Underwood gets her star on the Walk of Fame
Carrie Underwood will receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. The country singer will be the first country artist to get this honour since Vince Gill in 2012.
The country music star was named a 2018 honouree alongside celebrities from music, film, and television. Underwood who has been very constant with her career is truly deserving of the honour.
Star Wars’ Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill, and actresses Jennifer Lawrence and Kirsten Dunst represent film, while Simon Cowell and the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, are acclaimed for their work on TV. Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, Harry Connick Jr. and Weird Al Yankovic join Underwood in the music field.
Underwood has been taking some time off since wrapping her Storyteller Tour. Her most recent performance was a special intimate concert for American Airlines Mastercard holders in Philadelphia earlier in the month of June.
She will join Brad Paisley to host the CMA Awards for a 10th time this November. Underwood has been doing a great job of representing the country music industry all over the world.
A new album for the extremely
talented singer Joe Nichols Multi-platinum selling BBR Music Group/red Bow Records artist Joe Nichols will be releasing a brand new album titled Never Gets Old, on July 28. I know that there are many Nichols fans out there who will be very happy with this release.
Written by Steve Moakler and Connie Harrington, the title track and first single released “Never Gets Old” offers a beautiful, nostalgic melody aptly delivered in Nichols’ traditional baritone.
In the truest form of country tradition, the new album offers a timeless sound and features some great tunesmiths such as Chris Stapleton, Zach Crowell, and Shane Minor. Standout tracks include the soaring tribute to the everyday life in “We All Carry Something” to the traditional steel guitar of “I’d Sing About You” while “Diamonds Make Babies” adds a little bit of fun.
This summer, Nichols brings the nationwide Never Gets Old Tour to festivals and legendary clubs such as Cotton Eyed Joe in Knoxville, Tennessee and Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth, Texas. Can’t wait to hear the new collection and see him live again.
Toby Keith delivers another funny song
Toby Keith has the uncanny ability to write really funny songs in the bus while on tour. Keith, whose songs have accumulated more than 90 million broadcast performances, is also loved for his “bus song” album cut “Weed With Willie.”
And his “Red Solo Cup” became a viral sensation long before radio took notice. He’s got a new bus song out now and it is titled “Wacky Tobaccy.”
“That old Wacky Tobaccy/when you feel it creeping up on you/that old Wacky Tobaccy/kick back and let it do what it do,” he happily sings.
“Wacky Tobaccy is a slogan, a saying that’s been around forever and no one has ever put it in a song,” said Keith in a press release. “When we were working on it, somebody asked if the saying has ever been written in a song and I said, ‘no, but they will now.’ We recorded it and shot the video in Nashville. We got a cameo from Willie Nelson. We have a long-standing friendship. It’s fortunate that we got him. ‘Wacky Tobaccy’ is written to the screws, and it fits in with what we do every night with the party crowd.”
Written with friend and collaborator Scotty Emerick, “Wacky Tobaccy” is now available at all major digital music retailers and services. The singer has penned many bus songs that have frequently appeared on his albums.
They are crafted when he and his musicians are sitting around the bus and having fun writing something a little different. Keith loves to perform the humorous songs to military personnel on his USO tours but also for his fans at the show.
Making a guest appearance in the video for “Wacky Tobaccy” is Keith’s close friend Willie Nelson, who also collaborated with him on the song “Beer For My Horses.” “Weed with Willie” was a success way back in 2003 and is ranked on Billboard’s list of “weed anthems.”
The song has more than 10 million streams, and video versions have amassed more than 15 million views. Mac Mcanally and co-writer Scott Emerick also make appearances in the “Wacky Tobaccy” video.
Toby Keith is actually on his very successful Interstates & Tailgates Tour that started in May. In “Weed with Willie” he sings, “I’ll never smoke weed with Willie again”… Never say never!
Crystal Gayle celebrates special anniversary
Four decades later, Gayle’s signature hit “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” marks its 40th anniversary since its release on June 24, 1977. This song, now a classic of country music opened the world’s eyes to Gayle.
The crossover smash earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and also made her album We Must Believe in Magic, the first by a female country artist to go platinum.
She was awarded CMA Female Vocalist of the Year in 1977 and 1978, and the Academy of Country Music honoured her with the same award in 1976, 1977 and 1979. “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue,” became an iconic staple and established her as one of the top female vocalists during the 1970s and 1980s.
Gayle is currently adding the finishing details on a new album that will include some of her favourite classic country songs of all time. No release date has been set yet.