum’s collection and from the Hartford family—will explore numerous aspects of his career, including his songwriting success and his experimental and influential approach to traditional music, as well as his pursuits “as an artist, performer, steamboat pilot, author and historian.”

Banjo Music of Earl Scruggs Shapes Hartford's Life

Hartford—who added the “t” to his given surname upon the request of the late producer-guitar legend Chet Atkins—credited the music of banjo player Earl Scruggs, a bluegrass legend, as changing his life forever. After hearing Scruggs’ music, a young Hartford was instantly attracted to traditional string music set about becoming proficient at not only banjo but also fiddle and guitar.

In his teen years, Hartford began performing professionally in bluegrass groups in central Missouri and Illinois, before moving to Nashville in 1965, where he served as an overnight disc jockey at country-radio station WSIX while striving to establish his music career.

• To read the full overview of Hartford's careeer, including how he forged the "new grass" genere of bluegrass ... about his love and music for the Mississippi ... and about his final Grammy win for the "O' Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack, please access the full story at: http://countrymusic.suite101.com/article.cfm/an_overview_songwriterartist_john_hartford