CMT News: News in Brief
ickelback Covers Joe Nichols' Hit at Nashville Concert
Fri. August 31.2007 6:54 PM EDT
Rock fans attending Nickelback's Thursday night (Aug. 30) concert in Nashville heard one of Joe Nichols' country hits even though Nichols wasn't there to sing it. When the Canadian band returned to the stage for an encore at the Sommet Center, they offered a cover version of Nichols' "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off." Lead vocalist Chad Kroeger told the crowd, "I haven't been able to get this song out of my mind for a year and a-half. I love this song." They followed it up with their own hit, "Rockstar."
Denise Jackson's Book Spends Fourth Week on Times List
Fri. August 31.2007 6:54 PM EDT
Denise Jackson's memoir, It's All About Him: Finding the Love of My Life, remains at No. 4 on the New York Times' best-sellers list for the third consecutive week after debuting at No. 1 four weeks ago. The book recounts her life with husband Alan Jackson and her spiritual journey during their marriage. Denise Jackson has promoted the book through a series of national magazines and TV appearances and was interviewed about by poet, historian and author Maya Angelou.
Mandolin Masters Honor Bill Monroe
Fri. August 31.2007 6:44 PM EDT
In honor of the late Bill Monroe, mandolin masters Frank Wakefield, Mike Compton and Roland White will perform at the Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp's faculty concert taking place Sept. 8 in Owensboro, Ky., at the Owensboro Symphony Academy. In addition to mandolinists Skip Gorman and David Long, the program will also feature Tom Ewing, who played guitar in Monroe's band, the Blue Grass Boys, during the last eight years of Monroe's life. Wakefield gained his reputation as a member of the Greenbriar Boys and Compton for his work with the Nashville Bluegrass Band. White was a member of the legendary bluegrass band, the Kentucky Colonels. Last year's camp attracted participants from 25 states and four foreign nations who gathered to learn more about Monroe's mandolin style and songwriting. The camp, scheduled for Sept. 7-9, is presented by the International Bluegrass Music Museum.
Faith Hill Previews New Single for Ellen
Thu. August 30.2007 6:39 PM EDT
Faith Hill spent Thursday (Aug. 30) in New York City where she performed her new single, "Red Umbrella," during a taping of the season premiere of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The episode is set to air on Wednesday (Sept. 5). "Red Umbrella" is one of the new songs on Hill's upcoming CD, The Hits. Scheduled to be released to country radio stations on Sept. 13, the song was written by Aimee Mayo, Chris Lindsey and Brett and Brad Warren. "It's nerve-racking to perform a new song on television," Hill said. "But we added 'Red Umbrella' to the set for the last three Soul2Soul [concert] dates, and the fans' reaction was fantastic. So at least that gives me a bit of comfort. Fact is that it has the ingredients of any great song. It's cleverly crafted and its message is sincere."
Diamond Rio Signs With Word Records
Thu. August 30.2007 6:39 PM EDT
Diamond Rio has signed with Word Records, a Christian label based in Nashville, and will release a holiday album on Oct. 9. A Diamond Rio Christmas: The Star Still Shines features classic holiday songs and an original title track. "It is a very exciting time being in Diamond Rio right now," guitarist Jimmy Olander said. "The folks at Word share with us not only a great passion for the music but an even greater passion for the message. This is a great fit." Diamond Rio left Arista Nashville last year following a tenure that included five No. 1 singles, including "One More Day," "Beautiful Mess" and "I Believe."
CMA Broadcast Nominees Announced
Thu. August 30.2007 6:39 PM EDT
Nominations for this year's CMA broadcast awards were revealed Thursday (Aug. 30) in Nashville during a press conference announcing the artist nominees for this year's CMA Awards. Station of the year nominations include four divisions based on market size. The nominees in the major market division are KEEY (Minneapolis), KNIX (Phoenix), KSON (San Diego), KYGO (Denver),WKHX (Atlanta) and WXTU (Philadelphia). Large market nominees include KNCI (Sacramento, Calif.), WGH (Norfolk, Va.), WMIL (Milwaukee), WSM-FM (Nashville) and WTQR (Greensboro, N.C.). Nominations in the medium market went to KUZZ (Bakersfield, Calif.), KXKT (Omaha), WBBS (Syracuse, N.Y.), WGNA (Albany, N.Y.) and WYRK (Buffalo, N.Y.). The small market nominees are KTTS (Springfield, Mo.), WKXC (Augusta, Ga.), WQCB (Bangor, Maine), WUSY (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and WXBM (Pensacola, Fla.). Broadcast personality of the year nominations were announced in the same four market divisions. This year's national broadcast personality nominees are Derrick Haskins and Sean Powell for The Big D and Bubba Show, Jeff Foxworthy for Foxworthy Countdown and Lia Knight for The Lia Show.
Carrie Underwood's New CD Is Carnival Ride
Wed. August 29.2007 7:06 PM EDT
Carrie Underwood has chosen Carnival Ride as the title of her new album, her record label announced Wednesday (Aug. 29). It's the follow-up to her debut CD, Some Hearts, which has been certified sextuple platinum by the RIAA for shipments of more than 6 million copies. Carnival Ride gets its title from the lyrics of one of the new songs she has recorded. "You step onto this ride called life, and it's a crazy thing you don't know anything about, but you get on it anyway," the American Idol winner said. "You do what you can to lean different directions to try and get it to go where you want it to go, but you can't stop it -- it just keeps moving. That's why Carnival Ride works as my album title. It describes the wonderful craziness that I've been through over the past couple years."
Faith Hill Sings Sunday Night Football Theme
Wed. August 29.2007 7:06 PM EDT
Faith Hill will be singing "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night" this season as the opening theme to NBC's Sunday Night Football, the network announced Wednesday (Aug. 29). The song, set to the tune of Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You," was sung last season by pop singer Pink. Hill has already recorded the theme song in New York, altering the lyrics a bit with each one to include the teams playing that week. She will also perform in Indianapolis on Sept. 6 during a pre-game show before the NFL season opener between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts.
Mindy McCready Could Face Three-Year Jail Sentence
Wed. August 29.2007 7:06 PM EDT
Mindy McCready's attorney says the singer could be sentenced to a possible three-year jail term during a Sept. 7 court date in Franklin, Tenn., a town located south of Nashville. McCready has been held in the Williamson County jail since being arrested at the Nashville International Airport on July 25 for violating her three-year probation on a 2004 drug charge. She had been arrested by authorities in Fort Myers, Fla., a few days earlier and charged with domestic battery after scratching her mother in the face during an argument. The battery charge was later dropped by Florida prosecutors, but she still faces a first-degree misdemeanor charge for resisting arrest when deputies arrived at her mother's home, the Naples (Fla.) Daily News reports. Her attorney, James Moon of Naples, claims the pending charge in Florida could cause Tennessee authorities to levy a stiff sentence on the probation violation.
CBGB Founder Hilly Kristal Dies
Wed. August 29.2007 7:06 PM EDT
Hilly Kristal, who founded the legendary CBGB club, died Tuesday (Aug. 28) in New York at age 75 after battling lung cancer. Kristal opened the club in New York's Bowery area in 1973 because of his love of acoustic music. The club's name stood for country, bluegrass and blues, but it gained its ultimate reputation as a punk club following early performances by the Ramones, Talking Heads, Blondie, Patti Smith and others. Still, country-oriented acts occasionally appeared at the tiny venue that might best be defined as a hole in the wall. When he and his band played a special show there in 2002, Alan Jackson wiped the sweat from his face and said, "Hey, Hilly, I'll give you back the $200 for playing tonight if you turn on the air conditioning."
ickelback Covers Joe Nichols' Hit at Nashville Concert
Fri. August 31.2007 6:54 PM EDT
Rock fans attending Nickelback's Thursday night (Aug. 30) concert in Nashville heard one of Joe Nichols' country hits even though Nichols wasn't there to sing it. When the Canadian band returned to the stage for an encore at the Sommet Center, they offered a cover version of Nichols' "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off." Lead vocalist Chad Kroeger told the crowd, "I haven't been able to get this song out of my mind for a year and a-half. I love this song." They followed it up with their own hit, "Rockstar."
Denise Jackson's Book Spends Fourth Week on Times List
Fri. August 31.2007 6:54 PM EDT
Denise Jackson's memoir, It's All About Him: Finding the Love of My Life, remains at No. 4 on the New York Times' best-sellers list for the third consecutive week after debuting at No. 1 four weeks ago. The book recounts her life with husband Alan Jackson and her spiritual journey during their marriage. Denise Jackson has promoted the book through a series of national magazines and TV appearances and was interviewed about by poet, historian and author Maya Angelou.
Mandolin Masters Honor Bill Monroe
Fri. August 31.2007 6:44 PM EDT
In honor of the late Bill Monroe, mandolin masters Frank Wakefield, Mike Compton and Roland White will perform at the Monroe-Style Mandolin Camp's faculty concert taking place Sept. 8 in Owensboro, Ky., at the Owensboro Symphony Academy. In addition to mandolinists Skip Gorman and David Long, the program will also feature Tom Ewing, who played guitar in Monroe's band, the Blue Grass Boys, during the last eight years of Monroe's life. Wakefield gained his reputation as a member of the Greenbriar Boys and Compton for his work with the Nashville Bluegrass Band. White was a member of the legendary bluegrass band, the Kentucky Colonels. Last year's camp attracted participants from 25 states and four foreign nations who gathered to learn more about Monroe's mandolin style and songwriting. The camp, scheduled for Sept. 7-9, is presented by the International Bluegrass Music Museum.
Faith Hill Previews New Single for Ellen
Thu. August 30.2007 6:39 PM EDT
Faith Hill spent Thursday (Aug. 30) in New York City where she performed her new single, "Red Umbrella," during a taping of the season premiere of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The episode is set to air on Wednesday (Sept. 5). "Red Umbrella" is one of the new songs on Hill's upcoming CD, The Hits. Scheduled to be released to country radio stations on Sept. 13, the song was written by Aimee Mayo, Chris Lindsey and Brett and Brad Warren. "It's nerve-racking to perform a new song on television," Hill said. "But we added 'Red Umbrella' to the set for the last three Soul2Soul [concert] dates, and the fans' reaction was fantastic. So at least that gives me a bit of comfort. Fact is that it has the ingredients of any great song. It's cleverly crafted and its message is sincere."
Diamond Rio Signs With Word Records
Thu. August 30.2007 6:39 PM EDT
Diamond Rio has signed with Word Records, a Christian label based in Nashville, and will release a holiday album on Oct. 9. A Diamond Rio Christmas: The Star Still Shines features classic holiday songs and an original title track. "It is a very exciting time being in Diamond Rio right now," guitarist Jimmy Olander said. "The folks at Word share with us not only a great passion for the music but an even greater passion for the message. This is a great fit." Diamond Rio left Arista Nashville last year following a tenure that included five No. 1 singles, including "One More Day," "Beautiful Mess" and "I Believe."
CMA Broadcast Nominees Announced
Thu. August 30.2007 6:39 PM EDT
Nominations for this year's CMA broadcast awards were revealed Thursday (Aug. 30) in Nashville during a press conference announcing the artist nominees for this year's CMA Awards. Station of the year nominations include four divisions based on market size. The nominees in the major market division are KEEY (Minneapolis), KNIX (Phoenix), KSON (San Diego), KYGO (Denver),WKHX (Atlanta) and WXTU (Philadelphia). Large market nominees include KNCI (Sacramento, Calif.), WGH (Norfolk, Va.), WMIL (Milwaukee), WSM-FM (Nashville) and WTQR (Greensboro, N.C.). Nominations in the medium market went to KUZZ (Bakersfield, Calif.), KXKT (Omaha), WBBS (Syracuse, N.Y.), WGNA (Albany, N.Y.) and WYRK (Buffalo, N.Y.). The small market nominees are KTTS (Springfield, Mo.), WKXC (Augusta, Ga.), WQCB (Bangor, Maine), WUSY (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and WXBM (Pensacola, Fla.). Broadcast personality of the year nominations were announced in the same four market divisions. This year's national broadcast personality nominees are Derrick Haskins and Sean Powell for The Big D and Bubba Show, Jeff Foxworthy for Foxworthy Countdown and Lia Knight for The Lia Show.
Carrie Underwood's New CD Is Carnival Ride
Wed. August 29.2007 7:06 PM EDT
Carrie Underwood has chosen Carnival Ride as the title of her new album, her record label announced Wednesday (Aug. 29). It's the follow-up to her debut CD, Some Hearts, which has been certified sextuple platinum by the RIAA for shipments of more than 6 million copies. Carnival Ride gets its title from the lyrics of one of the new songs she has recorded. "You step onto this ride called life, and it's a crazy thing you don't know anything about, but you get on it anyway," the American Idol winner said. "You do what you can to lean different directions to try and get it to go where you want it to go, but you can't stop it -- it just keeps moving. That's why Carnival Ride works as my album title. It describes the wonderful craziness that I've been through over the past couple years."
Faith Hill Sings Sunday Night Football Theme
Wed. August 29.2007 7:06 PM EDT
Faith Hill will be singing "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night" this season as the opening theme to NBC's Sunday Night Football, the network announced Wednesday (Aug. 29). The song, set to the tune of Joan Jett's "I Hate Myself for Loving You," was sung last season by pop singer Pink. Hill has already recorded the theme song in New York, altering the lyrics a bit with each one to include the teams playing that week. She will also perform in Indianapolis on Sept. 6 during a pre-game show before the NFL season opener between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts.
Mindy McCready Could Face Three-Year Jail Sentence
Wed. August 29.2007 7:06 PM EDT
Mindy McCready's attorney says the singer could be sentenced to a possible three-year jail term during a Sept. 7 court date in Franklin, Tenn., a town located south of Nashville. McCready has been held in the Williamson County jail since being arrested at the Nashville International Airport on July 25 for violating her three-year probation on a 2004 drug charge. She had been arrested by authorities in Fort Myers, Fla., a few days earlier and charged with domestic battery after scratching her mother in the face during an argument. The battery charge was later dropped by Florida prosecutors, but she still faces a first-degree misdemeanor charge for resisting arrest when deputies arrived at her mother's home, the Naples (Fla.) Daily News reports. Her attorney, James Moon of Naples, claims the pending charge in Florida could cause Tennessee authorities to levy a stiff sentence on the probation violation.
CBGB Founder Hilly Kristal Dies
Wed. August 29.2007 7:06 PM EDT
Hilly Kristal, who founded the legendary CBGB club, died Tuesday (Aug. 28) in New York at age 75 after battling lung cancer. Kristal opened the club in New York's Bowery area in 1973 because of his love of acoustic music. The club's name stood for country, bluegrass and blues, but it gained its ultimate reputation as a punk club following early performances by the Ramones, Talking Heads, Blondie, Patti Smith and others. Still, country-oriented acts occasionally appeared at the tiny venue that might best be defined as a hole in the wall. When he and his band played a special show there in 2002, Alan Jackson wiped the sweat from his face and said, "Hey, Hilly, I'll give you back the $200 for playing tonight if you turn on the air conditioning."