Posted yesterday at 11:00am
 BNA RecordsKenny Chesney graces the cover of Men's Health magazine's June issue, and he shares a few secrets behind his intense workouts in the article. According to USA Today, Kenny tells Men's Health he works out hard so he can keep in shape for his two-hour outdoor concerts this summer on the Brothers of the Sun tour.
Comparing his workouts to his live show, Kenny says, "You think you're sprinting on this treadmill. When I'm up there it's like I'm at a constant sprint at a 15 level. But the thing you have onstage that you don't have in the gym is adrenaline."
Kenny works out about an hour with his trainer and they've been getting him ready for the tour since January. The goal isn't for Kenny to gain muscle. He says, "I don't go in here and try to bench-press 200 pounds."
Kenny admits he can do 300 pushups in 10 minutes though. For more, read Kenny's cover story in Men's Health. Kenny's Brothers of the Sun tour with Tim McGraw kicks off June 2 in Tampa, FL.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 8:01am
 Schmidt RelationsThe tiny town of Mineral, VA will host an Alan Jackson concert Sunday in their high school parking lot. The town won the concert in an online contest from Eventful.com after experiencing a devastating earthquake in August 2011. Kansas City actually came in second in the contest to Mineral, which has a population of about 400 people.
Alan explains, "Somebody in that town, I believe a fan, got on the Internet and rallied all this together and got everybody across around the country to vote for this little town to win that contest to do the show; that’s how it all started."
The money raised from Alan's show will help rebuild Mineral's high school auditorium. The school was condemned due to damage from the earthquake.
As for the scaled back show Sunday, Alan's actually looking forward to it.
He says, "It’ll just be more charming, I think, is what I’m trying to say, and every now and then, it’s good to do a show like that."
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 8:01am
 Comstock/ThinkstockWhat is George Strait's middle name? ANSWER: Harvey.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 5:00am
 Capitol NashvillleLittle Big Town has found the perfect way to bring their fans on board for the annual CMA Music Festival Kickoff Parade in Nashville on Wednesday, June 6. The four members of Little Big Town will each ride on their own pontoon boat filled with fans at the close of the parade. It's a nod to their latest hit, "Pontoon."
"That's kind of our gift to the fans," band member Karen Fairchild tells ABC News Radio. "Our fan club soiree is going to be in the parade."
Little Big Town will then hope off the boats and perform "Pontoon" at the Block Party at the Riverfront Stage. They'll also perform Saturday night at LP Field during the CMA Music Festival.
Country Music Hall of Fame member Glen Campbell will serve as grand marshal of this year's Kickoff Parade.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted yesterday at 5:00am
 Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockGeorge Strait celebrates his 60th birthday Friday.
Reba doesn't have any dogs or cats because she says she travels too much.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday night
 Christopher Polk/Getty Images for ACAIt's no secret Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert are passionate about animals. They've rescued at least 20 dogs as well as cats and horses in the past few years. So, do they plan to add any babies to their ever-growing household?
“Not unless our kids go to the bathroom outside or on the floor!” Blake tells In Touch Weekly. He adds, "“If Miranda’s as good with a human being as she is with dogs, the kid’s going to be golden!”
Pick up the latest In Touch Weekly to read more about Blake and Miranda's animals and see exclusive photos of the couple.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday evening
 Facebook.com/DonnaSummer
Dolly Parton scored a #1 country hit in 1980 with "Starting Over Again," which was co-written by disco queen Donna Summer. Summer died Thursday after a battle with cancer at age 63. Dolly released a statement on Summer's passing saying she had one of the greatest voices ever.
"I loved her records," Dolly continues. "She was the disco queen, and will remain so. I knew her and found her to be one of the most likable and fun people ever. She will be missed and remembered.”
Reba covered "Starting Over Again" and took it took it to the top 20 on the country charts in 1995. Reba tweeted, "My thoughts and prayers go out to Donna Summer's family. I will miss her but she will live on thru all her wonderful music!"
Jennifer Nettles tells ABC News Radio that she viewed Summer as a trailblazer. The Sugarland member says there wasn’t a direct musical influence, but “there is a direct influence in what [Summer] brought to the [music] industry as a woman. Nettles says, “When you think of songs like “Love To Love You” and her bravery at the time for coming out with a song that was so empowering to women and their sexuality, people, you know, it was scandalous at the time...”
Donna Summer lived in Nashville and served on the board of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum according to Music Row.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday afternoon
 Capitol NashvilleLuke Bryan has given a YouTube shout out to fellow Leesburg, GA native Phillip Phillips, who is in the top three on American Idol this season. Luke tells Phillip in the video, "I've been watching every episode, and it's truly amazing watching your climb." Luke adds that he's pulling for Phillip to win the entire competition too.
Phillip will learn if he gets the boot or makes it to the top two on American Idol's Thursday night results show, airing at 8:00 Eastern on Fox.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday afternoon
 Warner Music GroupFaith Hill's NBC Sunday Night Football opening has won an Emmy Award for the production company behind the spots. Iron Claw walked away with the trophy in the Outstanding Production Design/Art Direction category for producing the spot.
The show opening places Faith riding through a busy city in a leather cat suit on a motorcycle. The company used state-of-the-art technology to digitally place Faith in these different locations.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday afternoon
 Schmidt RelationsAlan Jackson is trading in his Music City mansion for a slice of Heaven.
While the country superstar tries to sell his lakefront home in Nashville for close to $3.4 million, he appears to be taking up residence in the exclusive Heaven’s Landing development in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Georgia. The gated community is geared toward residents who prefer to fly in, with some properties even boasting their own airplane hangar.
The Heaven’s Landing newsletter even features a picture of Alan’s plane, with a mention that “You’ll notice (Alan and Denise Jackson) flying in regularly in either their Falcon 50 or their Lear 24.” The developer goes on to call the couple “some of the most down-to-earth people you will ever meet.”
The Clayton, Georgia property is only about 40 miles from Alan’s hometown of Newnan.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday afternoon
 Big Machine RecordsTaylor Swift has pledged $4 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's Working on a Building campaign. The money will go to build the Taylor Swift Education Center, featuring three classrooms and a new children's exhibit gallery, as part of the Hall of Fame's next expansion project. It's set to open in early 2014.
Taylor's contribution is the largest capital contribution by an individual artist in the Country Music Hall of Fame's history. The overall expansion project will increase the size of the Hall of Fame form 140,000 square feet to 350,000 square feet.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Facebook.com/DonnaSummer
Disco and pop music icon Donna Summer has died, ABC News has confirmed. The singer passed away after a battle with cancer and died in Florida. She was 63 years old.
A statement from the family of Summer's husband, Bruce Sudano, reads: "Early this morning, surrounded by family, we lost Donna Summer Sudano, a woman of many gifts, the greatest being her faith. While we grieve her passing, we are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and her continued legacy. Words truly can't express how much we appreciate your prayers and love for our family at this sensitive time."
The statement ends with a request to make a donation in Summer's name to the Salvation Army, in lieu of flowers.
Born LaDonna Adrian Gaines, Summer -- a five-time Grammy Award winner known as the Queen of Disco -- revolutionized dance music with her seminal hits "Love to Love You Baby" and "I Feel Love." Those tracks established her career and were followed by a string of hits, including "Last Dance," "Hot Stuff," "MacArthur Park," "Bad Girls" and "Dim All the Lights."
Summer continued her career into the '80s with hits like "She Works Hard for the Money" and "This Time I Know It's for Real." The first woman and the first African-American Artist ever to win a Grammy for Best Rock Vocal Performance, for "Hot Stuff," Summer was shortlisted for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but to date has never been inducted.
Summer's chart achievements and awards were numerous. She was the first artist ever to score three consecutive number-one double albums. She scored at least one Top 40 hit in every year from 1976 to 1984. Her presence on Billboard's Disco/Club Play chart spanned from 1975, with "Love to Love You Baby," through 2010, with "To Paris with Love."
In addition to her five Grammy Awards, Summer won six American Music Awards and was the first African-American woman to be nominated for an MTV Video Music Award, for "She Works Hard for the Money." She was honored twice by the Dance Music Hall of Fame; she herself was inducted as a recording artist, and her song "I Feel Love" was also inducted.
According to Billboard, Summer is survived by her husband, three daughters, and four grandchildren.
Nile Rodgers, founder of Chic and one of dance music's architects, tweeted, "For the last half hour or so I've been lying in my bed crying and stunned. Donna Summer RIP."
Summer was most recently seen performing with Seal in David Foster's 2010 PBS special Foster & Friends and on America's Got Talent, performing with former contestant Prince Poppycock.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Arista NashvilleGreat American Country rolls out its new Noteworthy at the Opry series with a special Memorial Day weekend salute to the troops. Rascal Flatts, Alan Jackson, Kellie Pickler, and Montgomery Gentry are just some of the artists who’ll perform on the 90-minute special.
The 16-episode season continues through the summer, with special themed episodes focusing on Heartache, Love Songs, and Fan Favorites. Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Scotty McCreery, Keith Urban and Chris Young are all set to take the Opry stage. The June 2 edition will pay tribute to Alan Jackson.
Noteworthy at the Opry premieres Saturday, May 26 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on GAC.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Comstock/ThinkstockWhat was the full name of Reba McEntire's character on the Reba sitcom? ANSWER: Reba Nell Hart.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 CurbThough he’s already been to the top of the country charts as a songwriter, “A Woman Like You” is Lee Brice’s first number one as an artist.
Celebrating at a party earlier this week in Nashville, Lee believes both accomplishments are simply a matter of keeping his nose to the grindstone. “You know, writing a song and having a number one is like a really pride thing for me. It’s like, I work so hard,” he says.
Lee admits to having a familial feel about the chart toppers he’s written for Garth Brooks and Eli Young Band, saying“More Than a Memory” and “Crazy Girl” are “my babies.”
His current single, “Hard 2 Love,” happens to be a song he didn’t write, even though it’s the title track of his new CD.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Burke/Triolo Productions/ThinkstockThe 2012 CMA Music Festival will feature the debut of the BMI Tailgate Party. The free event will take place each night, Thursday through Sunday, June 7-10, with BMI songwriters and artists performing outside LP Field before the nightly concerts.
Merle Haggard tells The Boot.com that Hunter Hayes, Jamey Johnson and Willie Nelson’s son Lukas are some of his favorite new artists in country music.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Big Machine RecordsIf you ever get the chance to go out to dinner with Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, you’ll definitely want to put your cellphone away.
Jay admits that people who are “totally tuned out just texting away” are one of his biggest pet peeves. “It’s a little bit disconcerting when you’re at dinner trying to hang out with friends and everybody’s text messaging,” he complains. “That’s kind of getting’ on my nerves.”
Jay proudly admits that he and his wife Allison are bucking the trend, having made a vow to put their phones away whenever they sit down at a restaurant.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Thursday morning
 Capitol NashvilleLady Antebellum's Rebuilding Henryville benefit raised $285,000 for tornado relief efforts in the Indiana town Wednesday. The band performed a concert in nearby Louisville, KY to benefit Henryville, which was devastated by a tornado in April. Juniors and seniors from Henryville High School were guests of honor at Lady A's concert after attending a special charity ball the band hosted for them at the venue.
Lady A's Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott surprised the students at the prom event with a short acoustic set. Charles and Hillary brought up students to dance with them on "Dancin' Away with My Heart." They followed it up with their signature hit "Need You Now," but added a little warning to the song's lyrics. When they sang the line, "I'm a little drunk and I need you now," Hillary followed it up telling the teenagers, "You better not be!" Charles added, "No drinking in high school!"
As for the dance music played at the prom, Charles requested LMFAO's "Sexy & I Know It," which was played a few times. He actually DJ'd a bit in high school too and often played the early-90s Sir Mix-A-Lot hit "Baby Got Back."
"The teachers always came over there and made me cut it off halfway through," Charles says with a laugh.
Of note, the Henryville High School students got to dance to "Baby Got Back" at the prom with no interference from their teachers.
Earlier in the day, Lady A actually went to Henryville to see the storm damage and see the new gymnasium currently under construction at the high school. Actually being in Henryville really drove home the reason for this event for Hillary.
She tells ABC News Radio, "I think it definitely has much more of an impact whenever you walk the grounds and see the wires hanging from the roof and all of the exposed electrical and the destruction."
Hillary is also encouraged by Henryville's resilience in the face of such disaster, and she thinks the rebuilding of the high school gym is a big move forward for the community.
Hillary says, "This has to be such a ray of hope, you know, and that things are going to get back to normal."
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Wednesday night
 Arista NashvilleCarrie Underwood marks a first this week on the Billboard 200 album chart, as Blown Away notches a second week at the top.
While it’s her third project to claim the top spot, it’s the first one ever to spend multiple weeks at number one. Carrie’s fourth career CD sold 120,000 copies during the Mother’s Day week. She picked up the plaque for Blown Away’s debut week this past Saturday while performing on the Grand Ole Opry.
Carrie makes dueling TV appearances on Sunday, on The Billboard Music Awards on ABC and Oprah’s Next Chapter on Own.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
Posted Wednesday evening
 Big Machine RecordsYou can think of Taylor Swift as the country music J-Lo. While Jennifer Lopez sits at number one on Forbes’ list of The Worlds’ Most Powerful Celebrities, Taylor is the highest-ranking country artist on the list, at number 11.
The financial site credits Taylor’s lucrative deal with CoverGirl, as well as more than 65 tour dates that raked in more than $1 million a night, as some of the reasons for her ranking. It’s interesting to note that Taylor did out-earn J-Lo, raking in $57 million so far this year, compared to the American Idol host’s $52 million. However, Lopez pulls in more from endorsements and production deals.
Three other male country artists make the list as well, with Toby Keith at number 49, Kenny Chesney at 53, and Brad Paisley at 68.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio
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