You may have heard Hannah Blaylock’s stellar vocals on the hit country song “Amen” and now – her trio – Eden’s Edge is set to give you more including a dynamic new tune called “Too Good To Be True” and more on the groups forthcoming debut album.   Big Machine Records’ rising stars, Edens Edge, have revealed the official tracklist for their self-titled, debut album. The project will be released on June 12, showcasing their rootsy signature style, which is evident on the sassy new single, “Too Good To Be True,” and their Top 20 debut single, “Amen.”

Award-winning producers Mark Bright and Dann Huff each worked on individual tracks with the Arkansas-bred trio, who penned half of the songs. The album displays Edens Edge’s unique musical blend that is deeply rooted in Country music, acoustic instrumentation and pure vocal harmonies.

TRACKLIST:

1.     Amen (Skip Black, Hannah Blaylock, Catt Gravitt, Gerald O’Brien)

2.     Swingin’ Door (Terry Clayton, Brett James, Ashley Monroe)

3.     Skinny Dippin’ (Dean Berner, Laura Veltz, Vince Melamed)

4.     Too Good To Be True (Gordie Sampson, Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges)

5.     Last Supper (Hannah Blaylock, Catt Gravitt, Danny Myrick)

6.     Feels So Real (Angelo, Hillary Lindsey, Tia Sillers)

7.     Who Am I Drinking Tonight (Hannah Blaylock, Laura Veltz)

8.     Liar (Andy Stochansky, Laura Veltz)

9.     Cherry Pie (Dean Berner, Vince Melamed, Laura Veltz)

10.   Christ Alone (Steve Smith)

This summer, Edens Edge has been selected for an opening slot on Rascal Flatts “CHANGED TOUR.” They will share another national platform with their labelmates called Outnumber Hunger, which helps to secure meals for the 1 in 6 Americans struggling. The partnership between Big Machine Label Group, General Mills and Feeding America engages consumers across the country while encouraging local outreach. Previously, they were profiled as one of Billboard’s “Artists to Watch,”  joined three major Country tours – Reba, Lady Antebellum & Brad Paisley.

For tour dates and everything Edens Edge, visit edensedge.com.

Big & Rich is comprised of Kenny Alphin and The Celebrity Apprentice winner John Rich. The multi-platinum hit duo have garnered multiple GRAMMY, ACM, CMA and CMT Music Award nominations. Their first studio album, Horse of a Different Color, includes their hit infectious single, “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy). Other hits include, “Comin’ to Your City,” “8th of November” and their #1 hit “Lost in this Moment.” “Comin’ to Your City” is in its sixth consecutive year as the theme song for ESPN’s College GameDay show.

Click here for their new single cover art and for more information on Big & Rich, please visit BigandRich.com.

Lee Brice / Curb Records

South Carolina singer songwriter Lee Brice is about to explode.   Brice’s new single, “A Woman Like You,” was just certified Gold and also snagged the number one spot last week on both Billboard Hot Country Songs and Mediabase charts.  It’s also Top 5 on the iTunes Country songs chart online.  Now, with big-time momentum for the first time he’s bursting to release his second Curb Records album called Hard 2 Love, due out April 24.

The album is rich with material including “A Woman Like You,” written by Johnny Bulford, Phil Barton and Jon Stone.   It’s a song with the quality of being hard for anyone NOT to like it.  Brice says, “The girl in the song asks, ‘What would you do if you never met me?’ And the guy goes, ‘You want to know the truth? I’d probably be doing just what I was doing then, looking for you.’ He’s walking a thin line there for a minute, but then he’s able to hook it to say something every woman wants to hear…I think people dig it because the guy is being pretty darn honest.”

Hard 2 Love, will likely be the second single and is also a solid delivery from Brice with his rich way too turn a phrase.   His voice reminds us of the goods he brought with “Love Like Crazy.”

Also on the album and already on iTunes is the – just cheesy fun  enough to go number one – party anthem “Parking Lot Party.    A song that could finally show Brice fans the fun side of this good time guy.

The somber “I Drive Your Truck” is sure to be an album favorite and is another heartbreaking stretch for Brice who digs deeper with the track.

Next up Brice is all over the place with a very visible launch week including Fox & Friends, Tonight Show With Jay Leno, the Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson and more.

Brice says, “Everything on the album reflects who I am right now and where I am in my life.”

‘Hard 2 Love’ Track Listing:

1. ‘Hard to Love’
2. ‘A Woman Like You’
3. ‘That’s When You Know It’s Over’
4. ‘Parking Lot Party’
5. ‘Don’t Believe Everything You Think’
6. ‘I Drive Your Truck’
7. ‘See About a Girl’
8. ‘Friends We Won’t Forget’
9. ‘Life Off My Years’
10. ‘Seven Days a Thousand Times’
11. ‘Beer’
12. ‘That Way Again’
13. ‘One More Day’
Hard 2 Love will be in stores on April 24.

Justin Moore 2010 Photo:flickr/burningkarma

A battle of the tweets might be heating up in the frontlines of Hollywood vs. Country Music.

The drama started when “Three and a Half Men” and future “Steve Jobs” actor Ashton Kutcher appeared in cowboy attire at the ACM Awards Sunday.

Both People.com, US Weekly.com and several other outlets have picked up stories regarding both Miranda Lambert and Justin Moore tweeting about their displeasure with Ashton Kutcher on the show.  They both felt that he was making a mockery of Country artists. The Bait a Hook singer ( @justincolemoore) went as far to label Kutcher a “D-bag”!!

More on the showbiz feud here:

People.com: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20584096,00.html

US Weekly Magazine.com: http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/miranda-lambert-slams-ashton-kutcher-for-mocking-country-music-at-acms-201234

What do YOU think?   Comments welcome below.

We’re siding with Moore.

Jana Kramer / Elektra

Nashville’s newest breakout singer/songwriter, Jana Kramer, will release her self-titled debut album on June 5^th, 2012, which she is currently finishing with award-winning producer Scott Hendricks (Blake Shelton, Brooks & Dunn). With an audience over 10.6 million in only 10 weeks since it’s country radio debut, “Why Ya Wanna” continues to climb the chart at a record setting pace, already moving to the Top 25 on the charts.

Kramer has sold almost 250,000 digital singles to date, including “Why Ya Wanna” which racked up an impressive 55 radio adds upon release and solidified her as the most added debut artist in the history of Country Aircheck. Along with being the biggest debut artist since the chart’s inception, Kramer’s adds were nearly triple the previous record for any debut female artist. Kramer, who starred as Alex Dupre on the CW hit One Tree Hill, was also named CMT’s inaugural artist for their newly revamped “Listen Up” program, featured across the channel and online network during the entire month of February.

The country newcomer will make her Grand Ole Opry debut when she takes the legendary stage for the first time on April 13th.

Chesney will be joined onstage for a special performance with Tim McGraw, with whom he is touring for the first time in 10 years this summer during the blockbuster, 20-stadium ‘Brothers of the Sun’ Tour, with Chesney and McGraw.

‘Welcome To The Fishbowl,’ Chesney’s 13th studio album, follows 2010′s platinum-certified ‘Hemingway’s Whiskey,’ which spawned four #1 singles. Chesney’s ACM nominations include Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year for ‘Hemingway’s Whiskey’ (as both artist and producer), and Song of the Year for “You and Tequila” with Grace Potter.

The ‘Brothers of the Sun’ Tour, with Chesney and McGraw, kicks off June 2 in Tampa, FL and has already sold more than 600,000 tickets. The tour will hit stadiums across the country and will also feature Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Jake Owen.

Lee Brice / Curb Records

On Tuesday, March 20, the “Today” show gets a little more country as hit singer/songwriter Lee Brice joins Hoda Kotb to co-host the fourth hour of the top-rated national morning show. Brice will fill in for Kathie Lee Gifford who is taking the week off.

In April 2011, Hoda Kotb selected Lee Brice’s hit single and Billboard’s Most Played Song of 2010, “Love Like Crazy,” for her “iHoda Playlist.” Now, close to a year later, she has invited the singer to join her and perform his new Top 10 smash, “A Woman Like You,” live in studio. Brice commented on the invitation, “I’m really excited to co-host with Hoda. I love that she loves country music and shares it with the world on her ‘iHoda Playlist.’ Buckle up Hoda, we’re gonna have some fun!”

Brice’s “Today” debut kicks off a soon-to-be busy schedule for the award-nominated singer.  On April 1, Brice will compete in the “Song of the Year” category at the ACM Awards for co-writing Eli Young Band’s first #1 single, “Crazy Girl.”  Then, on April 24, his much-anticipated sophomore album, Hard 2 Love, hits the streets with a fury of media appearances. “A Woman Like You” is the lead release from the album and is currently at #10 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and is selling over 40,000 single downloads weekly.

The fourth hour of “Today” airs weekdays on NBC from 10-11 a.m.

Brothers In The Sun

Singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney scores his 23^rd # 1 single this week with “Reality,” which he co-wrote with longtime writing partner and friend Brett James. Their previous collaborations include the chart-topping “Out Last Night,” the Top 10 “Keg In The Closet,” and “Spirit of A Storm,” from Chesney’s introspective ‘Lucky Old Sun’ album.

The idea for “Reality” was born in a dentist’s chair. Chesney says, “I was lying in the chair, I had the mask on, you know, where they give you that funny gas, so they can work on your mouth without you feeling it, and I remember thinking, ‘Wow, I haven’t been this relaxed in a long time.’ That was my escape from reality and that’s what the song is about. And when people come to our shows, they’re not thinking about what’s going on in their job or school, they’re having fun, escaping reality and I’m glad to be a part of that. I say it every night on stage we all got problems but for the next couple of hours, let’s push them aside and relax. That’s how I feel about it!”

Chesney leads the Academy of Country Music Awards pack with 9 nominations including Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year (Hemingway’s Whiskey as both artist and producer), and Male Vocalist of the Year. He also earned double nominations for Single Record of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year as both artist and producer for “You And Tequila” with Grace Potter.  Chesney is also nominated for Song of the Year for “You And Tequila” with Grace Potter.

On June 2, The ‘Brothers of the Sun ‘Tour starring, Chesney and Tim McGraw, kicks off in Tampa, FL. The tour marks the first time in 10 years the longtime friends have hit the road together and features Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Jake Owen. The tour will play stadiums across the country and are the only cities and venues Chesney will play in 2012.

‘Brothers of the Sun ‘ Country Tour Dates:

Sat. June 2 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium

Sun. June 3 – Atlanta, GA – Georgia Dome
Sat. June 9 – Dallas, TX – Cowboys Stadium
Sun. June 10 – Kansas City, MO – Arrowhead Stadium
Sat. June 16 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field
Sat. June 23 – Nashville, TN – LP Field
Sun. June 24 – Charlotte, NC – Bank of America Stadium
Sat. June 30 – Pittsburgh, PA – Heinz Field
Sun. July 1 – Cincinnati, OH – Paul Brown Stadium
Sat. July 7 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
Sun. July 8 – Minneapolis, MN – Target Field
Sat. July 14 – Anaheim, CA – Angels Stadium
Sat. July 21 – Denver, CO – Sports Authority Field at Mile High
TBA – Indianapolis, IN – Lucas Oil Stadium
TBA – Cleveland, OH – Cleveland Browns Stadium
Sat. August 11 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
Sun. August 12 – Washington, DC – FedExField
Sat. August 18 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field
Sat. August 25 – Foxboro, MA – Gillette Stadium

Here’s a look at the planned ‘Blown Away’ Track Listing:

1. ‘Good Girl’
2. ‘Blown Away’
3. ‘Two Black Cadillacs’
4. ‘See You Again’
5. ‘Do You Think About Me’
6. ‘Forever Changed’
7. ‘Nobody Ever Told You’
8. ‘One Way Ticket’
9. ‘Thank God for Hometowns’
10. ‘Good in Goodbye’
11. ‘Leave Love Alone’
12. ‘Cupid’s Got a Shotgun’
13. ‘Wine After Whiskey’
14. ‘Who Are You’

No one in country has a track record of back to back number one singles like Underwood a 2010 ACM Entertainer of the Year winner and the stellar cover  photo on the album featuring legs up to here is sure to please fans and others.  Mike Fisher is a lucky man.  May 1st with more leaking on her official website soon.

Arista Records