NASHVILLE, Tenn. – (April 17, 2015) – Add another milestone in a year full of them: Eric Church’s “The Outsiders World Tour” is No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Tours recap.

Church scored the top slot – over some of music’s biggest pop stars.Billboard said Church has visited more than 60 cities and sold more than 725,000 tickets so far in support of the GRAMMY and ACM Award-nominated and widely acclaimed 2014 album The Outsiders.

Church has set venue attendance records in three cities, including his hometown Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, and Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. More than 18,000 fans attended each rowdy show. Feel left out? Fans can still see what all the fuss is about through September.
First up, the North Carolina native will perform on the CBS broadcast of the 50th anniversary edition of the Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where he is nominated for four ACM Awards including Album of the Year for The Outsiders, Male Vocalist of the Year and Song of the Year as both artist and co-writer for “Give Me Back My Hometown.”

There are still more than 20 dates left on “The Outsiders World Tour.” For more information about Church or to buy tickets, visit www.EricChurch.com and follow @ericchurch on Twitter.

Audio / Prior to kicking off The Outsiders World Tour, Eric Church talked about the trek and how he hopes that fans will feel it's a great experience.

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Eric Church (The Outsiders World Tour) OC: …from the stage. 1:01
“We’ve waited our whole career to make a record like The Outsiders. I felt like our entire career has been building up to that moment, to this record. Likewise, with this tour. This tour, we’ve waited our entire career to put on this tour. Anybody who’s seen us before musically, because of the amount of music we have, visually, and then as far as we want to do sonically. I think it’s gonna be something that people will say it’s the best they’ve seen. And we still want to make it about the music, but at the same time, we have some other things to make sure everybody, no matter what seat you’re in in the house, no matter where you are – front, back, side, top – we want to make sure it’s a unique experience for everybody in there and that everybody in there feels like they’re a part of the show, and there’s not a bad seat in the house. We’ve thought about that ad nauseam, to make sure that regardless of where you are, without giving too much away surprise-wise, that you’ll be able to experience it and be a part of the show and share in that feeling from the stage.”

Eric Church has a trio of ACM nominations going into Sunday’s show, including Male Vocalist, Album of the Year for The Outsiders and Song of the Year for “Give Me Back My Hometown.”

When Eric was making The Outsiders, he said they didn’t go into the studio with any preconceived notions. “You’ve got to be committed and take the time in the process to let the creativity to lead you there,” he says. “And I think for us, I think that’s what we did. We let the songs dictate what was next. There’s two songs on this album that if you pull them out of the album, I like ‘em, [but] I just don’t love ‘em near as much as if you put ‘em back in because of the space that they give the songs in-between and what I feel when I listen to the record. By themselves? Fine, but in its spot, I love ‘em. It’s an album. It’s start to finish.”

Catch Eric perform during the 50th Annual ACM Awards, which will be broadcast live from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas at 8pm ET on CBS.

He’s currently making his way up the country charts with his “Like a Wrecking Ball,” as well as for “Raise ‘Em Up” with Keith Urban.

Encino, CA (April 9, 2015) – The Academy of Country Music and dick clark productions announced the full lineup of country music luminaries and chart-topping artists who will perform together on “ACM Presents: Superstar Duets” and make up the evening portion of the 3^rd Annual ACM Party for a Cause Festival.  Performances at the two-day outdoor music festival celebrating the 50^th ACM Awards will begin at 7:30pm on Friday, April 17th and continue Saturday, April 18th on the Main Stage inside of Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX. A two-hour special including performances from the event will air on Friday, May 15th on the CBS Television Network.

Friday’s lineup will include special collaborations by Alabama & Eli Young Band, Brooks & Dunn & Reba, Darius Rucker & Sara Evans, Dierks Bentley & Kip Moore & Ashley Monroe, Dwight Yoakam & Sam Hunt, and Luke Bryan & Ronnie Milsap, along with a special performance by Brantley Gilbert.

Saturday’s lineup will include duet performances by Alan Jackson & Cole Swindell, Clint Black & Joe Nichols, Eric Church & Marty Stuart, Florida Georgia Line & David Lee Murphy, Hunter Hayes & Brett Eldredge, Keith Urban & John Anderson, Lady Antebellum & Brandy Clark, Miranda Lambert & Patty Loveless, and The Band Perry & Deana Carter along with special performances by Kenny Chesney and Jake Owen.

Ticket packages to the ACM Party for a Cause Festival INCLUDING the 50^th ACM Awards are available NOW at Ticketmaster.com. Tickets to the 50^TH ACM Awards sold out last spring in a record 18 minutes but as staging changes became final for the ACM Awards, seats to the previously SOLD OUT Awards show and festival are now available.
lease see a full lineup of tentatively scheduled performances below for “ACM Presents: Superstar Duets” listed by order of appearance and subject to change. For additional updates please visit www.ACMcountry.com.

 Friday, April 17, 2015 (Listed in Order of Appearance)

·         Brantley Gilbert

·         Dwight Yoakam & Sam Hunt

·         Darius Rucker & Sara Evans

·         Alabama & Eli Young Band

·         Brooks & Dunn & Reba

·         Dierks Bentley, Kip Moore & Ashley Monroe

·         Luke Bryan & Ronnie Milsap

 Saturday, April 18, 2015 (Listed in Order of Appearance)

·         Clint Black & Joe Nichols

·         The Band Perry & Deana Carter

·         Lady Antebellum & Brandy Clark

·         Hunter Hayes & Brett Eldredge

·         Jake Owen

·         Kenny Chesney

·         Alan Jackson & Cole Swindell

·         Miranda Lambert & Patty Loveless

·         Keith Urban & John Anderson

·         Eric Church & Marty Stuart

·         Florida Georgia Line & David Lee Murphy

The 3^rd Annual ACM Party for a Cause Festival, beginning at 12:00 PM on April 17-18, 2015, will include multiple stages for ongoing LIVE country music performances, interactive experiences, a family-friendly country marketplace with food trucks and vendors from around the country, and much more, all leading up to the 50^th Academy of Country Music Awards, which will be broadcast LIVE for the first time ever from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Proceeds from the event will benefit ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music and military philanthropies including Folds of Honor Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, Navy SEAL Foundation, and Task Force Dagger Foundation.

ACM Presents: Superstar Duets is produced for television by dick clark productions. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan and R.A. Clark are executive producers.  Mark Bracco, Barry Adelman and Tom Forrest are co-executive producers. Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

ENCINO, CA (April 7, 2015) – The Academy of Country Music announced today the winners of awards that will not be televised during the 50^TH ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, due to time constraints. The 50^thACM Awards will be telecast LIVE from AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas on Sunday, April 19^th at 8:00PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Special Awards honorees will be feted during the 9^th Annual ACM Honors event on September 1, 2015 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.

The Academy of Country Music Special Awards are voted on by the ACM Board of Directors and specific categories are awarded during years where the Board of Directors feels there are clear and deserving candidates. The Studio Recording Awards (formerly known as the Musician-Bandleader-Instrumentalist (MBI) Awards) ballot is voted on by professional members of the Academy who are classified in the Artist-Entertainer/Musician-Bandleader-Instrumentalist category and the Producer-Engineer-Studio Manager sub-category (contained within the Affiliated category). The Songwriter of the Year ballot is voted on by professional members of the Academy in the following categories: Artist-Entertainer/Musician-Bandleader-Instrumentalist, Composer, Music Publisher/PRO, Record Company, and the Producer-Engineer-Studio Manager sub-category (contained within the Affiliated category). Industry Awards are voted on by all professional members of the Academy and for the first time ever this year’s ballot included the ACM Festival of the Year category. The Academy wanted to recognize the growing festival industry, a platform that has helped raise awareness and appreciation for country music.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Career Achievement Award – Alabama has been chosen to receive the Career Achievement Award, honoring an individual artist, duo, group or multiple artist collaboration that has advanced the popularity and acceptance of country music through their endeavors in the entertainment industry in multiple areas during the preceding calendar year.

Alabama received the ACM Artist of the Decade award for the 1980s after winning the Entertainer of the Year award for five consecutive years. Combining their rock influences with Southern roots, the ensemble charted 51 Top 10 hits between 1980 and 1999, with 32 reaching No. 1. They also earned six consecutive ACM awards in the Vocal Group category. Alabama joined the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2011, original band members Randy Owen, Jeff Cook and Teddy Gentry brought their mountain music back to country radio by singing on “Old Alabama,” Brad Paisley’s salute to them. In 2013, the band celebrated 40 years in country music with the “Back to the Bowery” Tour and the tribute album Alabama & Friends, which featured Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, Florida Georgia Line and many others. Their 2013-2014 run culminated in the September 2014 releases of theAngels Among Us: Hymns and Gospel Favorites album and the Alabama & Friends At The Ryman live CD/DVD. Also in 2014, Alabama frontman Randy Owen celebrated the 25th anniversary of his call to country radio to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. To date, the “Country Cares for St. Jude Kids” initiative has raised more than $500 million for the hospital.

Past recipients of the Career Achievement Award include John Anderson, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw, Ronnie Milsap, Johnny Paycheck, Carl Perkins, Reba, and Kenny Rogers.

Crystal Milestone Award – Loretta Lynn has been chosen to receive the Crystal Milestone Award, which is given to an artist or industry leader to commemorate a specific, remarkable achievement.

Loretta Lynn remains one of country music’s most beloved and admired artists. Celebrated for her keen songwriting and down-home personality, she was named the ACM Artist of the Decade for the 1970s, an honor bestowed after she claimed four Female Vocalist awards, four Vocal Group awards (with Conway Twitty) and ultimately 1975 Entertainer of the Year – the first woman ever to earn that distinction. Lynn joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1962 and the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988. The film version of her life, Coal Miner’s Daughter, is an Oscar-winning classic. Lynn has captivated a younger generation as well, collaborating with rocker Jack White on the Grammy-winning Van Lear Rose album and championing today’s female vocalists like Miranda Lambert. In 2014, Loretta celebrated her 50^th anniversary in country music. New music is expected in 2015.

Past recipients of the Crystal Milestone Award include Jason Aldean, Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Merle Haggard, Gayle Holcomb, Jennifer Nettles, and Taylor Swift.

Gene Weed Special Achievement Award – Luke Bryan has been chosen to receive the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award, which acknowledges unprecedented, unique and outstanding individual achievement in country music.

Luke Bryan is experiencing a career rush thanks to his double-platinum project, Crash My Party. The album ushered in a record-setting six consecutive No. 1 singles: “Crash My Party,” “That’s My Kind of Night,” “Drink A Beer,” “Play It Again,” “Roller Coaster” and “I See You.” In 2014, he performed for 1.7 million fans, marking his best year of touring yet. In January, he carried his music to Europe for the first time and announced a schedule of arenas and stadium concerts stateside. An exhibit on his stellar career will open at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum this summer.

Past recipients of the Gene Weed Special Achievement Award include Garth Brooks, George Burns, Jeff Foxworthy, Willie Nelson, Blake Shelton, George Strait, and Carrie Underwood.

Jim Reeves International Award – Eric Church has been chosen to receive the Jim Reeves International Award, which is presented to an artist for outstanding contributions to the acceptance of country music throughout the world.

Eric Church is proving that modern country music translates across borders, even when his biggest songs reference iconic American imagery like “Springsteen” and “Talladega.” The North Carolina native introduced The Outsiders World Tour to Europe in early 2014, sharing his rugged, original music across 12 major markets and thousands of new fans. Church began his ambitious international trek in Dublin, Ireland, with dates following in Belfast, Northern Ireland; Glasgow, Scotland; Manchester, United Kingdom; London, England; Amsterdam, Holland; Cologne, Hamburg and Munich, Germany; Malmo and Stockholm, Sweden; and Oslo, Norway. His worldwide legion of fans is known as the Church Choir.

Past recipients of the Jim Reeves International Award include Garth Brooks, Dick Clark, Roy Clark, Merv Griffin, Alan Jackson, Charlie Nagatani, Buck Owens, Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, andRascal Flatts among others.

Mae Boren Axton Award – Barry Adelman and Tim DuBois have been chosen as the recipients of the Mae Boren Axton Award, which is given in recognition of years of dedication and service by an outstanding individual to the Academy of Country Music.

Barry Adelman, EVP of Television for dick clark productions, has been a tireless champion of the Academy of Country Music Awards as the show’s long-time writer and executive producer, and has served on the ACM Board of Directors. He is one of the most prolific producers working in Hollywood today, with credits including the Golden Globes, American Music Awards, So You Think You Can Dance and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, among many other high-profile live broadcasts. He has received multiple Emmy nominations in his role as a producer and has written speeches for Presidents Clinton, Bush and Reagan. Early in his career, he also wrote forThe Sonny & Cher Show and wrote the eulogy for Elvis Presley’s funeral.

Tim DuBois enjoyed a significant songwriting career before developing Arista Nashville into a powerhouse label in the 1990s. His writing credits include ACM-nominated songs such as Alabama’s “Love in the First Degree,” Vince Gill’s “When I Call Your Name” and Jerry Reed’s “She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft).” Under his leadership at Arista, artists like Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley and Pam Tillis picked up numerous platinum albums and industry awards. Despite his busy schedule, DuBois has given countless hours to the Academy of Country Music as an officer and a member of the Board of Directors for more than 30 years. His experience and wisdom have been instrumental in helping the Academy grow and transition. He currently serves as ACM board’s Sergeant-at-Arms. Following positions at ASCAP and Vanderbilt University, he is now a partner at Artist Management Partners.

Past recipients of the Mae Boren Axton Award include John Dorris, Rod Essig, Gayle Holcomb, Jack Lameier, Marge Meoli, Paul Moore, Ray Pilzak, Gaynelle Pitts, Gene Weed, Tommy Wiggins and David Young.

Poet’s Award – Felice and Boudleaux Bryant (awarded posthumously) and Bob McDill have been selected to receive the Poet’s Award, which honors songwriters for outstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their careers in the field of country music.

Felice and Boudleaux Bryant moved to Nashville in 1950 and helped established the city’s songwriting industry. Boudleaux Bryant matched his talent as a professional fiddler to his wife’s interest in poetry to create a winning formula. Their catalog includes the Everly Brothers’ “Bye Bye Love” and “All I Have to Do Is Dream,” as well as Eddy Arnold’s “How’s the World Treating You,” Jimmy Dickens’ “I’m Little But I’m Loud,” Roy Orbison’s “Love Hurts” and the Osborne Brothers’ “Rocky Top.” Boudleaux died in 1987; Felice died in 2003. They were elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1991

Bob McDill weaves his incredible stories with vivid language, memorable melodies and a wise, relatable perspective. The Texas native has written 30 No. 1 country hits since moving to Nashville in 1970. His rich catalog includes Alabama’s “Song of the South,” Alan Jackson’s “Gone Country,” Waylon Jennings’ “Amanda” and Don Williams’ “It Must Be Love.” In addition, his ACM-nominated songwriting credits are Mel McDaniel’s “Baby’s Got Her Blue Jeans On,” John Schneider’s “I’ve Been Around Enough to Know,” Dan Seals’ “Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold),” Pam Tillis’ “All the Good Ones Are Gone” and Keith Whitley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes.”

Previous recipients of the Poet’s Award include Bill Anderson, Bobby Braddock, Guy Clark, Jack Clement, Hank Cochran, Dean Dillon, Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall, Harlan Howard, Kris Kristofferson, Roger Miller, Buck Owens, Fred Rose, Don Schlitz, Cindy Walker and Hank Williams.

INDUSTRY AWARDS

• CASINO OF THE YEAR:
  • SMALL CAPACITY– Hard Rock Live – Biloxi, MS
  • MEDIUM CAPACITY– MGM Grand Casino – Las Vegas, NV
• FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR:Country Thunder USA: East – Twin Lakes, WI
• NIGHTCLUB OF THE YEAR:  Joe’s Bar – Chicago, IL
• VENUE OF THE YEAR:
  • SMALL CAPACITY– Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, TN
  • MEDIUM CAPACITY – Red Rocks Amphitheatre – Morrison, CO
  • LARGE CAPACITY – Hollywood Bowl – Hollywood, CA
• DON ROMEO TALENT BUYER OF THE YEAR:  Sally Williams – Ryman Auditorium
• PROMOTER OF THE YEAR: Ed Warm – Joe’s Live

STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS (FORMERLY THE MBI AWARDS)

• BASS PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Glenn Worf
• DRUMMER OF THE YEAR:  Greg Morrow
• GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Tom Bukovac
• PIANO/KEYBOARDS PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Michael Rojas
• SPECIALTY INSTRUMENT(S) PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Ilya Toshinsky
• STEEL GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR:  Dan Dugmore
• AUDIO ENGINEER OF THE YEAR:  Chuck Ainlay
• PRODUCER OF THE YEAR:  Jay Joyce

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR:  Luke Laird

About the Academy of Country Music Awards

The 50th Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry.  The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark, Barry Adelman and Mark Bracco are executive producers.  Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

Go behind-the-scenes of the making of “Raise ‘Em Up,” featuring Keith Urban and Eric Church.

NASHVILLE, TN (March 10, 2015) – NOW That’s What I Call ACM Awards 50 Years, the milestone anniversary collaboration between the Academy of Country Music and NOW That’s What I Call Music!, is released Tuesday, March 31st.

The collection of recordings celebrate the ACM Awards’ 50-year history and will feature 2 discs as well as a digital collection of ACM award-winning songs. The first disc will feature recent contemporary hits while the second will include timeless classics.

The complete track listing for NOW That’s What I Call ACM Awards 50 Years includes:

DISC ONE (1990-2015)

1. Jason Aldean (with Luke Bryan & Eric Church) The Only Way I Know 2012
2. Lee Brice I Drive Your Truck 2012
3. Luke Bryan Country Girl (Shake It For Me) 2011
4. Blake Shelton Honey Bee 2011
5. Taylor Swift Mean 2010
6. Lady Antebellum Need You Now 2010
7. Miranda Lambert The House That Built Me 2009
8. Brad Paisley & Keith Urban Start A Band 2008
9. Reba & Kelly Clarkson Because of You 2007 
10. George Strait Give It Away 2006
11. Carrie Underwood Jesus, Take the Wheel 2005
12. Tim McGraw Live Like You Were Dying 2004
13. Kenny Chesney The Good Stuff 2002
14. Lee Ann Womack I Hope You Dance 2000
15. Faith Hill This Kiss 1998
16. Alan Jackson Chattahoochee 1993
17. Brooks & Dunn Boot Scootin’ Boogie 1991

DISC TWO (1965-1989)

1. Clint Black Better Man 1989
2. Hank Williams Jr. There’s a Tear in My Beer 1989
3. Randy Travis Forever and Ever Amen 1987
4. The Highwaymen Highwayman 1985
5. The Judds Why Not Me 1984
6. Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers Islands in the Stream 1983
7. Willie Nelson Always on My Mind 1982
8. Alabama Love in the First Degree 1981
9. The Oak Ridge Boys Elvira 1981
10. David Frizzell & Shelly West You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma 1980
11. George Jones He Stopped Loving Her Today 1980
12. Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Bros. All the Gold in California 1979
13. Don Williams Tulsa Time 1978
14. Glen Campbell Rhinestone Cowboy 1975
15. Charlie Rich Behind Closed Doors 1973
16. Loretta Lynn & Conway Twitty Lead Me On 1971
17. Merle Haggard Okie From Muskogee 1969

The album will be released on March 31^st, just in time for the 50^th Academy of Country Music Awards broadcast LIVE on Sunday, April 19^th at 8:00pm ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. All of the Academy’s proceeds from sales of the album will go to ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music, dedicated to improving lives through the power of music.

NOW That’s What I Call ACM Awards 50 Years is a collaboration between Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and the Academy of Country Music, and the album will be distributed by Universal Music Group Distribution. The NOW That’s What I Call Music! series is a joint venture from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment.  NOW and NOW That’s What I Call Music!are registered trademarks of Universal Music Group and its affiliates.

NOW That’s What I Call Music! debuted in the U.S. in 1998, following 15 years of multi-platinum international success. The series has generated sales exceeding 250 million albums worldwide, including more than 94 million in the U.S.  All 53 volumes in NOW’s numeric U.S. series have charted in the top 10 of Billboard’s Album Chart, 19 of which have reached #1.

The 50th Academy of Country Music Awards is dedicated to honoring and showcasing the biggest names and emerging talent in the country music industry.  The show is produced for television by dick clark productions and will broadcast LIVE from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX on Sunday, April 19, 2015 at 8:00 PM live ET/delayed PT on the CBS Television Network. Allen Shapiro, Mike Mahan, R.A. Clark and Barry Adelman are executive producers.  Bob Romeo is executive producer for the Academy of Country Music.

ACM Lifting Lives® is the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music dedicated to improving lives through the power of music.  Through partnerships with artists and strong ties in the music industry, ACM Lifting Lives develops and funds music-related therapy and education programs, and serves members of the community who face unexpected hardships through its Diane Holcomb Emergency Relief Fund. Through generous donations and the support of artists and fans, ACM Lifting Lives is able to fund everything from disaster relief and helping communities in need, to music education in schools and music camps for those with disabilities, to supporting programs that use music therapy as a means to help our veterans and wounded warriors, while providing grants to help them ease back into life. For more information, please visit www.ACMLiftingLives.org.

Eric Church will be inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame October 15^th in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

Eric Church and Kacey Musgraves will perform at Willie Nelson’s annual 4th of July Picnic in Austin, Texas. Merle Haggard, Asleep at the Wheel and Jamey Johnson are also on the bill.

Kacey Musgraves will perform at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, taking place June 11th – 14th in Manchester, Tennessee. She made her Bonnaroo debut in 2013. Billy Joel, Mumford & Sons and Kendrick Lamar are also scheduled to perform.

Luke Bryan will return for his second Crash My Playa Caribbean concert in Riviera Maya, Mexico January 22nd – 26th, 2016. Go to CrashMyPlaya.com.

Vince Gill was recently interviewed by Dan Rather for his show, The Big Interview, on AXS-TV. His feature will air April 21st.

Tomorrow night will not only see Keith Urban’s return to the couch for Late Night with Conan O’Brien, it will also serve to mark the debut of his new music video for “Raise ‘Em Up”, the fifth single from his record-breaking album FUSE, which features Eric Church.  It comes on the heels of Urban’s third #1 from the album, “Somewhere In My Car.”

The video, shot in Nashville last month, premieres with Conan O’Brien online today at 3:00PM EDT at http://smarturl.it/REUvideo.

“Some of the idea for this video started with me playing with my phone one day, filming our girls jumping in slow motion,” explains Urban.  “That’s all that they were doing, just jumping up in the air in slo mo.  We put ‘Raise ‘Em Up’ on and were watching this film of our girls and they just went together beautifully.  It was so simple, and emotional, and it captured some of the spirit of what I feel is at the heart of this song.”

“My favorite part of this video were the candid moments that were captured between Keith and I on film,” said Church.  “It’s cool that a number of those made it in the final version.  To me, they really reify the emotion of the moment and experience.”

The Grammy nominated single, “Raise ‘Em Up”, already marks Urban’s 33^rd top 10.  It extends his lead as the artist with the most consecutive top 10s, a streak that began on August 12^th, 2000 with the release of “Your Everything.”  Urban and Church will perform the song for the first time on network television on the 50^th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday, April 19^th at 8:00PMEST/7:00PMCST.

For more official Keith Urban news and information go to www.keithurban.net.

Eric Church is featured on the Keith Urban single, “Raise ‘Em Up,” and he says he thought it was a huge hit.

“Plain and simple, it’s a hit. I mean, there’s very few times that I’ve heard a song and said, ‘That’s [a hit].’ I don’t care what the circumstances are, it’s probably a hit in Portugese. It’s a hit,” says Eric. “It’s gonna be a big hit for Keith, and I’m glad. I’m glad to be a part of it, and I’m glad he asked me. It’s just a beautiful song.”

“Raise ‘Em Up” was written by Jaren Johnston, Jeffrey Steele and Tom Douglas, and is featured on Keith’s album, Fuse.

Eric is currently scaling the country charts with his own hit single, “Like a Wrecking Ball.”

Eric Church was feted at a party on Monday at Nashville’s hot spot, ACME, to celebrate the No. 1 success for “Talladega,” which he wrote with Luke Laird, as well as a platinum certification for his latest album, The Outsiders. He was also presented with a plaque for his debut album, Sinners Like Me, which finally went gold.

He’s now on the country charts with two songs — his own Like a Wrecking Ball from The Outsiders, and he’s also featured on Keith Urban‘s “Raise ‘Em Up.”