Trace Adkins and Lynyrd Skynyrd, two of music's biggest names from Country and Rock and Roll, will race across state lines to ring in 2009 in two cities, two different time zones on one incredible night. each perform in both Pikeville, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee on the same night, New Year's Eve - switching cities and performances; opening the show in one city and closing it down in the other!
Tickets for the first ever New Year's celebration to feature two acts performing live, in two cities, on one night, go on sale on Oct. 18. In Nashville, each artist will take the stage at the Sommet Center and in Pikeville at The Eastern Kentucky Expo Center.
Reba McEntire, Martina McBride and Taylor Swift grace the November cover of Redbook magazine and Lifetime Television public service announcements as part of a non partisan effort to encourage women to vote. ••• Tim McGraw will host the CRS 40 Music City Jam Mar. 4, 2009 at the Nashville Convention Center. A number of surprise guests will appear at the fifth annual event sponsored by the Academy of Country Music. ••• Skyla Spencer acts, sings and dances in her role as Tabitha the Witch during the month of October in Ghouls Night Out at the Wildhorse Saloon Oct. 30-31. ••• Mel Tillis has signed with The Bobby Roberts Company for exclusive representation. ••• Julianne Hough is set to perform at the 20th Annual Peach Drop New Year's Eve Celebration in Atlanta on Dec. 31. ••• Hookup Entertainment's Austin Law, the eight-piece country-rock group from Southern California, has released their debut CD, Neon Halo. ••• ICM Week events scheduled Oct 12-16 will include daily and nightly showcases, exhibit hall, talent and songwriting contests, and Awards show featuring Collin Raye, Tracy Lawrence, The Isaacs, Point of Grace, Tammy Cochran, Del Way, Phil Stacey and more. CCMA
The reigning CMA Male and Female Vocalists of the Year, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood will unite to host the 42nd Annual CMA Awards live from Nashville Nov. 12 on the ABC Television Network. Both will also perform along with Brooks & Dunn, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and others to be announced.
On the heels of Blake Shelton's fourth #1 single, “Home,” comes his fifth album, Startin Fires, due Nov. 18 on Warner Bros. Records. Shelton co-wrote two of the songs on the album, “Here I Am,” with Dean Dillon and “Bare Skin Rug” with Miranda Lambert, who also is featured on vocals on the track. The current (second) single off the album, “She Wouldn’t Be Gone”, is quickly climbing the country charts.
Jason Meadows will be featured in Chrysler’s new ad campaign directed by Tony Scott (Top Gun, Enemy Of The State) for the new Dodge Ram this fall. Chrysler is taking an innovative marketing approach for the campaign, featuring online and television reality Webisodes based on challenges that feature the Ram’s capabilities. The competition has four rounds of driving challenges by Dodge’s primary driver demographic: Military, Firefighters, Contractors and Cowboys. Meadows will compete against other contestants with fellow cowboy, Scott Davis, National Sales Director for Championship Bull Riding. Meadows’ song,“Ride It Out,” has just been chosen to be the official theme song for CBR and it will be featured in their RFDTV show and all their events for the remainder of 2008 and throughout 2009.
Charlie Daniels and friends Montgomery Gentry, Phil Vassar, Heidi Newfield and Rodney Atkins will offer their time and talent to perform at the 12th Annual Christmas For Kids Benefit Concert Nov. 24 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. The event raises money for the Christmas For Kids organization. Tickets are available at Christmas4Kids. More performers will be added to the lineup as the event approaches.
Amy Grant and Vince Gill embark on the 15-date Christmas With Amy & Vince Tour Dec. 4, in Manchester, NH, and bring it home Dec. 22-23 with two shows in Nashville at the Ryman Auditorium. In their two hour program of cherished standards and newer seasonal fare, the Grammy-winning husband-and-wife team will be backed by a 12-piece band that features a horn section and two harmony singers, one of whom is Gill’s daughter, Jenny. “Some of our earlier Christmas tours were with a symphony orchestra,” Gill notes. “This time, though, we wanted to create more of an intimate, living room feel.” Plans are underway to work with local charities in order to give back to these communities.
EVENTS Calender 2008 - 2009:
• Oct. 16 - Inspirational Country Music Awards, Nashville. TN
• Oct. 18 - Old West Days & Chili Cook-off Festival, Mesa. AZ
• Oct. 31-Nov. 1 - Chris LeDoux Tribute Event, Casper, WY
• Nov. 11 - BMI Country Awards, Nashville. TN
• Nov. 12 - CMA Awards, Nashville. TN
• Nov. 24 - Christmas For Kids Benefit Concert, Nashville. TN
2009
• Mar. 4-7 - Country Radio Seminar, Nashville. TN
• Jun. 11-14 - CMA Music Festival, Nashville. TN
• Jul. 15-18 - Country Thunder USA, Twin Lakes, WI
Tri-Son News
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This page last updated October 12, 2008
