Jeff Giles
Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson Inducted Into Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame
They’re already two of the most successful recording artists in modern country music. Now Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson are getting their due as songwriters, too.
Brooks and Jackson are two of this year’s inductees in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, along with John Bettis, Thom Schuyler and Allen Shamblin. The five will be honored with a dinner and ceremony in October.
Montgomery Gentry Return in October with New Album, ‘Rebels on the Run’
Since making their debut with 1999′s ‘Tattoos & Scars,’ Montgomery Gentry have notched five number one singles, three platinum albums, and two gold records.
And with their upcoming seventh release, ‘Rebels on the Run,’ they’re looking to use some of the tumult and heartache of the last year to put them back on top of the charts.
Ronnie Dunn Reveals He Was ‘Confused’ When He Launched Solo Career
As a member of Brooks & Dunn, Ronnie Dunn was half of one of the most successful duos in the history of country music, responsible for 26 number one singles and more than 30 million albums sold.
But as he discovered this year, starting a solo career still poses its own unique challenges — and even with all those hits under your belt, stepping out on your own can feel pretty lonely.
Garth Brooks Plans to End His Retirement in ‘Three or Four Years’
It’s been almost 10 years since Garth Brooks released 2001′s ‘Scarecrow,’ his last album of original material — and four years since he added a pair of previously unreleased tracks to his ‘The Ultimate Hits’ compilation.
The bad news for Brooks’ fans is that their wait for a new record will continue for awhile. The good news? Brooks has an idea of when he’ll return to his mega-platinum career.
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Watch Kenny Chesney’s CMA Songwriters Series Online — No Ticket Required
Kenny Chesney is helping pay tribute to some of Nashville’s finest with his CMA Songwriters Series, which brings a rotating cast of country stars — including Dierks Bentley, Ashton Shepherd, Brett James, Craig Wiseman, and more — to audiences around the country.
But if you aren’t lucky enough to have tickets, don’t worry: the tour’s Boston stop will come to you.
Uncle Kracker Says His New Album, ‘Postcards from Home,’ Is ‘Super Fun’
With his last album, 2009′s ‘Happy Hour,’ Uncle Kracker scored his first country hit — the top 10 track ‘Smile’ — so conventional wisdom would dictate that he’d continue courting a country audience with his upcoming release, ‘Postcards from Home.’
But then again, his career has never been conventional — and as he told Billboard during a recent interview, he doesn’t see any reason to start now.
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Phil Vassar Promises ‘Different Flavors’ on His New Album
Phil Vassar‘s latest single, ‘Let’s Get Together,’ has already cracked the country top 40 — a familiar place for the singer, who has released a whopping 19 chart hits since making his debut with 1999′s ‘Carlene.’
But ‘Let’s Get Together’ isn’t just another hit for Vassar. It’s part of a new beginning — and a flurry of activity that could see him wind up releasing three albums in the next six month
Lady Antebellum’s ‘Just a Kiss’ Is Still Number One
For the second week in a row, Lady Antebellum‘s ‘Just a Kiss’ is the top song on Billboard’s country charts — and now it can add the Mediabase/Country Aircheck chart to its lists of conquests.
It’s another in a string of hits for the fast-rising band — and to hear singer Hillary Scott tell it, they always knew the song was going to be something special.
Taylor Swift’s New DVD ‘Journey to Fearless’ Takes Fans Behind the Scenes
Dying to meet Taylor Swift? Well…chances are, that’s probably never going to happen.
But you can get a little closer to the multiplatinum star by watching her upcoming DVD, ‘Taylor Swift’s Journey to Fearless.’
Kenny Chesney Is One Great Boss
He might be known for breezy, devil-may-care songs like ‘No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem’ and ‘Summertime,’ but when it comes to business, Kenny Chesney takes things very seriously. In fact, as the New York Times discovered during a recent profile, he’s an extremely involved, hands-on boss.
And an extremely generous one, too.
Luke Bryan Announces Dates for 2011 Farm Tour
Luke Bryan is a busy man these days, what with his new ‘Tailgates and Tanlines’ album, the end of his tour with Tim McGraw, and a headlining spot on the CMT on Tour extravaganza — but he isn’t too busy to continue his annual Farm Tour.
And six lucky college students are about to be very thankful for that.
Vince Gill Celebrates 20 Years in the Grand Ole Opry
His youthful tenor never seems to age, so it’s hard to believe Vince Gill has been making music for decades. In fact, he released the first of his 12 solo albums, ‘Turn Me Loose,’ way back in 1984.
Since then, Gill has charted more than 40 singles, sold more than 22 million records and won 20 Grammys. At this point, he’s running out of milestones — but there was still one left for him to celebrate