Kellie Is In Shape

NASHVILLE, TN – After taking a few weeks off during the Christmas holiday, singer songwriter Kellie Pickler is already packing her bags for another eventful year which begins with her third USO Tour.

In preparation for the trip Pickler Tweeted, “Started packing for my USO Tour. Think I’m gonna leave the Red High Heels at home for this trip. It’s easier to jump in/out of helicopters in flats.”

Although details of the trip are kept secret, past tours have included visits to troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Germany, and last year the other artists on the tour included Kid Rock and The Zac Brown Band. This year, in addition to Kellie, Jamey Johnson and Randy Houser will be on the Tour.

Pickler can be seen in the January issue of Shape Magazine where she’s featured on the “Healthy Hollywood” page, and she talks

USO Tour Bound

about eating healthy, hanging out with happy people and

surrounding herself with people that inspire her. She also talks about her Kindle and what she’s currently reading.

As her current hit single, “Didn’t You Know How Much I Loved You ,” continues to climb the country singles chart, it follows in the wake of her Top 10 single, “Best Days Of Your Life,” both from her current self-titled album. The music video was fan-voted one of the Top Ten videos of 2009 on GAC.

Gretchen Wilson

Here’s a shocker from Gretchen Wilson’s label (or former label) Sony Music’s Columbia Nashville:

“Gretchen Wilson and her longtime record label group, Sony Music Nashville, have mutually decided to part ways. The Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter and Best Selling author, who exploded on to the country music scene and the national spotlight in 2004 with her smash hit “Redneck Woman,” released three No. 1 albums with Here For The Party, All Jacked Up, and One Of The Boys. Though Wilson will no longer record with the label as a solo artist, both parties look forward to working together on future catalogue projects.”

Wilson has been struggling to find radio hits and thus sales success since der debut CD “Here For the Party.”

Miranda Lambert on Country Weekly

NASHVILLE, TN – With her new song, “Dead Flowers” taking root in Country radio’s Top 40, Miranda Lambert will unleash her third album, Revolution on September 29. The rave reviews continue to pour in on her self-penned, debut single including a “Hot Download” review in the current issue of People Magazine that proclaims Miranda “gets to the heart of the matter on the break up ballad, ‘Dead Flowers.’”

On the new album Miranda said, “I think this record is truly the most artistic project I have ever done. I really put my entire being into the making of it. From the writing to the recording to finding the perfect mixture of things I wanted to say. The inspiration was easy to come by, because it’s a compilation of everything I have ever listened to and fell in love with. It’s not an album where you listen from song to song, it’s a state of mind, a way of life. I hope people have as much fun getting to know me through listening as I did getting to know myself in recording it. And maybe it will do just as its title says….start a REVOLUTION.”

Revolution, the follow-up to Miranda’s sophomore album Crazy Ex- Girlfriend which won the 2008 ACM Album of the Year Award, continues her evolution as an artist. She alone wrote three songs on the album and co-wrote a majority of the balance with a cross-section of writers including Blake Shelton, Ashley Monroe, Allen Shamblin and Lady Antebellum’s Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley who lends background vocals on “Love Song.”

A cornerstone of Miranda’s music is her independence and diversity and that is further illustrated with song credits by the legendary and Grammy winning John Prine and the highly revered Julie Miller. And, as always, the breadth of the album ranges from love and contentment to crime and transgression.

Frank Liddell and Mike Wrucke return to produce Revolution and final touches are being made in preparation of the September 29 release date. The two-time Grammy nominee has seen both of her previous albums debut at Number One on the Country Album Chart. Miranda continues to tour the country with superstar Kenny Chesney and will help closeout The CMA Music Festival on Sunday night with a performance at LP Field.

Arista Record's Alan Jackson

A Brief History of Country Music Legend Alan Jackson
By Brandon Jonson

Many consider him one of the kings of country music and others consider him a living legend in music period. Born in Newnan, Georgia in 1968, Alan Eugene Jackson would go on to sell over fifty million albums and growing as his career has spanned over three decades now.

Beginning in the 1980’s when influenced by the new type of country music that was considered new traditional at the time and now is considered just traditional country as the new modern country music is a more pop influenced sound. During the 80’s Alan Jackson influenced the whole country music scene being known for playing some of the top country dance music and being able to turn the next song into a slow story telling ballad. This is what has made Alan Jackson so versatile in his career and having the longevity that many never see. Even though Alan Jackson was always a very popular figure in country music he didn’t reach huge mainstream success until his song “Remember When” in which the music video for the song featured his wife, Denise, and their two daughters. As well Alan Jackson has named George Jones as a huge influence on his career.

During the 90’s Alan Jackson continued his success blending in modern country with his traditional style of honky-tonk. Through this time and into the 2000’s he has charted over fifty number one hits. In his career he has received or been nominated for numerous awards such as CMA, ASCAP, and won a Grammy Award for his song “When the World Stopped Turning” which was about the events on September, 11th. In a career that has spanned over twenty years with number one hits starting in 1990 and continuing with his latest number one hits in 2008 with “Country Boy” and the dance hit “Good Time.” Already a member of the country music hall of fame, Alan Jackson shows no sign of slowing down in his legendary career.

Alan Jackson of course still plays today with his last album charting just as many singles as those past. As well the song “Good Time” from his newest record not only set the world record for the longest line dance but also was named one of the top dance tracks of the year. Alan Jackson will go down as a legend in music history and shows no sign of stopping.

Brandon Jonson is a writer for the country music publication Nashville4U as well as freelances for various regional publications.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandon_Jonson
http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Brief-History-of-Country-Music-Legend-Alan-Jackson&id=1920565

On May 15, PEOPLE Country will publish its latest newsstand–only issue dedicated to the Country music scene and Country lifestyle.  This edition, the second of five special Country issues to be published by PEOPLE in 2009, names “Country’s Hottest Guys” and explains why these 12 sexy men know how to turn up the heat and make female fans swoon.  Country’s Hottest Guys, according to PEOPLE Country are, in alphabetical order:

Trace Adkins – The Roughneck                    Jake Owen – The Catch

Dierks Bentley – The Free Spirit                   Brad Paisley – The Charmer                         

Luke Bryan – The Smooth Talker                  Blake Shelton – The Joker

Kenny Chesney – The Heartbreaker            Josh Turner – The Family Man

Jack Ingram – The Marathon Man                 Keith Urban – The Heartthrob

Tim McGraw – The Great Romantic              Chuck Wicks – The Leading Man

Trace Adkins shares with PEOPLE Country his take on why the ladies love country boys:  “It gets down to the caveman basics – women know a guy raised in the country can provide for her, feed her and shelter her no matter what the circumstances.  That boy from the country is going to take care of you.”

Paisley Makes The List... and The Issue

 Brad Paisley credits his sense of humor with helping him snag his wife of six years, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley.  “It’s probably 98 percent of why she’s with me,” he says.  “Humor is the great equalizer, just like music.  If you can make a woman laugh, you’ll get to talk to her longer.  For me it was a vital thing, especially in my awkward high school years when I was 98 lbs.  When I learned how to be funny, it was life-changing.” 

PEOPLE Country asked Keith Urban’s female colleagues to sum up his sex appeal.  Sarah Buxton says that “Keith walks that fine line between bad boy, risk taker and family man.”  Heidi Newfield adds, “He’s got an edgy, organic, rock-and-roll vibe to him.  He walks onstage and my eye is drawn to him.  He’s just hot!”  Single at 27, Jake Owen is still looking for the one.  “When I find the right girl…the woman that I marry, I’m going to make her the happiest person ever.  She deserves to be,” says Owen.                                                                                                                                                                    

Tune-in to PEOPLE Country on CMT for a 30-minute CMT special that will bring the pages of PEOPLE Country to life, with exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage of photo shoots and interviews (Brad Paisley, Kellie Pickler, Paula Deen and Chuck Wicks).  The special premieres Friday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m. ET/PT, and will encore on Saturday, May 16 at 1:30 p.m. ET/PT and Sunday, May 17 at 11:00 a.m. ET/PT.