Jason Aldean’s 2010 release, My Kinda Party, is the top-selling Country album of 2011, year to date. Each of the album's first three singles, "My Kinda Party," "Don't You Wanna Stay" (with Kelly Clarkson) and "Dirt Road Anthem" have topped the Country charts, and the just-released fourth single "Tattoos On This Town" is climbing the charts now.
Brad Paisley welcomed rock legend, Ronnie Wood of the Rolling Stones during his August 17th sold out show at London’s O2 Arena. Paisley and Wood performed the rock classic, “Let the Good Times Roll,” before ending with Paisley’s hit “Alcohol.”
Blake Shelton covers Kenny Loggins' iconic single “Footloose” for the film remake. The soundtrack, out Sept. 27, also features Big & Rich, Whitney Duncan, the Zac Brown Band, and Shelton's TV co-star Cee Lo Green. (The film, which stars Julianne Hough, hits theaters Oct. 14, 2011.)
Taylor Swift’s 2011 "Speak Now World Tour" ranked 10th in Pollstar’s “Top 50 Worldwide Tours (Mid-Year),” bringing in more than $40 Million. The tour has sold out shows in Asia, Europe, North America and Australia.
Not only has Keith Urban been selling out shows for his 2011 "Get Closer Tour," he’s also been selling cologne. In August 2011, Keith debuted his own line of fragrance for men, called Phoenix, available on Urban's official Web site, KeithUrban.net.
With her two nominations in 2011, Sara Evans has earned a total of 15 CMA Awards nominations since releasing her debut album in 1998. In 2001, Evans won Music Video of the Year" for her "Wizard of Oz"-themed "Born to Fly."
2010 Female Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert releases her highly-anticipated fourth album, titled Four the Record, on 11/1/11. Lead single “Baggage Claim” debuted at #33 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, earning Lambert her highest single chart debut to date.
In 2012, four-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Martina McBride (1999, 2002-2004) will launch a national co-headlining tour with five-time CMA Male Vocalist of the Year George Strait (1985-1986, 1996-1998).
Taylor Swift has been cast to lend her voice to the animated feature film, "The Lorax," set to release in March 2012. Swift will play the character of "Audrey," and will star alongside Hollywood heavyweights Danny DeVito, Zac Efron, and Betty White.
In 2011, Carrie Underwood expanded her talents to acting with an appearance on the popular CBS-TV sitcom "How I Met Your Mother," plus her feature film role in "Soul Surfer," a story of real-life shark-attack survivor Bethany Hamilton. Underwood played a Christian youth leader, and starred alongside Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt.
A passionate football fan, Jason Aldean lent his No. 1 single, “My Kinda Party,” to be used as the opening theme song for the 2011 ACC college football season.
Kenny Chesney will perform as part of the iHeartRadio Music Festival at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Resort and Casino, Sept. 23-24. Billed as the "biggest live music event in radio history," the festival also features fellow CMA Awards nominees Carrie Underwood and Rascal Flatts.
Brad Paisley contributed two songs to the original motion picture soundtrack for Disney Pixar’s "Cars 2," including "Nobody's Fool," and "Collision of Worlds" with British pop singer, Robbie Williams.
Blake Shelton ventured into the world of television in 2011, co-hosting the Academy of Country Music Awards with Reba McEntire, and joining the celebrity cast of NBC-TV's "The Voice," on which Shelton served as a coach to a team of competing vocalists. Shelton's, Dia Frampton, placed second overall in the hugely-popular talent competition. Shelton will return for the second season of "The Voice" in early 2012.
Six-time CMA Award winner Keith Urban welcomed fellow Country stars Jake Owen and The Band Perry as opening acts on his "Get Closer World Tour 2011." Urban also surprised the audience at the 2011 CMA Music Festival in Nashville when he welcomed Owen to the stage for a duet performance of Owen's hit "Don't Think I Can't Love You."
In June 2011, The Band Perry was voted “Breakthrough Artist” by the readers of Music Row magazine. Executives from Music Row presented the group with official plaques at their Hard Rock Café Nashville show to honor the achievement.
Luke Bryan co-wrote eight of the thirteen songs on his newest album, Tailgates & Tanlines, including the first single, “Country Girl (Shake It For Me).” The album debuted at No. 1 on the Country Albums chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 all-genre chart.
Eric Church’s third studio album, Chief, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Country and Top 200 Albums charts, selling more than 144,000 copies its first week.
To commemorate the Joplin, Missouri, tornado victims, Keifer Thompson of Thompson Square, wore a “Joplin, MO” T-shirt to the 2011 CMT Music Awards. Thompson, a native of the Joplin area, made the T-shirt available for purchase on the band’s website, with all proceeds donated to the Joplin Red Cross.
Chris Young hits the road this fall to join Entertainer of the Year-hopeful Jason Aldean’s 2011 "My Kinda Party Tour." Young also opened several September tour dates with Blake Shelton, another nominee for Entertainer of the Year.
The Band Perry sold out its performance at Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium (Feb. 12, 2012) in a mere 20 minutes. The show will be the band’s first headlining date at the "Mother Church of Country Music."
Lady Antebellum will launch the fall leg of its 2011 "Own The Night Tour" on November 11, in Knoxville, Tenn. The tour features special guest Josh Kelley, as well as opening acts Eden’s Edge and Randy Montana.
From March through September, Little Big Town joined Sugarland on the 2011 "Incredible Machine Tour" as an opening act, along with Matt Nathanson. At each show's conclusion, Sugarland welcomed Little Big Town and Nathanson back for a cover of a popular hit. Covered songs included Madonna's "Like a Prayer," Mumford & Sons' "Sigh No More," Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis" and R.E.M.'s "It's the End of the World as We Know It."
Rascal Flatts teamed with pop singer-songwriter Natasha Bedingfield for their single “Easy.” The song is the third single from the Platinum-selling 2010 release Nothing Like This.
Doing away with the traditional style of a pre-show “Meet and Greet,” in 2010 the Zac Brown Band instituted its own “Eat and Greet,” where lucky fans have the opportunity to hang out with the band before each show and enjoy a sampling of delicious southern recipes – some prepared by Brown himself!
The release of The Civil Wars’ debut album, Barton Hollow, surprised critics and fans alike, becoming the No. 1 downloaded album on iTunes in its first week. The band has become a favorite among fellow artists, with stars including Taylor Swift, Sara Bareilles and Adele proclaiming themselves fans.
Montgomery Gentry, who claimed the CMA Vocal Group of the Year Award in 2000, release their next studio album, Rebels on the Run, on October 18, on Average Joe’s Entertainment. It will be the duo’s first release since 2008’s Back When I Knew It All.
Steel Magnolia join fellow Big Machine Label Group acts to open dates on Reba McEntire's fall 2011 "All The Women I Am Tour." Other acts on the bill include Eden’s Edge and The Band Perry.
Sugarland welcomed actor Ryan McPartlin (NBC-TV's "Chuck") for the comedic music video "Stuck Like Glue." In the video, McPartlin's character finds himself the object of Nettles' character's fixation.
Thompson Square’s second single from their debut self-titled album, “Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not,” was certified Platinum by the RIAA and became the duo's first No. 1 hit when it landed on top in April 2011. In September, Thompson Square helped announce nominees for the 2011 CMA Awards at a press conference in Nashville.
In addition to being the lead single off Sara Evans' current album Stronger, the chart-topping "A Little Bit Stronger" was also featured on the original motion picture soundtrack for "Country Strong," starring fellow crooners Gwyneth Paltrow and Tim McGraw.
“Colder Weather,” from the Zac Brown Band’s 2010 release You Get What You Give earned the band its sixth No. 1 Country single, however it would not be their last. The group's very next single, “Knee Deep” with Jimmy Buffett, also went on to claim the top spot.
Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson performed their hit single, “Don’t You Wanna Stay,” during Season 10 of "American Idol" on April 14, 2011. After the live performance aired, digital downloads of the song increased by a staggering 64%.
With the release of "Honey Bee," Blake Shelton broke records. The single sold more than 138,000 digital downloads its first week, setting a new record for the most first-week downloads sold by a male Country artist.
In June of 2011, The Band Perry’s hit single “If I Die Young” achieved Double Platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), recognizing sales of more than 2 Million.
Blake Shelton’s “six-pack” EP, All About Tonight, produced two No. 1 singles for the Country artist: the feel-good party tune, “All About Tonight,” and the softer ballad, “Who Are You When I’m Not Looking.”
In December 2010, Jason Aldean became one of five Country artists celebrated as CMT's "Artists of the Year," sharing the distinction with Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood and the Zac Brown Band.
Originally, Taylor Swift’s 2011 album release was to be called, Enchanted, but was changed to Speak Now to reflect the evolution of Swift’s career and the maturity in her songwriting.
Brad Paisley’s ninth studio album, This Is Country Music, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart and features collaborations with Alabama, Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Blake Shelton, Marty Stuart and his CMA Awards co-host Carrie Underwood.
You Get What You Give reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and Country Album charts, selling 153,000 copies its first week. To date, the album has yielded four singles from the album: “As She’s Walking Away,” “Colder Weather,” “Knee Deep,” and “Keep Me In Mind.”
Four writers share credit for Song of the Year contender "Colder Weather," and the song's recognition represents first-time nominations for co-writers Levi Lowery and Coy Bowles. This nomination marks the third for co-writers Zac Brown and Wyatt Durrette, previously nominated for co-writing hits "Toes" (2010) and "Chicken Fried" (2009).
“Dirt Road Anthem” earns Colt Ford and Brantley Gilbert each their first CMA nominations. The pair originally wrote and recorded the song for Ford’s debut studio album, Ride Through the Country.
Kimberly Perry earns her first Song of the Year nomination for writing The Band Perry’s No. 1 hit single, “If I Die Young.” Perry co-wrote nine of the eleven songs on the band’s self-titled debut.
Although Taylor Swift has become well-known in the music world as one of Country’s most talented songwriters, this is her first CMA Awards nomination for Song of the Year. “Mean” was written by Swift for her 2010 album, Speak Now.
"You and Tequila" songwriters Matraca Berg and Deana Cartner are no strangers to the CMA Awards. The Berg-penned "Strawberry Wine," recorded by Carter, won both Song and Single of the Year at the 1997 CMA Awards, earning each lady a trophy. Versions of "You and Tequila" appear on Berg's 2011 release The Dreaming Fields and on Carter's 2006 release I'm Just A Girl.
“As She’s Walking Away,” earned the Zac Brown Band and collaborator, Alan Jackson, a Grammy in 2011 for “Best Country Collaboration with Vocals.” It was the second Grammy win for both Jackson and the Zac Brown Band. The award-winning and CMA Awards-nominated single can be found on the Zac Brown Band's You Get What You Give album.
This Musical Event of the Year nod earns Loretta Lynn her 39th CMA Awards nomination. Her last CMA Award win was in 1975, when she claimed Vocal Duo of the Year with Conway Twitty. Both of Lynn’s collaborators have been previously nominated in the category – twice for Sheryl Crow in 2003 and 2006, and once for Miranda Lambert in 2010. Find the trio's version on Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn.
While “Don’t You Wanna Stay” earned Jason Aldean his 5th No. 1 single on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs list, it served as Kelly Clarkson’s first on the chart. Clarkson's previous Country single, the 2007 Reba McEntire-duet "Because of You," peaked at No. 2 on the charts. "Don't You Wanna Stay" is available on Aldean's Album of the Year-nominated My Kinda Party.
Rather than simply sample the bridge section from Alabama’s 1982 classic, “Mountain Music,” Brad Paisley re-recorded it with Alabama members, Jeff Cook, Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry, for their megahit collaboration, “Old Alabama," featured on Paisley's current album, This is Country Music.
Kenny Chesney joined Grace Potter and her band, The Nocturnals, onstage for a surprise performance of their song, “You and Tequila,” during the band’s October 2010 show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The Chesney-Potter duet appears on Chesney's Hemingway's Whiskey album.
The video for Blake Shelton’s No. 1 hit, “Honey Bee,” was directed by Trey Fanjoy, who has directed more than 150 major label music videos. She has worked with Country acts like Miranda Lambert, Keith Urban and George Strait. She won Music Video of the Year in 2009 for directing Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.”
The music video for “If I Die Young,” the hit single from The Band Perry’s debut album, was directed by David McClister. Not only has McClister directed videos for artists like Lady Antebellum, LeAnn Rimes and Alan Jackson, but he’s also a highly-acclaimed photographer, having shot portraits for famous Country stars like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and Randy Travis.
The music video for Taylor Swift’s “Mean” was shot in Los Angeles, with the famous Orpheum Theatre serving as the backdrop. The anti-bullying concept for the video was crafted by both Swift and the video’s director, Declan Whitebloom.
NASCAR drivers, Darrell Waltrip, Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick, all made cameo appearances in Brad Paisley and Alabama’s music video for “Old Alabama.” Director Jim Shea also directed music videos for Paisley’s songs “Water,” “Alcohol,” “When I Get Where I’m Going” and “Waitin’ On A Woman.”
Directed by Shaun Silva, the music video for Kenny Chesney and Grace Potter’s “You and Tequila” was shot in Malibu, CA. It was only fitting to shoot the video in California, as the song makes numerous references to the area in its lyrics. Silva has directed more than 20 of Chesney’s music videos.
Sam Bush hosted the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards in 2007, where he also walked away with the award for “Mandolin Player of the Year.” Bush has collaborated with legendary artists including Emmylou Harris, Garth Brooks and Dolly Parton.
Jerry Douglas has been called “Dobro’s matchless contemporary master” by The New York Times, winning twelve Grammy Awards throughout the course of his career, as well as three CMA Awards for Musician of the Year.
Paul Franklin has become one of the most well-known session musicians in Nashville, having played on more than 500 albums. Some of his collaborators include George Strait, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain and Reba McEntire.
Guitarist Dann Huff has played with celebrated acts Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Kenny Rogers, to name a few. Huff is a renowned record producer, having produced albums by artists including Faith Hill, Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Bon Jovi, Rascal Flatts and many more. Huff won the CMA Award for Musician of the Year in 2001 and 2004.
Mac McAnally secures his fourth consecutive nomination for CMA Musician of the Year in 2011. He has won the CMA Award every year since 2008.