Paltrow Country

Well just look who gets center stage at November’s Country Music Association Awards?

Gwenyth Paltrow is a big enough star that she can make her very first performance in country music on the genre’s biggest stage! She’ll be a featured performer on the awards. Her Country Strong soundtrack is about to be released.   The CMA’s have always favored star power (and Paltrow is Oscar calibre) and pop so it’s not a huge suprise.   Would love to see hermovie co-star sing with her… unlikely with the radio single creeping up the charts… but it is interesting to have some Hollywood glitz, and marketing money being focused on the country industry.

Official PR below.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 20, 2010

For More Information Contact:
Wendy Pearl CMA (615) 244-2840
Scott Stem CMA (615) 244-2840
Nicole Marostica ABC/LA (818) 460-6783
Sylvia Do ABC/LA (818) 460-6988
Patrick Preblick ABC/NY (212) 456-7819

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GWYNETH PALTROW MAKES HER LIVE COUNTRY MUSIC SINGING DEBUT ON “THE 44th ANNUAL CMA AWARDS” WEDNESDAY, NOV. 10 ON ABC

NASHVILLE – In her first-ever appearance at the CMA Awards, Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow will make her live Country Music singing debut on “The 44^th Annual CMA Awards,” Wednesday, Nov. 10 (8:00-11:00 p.m. ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Paltrow performs the title track from her forthcoming feature film, “Country Strong,” and is joined in her CMA Awards performance by legendary singer Vince Gill. RCA Nashville will release the original motion picture soundtrack to “County Strong” on Oct. 26.

Paltrow and Tim McGraw, along with Garrett Hedlundand Leighton Meester, star in the big-screen drama, “Country Strong,” set to hit theaters this winter.

Soon after a rising young singer-songwriter (Hedlund) becomes romantically involved with Paltrow’s character, Kelly Canter, the pair embarks on a career resurrection tour helmed by her husband/manager (McGraw) and featuring a beauty-queen-turned-singer (Meester). In between concerts, romantic entanglements and old demons threaten to derail them all.

Written and directed by Shana Feste and produced byTobey Maguire and Jenno Topping, “Country Strong” hits theaters in Los Angeles and Nashville on Dec. 22 and nationwide on Jan. 7, 2011.

Hosted by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, “The 44^th Annual CMA Awards” airs live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Previously announced performers include Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Reba, Blake Shelton, George Strait, Sugarland, Taylor Swift, Underwood, and Keith Urban. In addition, special duet performances will feature top nominee Lambert with Sheryl Crow in a tribute to Loretta Lynn’s 50^th Anniversary as a recording artist, and Zac Brown Band with Alan Jackson.

“The 44^th Annual CMA Awards” is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Paul Miller is the Director, andDavid Wild is the writer. The special will be shot in high definition and broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC’s selected HDTV format, with 5.1 channel surround sound.

Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio packager of the CMA Awards. American Airlines is the official airline of the 2010 CMA Awards. Chevrolet, Proud Sponsor of the CMA Awards and Official Ride of Country Music.

There was already a clear over-saturation of music awards shows so you can imagine the eye rolls as another country awards was announced. You’d think this site would be excited for this development – but country has the CMA (biggie) and the ACMs plus the CMT’s on top of being included in country categories in all the others AMAs and Grammys. First thought is overkill but we’ll see.

ACAs on Fox

The new show just announced to be on Fox will will be a fan-voted country music awards show called the American Country Awards. The new show will air Dec. 6 live from Las Vegas. The two-hour telecast is being executive produced by Bob Bain, who handles Fox’s hit Teen Choice Awards.

Paul Flattery and Tisha Fein will serve as producers; Fletcher Foster is co-producer; and Greg Sills serves as supervising producer.

Categories will include Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Touring Artist of the Year, Single of the Year and Music Video by a Breakthrough Artist, among others.

Including the new show on Fox, their will be four major televised country music awards ceremonies. Fans also vote for the CMT Music Awards; and the ACM Awards (CBS) have added more fan-voted categories in recent years. The CMA Awards air on ABC.

Free Concert Set For CMT

update:The 90-minute CMT Presents Jimmy Buffett & Friends: Live From The Gulf Coast, originally scheduled for Thursday, July 1^st has now been rescheduled to air live and commercial-free on Sunday, July 11^th at 7PM Eastern time on CMT. Special guests are yet to be determined.  Performances will be simulcast live on Radio Margaritaville, available on Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio, all CMT Radio Network affiliates, and streamed live on www.CMT.com.

Jimmy Buffett has been seen on the news lately reacting to the Gulf Oil Spill. Now he’s responding with music and his pals Zac Brown and Kenny Chesney are playing along with a free concert on the Alabama coast to show support for the Gulf region.

The Alabama tourism department says the show will be July 1 on the beach at Gulf Shores.

Buffett’s website says the concert is meant to demonstrate support for the people, businesses and culture of the Gulf Coast. It will be broadcast live on CMT.

Buffett (who has a and his Coral Reefer Band will be joined in Gulf Shores by Sonny Landreth, Kenny Chesney,Zac Brown (who crossed roads with Jimmy recently)  Band, Jesse Winchester and Allen Toussaint.

In a new benefit twist a special Tshirt will be designed for the concert. It will be available online and at the show.

Haywood, Scott and Kelley

Lady Antebellum. Already hot is now even hotter…up for the most: seven Academy of Country Music Awards!

Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood are next with six nominations, Taylor Swift has 5 and Kenny Chesney and Brad Paisley got four in the announcements this week.

The Zac Brown Band and its frontman accepted four nominations and Brown added two individually.

Lady A snagged 5 nominations for the gravity-defying hit “Need You Now,” including individual record, song and video of the year, and is up for top Vocal Group and Album for its debut, “Lady Antebellum.”

Underwood, Chesney, Swift, Paisley, the Zac Brown Band, George Strait, Keith Urban and Toby Keith are nominated for Entertainer of the Year , the biggie given out at the April 18 awards in Las Vegas.

Underwood won EOTY last year and will be the only woman to get it twice in a row if she gets it this year. Ahhh…. but there’s another blonde in the mix that won the CMA back in November that may be a challenger especially since the Entertainer award is Fan voted. No one is bettter with the Fans than Taylor Swift.
The voted award is anyone’s game really as a smart fan club with some internet knowledge could “game” the system and No one would know because the Academy wants the web traffic.

It’s a point Chesney noted last year before he lost the crown.

Other notable Nominees…
Lambert netted her three nominations.

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

• Kenny Chesney
• Toby Keith
• Brad Paisley
• George Strait
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Keith Urban
• Zac Brown Band

TOP MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Kenny Chesney
• Brad Paisley
• Darius Rucker
• George Strait
• Keith Urban

TOP FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR

• Miranda Lambert
• Reba McEntire
• Taylor Swift
• Carrie Underwood
• Lee Ann Womack

TOP VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Lady Antebellum
• Little Big Town
• Randy Rogers Band
• Rascal Flatts
• Zac Brown Band

TOP VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

• Brooks & Dunn
• Joey + Rory
• Montgomery Gentry
• Steel Magnolia
• Sugarland

TOP NEW SOLO VOCALIST OF THE YEAR *

• Luke Bryan
• Jamey Johnson
• Chris Young

TOP NEW VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR *

• Bomshel
• Joey + Rory
• Steel Magnolia

TOP NEW VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR *

• Eli Young Band
• Gloriana
• The Lost Trailers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company(s)]

• American Saturday Night – Brad Paisley (Arista Nashville) Produced by: Chris DuBois, Frank Rogers
• Lady Antebellum – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Victoria Shaw, Paul Worley
• Play On – Carrie Underwood (19/Arista Nashville) Produced by: Mark Bright “Quitter” Produced by Max Martin & Shellback for Maratone Productions and Mark Bright
• Revolution – Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
• The Foundation – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Keith Stegall, Zac Brown

SINGLE RECORD OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company(s)]

• Need You Now – Lady Antebellum (Capitol Records Nashville) Produced by: Lady Antebellum, Paul Worley
• People Are Crazy – Billy Currington (Mercury) Produced by: Carson Chamberlain, Billy Currington
• Red Light – David Nail (MCA Nashville) Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke
• Toes – Zac Brown Band (Southern Ground / Bigger Picture / Atlantic) Produced by: Keith Stegall, Zac Brown
• White Liar – Miranda Lambert (Columbia Nashville) Produced by: Frank Liddell, Mike Wrucke

SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Composer(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

• Cowboy Casanova – Carrie Underwood Composers: Mike Elizondo, Brett James, Carrie Underwood Publishers: Brett James Cornelius Music (ASCAP), Carrie Okie Music (BMI), Rincon Ave Music (ASCAP), Stage Three Songs (ASCAP)

• Need You Now – Lady Antebellum Composers: Dave Haywood, Josh Kear, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott Publishers: EMI Foray Music (BMI), Darth Buddha (ASCAP), Dwhaywood Music (BMI), Hillary Dawn Publishing (SESAC), Radiobullets Publishing (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI), Year Of The Dog Music (ASCAP)

• People Are Crazy – Billy Currington Composers: Bobby Braddock, Troy Jones Publishers: Crozier Music Enterprises LLC (BMI), Mighty Nice Music (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tiltawhirl Music (BMI)

• White Liar – Miranda Lambert Composers: Natalie Hemby, Miranda Lambert Publishers: Pink Dog Publishing (BMI), Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Tiltawhirl Music (BMI)

• You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift Composers: Liz Rose, Taylor Swift Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing (BMI), Taylor Swift Music (BMI)

VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)] (Off Camera Award)

• Boots On – Randy Houser Producer: Eric Welch Director: Eric Welch (Drake footage: Vickie Vaughn)

• Need You Now – Lady Antebellum Producer: Clarke Gallican Director: David McClister

• Welcome To The Future – Brad Paisley Producers: Mark Kalbfeld, Jim Shea, Peter Tilden Director: Jim Shea

• White Liar – Miranda Lambert Producer: Tameron Hedge Director: Chris Hicky

• You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift Producer: Randy Brewer Director: Roman White

VOCAL EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company] (Off Camera
Award)

• Hillbilly Bone – Blake Shelton featuring Trace Adkins (Reprise Records / Warner Music Nashville) Producer: Scott Hendricks
• Honky Tonk Stomp – Brooks & Dunn featuring Billy Gibbons (Arista Nashville) Producer: Ronnie Dunn, Terry McBride
• I Told You So – Carrie Underwood featuring Randy Travis (19/Arista Nashville) Producer: Mark Bright
• I’m Alive – Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews (Blue Chair/BNA) Produced by: Buddy Cannon, Kenny Chesney
• Seeing Stars – Jack Ingram featuring Patty Griffin (Big Machine Records) Produced by: Jack Ingram, Jeremy Stover

Swift Wins Her First, Second, and...

Biggie of the night was Taylor Swift’s win for Album of the Year.   Zac Brown took the New Artist honors and Lady A, Keith Urban, and Taylor all walked away winners at the Grammy’s. Performances included a powerful version of “Need You Now” by Lady Antebellum that’s sure to sell a few extra thousand copies of their CD just out.

Zac Brown’s performance with Leon Russel started slow but buit to manic fun.

Country Album went to Taylor Swift…

Country Song Award for Songwriter went to Taylor Swift and Liz Rose for White Horse

Country Collaboration to Carrie Underwood and Randy Travis

Country Group/Duo Performance went to Lady A for Need You Now

Country Instrumental to Steve Wariner

Female Country Vocal to Taylor Swift White Horse

Male Country Vocals to Keith Urban / Sweet Thing

Additional Winners and all the non-Country categories can be found HERE at Grammy.com

Find music fast on iTunes. Search for any artist, song, or album on the store.

Zac Brown has had an explosive debut with “The Foundattion” and that’s an interesting fact because he’s about to pair up with a musical legend that hasn’t really had the same radio success.

Jimmy Buffett and the Zac Brown Band are the next pairing on CMT Crossroads. The special will tape before an invitation-only audience next month in Nashville, to premiere in March 2010.

Zac Brown

Brown has been compared to a mash-up of Buffett and James Taylor… so this could shape up to be the most compelling (thanks Zac) and most mass appeal (Buffett) crossroads yet. Way to go CMT.

Past Crossroads specials included Taylor Swift with Def Leppard and John Mellencamp and Kenny Chesney.