Country Music

Sweetwater Rain recently stopped by Curb Records to present ACM Lifting Lives®, the charitable arm of the Academy, with a $10,000 donation. ACM Lifting Lives board members, President Bill Mayne and Vice President Lori Badgett, were on hand to accept the generous contribution. Sweetwater Rain’s debut single, “Starshine” was released in the fall of 2012 [...]

  Wild horse needs taming. Cowgirl needs to get back in the saddle again. What might have been ‘cliche’ for another artist, Templeton Thompson has ridden to the top of the charts. The video for “When I Get That Pony Rode” (directed by award winning Cindy Meehl) debuted at #1 on CMT.com.   Described by Clay Walker as [...]

Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/USPSStamps. The Johnny Cash limited-edition Forever Stamp will be unveiled on Wednesday, June 5 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. A special ceremony will recognize Johnny’s contributions to music and include appearances by his close friends and family, including John Carter Cash and Carlene Carter. Designed by Neal Ashby, the Johnny Cash stamp features a photograph taken  by Frank Bez during the cover shoot for Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash. The stamp is part of the U.S. Postal Service’s Music Icon Series, which also includes stamps honoring Lydia Mendoza, available now and Ray Charles, set for release in September. The stamps are available for purchase  at the Ryman Auditorium on June 5 from 9 a.m. until noon, at the CMA Festival Fan Fair X at LP Field June 6-9, local post offices and online at usps.com/stamps. The unveiling ceremony is free and open to the public. ShareThis

Vince Gill photo by Tim Wright, courtesy of UMG Nashville. For the first time in its 87 year history, 650 AM WSM will release a compilation of live, in-studio performances by renowned artists and songwriters on June 25. Live From The Archives of 650 AS WSM – Volume One will be available on CD, digitally, and as a limited edition two-jacket vinyl release. “A station with such historical value as WSM, should have great moments not only preserved but shared with fans all around the world,” WSM Program Director and the album’s Executive Producer, Joe Limardi, said. “This CD and future editions will ensure that and be another chapter in our legendary story. I hope true music fans enjoy this compilation of performances as much as we did the first time we heard them.” Live From The Archives features a heartfelt introduction from Vince Gill and contains live performances from Vince, JD Souther and Rodney Crowell among others. It also begins and ends with Reba McEntire’s induction of longtime WSM announcer Ralph Emery into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Live From The Archives of 650 AM WSM – Volume 1 Track Listing: 1.  Introduction – Vince Gill 2.  Ralph Emery’s National Radio Hall of Fame Induction: Pt 1 – Ralph Emery & Reba McEntire 3.  Nineteen Somethin’ – Mark Wills 4.  Stand By Your Man – Georgette Jones 5.  Hello Lonely – Del McCoury Band 6.  We Just Disagree – Billy Dean 7.  Jesus Take The Wheel – Hillary Lindsey 8.  Two Dozen Roses – Marty Raybon 9.  It’s A Great Day To Be Alive – Darrell Scott 10.  Girlfriend Tonight – Elizabeth Cook 11.  Together Again – The Time Jumpers 12.  Last Train To Clarksville – The Grascals 13.  Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight – Rodney Crowell 14.  Would You Go With Me – Shawn Camp 15.  New Kid In Town – JD Souther 16.  Ralph Emery’s National Radio Hall of Fame Induction: Pt 2 – Ralph Emery & Reba McEntire ShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title:'650 AM WSM to Release Live From The Archives June 25', url:'http://blog.gactv.com/blog/2013/05/25/650-am-wsm-to-release-live-from-the-archives-june-25/' }); shared_object.attachButton(document.getElementById("ck_sharethis_42194")); shared_object.attachChicklet("email", document.getElementById("ck_email_42194")); shared_object.attachChicklet("facebook", document.getElementById("ck_facebook_42194")); shared_object.attachChicklet("twitter", document.getElementById("ck_twitter_42194"));

Warner Brothers artist and The Voice coach Blake Shelton, a native of Oklahoma, has quickly put together a benefit concert for victims of the recent devastating tornadoes in the Sooner State. Healing in the Heartland: Relief Benefit Concert will air Wednesday, May 29 at 9pm on NBC, E!, Style, Bravo, G4 and CMT. Shelton, who has been vocal about wanting to do something about the devastation, will be joined by his wife, Miranda Lambert, plus Vince Gill and Reba McEntire. More guests and performers will be announced, though deals need to be finalized as this is a very quick turnaround. The concert, taking place at the Cheasapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, will raise money for the United Way, which is helping the victims of the Oklahoma tornadoes. You can expect plenty more details about the benefit when Shelton and this three remaining artists appear on The Voice Monday and Tuesday night, building up to Wednesday's big event.

It looks like Australia finally got a piece of Rascal Flatts and it was HOT, HOT, HOT! Check out their latest webisode shot in Australia with a behind-the-scenes look at the last two tour stops Down Under. Once the guys returned to Nashville, Joe Don matched up with Guitar World for an exclusive interview. Take [...]

Photo Credit: Getty Images for iHeartRadio   Trace Adkins kicked off the summer season in a big way on Friday afternoon. The country star performed live at the free iHeartRadio Coca-Cola Open For Summer Concert at Charlotte Motor Speedway to officially pop the top on the season. The concert, which also included a performance by Josh Thompson, [...]

Thanks to George Fowler, who shared this photo of Paul English, taken @ Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic ~ 1979.  George has a rare collection of photographs taken by himself, and we can all hope he publishes them someday, all together.  Thanks, George.

After devastating tornadoes tore through the city of Moore, Oklahoma, Premiere Networks’ The Bobby Bones Show reached out to friends on Music Row for help. This week, Country music’s biggest stars stopped by the program’s Nashville studios or called in to offer their support, perform songs to inspire listeners and donate personal items, concert tickets, [...]

Grammy Award winner Hank Williams Jr. is gearing to launch a 2013 summer tour in celebration of his latest album, Old School, New Rules. Cities among the concert lineup include Detroit, Orlando, Atlantic City, Biloxi and many more. Known for his powerfully charged performances and trademark style, Hank will take the stage with a string of hits along with new tunes that showcase his distinctive vocals and extraordinary musicianship. “I always have fun playing shows. I love to get out in front of my loyal fans and making my mark on this great country,” says Hank Williams Jr. Hits for the country superstar include “Family Tradition”, “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound”, “Old Habits”, “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight,” “A Country Boy Can Survive” and “Red, White & Pink-Slip Blues” and more. As a multi-instrumentalist, Williams’ masterful playing skills include guitar, upright bass, fiddle, steel guitar, banjo, piano, harmonica, drums. Known as driving force in the music industry, Williams continues to be empowered by loyalty to his homeland and remains committed to songs that are patriotic and sung from the heart. 2013 Hank Williams Jr. Tour Schedule 06/08 Morton, MN- Jackpot Junction Casino 06/21 Alpharetta, GA- Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 06/28 Detroit, MI- The Fox Theatre 06/29 Kettering, OH- Fraze Pavilion 07/12 Pensacola, FL- Pensacola Civic Center 07/13 Orlando, FL- UCF Arena 07/19 Atlantic City, NJ- Caesars Circus Maximus Theatre 07/20 Fredericksburg, VA- Job.com Pavilion 07/26 Southhaven, MS- Snowden Gove Park 07/27 Guthrie Center, IA- Guthrie’s River Ruckus 08/17 Tower, MN- Fortune Bay Resort Casino 08/24 Beaumont, TX- Lamar University 08/31 Portsmouth, VA- Ntelos Wireless Pavilion 09/01 Cherokee, NC- Harrah’s Cherokee 09/06 Concho, OK- Lucky Star Casino 09/07 Newkirk, OK- First Council Casino 09/13 Bossier City, LA- Horseshoe Casino & Hotel 09/14 Biloxi, MS- IP Casino Resort and Spa For more information, please visit hankjr.com. The post Hank Williams Jr. Kicking Off Summer With ‘Old School, New Rules’ Tour appeared first on Country Music Is Love.