Lee Ann Womack recently found out that she speaks a different language than the folks in New York City! She was recently in the Big Apple to film the video for her new single, “Last Call.” According to Lee Ann, they filmed part of the clip on a rooftop and walked down Houston Street to film another part. But there was one problem! Womack shares, “Being from Texas, I would pronounce this Hyu-ston. For some reason, in NYC, it is pronounced How-ston. I just didn’t have the energy to explain to them how wrong they were. So I suppose they’re going to pronounce it that way from now on.” Womack adds that she still thinks the video turned out “pretty cool.”
[via Aristomedia]
Earlier this week they announced that the Broadway musical version of 9 to 5 will play the Great White Way later this year. Dolly Parton, who starred in the original 1980 Oscar nominated film, wrote the songs for the production. She says, “When they asked me to write the music for it, I didn’t even know that I could do it ’cause I don’t even go to Broadway shows that much, but they decided after all these years, which has been 25, 26 years I guess, that 9 to 5 was out, that they were gonna make it a Broadway [show].”
As for the content of some of her new original songs, Dolly reveals, “I’ve written songs for the boss, I’ve written songs fo Roz, you know, the company spy, she’s the one that’s in love with the boss. I wrote a fun little thing for her called ‘Red Hot Mama’ [and] of course I wrote songs for the whole office to sing.”
Montage Music Group’s Andy Griggs made his sponsor DoylesRoom.net proud as the first-ever country artist to participate in the 2008 World Series of Poker, held in Las Vegas last week. Griggs began the tournament with $20,000 in chips and was advised by his trainers that he would be doing well if he ended the first day with $10,000-$15,000. By the end of the day, he had more than doubled his money, with $51,050 in chips!
By the third day of play, Griggs was the only celebrity left in the tournament, and lasted three rounds until he went all in with a pair of 5’s and the other player bested him with a pair of 6’s on the flop. Impressively, he finished in the top 12 percent of players in the world renowned tournament.
Griggs received a tremendous amount of media coverage during the event, and fans can check out the tournament on ESPN as it airs every Tuesday beginning July 22nd. He kicked off Day Two of the tournament with a performance of the National Anthem, and also performed a track, the fitting, “It’s All About The Money,” from his new Montage Music Group album THE GOOD LIFE, on July 5th.
Billy Ray Cyrus is back at country radio today with a new single called “Somebody Said A Prayer.” Billy Ray says of the song, “[It’s] such a great song. It moved me from the first time I heard the demo. It’s powerful and a great message about hope and faith. And the writers, Neil Thrasher and Craig Wiseman, have an amazing track record of writing songs that speak from the heart.” Billy Ray’s new CD, Back To Tennessee, is expected to release later this year. Billy Ray co-wrote two of the tracks on the project.
[via AristoMedia]
You don’t have to be a “Gambler” to own Kenny Rogers‘ Georgia mansion, but winning the lottery couldn’t hurt. Kenny is selling his current home in Atlanta for just under eight million bucks! According to U.S. News & World Report, the nine-thousand-square-foot house sits on one-and-a-half acres, has six bedrooms and six baths, and comes furnished. Plus, it includes a pool and a gym and features an Italian-style decor. So where will Kenny live? He’s actually moving to a 150-acre ranch, where he’s in the process of building a three-thousand-square-foot home.
Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman are delighted to announce that Nicole gave birth to a baby girl yesterday morning in Nashville. Sunday Rose Kidman Urban weighed in at six pounds, seven-and-a-half ounces. Husband Keith was by his wife’s side and mother and baby are very well. Yesterday Urban posted a message on his website that said: “We want to thank everybody that has kept us in their thoughts and prayers. We feel very blessed and grateful that we can share this joy with all of you today.” The baby is the first for Kidman and Urban. She has two children, Isabella and Connor, from her marriage to Tom Cruise.
Last Friday evening, Keith and Nic attended a Fourth of July cookout at Ronnie Dunn’s home, which included Ronnie’s annual fireworks display. After hearing yesterday morning that the couple’s baby had been born, Ronnie shared the following note: “Nicole told me Friday night that she was hoping that my fireworks would do it. I’m overjoyed for them.” Ronnie’s duo partner Kix Brooks, who is traveling overseas this week, adds, “They’ve been so excited - I’m so happy for them. A red-headed movie star and a guitar slinger - [she’s] gonna be one beautiful baby girl!” LeAnn Rimes, a good friend of the couple, says she knows they “will be wonderful parents.” She tells People.com, “Nicole and Keith are two of the most kind, caring people I know. I am thrilled for them.”
The International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) annual World of Bluegrass events, set for September 29-October 5 at the Nashville Convention Center and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, are aptly named. This is the “must attend” week for everyone interested in what’s new in the whole, wide bluegrass world and committed to the future success of the industry.
The week kicks off for industry professionals at the IBMA Business Conference sponsored by Bluegrass Unlimited magazine and D’Addario Strings. With more than 2,000 key music and entertainment leaders in one place from around the globe, this week is about building relationships with event producers, television & radio broadcasters, retailers, record labels, agents, managers, artists, songwriters, journalists, educators, association leaders, suppliers, producers & engineers, publicists, internet consultants & designers, historians, academic leaders and also consumers. It’s a week for showcasing talent, as well as new ideas, new songs, new events, projects and merchandise.
This year’s keynote speaker, scheduled to address convention attendees on Monday night, Sept. 29, is Roger Brown, president of Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. Former Berklee students, graduates and faculty read like a Who’s Who in the music industry, including Chris Pandolfi, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Mark Schatz, Casey Driessen, Scott Rouse, Rushad Eggleston, Evan Price, Nate Leath, Matt Glaser, Mark Simos, David Hollander, John McGann, August Watters and more. Since Brown became president, Berklee has added music performance majors in mandolin and banjo, making it possible for students to earn a degree with a focus on bluegrass, along with jazz and other types of popular music.
Tim McGraw downplayed the incident in which he helped eject an unruly fan from his concert last week. CMT reports that while out walking with wife Faith Hill and their daughters in Los Angeles, McGraw told photographers who asked him about the melee that it was no big deal. He told them, “I was just trying to keep peace.” When asked if he’d been “doing a better job than security,” McGraw replied, “They just couldn’t get there in time.”
[Aristomedia]
In support of their July 22 album release, Sugarland will kick off the 25 city nationwide LOVE ON THE INSIDE tour beginning in Asheville, NC on September 13. The tour will feature special guests Kellie Pickler and Ashton Shepherd.
Tour Dates: 9/13 Asheville, NC Asheville Civic Center 9/14 Wilmington, NC Trask Colesium 9/19 Mashantucket, CT MGM Foxwoods 9/20 Atlantic City, NJ Mark G. Etess Arena *9/21 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion *9/26 Bloomsburg, PA Bloomsburg Fair *9/27 W. Springfield, MA Eastern States Exposition 9/28 Gilford, NH Meadowbrook 10/2 Ames, IA Hilton Coliseum @ IA State Center 10/3 Stillwater, OK Oklahoma State University *10/10 Columbia, SC South Carolina State Fair 10/11 Roanoke Rapids, NC Carolina Crossroads Outdoor Amphitheatre *10/12 Perry, GA Reaves Arena 10/16 Verona, NY Turning Stone Resort & Casino 10/17 Rochester, NY Blue Cross Arena 10/18 Erie, PA Erie Civic Center Complex 10/23 Tupelo, MS BancorpSouth Arena 10/24 Evansville, IN Roberts Stadium 10/25 Lexington, KY Rupp Arena 11/6 Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena 11/7 Kissimmee, FL Silver Spurs Arena @ Osceola Heritage Park 11/8 Fort Myers, FL Lakes Regional Park 11/14 Lafayette, LA Cajundome 11/15 Beaumont, TX Ford Arena 11/16 Bossier City, LA CenturyTel Center
* indicates dates that do not include Kellie Pickler and/or Ashton Shepherd Read the rest of this entry »
You may have heard the news that Cher spent the past few days in Music City. Would you believe she made the trip solely to attend a Merle Haggard concert? According to Nashville’s WKRN-TV, the pop diva took in the Hag’s Wednesday night performance at the historic Ryman Auditorium, sitting sixth row center. Apparently, one of her best friends in L.A., jeweler-to-the-stars Richard Starks, is a huge Merle fan. So Cher booked a private jet and told Richard and his wife she had a surprise for them, but didn’t let on as to where they were going. Prior to Haggard’s show, Cher, Richard and their significant others all got to visit with him for quite a while. Several country stars also took in Merle’s show, though they didn’t have quite as far to travel. Among them were Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, Gretchen Wilson, John Anderson and Jewel, who attended with her boyfriend, bull rider Ty Murray.
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