Jessica Simpson held a listening party for 200 record industry professionals in Nashville on Thursday night. By Jessica's standards, the party was a success simply for the fact that she didn't throw up. At the beginning of the show, Jessica told the crowd "I'm a little nervous. If I throw up, I'm sorry"...and then ended the show by pronouncing "I didn't throw up!" Jessica played many songs from her upcoming album with a good reception from the crowd, which included her parents, Tina & Joe. 
Beautiful CMT host Katie Cook is auctioning off her clothing for a good cause! You can bid on the dress that Katie wore on the season finale on Nashville Star here...all proceeds will benefit Walden's Puddle, which is a wildlife rehabilitation and education center in Joelton, TN.
CMT just posted the video for Darryl Worley's new single "Tequila On Ice." The song is pretty good- we are impressed! We haven't heard a lot from Darryl lately, so maybe this will bring him back in the limelight. 
I also met a few really nice girls while waiting in line! (Country music fans are the best!)
I headed back down and worked my way through the crowd to my spot. Luke hit the stage around 10:30 and didn't stop until after midnight. He played a few songs from his album then cut to a few covers including, “Fishin’ in the Dark”, “Family Tradition,” and “Hillbilly Deluxe.” One of the best parts of his set was when he sang, Conway Twitty’s “Lay You Down.” As I have previously mentioned, I LOVE that song!!!
Luke also sang a new song, “Welcome to the Farm.” It was really good! I hope it’s a preview of what’s to come- maybe a new album?! The crowd was singing along all night, but when Luke ended the show with his first three singles, "We Rode In Trucks," "Country Man," and "All My Friends Say," everyone went CRAZY! I kept thinking, it has to be such an amazing feeling for Luke to hear the crowd belting out the songs on HIS album- the songs HE wrote...That's got to be pretty overwhelming.
I also love how Luke surrounds himself with such great people. I have met a few members of Luke’s “camp” and they are all so nice. Everyone, from his “momma” to his band and merchandise people are all so genuine. They all seem to be so thankful for the success Luke has had. I am too!
This is me with Luke's friend/merch man, Cole. He's awesome. Oh, and you just might hear him on country radio one day too! You also might recognize him from the infamous LBTV videos- "Summer Slam 2008!"
Luke Bryan is a force to be reckoned with!
Brother Trouble just got the most exciting news of their career...they have been selected as Kenny Chesney's "The Next Big Star" competition winners! All tour season long, Kenny has held a competition in each city that his tour hits. The local competition is aimed at finding the best singer/songwriter's that have a good shot at making it in country music. The winner of that local competition has gotten the opportunity to open Kenny's show in their home city. Well now that Kenny's tour is winding down, his team has selected the very best of the competition winners - Brother Trouble! The guys will now get their own tour bus to use while they're on the road next week opening up Kenny's final three shows of the tour...they'll also get $25,000 and an audition with BNA Records! Congrats guys...very exciting!
Last month, we told you about the Zac Brown Band, so hopefully by now you've checked them out! If not, you HAVE TO...have to have to have to have to have to!! We LOVE them! If you had asked us 3 months ago what the heck ZBB stood for, we'd have been clueless...ask us now and we'll tell you that it stands for the freakin' awesome ZAC BROWN BAND!
Tim McGraw's Swampstock event has been postponed until next year due to the effects of Hurricane Gustov in the southeast region. The event was to be held on September 13th with special guests Dierks Bentley, Jason Aldean and others in addition to Tim and his wife, Faith Hill. Tim released the following statement regarding the event, "We have spoken with local officials, and Neighbor's Keeper Foundation wants to lend its support to those relief efforts. Although Faith and I are personally disappointed, we understand that the priority is people's homes and livelihood in this challenging time. Our prayers are with our friends and neighbors and God bless them."
Sugarland released the video for the new single "Already Gone" today...check it out here. The song, we love...the video, not so much. Sugarland is BETTER than this...they can do BETTER and we want BETTER from them! It's visually appealing as far as the colors and the scenery of the sky in the background...but that's where the compliments end for this one folks. 
"Now That's What I Call Country" topped the country albums chart this week- selling over 50,000 cds. The album features songs from some of country's hottest acts including, Dierks Bentley, Sugarland, Rascal Flatts, and more!
Over at OK! Magazine's website, you can find these country articles on their home page right now... 
Jewel's bus driver fell asleep at the wheel on Sunday night. Jewel and husband Ty Murray were not on the bus; passengers were shaken up, but thankfully no one was hurt. The bus ended up in a ditch between Virgina and Tennessee after the Brad Paisley show. Passengers ended up hopping on one of Brad's buses and heading home.
This week's Billboard chart has some surprising (and exciting) moves! 
Country artists are everywhere these days!!
Hey everyone! This week's Listen UP! is a bit different from the artists we usually bring you. We got an email about this artist and decided to check him out. Colt Ford is a very large man whose music can be described as Country/Southern Rock/ Rap- yes we said rap! He has a great sense of humor and that definitely shows in his music! His most popular song, "No Trash in my Trailer" had us cracking up and the video made it even funnier! If you live in Georgia, you're in luck because he has a FULL list of concerts around the state. We're not sure what to think of him, but we got a kick out of "No Trash In My Trailer!" Here's the video- take a look and let us know what you think! 
For the first time ever, LeAnn Rimes is opening up about her long time struggle with Psoriasis. Psoriasis is a chronic immune disorder that can develop at any age. It's difficult to hide and is sometimes very embarrassing. People who struggle with Psoriasis will experience what looks like a skin rash- red scaly patches that itch and sometimes bleed. 
Jimmy Wayne's "Do You Believe Me Now" has reached #1 on both the Country Aircheck and Billboard charts this week. Good news for Jimmy Wayne- this is his very first #1 single. He received the news on Monday while making an appearance at the 43rd annual Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. Jimmy said, "Not many people get their first shot at living their dream, but I have been given two chances now, and I can't thank country radio, country music fans, and my record label enough for all of their support." The song is the title track from his latest album which was released last week. Congrats Jimmy Wayne!!
After seeing Miranda Lambert in concert this past weekend I totally feel the need to write about her today. I was excited to see her with Kenny Chesney on the Florida tour stops since I had already seen LeAnn Rimes with him earlier in the tour (I like to mix things up a bit).
We're not sure how old this is, but we ran across it and we think everyone should check it out! There are a few really good videos of Lady Antebellum performing songs from their debut album on AOL Sessions. Click HERE to check them out! We can't get enough of Lady A. They are awesome!
If you have DIRECTV, you're in luck! They will air this month's Farm Aid concert that will be held in Mansfield, MA on September 20th. The show is sure to be an amazing concert...Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, Neil Young, Kenny Chesney, The Pretenders, Jerry Lee Lewis, Jamey Johnson and MANY more will perform for this fabulous cause! Check out the full line-up of the concert here.
Little Big Town and Patty Loveless are both advertising their upcoming Opry appearances this month...Patty will perform this weekend, September 6th, and LBT will perform on September 20th. If you're heading to the Opry for these appearances (or others,) use the code 'WEBFAN' when purchasing your tickets at opry.com and you'll receive $3 off admission. If you'll be buying your tickets in person at the box office, you can print the coupon here. You can check and see who's playing at the Opry this month here...some GREAT acts!
Reba McEntire is joining the likes of Rascal Flatts and Tim McGraw as country artists who are set to release a Greatest Hits album this fall. On October 21st, Reba will release a three disc set titled 50 Greatest Hits. The music will include Reba's hits from 1984 - present...any hits before then will not be included on this piece. The official track listing has not yet been released, but we'll let you know as soon as we find out what songs will be included!
We want to introduce you guys to a country magazine by the fans, for the fans, Keepin' It Country. The magazine is a monthly publication that includes articles aimed at promoting the artists, contests, giveaways, and fan submissions. They welcome (and appreciate!) your fan art, concert reviews, and any fun concert related stories. If you have any questions or would like to submit something for publication, you can reach the girls by e-mail at therumchasers@fan.net. You can purchase the magazine by clicking here, or you can get a free copy by joining their street team!
As we told you about on Friday, LeAnn Rimes & her husband of 6-1/2 years, Dean Sheremet, celebrated each other (and LeAnn's birthday!) in a party over the weekend at the Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley. The couple and 30 friends dined on a seven course dinner and danced the night away. Of the celebration, LeAnn says "We wanted to remember how blessed we are, and how excited we still are about each other." LeAnn also admits that she and Dean are looking forward to parenthood, saying "We're ready, definitely."
Joe Nichols will be inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame later this year. Once inducted, he'll join country greats Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Glenn Campbell, and Tracy Lawrence as members. You can purchase tickets to Joe's induction ceremony, which will be held on November 15th at 7:30pm at the Hot Springs Convention Center, by calling (501)321-2027. Congrats Joe!
Trace Adkins is a busy guy this fall...not only will he be out touring along side Alan Jackson, Trace will head overseas for a week long trip to entertain the troops this fall. As part of the USO/Armed Forces entertainment tour, Trace will perform, visit bases, and hold M&G type sessions where he'll sign autographs and take pictures with the troops. Trace has been a tireless supporter of our nation's military men and women and he says of this new tour, "I'm really humbled by the opportunity to spend more time with our nation's finest. This is such an honor for me to be able to visit with our military and tell them how much we truly appreciate all the sacrifices they make for our country and our freedom." Kudos Trace!
Sara Evans recently recorded a jingle for Libby's to help encourage families to get back to the dinner table together! Now you can enter on Libby's website to win a backstage dinner for your family with Sara and her family as well as tickets to the show! Click here to enter.
Rascal Flatts will open each Raycom Sports telecast of SEC and ACC football games this season. Their song "Bob That Head" has been re-written and re-recorded for each division and will be featured before each game along with a taped message for each division from the guys. Lead singer, Gary LeVox says "We can't think of anything more fun and exciting than mixing two of our favorite things - music and football."
Saturday marked the grand opening of Tulsa, OK's newest arena, the BOK Center. The grand opening was attended by 20,000 people...including Oklahoma's own, Garth Brooks. The new state of the art facility is said to be a great asset to the city, with not a bad seat in the house. Brooks spoke of the new facility, "Some of the greatest artists in the world will be coming through here, and I can only hope that I will be one of them." 
Marty Stuart will begin his own country music TV show in November, aimed at showcasing traditional country music. The show will air on the Nashville based station RFD-TV and will feature music by Marty, his wife Connie Smith, as well as many special guests. Famed Grand Ole Opry announcer Ernie Stubbs will be Stuart's sidekick on the show, which Marty says "is about authenticity, from the artists who visit us in the studio every week to the people watching at home. I want to establish a show that gives a voice and stage to traditional country music."
The 42nd annual CMA Awards will be held on November 12th at the Sommet Center in downtown Nashville, and you can be there! Tickets to the event will go on sale through Ticketmaster on September 19th at 10:00AM, CST. Ticket prices range from $110-382.50 plus tax...the normal Ticketmaster service/handling fees do NOT apply to these tickets. If you can't make it to the actual awards show, don't worry, ABC will air the event live from 8-11pm EST. Nominees for the awards will be announced on September 12th live on ABC's Good Morning America and on CMT's CMT Insider.
