March 9th 2010

OSCARS - Jeff Bridges 'Crazy Heart'

It's the music. That's what new Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges says he and his character in "Crazy Heart," Bad Blake, have in common. Bridges says he's been making music for most of his life. That's where the similarity ends because Bridges says he has always had a stable home life and has been married for 33 years. Bridges says he hopes his Oscar draws attention to "Crazy Heart." "Crazy Heart" is still in theaters. It's in ninth place at the box office this past weekend.

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OSCARS - Best Song

With Miley Cyrus as one of the presenters for best original song, Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett picked up Oscars for "The Weary Kind" from "Crazy Heart." Bingham didn't get to perform it. Instead, the movie clip that came on the screen was Colin Farrell's slightly upbeat version. And, as the Oscars show went to commercial break, the orchestra played "The Weary Kind," as well.

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RAZZIES - Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray Cyrus got the opposite of an Oscar over the weekend. He got a Razzie. It's for playing a role in "Hannah Montana: The Movie" that has to be pretty close to his real life: the dad to Miley Cyrus' character, Miley Stewart. When naming Billy Ray Cyrus worst supporting actor of the year, the Razzie people say he's "riding his daughter's coat-tails."

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Brad Paisley - Please Help Me I'm Falling

Brad Paisley is offering a meet-and-greet to whoever posts video on YouTube of him falling on stage Saturday night in Charleston, South Carolina because he wants to see it. The fall happened at the end of the last song, "Alcohol," during the final show of his "American Saturday Night" tour. Paisley tweets that he "was running fast on stage" and tripped and fell "freaking hard." He says he really did think he "broke a rib or something." He got back up, said "thanks" and "good night," and left the stage. Then, an ambulance took him from Charleston Coliseum to a hospital. A CT scan shows he didn't break anything. He's just "very, very bruised." Paisley has posted photos of him on a hospital bed surrounded by medical staff in the ER.

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Taylor Swift's Levels Of Heartbeak And Heartache

For Taylor Swift, getting her heart broken is good for something. We know she puts her love life into her songs. Now, she tells Elle magazine how she categorizes the various levels of heartbreak and heartache. She says "a letdown is worth a few songs. A heartbreak is worth a few albums." Taylor Swift is on the cover of Elle, looking like Taylor Swift. She's wearing a sparkly silver dress and her usual wavy hair style. But, inside the magazine you can hardly tell it's her. She's wearing her hair, or a wig, straight with thick bangs. And, it's in a messy-poof.

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Darius Rucker Sings For Hospitalised Veterans

"An amazing experience" is how Darius Rucker describes his recent visit to a veterans hospital in Nashville. He went room to room performing for one or two patients at a time. Rucker says "you get in there and you just play a song for them and just watch their faces, people smiling." He says "making people happy for those two-and-a-half, three minutes that you're playing. That was awesome."

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Martina McBride Added To Lilith Fair Festival

Martina McBride has been added to Lilith Fair. So, have two-thirds of the Dixie Chicks: Emily Robison and Martie Maguire. They recently regrouped as the Court Yard Hounds. Also just announced, are Kelly Clarkson, The Bangles, The Go-Gos. They all join Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow, Sugarland and dozens of other performers doing various styles of music. Dates for this year's Lilith Fair have not been announced.

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March 1st 2010

Brooks & Dunn Final Performance Details

When Brooks and Dunn give their final performance as a duo, it'll be for charity. Their last show will be a benefit concert for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It's set for Tuesday, August 10 in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena, previously known as the Sommet Center. Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn have issued statement saying "we feel it's only right that the proceeds from this concert go to a place where all history in our business is so reverently preserved." Tickets for this and many of Brooks and Dunn's other dates go on sale March 6.

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Carrie Underwood - How She And Mike Fisher Will Manager

Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher already have a long-distance romance. He's playing hockey all over North America. And, she's about to start a tour that will send her all over, too. They tell People magazine that even after their wedding this summer, their relationship still will be long-distance. Underwood says they'll "be little nomads for a while" until one of them retires. That could be a while because she adds -- quote -- "it's not like I'll stop doing music or he'll quit hockey." She says they'll each do what they do "and be supportive."

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Luke Byran To Be Father Again

Luke Bryan's wife is pregnant again. Caroline Bryan is due in August. This will be their second child. Their son Bo Bryan is two. Luke Bryan and his wife aren't saying if they're having a boy or a girl. They're not even saying if they know at this point. Bryan says he and his wife "are so excited about the baby." He says since their son Bo was born in 2008, their "life has been so full, and crazy." And, he says they cannot wait to add to their family. Luke and Carolyn Bryan have been married since December 2006.

 

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Dolly Parton's Store Grand Opening In 2 Weeks

From a soft opening a few months ago to a blow-out in a couple of weeks. Dolly Parton's first retail store, Trinkets and Treasures, has been open since November. But, it'll have its grand opening two weeks from today. Parton will be at the store on 2nd Street in Nashville as part of the celebration. She'll cut the pink ribbon. Parton says when she "was growing up in the backwoods of the Smoky Mountains, any trinket was a treasure" to her. She says her childhood memories are what have inspired the shop.

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Lady Antebellum American Honey Video

The location of Lady Antebellum's new video for "American Honey" probably had a lot of people guessing. It looks like an idyllic rural setting, complete with a rustic house and dirt roads. It seems to be a dream-like version of the South. But, it isn't. In Lady Antebellum's latest webisode, Dave Haywood reveals it was shot north of Los Angeles in the city of Santa Clarita. He says the band "wanted something that looked very summery" and the only place they could find green grass in the middle of January was California. Though the grass was green, it's still winter. Haywood said "it's actually a little chilly out here." The video was filmed January 25.

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'How I Met Your Mother' with Carrie Underwood

Snippets of this Monday's episode of "How I Met Your Mother" have made their way to the Internet. It's the one where Carrie Underwood makes her acting debut. In one scene, Josh Radnor's character, Ted, asks Underwood's character, Tiffany, if she's always been this pretty. She answers: "I was shy and awkward. I was like 100 pounds heavier and I had these crazy buck teeth." Ted says "seriously?" And, she answers "no. I've always been hot. What are you gonna do?"

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Jimmy Wayne - Faster Than He Thought

Even with blisters on one of his toes, Jimmy Wayne is making better time on parts of his awareness walk than he imagined. At least he did yesterday. On his Twitter page he writes: "guestimated that it would take me 4 days to walk from Talahini to Mcalaster, Oklahoma. Did it in 3 days! Yesssssss!!" And, Wayne says he's going to be in Oklahoma City soon. Jimmy Wayne is walking from Nashville to Phoenix, raising awareness about foster kids who are at risk for being homeless as they get too old to be in foster homes.

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February 20th 2010

American Idol Gives Taylor Swift a Huge Compliment

Simon Cowell has given Taylor Swift a huge compliment. He says the next "American Idol" should be "somebody who represents what is going on at the moment." So, he would "love to find a Taylor Swift, somebody who's relevant rather than just a contest winner." Swift is the one name Cowell came up with when asked what he hopes for from his last season on "American Idol." Whether or not he finds a Taylor Swift, Cowell predicts the winner will be a female.

"Fearless" Taylor Swift Video

The music video for Taylor Swift's single, "Fearless," wouldn't have been the same if it had been made when the album first came out. That's because it was created from scenes shot at several concerts during the first leg of her Fearless tour. It shows Swift backstage and on stage. And, it shows the fans. While the song, Fearless, celebrates being in a healthy and loving relationship, the video celebrates the Fearless tour itself and Swift's relationship with her fans. The video debuted on www.CMT.com. The second leg of Taylor Swift's Fearless tour starts March 4 in Tampa, Fla.

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Crazy Town Jason Aldean

One listen to Jason Aldean's upcoming single, "Crazy Town," and you can understand what it's like to try and make it in the music business. With lyrics like: "It's a crazy town full of neon dreams, Everybody plays everybody sings, Hollywood with a touch of twang" you get a sense of how hard it is to break through in Nashville. Aldean says "Crazy Town" "is all about the love-hate relationship that every new artist has with Nashville when they're just starting out." He says "the ups and downs can be pretty overwhelming. It takes a lot of hard work to push through." Aldean has been opening his shows on tour with "Crazy Town." The single comes to country radio March 1.

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Trisha Yearwood Always Singing

As Trisha Yearwood gets ready to promote her latest cookbook, fans are asking if she's giving up singing. On her Twitter page, Yearwood makes it clear. She writes: "For those of you who are asking, NO!!! Never going to stop singing. It's what I do!" Yearwood's last album was the "Love Songs" compilation that came out two years ago.

Trisha Yearwood Touring For Her Cookbook

Trisha Yearwood is getting ready to go on tour. Not a concert tour but a book tour. She'll be going from city to city promoting her newest cookbook called "Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood." She'll be signing books in stores across the country. The tour starts April 7 in Princeton, N.J. and runs through April 25 in Los Angeles. She'll be in 13 cities. Details are on her Web site: www.TrishaYearwood.com.

 

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Songs Wont Be Performed At The Oscars

Forget it, if you were expecting to see "The Weary Kind" from "Crazy Heart" performed at the Oscars. None of the five-nominated songs will be performed, not just "The Weary Kind." Instead, each song that's nominated will be heard over clips from the movie they're connected with. It's unknown what clips will be used for "Crazy Heart." But, in the movie, Jeff Bridges' character is seen and heard writing the song, "The Weary Kind." We then hear the whole song over the credits, performed by Ryan Bingham. Bingham wrote it with T Bone Burnett.

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Kellie Pickler Meet & Greet At Grand Old Opry

Before Kellie Pickler performs at the Grand Ole Opry this Saturday night, she'll spend an hour in the Orpy's bookstore hanging with fans. She'll sign copies of her current CD. If you can't make it to her performance, you can tune into the Orpy's Web site.

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1st February 2010

GRAMMYS Taylor Swift Wins Album of the Year

Beyonce might have set a record for a woman by winning 6 Grammys in one night, but it was Taylor Swift who took home the top award, album of the year for "Fearless." Swift says she'll be talking about this for the next 80 years. Swift says she knew her dad and little brother were "losing their minds in the living room" when they saw her win. She took home a total of four awards, including country album of the year.

You can only be a first-time winner once, so Taylor Swift was especially excited to win best female country vocalist during the ceremony that took place before the Grammy telecast. In pure Taylor Swift fashion, she shouted to the audience "This is my first Grammy, you guys! I mean, this is a Grammy!" It only took a few more minutes for Swift to win her second award. She and Liz Rose won best country song for "White Horse."

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GRAMMYS Zac Brown Band Wins Best New Artist

Zac Brown says winning the Grammy for best new artist is "very surreal." This is the Zac Brown Band's first Grammy. Brown says they didn't plan on winning anything.

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GRAMMYS Keith Urban Wins Best Male Vocalist

It may be a cliche, but Keith Urban really does feel that it's an honor just to be nominated for a Grammy. He says when he sees how many thousands of records are made each year, to get a nomination is "an award in itself." To top it off, though, Urban won this third Grammy for best country male vocalist. He says that was "crazy."

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GRAMMYS More Winners...

Carrie Underwood won her fifth for best country collaboration. She shared the award with Randy Travis, who won his eighth. Lady Antebellum won their first for best country duo or group.

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GRAMMYS Musicares Neil Young

Neil Young had an impact on Sheryl Crow when she was starting out and he still does. She says "he seemed to marry folk music and country music" and for her, coming from Missouri, it really set her "on course as far as a songwriter goes." Jackson Browne says Young's "music is so diverse and can be done in so many different styles," including country. All this praise came Friday night when Neil Young was honored by the Grammy people at their annual MusiCares event. Money raised goes to musicians who're down on their luck and need financial, medical or personal help. By the way, Neil Young has never won a Grammy.

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Big Kenny Haiti

Big Kenny has been home from Haiti for nearly a week now. But, he continues to follow the progress of his friends who're still there helping out. Kenny initially went because he had a friend named Walt who'd been at the now-crumbled Montana Hotel. That friend has not been found. Kenny writes on his Web site "it is very hard to meet anyone in Haiti who has not lost loved ones." He says he's only back in the States "to resupply." He says he wants to "get back down as soon as" he can because "there is much to do." And, he says his friend, and many more need to be accounted for.

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Jewel Helps Out On Extreme Makeover

Jewel and her husband Ty Murray said a quick "yes" when Ty Pennington asked them to be part of last night's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." The team leveled a fixer-upper and replaced it with a new home for a 7th-grade teacher and her family in Lexington, North Carolina. The teacher, Tricia Creasey, has been fighting colon cancer. Medical bills beyond the insurance have made it impossible to repair the house. Jewel says "it's pretty heroic" that Creasey has not stopped teaching, going from chemo straight to the classroom. Jewel adds she, herself, has been through times when she needed help and people were there to give it to her. She says that helped her keep hope alive and "having that hope alive is the most important thing."

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Willie Nelson - Bad Hand, Band and Crew Busted

Willie Nelson's daughter says the reason he canceled a concert Thursday in North Carolina was because of a bum hand. The concert was canceled about an hour after several band and crew members were busted for allegedly having moonshine and marijuana. The charges came after officers smelled marijuana aboard a tour bus and were given permission to search it. Nelson's daughter is keeping a blog of the tour. She writes that the show at the Duplin County Events Center in Kenansville, North Carolina was canceled because her dad's hand hurt too badly to play. Nelson did have carpal tunnel surgery on his left hand in 2004. His daughter says he'd try to finish the tour with two more dates this past weekend, then return home to Texas for 10 days. The show he missed in Kenansville is expected to be rescheduled.

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Roy Orbison Star Ceremony

Dan Aykroyd knows how to make an entrance. He led some celebs on Harleys to Roy Orbison's star ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And, some of them wore dark glasses like Orbison used to. Also at Friday's ceremony: Eric Idle, Chris Isaak, Jeff Lynne, Joe Walsh and Dwight Yoakam. Aykroyd says Orbison could be both gentle and vicious with his voice. His star is in front of the Capitol Records building near the stars of John Lennon and his Traveling Wilburys brother, George Harrison. Roy Orbison was 52 when he died in 1988 in the midst of a comeback with The Traveling Wilburys.

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Miranda Lambert Fix A Ture

Listen up because Miranda Lambert has some advice. She tells Southernliving.com there are three things every Southern woman should learn to do before she dies. They are "change a tire, drive a tractor and cook something fried." She says "those three things will empower you."

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