We Have Moved...

If you're reading this, we have moved our site to it's own domain name (3 years ago!). Please visit our Award Winning website at southfloridacountrymusic.com. We apologize for not updating this site sooner! :)

SFCM is More than Just a News Source

The other day we posed the question to our Facebook fans as to whether they'd be interested in doing some kind of Facebook-styled "Tweet Up." We received a good response to that post, so we will work on planning something where you the readers can come meet us and other readers for a social get-together. We'll probably do it a bar, and will see if we can arrange for discounted prices. More on that later though.

As you have may just seen on our Facebook Page, a close friend of mine is shipping out for Afghanistan today. This will be his 3rd tour of duty to the Middle East, and we ask that you send your prayers up to watch over him and his fellow soldiers.

I also hinted at a story about Marc related to SFCM, but since there wasn't room for it on Facebook, I'm posting it here.

Back in early 2005, I created a group on MySpace by the name of South Florida Country Music Fans in an attempt to meet some new people with similar interests as me. I had just gotten out of a long-term relationship, during which most of my friends had either moved away or lost touch with me. At the time, I never dreamed that I would turn into an actual business for me, but here we are rockin' the local country music scene!

The first person I met from my newly created MySpace Group was a gal named Susan. She quickly became a good friend of mine, and after sharing the positive experience on the Group page, others started coming out to meet us as well. One of those was my aforementioned buddy Marc. He came out to meet us at Round Up after coming across the MySpace Group, and long story short, him and Susan began dating, moved in with me to rent my spare room, and ended up getting married before Marc enlisted in the US Army. They now call Fairbanks, AK home, as that is where Marc is stationed.

Besides asking for well-wishes and prayers for Marc, the point of this story is that we'd like to see as many people as possible come out to the "Facebook-styled Tweet-Up" that we will be planning, as we are already responsible for at least one marriage :)

We will look to make this a monthly or quarterly social event, and will try to spread these events around South Florida (and later all of Florida) so that everyone will have a chance to attend at least one every now and then. The purpose is to make some new friends, talk some country music, and have a good time with people that have similar interests.

We are open to suggestions as to what and where you'd like us to do, so please let us have it!

Opportunity for Local Female Acoustic Soloists

Passing this info on for anyone that might be interested in looking into it....

Conundrum Stages is accepting submissions for an upcoming music presentation.

Looking for female acoustic soloists (age 18 and up) to contribute performances of orginal and/or cover tunes. Primarily string instruments but not limited to guitar (i.e bass, violin, banjo). Can be diverse styles of music including classical, country, pop, R&B, etc. Looking for female performers to present a 25 minute set.

Presentation will be on Friday, June 17th in the evening at DEKKA (Hallandale).

Compensation would be made through suggested door donations.



Conundrum Stages is a presenter of live performance representing South Florida talent including theatre, music, dance and other forms of
arts and entertainment. Our mission is to promote South Florida performers; collaborate with similar entities and unite them with audiences under
one accord to strengthen the local arts and entertainment community.



To submit profile through either portfolios, MySpace, or YouTube videos, and/or ask any questions, please send to conundrumstages@ymail.com. Should we be unable to recruit
for this presentation, we will have upcoming projects in the future.

Kevin Johnson
President
Conundrum Stages, Inc.

(954) 673-5124
conundrumstages@ymail.com
conundrumstages.blogspot.com

1st Annual South Florida Hog Hunt & Roast

In the News - 5/2/11

A bit of a busy day for Country Music news, so here's a brief re-cap of what's going on...

-Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be playing Charley Pride in an upcoming biopic.

-Randy Travis will be releasing a new album via Cracker Barrel.

-Craig Campbell's single, "Family Man" will be featured in an upcoming episode of True Blood.

-Taylor Swift will be the headlining closing act for CMA Festival 2011 in Nashville next month.

-Reba McEntire will be joining the new hit show, "The Voice" as an adviser.

-Sara Evans' single, A Little Bit Stronger" has hit #1 for this week.

-Bill Engvall will have a guest-starring role in the upcoming season of Hawthorne on TNT. Surprisingly, it is a serious, non-comedic role for Engvall.

 

Preview: Tim McGraw's "Emotional Traffic" Tour

Tim McGraw brings his "Emotional Traffic" Tour to Florida this month with stops in Tampa on April 29th, West Palm Beach on April 30th, and Orlando on May 1st. With The Band Perry and Luke Bryan opening up, this will be one of the hottest tickets of the year!

The Band Perry

[caption id="attachment_1389" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The Band Perry - photo by Mike Carroll"][/caption]

The Band Perry recently won the ACM Award for Best New Artist and Best New Group/Duo. They are currently supporting their 3rd single, "You Lie," which follows up their debut hit "Hip To My Heart" and their #1 smash, "If I Die Young." The Band Perry is comprised of 3 siblings...Kimberly, Reid, and Neil, and are signed to Republic Nashville Records. They were discovered by Garth Brooks' manager and produced by Paul Worley and Nathan Chapman. Kimberly single-handedly wrote the hit "If I Die Young," which helped push their debut album to over 1 million copies sold. Based on how big they've gotten in such a short amount of time, they have a bright future ahead!

Luke Bryan



[caption id="attachment_1390" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Luke Bryan - photo by Mike Carroll"][/caption]

Luke Bryan got started in the music business as a songwriter. One of his first cuts ever recorded was by Travis Tritt, and it was the title track of his 2005 album, “My Honky Tonk History.” The biggest hit he wrote for someone else was the #1 smash hit for Billy Currington, “Good Directions,” which spent 3 weeks at #1. “Good Directions” was peaking on the charts as Luke’s debut single, “All My Friends Say” (from his debut album, I’ll Stay Me), was climbing the charts. It peaked at #5 on the charts, and was followed up by “We Rode in Trucks,” which struggled by peaking at #33. His next single is a crowd favorite titled “Country Man,” and it peaked at #10. His efforts helped him score the 2010 ACM Award for Top New Solo Artist.

His second album, Doin’ My Thing, was full of radio-ready hits, but his label chose to only release 3 songs from it. The first one was “Do I,” which Luke co-wrote with Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum. Not to be left out, Hillary Scott sings background vocals on the track. In a cruel twist of irony, “Do I” got stuck at #2 on the charts, as Lady Antebellum’s smash hit “Need You Now” stayed at #1 for multiple weeks, blocking Luke from his first ever #1. It didn’t take him long to get that under his belt, however, as his next single, “Rain is a Good Thing” hit #1 a few months later. His last single, “Someone Else Calling You Baby” also hit #1, making for a pretty successful 2nd album. Also of note on that album was a remake of a the R&B song, “Apologize.”

His new single, “Country Girl (Shake it for Me)” has just been released, and is quickly moving up the charts. It will be the lead single off of his upcoming album, which has yet to be named or given a release date. In the meantime, Luke is currently promoting his 3rd Spring Break EP album, Spring Break 3…It’s a Shore Thing. He's filling the slot on the Tim McGraw tour that Lady Antebellum held last year, and I'm sure he will live up to the hype!

Tim McGraw



[caption id="attachment_1391" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tim McGraw - photo by Mike Carroll"][/caption]



Tim McGraw is married to Faith Hill, is the son of the late MLB pitcher Tug McGraw, and has even starred in several movies. The numbers behind is career are mind-boggling. Check out these achievements...

• 12 #1 Albums


• over 40 million albums sold


• 2 albums that sold 6 million +


• 2 albums that sold 4 million +


• 4 albums that sold 3 million +


• 1 album that sold 2 million +


• 2 albums that sold 1 million +


• 51 career singles and counting


• string of 31 straight top 10 hits (broken by "Drugs and Jesus" which peaked at #14)


• 23 number one singles


• 42 top 10 hits


• 4 CMT Awards


• 10 American Music Awards


• 8 Billboard Awards


• 7 CMA Awards


• 9 ACM Awards


• 3 Grammy Awards


• 3 People's Choice Awards

After his self-titled debut album fizzled, he came back with "Indian Outlaw," which peaked at #8 on the charts. If that song made fans take notice, his next single, "Don't Take The Girl" put him on the map as a star. Tim McGraw has gone on to produce such an extensive list of hit songs that even non-country music fans are familiar with at least some of his music.

Which opening act are you more excited to see, The Band Perry or Luke Bryan?

Which Tim McGraw song are you most looking forward to hearing him perform?

Press Release: Amos Lee and Lucinda Williams Going on Tour

Top 5 Triple A Artist Announces Tour with Grammy Award-Winning Singer Songwriter After Sold Out Headlining Tour

Blue Note recording artist Amos Lee will hit the road with multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams for a series of very special shows in July.

Lee’s dates with Williams kick off on July 13th after Lee winds up his headlining spring tour followed by a series of festival dates, including The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in April, Bonnaroo in June, two shows with the Dave Matthews Band Caravan in June and July, the Newport Folk Festival in July, and a performance with My Morning Jacket at Colorado’s famed Red Rocks Amphitheatre in August. All of Lee’s upcoming U.S. tour dates are listed below. In September, Lee will head to the U.K. for a sold-out tour with British songstress Adele.

Lee will appear on TBS’s Conan on May 9th and on NBC’s Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on May 26th. Lee will also appear on CBS’s The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson with an airdate to be announced.

Released on January 25th, Mission Bell debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart, earning Lee the highest chart position and best sales week of his career. Mission Bell’s first single, “Windows Are Rolled Down,” is currently #3 on the AAA radio chart, marking another career high for Lee as this is his highest chart position ever on the format.

Music Video Links

• ^· Windows Are Rolled Down (Live): http://youtu.be/qDOcbMic6mI


• ^· Flower (Live): http://youtu.be/2rTPC1f83PE


• ^· El Camino (Live): http://youtu.be/ZtBjpxIwm30

‘Mission Bell’ Download Links

 

• ^· Physical, Digital, and Vinyl LP Links: http://amoslee.com


• ^· iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mission-bell/id409224647?uo=4


• ^· Amazon MP3: http://www.amazon.com/Mission-Bell-Amos-Lee/dp/B004HRHIMA/ref=sr_1_1_digr?ie=UTF8&qid=1299014985&sr=8-1

Amos Lee’s upcoming headlining tour dates are as follows:

04/22 Lincoln Theater Raleigh, NC (SOLD OUT)

04/23 Knight Center Charlotte, NC (SOLD OUT)

04/24 Mountain Stage Charleston, WV (SOLD OUT)

04/25 Tennessee Theater Knoxville, TN

04/28 NCPAC Charleston, SC

04/29 WorkPlay Soundstage Birmingham, AL (SOLD OUT)

04/30 Jazz and Heritage Festival New Orleans, LA

05/01 Beale Street Music Festival Memphis, TN

05/13 Down By the River Roanoke, VA

05/14 The National Richmond, VA

05/15 Pier Six Pavilion Baltimore, MD

05/17 The Orange Peel Asheville, NC

05/18 House of Blues N. Myrtle Beach, SC

05/19 House of Blues Lake Buena Vista, FL

05/20 Ruth Eckerd Hall Clearwater, FL

05/22 The Hangout Festival Gulf Shores, AL

06/12 Bonnaroo Manchester, TN

06/24-26 Dave Matthews Band Caravan Bader Field, Atlantic City, NJ

07/08-10 Dave Matthews Band Caravan Chicago, IL

07/13 Kresge Auditorium Interlochen, MI*

07/15 PNC Pavilion @ Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, OH*

07/16 Nautica Pavilion Cleveland, OH*

07/17 Stage AE Pittsburgh, PA*

07/19 Filene Center @ Wolf Trap Vienna, VA*

07/20 Wellmont Theatre Montclair, NJ*

07/21 Beacon Theatre New York, NY*

07/23 Mountain Park Holyoke, CT*

07/24 Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion Gilford, NH*

07/31 Newport Folk Fest Newport, RI

08/04 Red Rocks Amphitheatre Morrison, CO

08/10 Eagle River Pavilion Eagle, ID

08/21 Humphrey’s San Diego, CA

*denotes show with Lucinda Williams

Website Ad Spaces Now Available!

We've been tracking our website traffic stats for 7 weeks now, and are now offering ad spaces for sale on our website. For full details of what we have to offer your business, please click on "Advertise With Us" up in the top right corner of any page.

If you're interested in obtaining our current prices, just send us an email to info@southfloridacountrymusic.com with what you're interested in. We are currently running a special price through the end of May at 40% off (based on industry standards) what we should be charging for our side-bar ads, so take advantage of these specials while you can!

Concert Preview: Dierks Bentley Headlines the Jagermeister Tour in Boca Raton!

The Jagermeister Tour makes a stop in Boca Raton this Saturday at the beautiful Sunset Cove Amphitheater. The show is headlined by Dierks Bentley and also includes Josh Thompson and Miss Willie Brown. The show starts at 7pm, and tickets are $35.

Miss Willie Brown is a new act that Dierks is introducing to the national scene, but from what I've seen and heard, these are a couple of wild and crazy chicks sure to rock your socks off. They'll be the perfect launch to the party!

Josh Thompson is also new to the scene, but with his debut CD full of radio-ready hits, his set is sure to be able to get the crowd into just enough of a frenzy to get folks ready for Dierks. With hit songs "Beer on the Table," "Way Out Here," and "Won't be Lonely Long" leading the way, and other crowd favorites such as "Blame it on Waylon" and "Always Been Me," you'll leave the venue a fan of his music if you aren't one already. He's been working on his 2nd album, so you should also hear some samples of new music from him as well.

Ladies...if you want to get noticed by Dierks Bentley, wear a white tank top. His debut single, "What Was I Thinkin'" is a story of his shenanigans with a hot babe in a white tank top. It is still his signature song, and he's always keepin' his eyes open for gals in the crowd wearing one.

Since that debut single was a #1 smash, Dierks has released a string of hits, including several other #1's...check out his career list of singles:

What Was I Thinkin' - #1

My Last Name - #17

How Am I Doin' - #4

Lot of Leavin' Left to Do - #3

Come a Little Closer - #1

Settle for a Slowdown - #1

Every Mile a Memory - #1

Long Trip Alone - #10

Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go) - #10

Tryin' to Stop Your Leaving - #5

Feel That Fire - #1

Sideways - #1

I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes - #2

Up on the Ridge - #21

Draw Me a Map - #33

Am I the Only One - #33 (current single, climbing the charts)

You'll notice that his last 2 singles before his current release didn't do as well as the rest of the songs in his career. To his credit, he's become established enough of a star that he can do non-mainstream projects such as the Bluegrasss Album that those songs came from. So even though they weren't top 5 hits like the rest of them, it's pretty darn impressive that Bluegrass songs made it that high on today's Country Charts.

Dierks is famous for his fan interaction, as it's normal to find him cruising the parking lot in a jeep before a show to hang out and party with the tailgaters. Throw in Jagermeister as the sponsor of the tour, and you've got yourself one hell of a party this weekend folks. Enjoy!

 

We are the Sun-Sentinel Music & Nightlife Blog of the Year!

Thank you so much to our fans and to the Sun-Sentinel for giving us the opportunity to win the 2011 Sun-Sentinel Best-of-Blogs award for the best Music & Nightlife Blog, it means so much to us. We've been doing this for over 6 years on the social networking sites, and only officially launched as a business less than 6 weeks ago!!

I'd like to invite everyone visiting this Blog to visit our home-base of operations where you can win all kinds of great prizes, get the latest country music news, upcoming country music concerts list, local artist profiles, country music-related business databases, and so much more. Our main website can be found at southfloridacountrymusic.com. We also would like to ask you to "like" us on Facebook, as that's where we announce all of our latest contests and concert announcements.

Currently, we are giving away tickets to see Dierks Bentley and Josh Thompson this Saturday night at the Sunset Cove Amphitheater in Boca Raton, weekend passes to attend the Suwannee River Jam in Live Oak at the end of the month, and a pair of Kenny Chesney Costa sunglasses! We are always giving away great prizes, so please "like" us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter (@sflcountrymusic), and bookmark our website!

Thank you again to our fans for voting for us, and thank you to the new folks visiting us for the first time, we hope you'll become a part of our family and enjoy what we have to offer.

Sincerely,
SFCM

Win a Trip to Nashville to Attend CMA Music Fest & Meet Lady Antebellum!

Country Music Fans Can Win a Trip to Nashville to Attend CMA Music Fest and Meet Lady Antebellum at the Opry!

The Grand Ole Opry is the show that made country music famous. To celebrate all things country music, the Opry is giving fans the chance to fly to Nashville for CMA Music Fest and meet Lady Antebellum at the Opry.

Throughout April, fans of the Opry’s Facebook page can enter to win a prize package including a trip for two to Nashville in June. The trip will include a six-night stay at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, airfare on Southwest Airlines, a pair of tickets to attend the Grand Ole Opry on June 7, a backstage tour of the Opry, and a meet-and-greet with Lady Antebellum! The winner will also receive a pair of four-day passes to CMA Music Fest, a picnic dinner during the Opry Plaza Party, a pair of tickets to attend the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Challenge, Guitar Auction “bucks” to be used at the Guitar of the Stars Auction, and a pair of tickets to the Opry Fan Fair matinee show at the Ryman.

The "Win a Trip to Meet Lady Antebellum" sweepstakes will end on Monday, May 2. Please visit the Grand Ole Opry’s Facebook page for more information on how to enter to win.

Christmas in...April?

This is shaping up to be a huge week, as we've got prizes and special deals up the wazoo for ya'll! Check out this list of what we have to offer you this week:

Discounted Tickets for Jerrod Niemann & Lee Brice at the Round Up - The hottest nightclub tour of the year makes its way to the Round Up in Davie next Thursday. These shows have been selling out at clubs all along the tour, and this show should be no different. In an effort to encourage you to get your tickets early before they sell out, we've arranged a promo code for our readers to get a discounted ticket to the show. This code is only valid for 3 days though, and expires at midnight this Wednesday night, so make sure you take advantage of it now while you can! If you get your tickets now with the promo code, it will only cost you $13. If you wait until the day of the show, it's going to cost you $20 if it's not already sold out. To get your tickets, click the link above to get the code and the link to the online ticket office.

Win a Pair of Kenny Chesney Costa Sunglasses (SRV $169!) - This contest runs until April 30th, then one lucky reader will win this great prize provided to us by Costa! One entry per person, but you have an opportunity to earn 2 bonus entries. To see how to get your bonus entries and to enter, click the link above.

Win a Pair of Weekend Passes to the Suwannee River Jam - Up for a road trip? We've got 3 pairs of passes to give away to the Suwannee River Jam over the next week or so. Each contest winner will receive a pair of passes good for the entire event, which includes 3 nights of great concerts. Camping is available, check their website at suwanneeriverjam.com for rates. There are also hotels in the area as well! Each pair of tickets is a $260 value!! Click the link above to enter, where you can also earn up to 2 bonus entries as well! The lineup for this show includes Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann, Luke Bryan, LoCash Cowboys, Kellie Pickler, Gary Allan, Darryl Worley, Phil Vassar, Joe Diffie, and Ronnie Dunn!

Win a Pair of Dierks Bentley & Josh Thompson Tickets - We will be giving away 3 pairs of tickets this week to see Dierks Bentley and Josh Thompson this coming Saturday at the beautiful Sunset Cove Amphitheater in west Boca Raton! The contest for the first pair of tickets will be posted shortly! ***Must be 21 to enter for this contest***

Win a Jake Owen Prize Pack featuring an Autographed Photo - To celebrate the release of his new single, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" to iTunes tomorrow and to radio next Monday, we will be giving away a Jake Owen Prize Pack featuring an Autographed Photo and more later this week.

All prizes are drawn at random using random.org, so you are welcome to enter for any and all contests that you wish, provided that you are able to attend the shows and meet any age requirements.

What prize are you most hoping to win??

 

Preview: Suwannee River Jam

The Suwannee River Jam celebrates it's 20th Anniversary this year at the Spirit of The Suwannee River Park and Campground in Live Oak, FL this April 27th through the 30th. The park offers RV and Tent camping, and you can purchase single-day tickets or weekend passes by clicking here. If camping isn't your kind of thing (you really should give it a try, it's great!!), there are also several hotels in the area ready to serve you. To see a list of them, click here. This year's lineup offers a great mix of hot new stars and established veterans with several hit singles. Here's a run down of what's in store!

Concert Schedule

Wednesday, April 27th - Blackberry Smoke

Thursday, April 28th - Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann, Luke Bryan

Friday, April 29th - LoCash Cowboys, Kellie Pickler, Gary Allan

Saturday, April 30th - Darryl Worley, Phil Vassar, Joe Diffie, Ronnie Dunn

About the Artists

Blackberry Smoke - Blackberry Smoke is one of the top Southern Rock bands out there today. They've shared the stage with such legends as ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Shooter Jennings, Travis Tritt, and more. They are currently on tour with the Zac Brown Band, and have a full schedule of shows coming up this year. Even though Southern Rock doesn't get much radio airplay, they are sponsored by such major corporations as Jim Beam and Gibson Guitars and are on the same record label (Southern Ground Records) as the Zac Brown Band. Blackberry Smoke kicks things off at the Suwannee River Jam by playing the Pre-Party Wednesday night. To learn more about Blackberry Smoke, check out their website here.



Lee Brice - Little-known fact: Lee Brice was the long snapper in college for the Clemson Tigers football team before an arm injury pushed him towards a music career. Lee was originally known as a talented song-writer, and holds some pretty impressive records. He co-wrote the Garth Brooks #1 smash hit "More Than a Memory," which is the only single to ever debut at #1 on the weekly radio air-play charts. Lee's breakthrough single, "Love Like Crazy," holds the record for the longest run on the weekly charts (46 weeks), as well as the record for the slowest climb into the Top 10 of the weekly charts. Another random fact about the song, "Love Like Crazy" - Even though the song only peaked at #3 on the weekly charts, it was on the chart so long that it ended up being the #1 song of the year on country radio in 2010. Lee also co-wrote the Tim McGraw hit "Still," as well as songs cut by many other artists on their albums.

Lee Brice started off as a solo artist in 2007, where he had mild success with his first 2 charted songs, "She Ain't Right" (peaked at #29) and "Happy Endings" (peaked at #32). His next single was "Upper Middle Class White Trash," but after that song peaked at only #44, the album these songs were slated to be on (Picture of Me) was scratched. He came back with a vengeance with the record-setting "Love Like Crazy," and is now enjoying the success of his first released album Love Like Crazy as his latest single, "Beautiful Every Time" is climbing up the charts.

Lee Brice is going to be busy hitting the road this year, mixing in his own tour dates with dates on the Country Throwdown Tour (headlined by Willie Nelson) and as a co-headliner on the Higher Education Tour with Jerrod Niemann. Speaking of Jerrod Niemann....

Photo by Leslie Paczosa

Jerrod Niemann - Just like his buddy Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann got his start in Nashville as a songwriter. In 2001, Garth Brooks asked him to collaborate with songwriter Richie Brown. Those sessions produced 3 songs for Garth..."Good Ride Cowboy," "That Girl Is A Cowboy," and "Midnight Sun." Jerrod has also had songs recorded by Julie Roberts, Neal McCoy, Flynnville Train, Jamey Johnson, John Anderson, and Zona Jones.

Even though he was a successful songwriter, Jerrod's heart was in being a solo artist singing his own songs. After 2 record deals fell through, he hit rock bottom, gained 60 pounds and didn't write for a year. After a reality check from his buddy Jamey Johnson, who went through similar bouts of depression, Jerrod got to work on making an album and lost the weight he had gained. The result was so good that Arista Nashville signed him up and released the album as it was, with no changes. The move paid off as the album debuted at #1, as did the single "Lover, Lover," which is a remake of a Sonia Dada song titled, "You Don't Treat Me No Good." His follow up, "What Do You Want," is currently at #5 on the charts, poised to make the move to #1 by the end of this month.

photo by Leslie Paczosa

Luke Bryan - If you're sensing a theme here, you are correct. Luke Bryan also got started in the music business as a songwriter. One of his first cuts ever recorded was by Travis Tritt, and it was the title track of his 2005 album, "My Honky Tonk History." The biggest hit he wrote for someone else was the #1 smash hit for Billy Currington, "Good Directions," which spent 3 weeks at #1. "Good Directions" was peaking on the charts as Luke's debut single, "All My Friends Say" (from his debut album, I'll Stay Me), was climbing the charts. It peaked at #5 on the charts, and was followed up by "We Rode in Trucks," which struggled by peaking at #33. His next single is a crowd favorite titled "Country Man," and it peaked at #10. His efforts helped him score the 2010 ACM Award for Top New Solo Artist.

His second album, Doin' My Thing, was full of radio-ready hits, but his label chose to only release 3 songs from it. The first one was "Do I," which Luke co-wrote with Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood of Lady Antebellum. Not to be left out, Hillary Scott sings background vocals on the track. In a cruel twist of irony, "Do I" got stuck at #2 on the charts, as Lady Antebellum's smash hit "Need You Now" stayed at #1 for multiple weeks, blocking Luke from his first ever #1. It didn't take him long to get that under his belt, however, as his next single, "Rain is a Good Thing" hit #1 a few months later. His last single, "Someone Else Calling You Baby" also hit #1, making for a pretty successful 2nd album. Also of note on that album was a remake of a the R&B song, "Apologize."

His new single, "Country Girl (Shake it for Me)" has just been released, and is quickly moving up the charts. It will be the lead single off of his upcoming album, which has yet to be named or given a release date. In the meantime, Luke is currently promoting his 3rd Spring Break EP album, Spring Break 3...It's a Shore Thing. Luke will be on the road this year with The Band Perry as they open for Tim McGraw.

photo by Mike Carroll

LoCash Cowboys - Comprised of Chris Lucas and Preston Brust, the LoCash Cowboys are a couple of rowdy rockin' country singers. They put on high-energy show and are very entertaining to watch live. Their debut single, "Here Comes Summer" is a catchy tune perfect for this time of year. Their current single, "Keep in Mind" is nothing like the rest of their music, yet shows their versatility proving that they're not "just a couple of crazy party animals." Their album, This Is How We Do It, is in the works and hopefully we'll see it out soon. These guys are very fan-friendly, and it's not uncommon to find them walking around mingling with fans at a concert venue before or after they perform. Once you see them live, you will be a fan of them too.



Kellie Pickler - Kellie Pickler signed a record label deal after finishing 6th on American Idol in 2005. Before joining American Idol Kellie was a Roller Waitress at a local Sonic Restaurant. Her debut album Small Town Girl, which went gold, featured 3 singles..."Red High Heels" (peaked at #15), "I Wonder" (peaked at #14), and "Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind" (peaked at #16). "Red High Heels" is a sassy "night on the town" song, "I Wonder" is a great, heartfelt song about her mother, who gave her up when Kellie was young. Her second album Kellie Pickler debuted in the Fall of 2008 featuring 4 singles..."Don't You Know You're Beautiful" (peaked at #21), "Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You" (peaked at #14), "The Best Days of Your Life" (Duet with Taylor Swift) was her first Top 10 single , and "Makin' me Fall in Love Again" (peaked at #30). In 2009 Kellie was named "Worlds Sexiest Vegetarian" as well as named Country Weekly's "Sexiest Female Country Star." In January of 2011 Kellie married song-writer Kyle Jacobs, who Co-Wrote Garth Brooks' "Every Mile a Memory" with Lee Brice.



Gary Allan - Gary Allan was discovered when he left a demo tape in the glove-box of a car he sold while he was a used-car salesman. His career has seen it's ups and downs, including the darkness of losing his wife and having to raise their children without her. It has led him to write and perform some emotionally powerful songs, and you can see and feel the pain in his eyes while he performs some of the songs inspired by that dark period.

Gary Allan has released 8 studio albums (3 went Platinum for over 1 million copies sold, 3 went Gold for 500,000 copies sold) and a Greatest Hits album (also went Gold) that have produced 25 charted-singles. Of those 25 singles, 3 of them were #1's..."Man to Man," "Tough Little Boys," and "Nothin on But The Radio." Songs that peaked in the top 10 include "Her Man," "It Would Be You," "Right Where I Need to Be," "The One," "Best I Ever Had," "Life Ain't Always Beautiful," and "Watching Airplanes." Other well known hits include "Smoke Rings in the Dark," "Loving You Against My Will," "Man of Me," "Songs About Rain," "A Feelin' Like That," "Learnin' How to Bend," "Today" and "Get Off on the Pain."

Gary just kicked of the "Get Off on The Pain" Tour after having a massive throat surgery in November of 2010. Get Off on The Pain is also the title of Gary's newest album, which includes the singles "Get Off on The Pain," "Today," and the most recent release "Kiss Me When I'm Down.

photo by Leslie Paczosa

Darryl Worley - Darryl Worley is a Tennessee native who grew up around music, as his mother sang in the church choir. Darryl is a graduate of the University of North Alabama, where he obtained a degree in Biology with a Major in Chemistry. Darryl was once featured in Playgirl magazine in a non-full nude photo shoot. Darryl is known for his annual Tennessee River Run, which raises funds for his charity that then distributes them to other charities such as St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

Darryl has had six studio albums produce 19 singles including three #1's..."I Miss my Friend," "Have You Forgotten" and "Awful Beautiful Life." Some of his other well known singles include "When You Need My Love," "A Good Day to Run," "Second Wind," "Family Tree," "Tennessee River Run," "If Something Should Happen," "Nothin' But a Love Thang," "I Just Came Back From a War," "Tequila on Ice" and "Sounds Like Life to Me."

Darryl's most recent album God & Country includes his controversial single "Keep The Change," which isn't getting much airplay due to the controversial nature of the song in response to President Obama's campaign call for change. Darryl is also a frequent visitor to the troops overseas as part of the USO Tours.



Phil Vassar - Phil Vassar came onto the scene as a heralded song-writer, having earned the 1999 ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year award. He has written such hits as "My Next Thirty Years" and "For a Little While" for Tim McGraw, "Bye, Bye" and "I'm Alright" for Jo Dee Messina, "Little Red Rodeo" for Collin Raye, and "Right on the Money" for Alan Jackson. Phil was given his chance at a solo career in 2000 when he signed his first recording contract, which he turned into 5 studio albums, 2 #1 singles, and 19 charted releases. His #1 hits were "Just Another Day in Paradise" and "In a Real Love," and other notable singles include "Carlene," "Six-Pack Summer," "That's When I Love You," "American Child," "I'll Take That as a Yes (The Hot Tub Song)," "Good Old Days," "Last Day of My Life," "Love is a Beautiful Thing," and "Bobbi With an I."

Phil just recently announced a new title for his career...not only is he a song-writer, pianist, and performer, but he can now add record label owner to his resume. First on tap for Vassar's new record company called "Rodeowave Entertainment" is Phil's 7th album which will be a Live CD/DVD Combination that was recorded in Nashville.

photo by Mike Carroll

Joe Diffie - Joe Diffie has had a long, successful career entertaining fans all around the world, and a glance at his discography proves it. He has released 9 country studio albums, 1 bluegrass album, a Christmas album, and 5 compilation albums highlighting some of his 34 singles various Greatest Hits-style collections. Of those 34 singles, 5 made it to #1 on the charts. Those were, "Home," "If The Devil Danced (In Empty Pockets)," "Third Rock From the Sun," "Pickup Man," and "Bigger Than the Beatles." Other notable hits include, "Ships That Don't Come In," "Honky Tonk Attitude," "Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die)," "John Deere Green," "So Help Me Girl," "Texas Size Heartache," "A Night to Remember," "It's Always Somethin'," "In Another World," and "Tougher Than Nails."

Joe Diffie has recently joined Rounder Records after leaving Broken Bow Records, and released "Homecoming: The Bluegrass Album" in late 2010. Joe Diffie has not only won an ACM award but also a Grammy award for 2 different collaborations...one with George Jones and another with Marty Stuart. Joe Diffie's two oldest children Parker and Kara auditioned at the end of 2010 for American Idol, but unfortunately were not selected. You may see one or both of them share the stage with him, especially during a certain cover song from a certain George Clooney movie (can't give away the surprise!)

photo by Mike Carroll

Ronnie Dunn – Most notably known for his role as one half of Brooks & Dunn, Ronnie Dunn has now embarked on a solo career. His current single “Bleed Red” is currently working its way up the charts, soon to be a #1 smash, and his debut Solo Album is set to be released June 7^th. If Ronnie performs anything like years past as part of Brooks & Dunn this will surely be a great performance, and seriously, do we really need to tell you how awesome he was while with Brooks & Dunn?? I'm guessing we can expect a good sampling of his new album, as well as a run-down of many of the Brooks & Dunn classics that have made so many of us fans of his unique vocals.



So what day are you most looking forward to attending? How about which performer are you most looking forward to?

2011 ACM Awards - Results & Wrap Up

The 2011 ACM Award Winners:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR • Taylor Swift

TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR • Brad Paisley

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR • Miranda Lambert

TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR • Sugarland

TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR • Lady Antebellum

TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST OF THE YEAR • Eric Church

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO or GROUP OF THE YEAR • The Band Perry

TOP NEW ARTIST • The Band Perry

ALBUM OF THE YEAR • ‘Need You Now’ – Lady Antebellum

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR • ‘The House That Built Me’ – Miranda Lambert

SONG OF THE YEAR • ‘The House That Built Me’ – Miranda Lambert

VIDEO OF THE YEAR • ‘The House That Built Me’ – Miranda Lambert

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR • ‘As She’s Walking Away’ – Zac Brown Band Featuring Alan Jackson

The ACM Awards have all been announced, the dust has settled and it has had time to sink in. Miranda Lambert was the bigger winner of the night, as she walked away with 4 ACM's including Song of The Year, Video of The Year, Single Record of The Year, and most importantly Female Vocalist of The Year. Lady Antebellum took home Album of the Year as well as Vocal Group of The Year, and Taylor Swift won the fan-voted Entertainer of The Year Award.

This was the first year that the ACM's had TWO venues in Las Vegas at the same time. The stars and performances were split between the MGM Grand (where the Awards show took place) and the Mandalay Bay hotel (which hosted the Sugarland FanJam at The ACMs). As far as the performances go, we here at SFCM agree that Brad Paisley and "Country Super Group" Alabama were our favorite! Other top performances included the Zac Brown Band with James Taylor, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, and Dierks Bentley. Which performance was your favorite?

So what did you think of the ACM Awards? Did your favorite country artist come out a winner? Was there an award you didn't agree on? Let us know how you feel about the ACM result and performances!

Today's Headlines - 4/1/11

Colt Ford's Next Album - There will be an Exclusive Pre-Sale of Colt Ford's next album "Every Chance I Get" on www.coltford.com starting April 5th. Also keep an eye out for Colt at the ACM's this Sunday, he's nominated for Vocal Event for a collaboration with Jamey Johnson.

Craig Morgan Signs New Record Deal - Craig Morgan has signed on with Black River Entertainment.

Mel McDaniel Passes Away - Grand Ole Opry member Mel McDaniel passed away last night after losing his battle with cancer. Mel was 68 years old. He was best known for his hits, "Baby's Got Her Blue Jeans On" and "Louisiana Saturday Night."

Today's Headlines - 3/31/11

Brad Paisley's Next Album to Include Duets With Blake Shelton & Carrie Underwood - As we noted in yesterday's news, Brad's next album "This is Country Music" will feature not only the title track as well as the current single "Old Alabama" (a duet w/ Alabama), but will also include duets with both Blake Shelton & Carrie Underwood. The album even includes Clint Eastwood and Sheryl Crow as well!

Jason Aldean Talks About "Dirt Road Anthem" - The "My Kinda Party" album already has two smash hits, but the third single is going to rock the boat for sure. Jason calls it "a different kind of song...The song starts with the chorus and then I start with rapid fire lyrics." What he means by rapid fire lyrics is more in the style of "Hick Hop", especially since Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert wrote the song. Starting with the chorus was a technique that was often used by Larry Gatlin and The Gatlin Brothers in such hits as "All the Gold (In California)" and "Houston."

New Music at The 2011 ACM's - As if watching the ACM's wasn't already a MUST See event with Reba & Blake hosting, it now has been announced that the ACM's will be filled with New Music. So far we know that Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, and Jason Aldean will all be debuting new songs during the 2011 ACM Awards.

Songwriter Harley Allen Passes Away- Nashville songwriter Harley Allen lost his battle with lung cancer yesterday, March 30th. Allen is most known for his Number 1 song "The Baby" recorded by Blake Shelton, Darryl Worley's "Awful, Beautiful Life", and "Tough Little Boys" by Gary Allan.

Shania Twain is Starring in a TV Show & Promises New Music Soon - Shania announced that she is currently working on new music, but can not promise a new album yet. Shania also has a TV show starting to air soon 'Why Not? With Shania Twain' on Oprah Winfrey's OWN network.

Taylor Swift Passes the 20 Million Album Sales Mark - Congratulations to Taylor Swift who has passed the 20 million albums sold mark for her career. It's only been 5 years since Taylor's first album was released.

 

 

Today's Headlines - 3/30/11

Brad Paisley Sharing the Spotlight - Brad Paisley has never been shy to share the spotlight with other artists to record duets, and he often ends up releasing them as singles. He's already had hit duets with Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton, and Keith Urban, and just release a new one with Alabama. His new album comes out in May, and it's been leaked that there's at least 2 more duets on there...one with Carrie Underwood, which is rumored to be the NEXT single after Old Alabama, as well as a duet with Blake Shelton. Which one are YOU looking forward to hearing?

Droid Users Can Now Get No Shoes Radio - If you update your iHeartRadio App on your Droid device, you should now be able to get No Shoes Radio station.

Jason Aldean Picks New Single - Jason Aldean's next single will be titled "Dirt Road Anthem." It will be his 3rd single off of the My Kinda Party album.

Shania Twain Stalker Arrested - Shania Twain's alleged stalker was arrested after being spotted in the crowd at the Juno Awards. He was already ordered to stay 500 yards away from Shania.

 

Today's Headlines - 3/29/11

• Blake Shelton to Debut New Single on ACM's - Blake Shelton will be debuting his new single, "Honey Bee" this Sunday night on the ACM Awards. Make sure you tune in to check it out!

• Country Dance now available for Nintendo Wii - Nintendo has released Country Dance for their Wii Console...it features more than 25 songs from past stars such as Johnny Cash to current stars such as Tim McGraw, Sugarland, Zac Brown Band, Miranda Lambert, Braid Paisley and more.
  

• HLN Anchor Robin Meade Releasing Country Album - Robin Meade star of Morning Express with Robin Meade on HLN is now adding country singer to her resume. Robin is expecting to release an album this summer and even performed an impromptu set at the Bluebird Cafe recently.
  

• People "Country" Magazine Giving Away Free Music Downloads - People Magazine is giving away 6 free song downloads here. You will find songs by Eric Church, The Band Perry, Randy Houser, Easton Corbin, Steel Magnolia, and The JaneDear Girls.

• Randy Travis Celebrates 25 Years in Country Music - Randy Travis is celebrating 25 years in country music with a duets album called the "Anniversary Collection". The album features artists like Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Zac Brown Band, James Otto, Josh Tuner and George Jones plus many more. The "Anniversary Collection" is slated to be released June 7th.

• Zac Brown to Host Hunting Show - Zac Brown will be hosting a new show titled "Fear No Evil" on the Outdoor Channel along with Chris Brackett.

Off-Air ACM Awards Announced!

Due to television time constraints, several ACM Awards are given off-camera before the actual show takes place, and today is the day that several of those awards were announced. Here is a quick run-down of who won what. Congrats to all of the winners! The ACM Awards will air this Sunday night at 8pm on CBS live from Las Vegas!

• Career Achievement Award - Reba McEntire

• Jim Reeves International Award - Taylor Swift (for outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music throughout the world)


• Tex Ritter Award - Country Strong (given to a movie released and/or receiving major exposure during the preceding calendar year, featuring or utilizing country music)

• Mae Boren Axton Award - John Dorris (given in recognition of years of dedication and service by an outstanding individual to the Academy of Country Music)

• Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award - Garth Brooks, Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers (honoring individuals who are pioneers in the country music genre)

• Poet's Award - Tom T. Hall, Hank Cochran (honors songwriters for outstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their careers in the field of country music)

• Producer of the Year - Paul Worley

• Audio Engineer of the Year - Chuck Ainlay

• Bass Player of the Year - Glenn Worf

• Percussionist/Drummer of the Year - Eddie Bayers

• Guitarist of the Year - Tom Bukovac

• Fiddle Player of the Year - Aubrey Haynie

• Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year - Gordon Mote

• Specialty Instrument(s) Player of the Year - Bryan Sutton
  

• Steel Guitar Player of the Year - Dan Dugmore

• Casino of the Year - Mohegan Sun Casino - Uncasville, CT

• Don Romeo Talent Buyet Of The Year - Steve "Bogie" Bogdanovich - Romeo Entertainment Group

• Nightclub of the Year - Joe's Bar - Chicago, IL

• Promoter of the Year - Sally Williams - Ryman Auditorium

• Venue of the Year - Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN

Today's Headlines - 3/28/11

• Darius Rucker to Sing New Song at ACM's - Darius Rucker will be performing a new song titled "Music From the Heart" on the ACM Awards this Sunday night. The song was written by kids with developmental disabilities, along with the help of Brett James and Chris Young. No word yet if it will be recorded on an album or released as a single.

• Jason Michael Carroll to Release Album through Cracker Barrel - Former Cracker Barrel employee Jason Michael Carroll's new album "Numbers" will be released exclusively through Cracker Barrel. The new album will include his new single, "Numbers."

• Lee Brice on The Price is Right this Thursday - Lee Brice will be on The Price is Right (hosted by Drew Carey) this Thursday

• On TV Tomorrow - Little Big Town will be on Conan, Dierks Bentley will be on Leno, and Blake Shelton will be on Chelsea Lately.

• Phil Vassar Launches Record Label - Phil Vassar is following in the footsteps of many of his peers these days and is starting his own record label, Rodeowave Entertainment. It will be a full-service company, providing the following divisions: Record Label, Management, and Promotional Services.

• Thompson Square scores #1 with Debut Single - The full chart will be released momentarily, but this week's top 5 singles of the week were led by Thompson Square's "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not," which was written by David Lee Murphy. The rest of the Top 5 are "Don't You Wanna Stay" by Jason Aldean/Kelly Clarkson, "Let Me Down Easy" by Billy Currington, "Colder Weather" by Zac Brown Band, and "This" by Darius Rucker.

• Tim McGraw to Perform Exclusive Concert on SiriusXM - This will be an invitation-only show in New York City on April 27th that will be broadcast live on SiriusXM's Prime Country and Tim McGraw Radio channels. Also performing on this unique concert billing will be The Band Perry and Luke Bryan. Do you have SiriusXM radio, and will you be tuning in?

• Wave of New Music on it's Way - Several big-name artists have either just released or will be releasing new singles in the coming month or so. Some of the tunes you may or may not have heard yet include "Old Alabama" by Braid Paisley, "Barefoot Blue Jean Night" by Jake Owen, "Honey Bee" by Blake Shelton, "Country Girl (Shake it for Me) by Luke Bryan, "Mean" by Taylor Swift, "Numbers" by Jason Michael Carroll, "Teenage Daughters" by Martina McBride, "Am I the Only One" by Dierks Bentley, "Just Fishin'" by Trace Adkins, "Wanna Take You Home" by Gloriana, "Stay Up Late" by Heidi Newfield, and "Homeboy" by Eric Church. What new music are you most excited to listen to?

• Zac Brown Band to pair up with James Taylor at ACM's - Zac Brown Band will be performing a duet with James Taylor at the ACM Awards this Sunday night live from Las Vegas. This is a perfect match in my opinion. When they're second single, "Whatever It Is" came out, I often compared it to a James Taylor song. I wonder if they'll reach back in their discography to play this, or if they'll debut something new. We shall see!

This Weekend's Headlines - 3/26 to 3/27

• Dierks Bentley Thankful For Being a Troubled Youth - In a recent interview Dierks claimed that if he hadn't gotten in trouble while as a teenager he might have not gone to Nashville, let alone ever discovered his love for Country Music.

• Garth Brooks Offers Marriage Advice to Blake & Miranda - At a recent "Points of Light Foundation" event, Garth Brooks took time out from performing and signing autographs to mention a few marriage tips to soon to be Newlyweds Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert. Garth says, "If you are going to talk to anybody about anything, talk to your spouse, that's it. No matter what. Even if it's about your spouse, it's all about communication. That's the secret." By the way the "Points of Light Foundation" event was to honor President George H.W. Bush who has been married to wife Barbara for 66 years now.

• John Rich Defends Trace Adkins on Celebrity Apprentice - Celebrity Apprentice has had a few country stars with Clint Black, Trace Adkins, & John Rich all taking their chances to win the big title. Recently John Rich spoke about Trace Adkins to Donald Trump. It seems that Donald believes that before Celebrity Apprentice, Trace was a "nobody" in the music scene and felt that Trace's success should be credited to Celebrity Apprentice and Mr. Trump. John was quoted as saying "Well, actually he was multi-platinum before he came on your show," John recalls (quote via New Mexico radio station KGRT). Donald responded, 'No, no. Trace Adkins, he was basically no one.'" So do you watch Celebrity Apprentice?!?

• Keith Urban & Lady Antebellum Selected For Japan Benefit Album - Both Keith Urban & Lady Antebellum are featured on a 38 track album with ALL singers, songwriters, producers, and others involved waiving ALL Royalties. The album is currently for sale on iTunes and is set to be available in a Double Disc set sometime in April.

• No Apologies for "Brown Chicken Brown Cow" - Not sure how we missed the commotion about Trace Adkins latest single but "Brown Chicken Brown Cow" has received a lot of static lately and not so much air play. Earlier this month during CRS in Nashville there were reports of Trace apologizing for the latest single he selected. So Trace "apologized" for his choice, but now Trace is clearing the air on what truly was meant to be said. Trace said, "I apologized for asking some ultra-conservative radio stations to play it. I should have known better than that." Trace's new single, "Goin' Fishin'," is a tale of father-daughter time, and was released to radio this week. "I don't regret releasing "Brown Chicken Brown Cow" because it's gone viral and made a lot of noise," Trace says. "We've had a lot of downloads on the video and the song. It did prove my point. I knew that where this song got played it would work. And where it did get played it sold a lot of downloads. There were just a lot of other stations that just weren't going to go there and that's okay. I get it."

• Thompson Square Wants to Crash a Wedding - Thompson Square has teamed up with CMT.com to "Crash a Wedding," with the winner recieving a Honeymoon trip to one of five pre-selected destinations. For details, visit http://www.cmt.com/community/sweepstakes/

• Toby Keith to Appear on Dancing With The Stars - No worries country fans, Toby isn't joining DWTS. Toby will be performing a 2 song set during the April 19th airing of Dancing With The Stars.

So tell me what do you think of Garth giving Marriage advice?!? How do you feel about Donald Trump attempting to claim Trace Adkins was a "no one" without him?!?

Preview: David Nail at the Round Up in Davie - 4/7/11

David Nail may be a Grammy Nominated country singer, but at one point he was almost done with country music after he decided to try his hand as a baseball coach. Thankfully David decided to return to Nashville and Country Music. David is currently working on a follow-up album to his debut album, "I'm About to Come Alive." David's debut album included the Grammy-Nominated Top-20 hit "Turning Home" (Best Male Country Performance) as well as ACM-Nominated Top-10 single "Red Light" (Single of the Year).

David is a song writer as well, having co-written 5 of the 11 songs on the album "I'm About to Come Alive." David's debut album included songs co-written by Kenny Chesney (Kenny wrote "Turning Home") and Rascal Flatt's Gary LeVox, and there is even a duet with Miranda Lambert on the album.

David's current single "Let It Rain" is off his upcoming album. The single was released in February 2011 and is currently working it's way up the charts. In a recent interview David claimed that since getting married he's had to find other sources of inspiration besides personal experiences to write songs about. David's current single "Let It Rain" was inspired by the Zach Braff movie "The Last Kiss." David's sophomore album is expected to be released in the Summer of 2011....Make sure to keep an eye out for it!

Make sure you Mark Your Calendars ...This not only is a FREE Show Presented by The Round Up in Davie, but we will be celebrating The Round Up's 10 year Anniversary!! Also, make sure to keep an eye on the website. We will be giving away David Nail Meet & Greet passes courtesy of The Round Up !!

Concert Review: Justin Moore

Justin opened the show with "Hank It" and the crowd went crazy. Song after song the crowd was just as into the show as Justin was. He drank Jack Daniels straight out of the bottle and that "Rough & Tough" persona is well, just that. From "Jackin' your jaw" to "got my jaw jacked," his lyrics show a toughness and openness that makes it hard not to like this native of a small town of a couple hundred residents in Arkansas.

When we spoke with Justin in the Meet & Greet before the show he was actually very nice, and when asked about what happened when his tour bus was pulled over entering Florida he said, "Nah, No ticket.... But thanks for askin!" And for the record, he isn't as short as people claim he is!

Throughout the show Justin kept telling his fans, "Thank You for spending your hard earned money on me." I really don't think I've ever heard an artist say "Thank You" as many times as Justin did...and he truly sounded sincere every time he said it.

Justin also gave the crowd a sneak peek at his upcoming album by playing the title track off the album titled, "Outlaws Like Me." The song is awesome and I can't wait for an actual release date on the album! Justin also played "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away," which is off of the upcoming album and currently racing up the charts. Watching the video brings tears to my eyes, but watching him perform it live was a complete tear-jerker.

As expected, Justin played "I Could Kick Your Ass" and the crowd went nuts...I think everyone in the bar was singing back at Justin! He left the stage and most thought he was finished, but then he came back out and said "How bout one more?!?" When the crowd went crazy, Justin said "Here's a little Lynyrd Skynyrd for ya!" As the band began to play, most thought it was "Free Bird," but it wasn't. Justin and his band chose to close the night with "Tuesday's Gone" by Lynyrd Skynyrd and it was WONDERFUL! Probably one of the best versions I've ever heard played of "Tuesday's Gone."

After seeing Justin perform on the H2O Tour last year, I knew it would be a good show... But I NEVER expected Justin to be as AWESOME as he was... He proved to be not only that Rough-Tough Country boy most of the ladies fell in love with, but also an amazing performer. He kept the crowd going for almost 2 hours... And I have to say this - Justin ranks pretty high up there on the MUST SEE list... If he's coming to a venue near you I DEFINITELY Recommend seeing him live!



 

Today's Headlines - 3/24/11

• Brad Paisley to Launch Facebook Game - They are currently taking the first 10,000 people to sign up for Beta-Testing of the upcoming Brad Paisley World game on Facebook. Did you get to sign up for it?

• Eric Church to Be a Father - Eric Church and his wife Katherine are expecting their first child this fall and are "excited" about becoming parents.

• Joe Diffie Added to the Suwannee River Jam Lineup - Joe Diffie joins a star-packed lineup for the 2011 Suwannee River Jam, which takes place April 27-30 in Live Oak, FL. Also scheduled to be there: Ronnie Dunn, Kellie Pickler, Luke Bryan, Gary Allan, Jerrod Niemann, Lee Brice, Phil Vassar, Darryl Worley, Blackberry Smoke, LoCash Cowboys, and many more!

• Pre-Order Autographed Chely Wright Book - Chely Wright is releasing her paper-back version of "Like Me" and is now taking pre-orders for autographed copies. You can go to her website for all kinds of autographed merchandise by clicking here.

107.9 WIRK St. Jude's Children's Hospital Radiothon

Tune in to 107.9 WIRK (West Palm Beach) today and tomorrow as they try to raise money for St. Jude's Children Hospital. You can also listen online and donate by going to their website wirk.com.

From wirk.com: "This two day event will allow you to learn more about this amazing hospital and discover how you can give a child the greatest gift of all: the gift of life. All donations received will allow the researchers, doctors and nurses of St. Jude to continue their fight against cancer and other deadly childhood diseases."

Read more: St. Jude Radiothon – Country, Music, South Florida Country 107.9 WIRK http://wirk.radio.com/st-jude-radiothon/#ixzz1HXiB6Vpx

Every hour, they will draw a name from that hour's donors to be awarded a prize, and South Florida Country Music has partnered up with the Round Up to sponsor some prizes to be given away during the Radiothon. We are contributing 3 pairs of tickets to see the Higher Education Tour at the Round Up in Davie on April 21st featuring Lee Brice and Jerrod Niemann. There will also be a 4th prize pack featuring autographed photos of Blaine Larsen, LoCash Cowboys, Emily Brooke, Frankie Ballard, a Tom Jackson T-Shirt, and a pair of Meet & Greets to meet David Nail at the Round Up on April 7th.

If you can help, please call and make a donation. They're goal is to get partners to donate $20 a month, but any amount will be welcomed and appreciated.

Today's Headlines - 3/23/11

• Academy of Country Music to host USO Show - The ACM will host a private free show at Nellis Air Force base in Las Vegas as part of their "The Week Vegas Goes Country." The show is being put together by the ACM and the USO, and features artists such as Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Montgomery Gentry, and Craig Morgan just to name a few. This is the 2nd year for the show at Nellis Air Force Base. This show is open to ALL MILITARY ID holders.

• Alan Jackson Signs With Capitol's EMI Records - Alan Jackson has signed on with EMI Records, who will team up with Jackson's own record lable, ACR (Alan's Country Records) to release his upcoming album.
  

• Billy Ray Cyrus Calls OFF DIVORCE! - In an interview with "The View" morning show Cyrus recently revieled that not only had his relationship with Miley gotten better but that he called off the divorce from wife Tish and things are "much better now." This comes just 5 months after Cyrus filed for divorce and said some pretty harsh words about Disney's Hannah Montana to GQ magazine

• In Stores This Week - Josh Turner and Billy Currington are both releasing "Greatest Hits" CD's this week.

• Sugarland Performs Madonna's "Like A Prayer" - Sugarland and Little Big Town recently got together to perform Madonna's "Like a Prayer"...check it out!

Today's Headlines - 3/22/11

• Big & Rich back together for 2011 Tour - Big & Rich are getting back together to go on tour this year with Gretchen Wilson, Cowboy Troy, and Two Foot Fred. Stay tuned as more and more tour dates are announced.

• Billy Dean to Host Songwriting Retreat - Aspiring writers who sign up to be part of Billy Dean's Writers Block will be invited to his farm for a songwriter's retreat with him and 23 other songwriters. Membership is $50, but there is only ONE slot left for the retreat.

• Colt Ford Named Spokesman for Beast Hunting Buggies - For the news straight from Colt Ford's website, click here.

• Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson at the ACM Awards - Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson have been added to the list of presenters at the 46th ACM Awards, which will take place in Las Vegas and will air Sunday, April 3rd.

• Shania Twain to Appear in Her Own Mini-Series - The series, titled "Why Not?" will air on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) beginning on May 8th. The episodes will cover all eras of her life, from childhood to her post-divorce life.

• Sugarland to Appear on Idol - Sugarland will make it's debut on American Idol on Thursday, March 24th during the results show.

• Taylor Swift to Appear in Dr. Seuss Movie - Taylor Swift will appear in Dr. Seuss' The Lorax, slated for release on March 2, 2012. This happens to be the anniversary of the author's birthday!

Today's Headlines - 3/21/11

We're going to try a new feature here where most nights, we will do our best to post a quick summary of the day's Country Music News. They won't always be this late, sorry :)

• 99.9 WKIS (Miami) Giving Away Luxury Vacation - Kiss Country has sent the Walker and Walker morning show down to Ocho Rios to broadcast live each morning this week, as they give away a trip each morning at 7:15. If you have the right birthday, you can even win $50,000!

• 107.9 WIRK (West Palm Beach) Needs Volunteers - This Thursday and Friday, WIRK will be looking for volunteers to help man the phone lines from 6am-9am for the Country Cares for St. Jude Kids. To volunteer, call 1-800-278-3383. Free breakfast will be provided!

• ACM Awards Announces More Performers - To date, the following artists have been slated to perform: Alabama, Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, James Taylor, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith, and the Zac Brown Band. The show airs April 3rd and is hosted by Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire.

• Brad Paisley Has Most Added Song to Radio This Past Week - Brad Paisley's new single, "Old Alabama" was the most added song to Country Radio this past week. The rest of the Top 5 Most Added Songs is rounded out by Martina McBride's "Teenage Daughters," "Mean" by Taylor Swift, "Five More Minutes" by Ashley Gearing, and Shotgun Girl" by the JaneDear Girls.

• Chely Wright to Release Dance Remix of Damn Liar - The release date to buy this digital copy is April 4th, and it will be available on iTunes and Amazon. You can hear a preview of this song on her MySpace page.

• Country Stars Honor Former President George H.W. Bush - Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Darius Rucker, Garth Brooks, Kid Rock, Reba McEntire, and Sheryl Crow were among those on hand to honor President George H.W. Bush for his work in promoting volunteerism in America. The event was called, "All Together Now - A Celebration of Service" put on by the Points of Light Institute.

• Craig Morgan Honored for Heroics - This past Saturday backstage at the Grand Ole Opry, Craig Morgan was honored by the Tennessee City Volunteer Fire Department for his efforts to rescue two children from a house fire last month. Craig is now a lifetime honorary member of the TCVFD.

• Dierks Bentley to Perform New Single on Leno - Dierks Bentley will sing his new single, "Am I the Only One" on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Tuesday, March 29th.

• Jimmy Wayne has been named a National Spokesman for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate Association) - Jimmy, a product of the Social Services system himself, completed his Meet Me Halfway walk across the United States last year to raise awareness for foster kids.

• Miranda Lambert to Perform in Tampa - The Tampa Bay Rays host a Summer Concert Series during the baseball season, and have announced that Miranda Lambert will perform after the game on Saturday, September 24th.

• Rascal Flatts to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award - Rascal Flatts will be honored by the TJ Martell Foundation at their 2011 Honors Gala with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The event will take place on Monday, March 28th.

• Ronnie Dunn Sets Album Release Date - It has been announced that Ronnie Dunn's first ever solo album will be released on June 7th. The former Brooks & Dunn star is currently watching his debut single, "Bleed Red" shoot up the charts.

• Thompson Square to Perform on Conan - It has been announced that Thompson Square, whose single "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not" is threatening to be a Debut #1 single for them, will perform on the Conan O'Brien Show on Thursday, March 31st on TBS.

Weekend In Review: 3/17/11 to 3/19/11

South Florida Country Music had a very busy weekend out and about, and here we will give a brief recap of the events we covered.

Thursday, March 17

We started the weekend off by attending the Kenny Chesney concert at the Cruzan Amphitheater in West Palm Beach. This was the first show of the tour for Kenny, and his first visit to South Florida since 2008, as he skipped us on his 2009 tour and took 2010 off. Since it was a Thursday and most people couldn't get out of work early enough, we didn't do a full tailgate party like we usually do. We did find this awesome car though:



Uncle Cracker got the show started with about a 30 minute set, followed by Billy Currington, who rocked the place as everyone finished coming in from the tailgate parties in the parking lot.



Kenny Chesney topped the night off by playing 26 songs, bringing out surprise guests such as Mishka to perform, "Don't Worry 'Bout a Thing",



Uncle Cracker to perform "When the Sun Goes Down" and "You Never Even Call Me By My Name" and Jake Owen to perform "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy." It was a resounding success to kick off his tour before he moved on to Tampa for his big stadium show where he added the Zac Brown Band to the lineup.



Friday, March 18

Friday night we went to Renegades to check out the new place at 600 Village Blvd in West Palm Beach. The joint is packed with over 70 HD TV's that make it much brighter than the old Renegades (overkill in my opinion), and now has a full menu of food (we ordered Spinach Dip and Cheese Fries...food was good, but overpriced for the small portion sizes). The dance floor seems a bit smaller than the old one, and in fact, the entire place seems smaller than the old one.



Because they serve food, they now have an outdoor patio for smokers, as smoking is not allowed indoors. This has been getting rave reviews from the dancers, and complaints from the smokers. There are 4 bars, with one on the patio and one on each side of 3 of the 4 sides of the dance floor. The 4th side is where the DJ booth is as well as the Mechanical Bull.



For concerts, they plan on moving the bull out and putting in a small stage, but I'm not sure if concerts will work here as the area is kinda small for the band.



I realize this brief review seems a bit negative, but overall I did like the new Renegades. I think the biggest problem is that I was used to going to the old Renegades for so many years, it's going to take some time for me accept the new Renegades. They have a friendly, energetic wait staff, and a few familiar faces from the old Renegades on the bar-tending and security teams. Woody is back as the DJ, which helps give it a feel of the old Renegades. While I may not be used to the new Renegades, I do like it and definitely will be visiting as often as I did the old one.

Saturday, March 19

This was a whirlwind of a day. We started off by attending The Courageous Race fund raiser show in Parkland at a beautiful park.



This event was a benefit for 3-year old cancer survivor, Jordyn Gourley, seen below with Amber Leigh.



They had raised over $80,000 by the time we got there, and that was before Emily Brooke and Amber Leigh took the stage. Hurricane Wings was there serving food, as well as a few other local businesses that provided food, drinks, a bounce house, a mobile arcade, and more.





Emily Brooke opened up with a few songs in a solo acoustic set, with a couple of her own original songs, a couple of Taylor Swift covers, a Lady Antebellum cover, and even a Justin Bieber cover (I can now no longer say I've never heard a Justin Bieber song, haha). One of her songs was a beautiful song she just wrote in Nashville especially for Jordyn. Keep an eye on her Facebook page, as I'm hoping they'll be posting video of it soon.



After they raffled off some really great prizes (a golf cart, golf lessons, free pizza, etc), local favorite Amber Leigh took the stage. We couldn't stay past her first song, as we had to move on to our next event, but chances are you've seen this skilled fiddle player perform before, and know the kind of high-energy, entertaining performance she puts on. If you aren't familiar with her, make every effort you can to go catch one of her shows sometime soon.



We left this benefit to head over to Sunset Cove Amphitheater to photograph the Little River Band concert, which was a benefit show for Kids In Distress of Broward County.



We were asked to photograph the event at the last minute, and since our professional photographer was out of town, we did our best with our amateur equipment. We got there to find that they had brought in a professional photographer after all, so we were bumped from prime position for the Meet & Greets, reducing us to taking pictures from the corner of the room moments after the "real" photo was taken and before they disbanded for the next fan to join them. Pictures will be posted to our Facebook page shortly, but I'm not happy with the quality of them due to the circumstances we were put in. It was still a fun experience, and the band had nearly 100 fans come through.



Hollywood Lovescene opened the show, which we missed most of because we were doing the Meet & Greets, but we did get to hear a rockin' cover of Paula Abdul's "Straight Up" as we noticed the beautiful full moon rising to the east.



We then heard The Little River Band cover all of their classics before packing it up and heading out to our 3rd stop of the day. While this wasn't a country event, we're always happy to help with a good charitable cause when we are able to.



We then headed down to The French Quarter Bar & Grill in Pompano Beach to check out Slip and the Spinouts, who describe their music as "Florida Cracker Rockabilly." While they are not exactly country, they did play "Ring of Fire" by Johnny Cash and a Hank Williams Sr. song that escapes my memory. They also have some other classic country songs in their repertoire, but we didn't get there early enough to hear their full set. They did play for a solid 2 hours without a break while we were there, and they did put on a great entertaining show with a wide variety of covers that had people dancing everywhere. Definitely a fun time.



Overall, we had a blast covering these events and met a lot of great people along the way. It was great to see Kenny Chesney again, the new Renegades is pretty spiffy, we helped out with 2 great causes and got to support a local band along the way.