Little Big Town’s latest single, “Girl Crush,” is climbing the country charts, and the support it’s received from fans, radio and other country stars is overwhelming. The group wanted “Girl Crush” for themselves the first time they heard it, because they felt it was such a special song.

“I think ‘Girl Crush’ is one of the most brilliant lyrics I’ve heard in such a long time,” says LBT’s Jimi Westbrook. “It’s taking a phrase that you’ve heard so many times, and just the way it turns at the hook, it just catches you. It gives me chills every time I listen to it, when that hook turns like it does. It’s just brilliant. I think it’s a brilliant song, and [Karen’s] vocal is perfection. It’s so good. The emotion of that song comes through. I love it.”

Little Big Town will perform during this year’s ACM Awards where they’re up for Vocal Group and Album of the Year for Pain Killer. The 50th Annual ACM Awards will air live from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas April 19th at 8pm ET on CBS.

Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum and Little Big Town have been announced as performers at this year’s ACM Awards. They’re joined by Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts and Martina McBride, as well as special duets by Christina Aguilera with surprise artists and Nick Jonas with Dan + Shay.

They join previously announced performers Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Sam Hunt, George Strait, Keith Urban, Reba, Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Florida Georgia Line, Cole Swindell and Thomas Rhett.

The 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards – hosted by Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton – will air live from the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas April 19th at 8pm ET on CBS.

March 30, 2015- The critically acclaimed music series Front and Center will kick-off its new season with four all-new Country Music Association CMA Songwriters Series episodes with Hunter Hayes; Bob DiPiero featuring Brandy Clark; Sara Evans and Martina McBride; and Little Big Town.  The episodes, which will begin airing April 4^th on public television, collectively feature guest appearances from some of Nashville’s best-known songwriters including Barry Dean, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, Aimee Mayo, Shane McAnally, Lori McKenna, Gretchen Peters, Liz Rose, Gordie Sampson, The Warren Brothers, and songwriting artist Charlie Worsham. Check local listings for airdates and times in each market and for a sneak peek at the new season click here.

“Kicking off the start of the new season of Front and Center with our CMA Songwriter Series episodes is something that we’re especially excited about,” said Don Maggi, Front and Center Executive Producer. “Not only were the performances of the artists who participated special, but the respect that they showed the songwriters and the stories that they told, gave us some incredible moments.”

“CMA is proud of our partnership and creative collaborations with Front and Center,” said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “These shows shine a national spotlight not only on Country Music and the great artists in these episodes, but also on our amazing songwriting community and the CMA Songwriters Series, which has fans around the world.”

CMA-Award-winning multi-instrumentalist Hunter Hayes performs with fellow songwriters Barry Dean (“Pontoon” – Little Big Town), Lori McKenna (“I’m Workin’”- Tim McGraw), and Gordie Sampson (“Just A Dream” – Carrie Underwood). The episode features Hayes and his guests performing songs from his chart-topping album Storyline and features the hit “Invisible,” as well songs from his No.1, self-titled, Platinum-selling debut album.

Bob DiPiero, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and co-creator of the CMA Songwriters Series, is joined by reigning CMA Award winner for CMA Song of the Year and two-time 2015 Grammy Award-nominee Brandy Clark along with her partner on the 2014 CMA Song of the Year win, Shane McAnally, and recording artist Charlie Worsham. The foursome takes turns performing songs they helped pen including hits like  “Follow Your Arrow” (recorded by Kacey Musgraves), “Blue Clear Sky” (recorded by George Strait), and “Gone” (recorded by Montgomery Gentry).

Multiple-CMA Award winners, Sara Evans and Martina McBride join forces for a special CMA Songwriters Series: Ladies Night Out. Evans’ recent studio album Slow Me Down debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart. She’s had five No. 1 songs, two No. 1 Country albums, sold six million albums, and has been nominated and/or won nearly 10 major music awards. McBride, whose most recent album “Everlasting” debuted at No.1 on the Country Albums Chart, has sold more than 18 million albums, which have included six No.1s, and has earned more than 15 major music awards including four wins for the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year. Together Evans and McBride present songwriters Gretchen Peters (“Independence Day” – Martina McBride), Aimee Mayo (“Let’s Make Love” – Faith Hill), and The Warren Brothers (“Red Solo Cup” – Toby Keith). The ladies also perform career hits including Evans’ “Born To Fly” and “Stronger”; and McBride’s “Teenage Daughters” and “Independence Day.”

Finally, Grammy Award winners and three-time CMA Vocal Group of the Year Little Big Town bring out long-time songwriting collaborators and friends, Hillary Lindsey (“Jesus Take The Wheel” – Carrie Underwood), Natalie Hemby (“Downtown” – Lady Antebellum), Liz Rose (“Teardrops On My Guitar” – Taylor Swift), and McKenna. The recent Grand Ole Opry inductees perform some of their best-loved hits including “Boondocks” and “Tornado” as well as songs from their latest album Pain Killer.

The new season of Front and Center will begin feeding to public television as follows:

Hunter Hayes                                                                                                            (as of April 4)

Bob DiPiero featuring Brandy Clark                                                          (as of April 11)

Sara Evans and Martina McBride: Ladies Night Out                        (as of April 18)

Little Big Town                                                                                                         (as of April 25)

For more information on the Front and Center music series please visit frontandcenter.com and check out the YouTube page at youtube.com/frontandcentertv.

For more information on the CMA Songwriters Series visit CMAsongwritersseries.com.

Front and Center is a production of Front and Center Entertainment, LLC in association with WLIW21 for WNET, and distributed by American Public Television.  All episodes are directed by Pierre and François Lamoureux of FogoLabs.

Little Big Town performs their latest single, “Girl Crush,” on NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday night (March 24th).

Little Big Town is scheduled to perform on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Tuesday (March 24th). Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect, The Hunger Games series) and Ronda Rousey (UFC fighter, actress) will also appear as interview guests.

Dierks Bentley will join Nashville stars Connie Britton, Lennon and Maisy Stella and Charles Esten, along with Amy Grant at the Nashville for Africa benefit concert on Sunday (March 29th). All funds raised from this 30th anniversary show of the African Children’s Choir, will go to the Choir and their education programs.

Canaan Smith promised fans if he reached 25,000 followers on Instagram, he’d get “a swirly,” which means he’d allow his bandmember, Kenny, to put his head in a toilet and flush swirling toilet water around his head. He hit the goal and made good on his promise. Check it out here.

The members of Little Big Town have been the beneficiaries of their bandmate Kimberly Schlapman’s cooking for years, and now the rest of the world, in a way, will be able to enjoy her cooking as well when her first cookbook, Oh Gussie! Cooking and Visiting in Kimberly’s Southern Kitchen, hits shelves April 14th.

“I decided to do it because a lot of people were asking me for recipes because everybody knows how much I love to cook, and I also had this show on television, Simply Southern, and there were a lot of great recipes from that that I wanted to put down and share with people,” says Kimberly. “A lot of these recipes are recipes that have been handed down to me from my grandmothers and from my mama and from friends and other family members.”

She shares recipes and stories from when she grew up in the Appalachian foothills of north Georgia, her travels on tour with Little Big Town and life at home in Nashville, so it’s more than just a cookbook to Kimberly.

“It’s a little bit of a memoir, because I tell a lot of stories of growing up and stories that relate to these recipes, and I tell you a whole lot about my family, and all the way back to when my grandparents were married,” she says. “It’s special to me because it is my whole heart.”

Kimberly and the rest of Little Big Town are making their way up the country charts with “Girl Crush” from their Painkiller album. The song is also in the Top 5 country single download at iTunes.

On another note, they’re currently headlining their Painkiller Tour with special guest, Chris Stapleton.

Little Big Town‘s hit single, “Girl Crush,” is making its way up the country charts. It’s the latest release from their current album, Painkiller. Go behind-the-scenes of the making of the song in the studio.

NASHVILLE – CMA Music Festival will be the hottest concert destination of the summer with today’s announcement that Country Music superstars Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church,Brett Eldredge, Florida Georgia Line, Sam Hunt,Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town,Neal McCoy, Oak Ridge Boys, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Thomas Rhett, Darius Rucker, Cole Swindell,The Band Perry, Keith Urban, Wynonna & The Big Noise, and Zac Brown Band will each take the stage during the Nightly Concerts at LP Field. The 2015 CMA Music Festival takes place Thursday, June 11-Sunday, June 14 in downtown Nashville. Subscribers to CMA Exclusive, CMA’s e-newsletter, were the first to learn about the star-studded lineup Wednesday morning. “CMA Music Festival is all about the fan experience,” said CMA Chief Executive Officer Sarah Trahern. “Our fans snapped up LP Field tickets at a record pace, and we wanted to reward that loyalty by sharing this exciting lineup with them first this morning.”   While the relationship between artists and fans is the foundation for the event, CMA Music Festival benefits music education programs for children in need. Wednesday morning, Thomas Rhett welcomed guests to Nashville Children’s Theatre for a performance of “Jack’s Tale: A Mythic Mountain Musical,” which was funded by a $10,000 grant from the CMA Foundation from the 2014 CMA Music Festival. Threats of snow in Nashville prevented a majority of students from attending, but he warmly greeted the enthusiastic crowd. “When I was little I was in a play called ‘A Christmas Carol’. I was Scrooge,” Thomas Rhett told the student-filled crowd. “Music education was super important for me, and today was a good reminder of how neat it is to see the Country Music community band together to help give back to that through CMA Fest.” The CMA Foundation presents grants on behalf of the artists who perform at CMA Music Festival each year for free and has donated more than $11 million to music education initiatives across the country since 2006. Tickets to the Nightly Concerts at LP Field sold out in November. Across the river from the stadium, there are countless free and low-cost entertainment options for fans around downtown Nashville as part of the CMA Music Festival. Seven free entertainment stages give fans an opportunity to choose their musical adventure, including the hugely popular Chevrolet Riverfront Stage, which consistently fills the Cumberland riverbank each of the four days. AT&T U-verse Fan Fair X at Music City Center moves the CMA Music Festival party inside, with musical performances on three stages, artist interactions, meet-and-greets, shopping and other unique fan experiences. Tickets to AT&T U-verse Fan Fair X are available now atCMAfest.com (AT&T U-verse Fan Fair X admission is included in four-day CMA Music Festival tickets). AT&T U-verse Fan Fair X tickets are $10 per day or $25 for a four-day pass. The Nightly Concerts will be taped for a three-hour prime time special airing later this summer on the ABC Television Network. For upcoming talent announcements and all other info stay connected with CMA on Facebook.com/CMA,Twitter.com/CountryMusic, Instagram.com/CMA, and sign up for CMA Exclusive, CMA’s e-newsletter. Fans can also download the 2015 CMA Music Festival mobile app foriPhone or Android to view the latest artist lineups and to plan their festival experience. -30- **Suggested Tweet**: The 2015 #CMAfest LP Field lineup is here! Download the app to plan your Fest experience http://countrymu.sc/MF15app

Sam Hunt climbs back into the top spot on Billboard’s Country Album chart this week, selling another 16,000 copies. The collection features the chart-topping “Leave the Night On,” as well as his current smash hit, “Take Your Time.”

Toby Keith and Little Big Town are among the artists performing at the annual Mack, Jack and McConaughey event in Austin, Texas next month. The two-day gala was founded by ESPN analyst and football coach Mark Brown, country singer Jack Ingram and actor Matthew McConaughey and will take place April 16th and 17th.

Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott and Vince Gill will perform during the 23rd Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival, March 24th through 28th in Nashville.

Lady Antebellum surprised an elementary school in Ontario, Canada this week with new music instruments. The band donated more than 35 instruments to staffers of Fitch Street Eleentary School backstage at their concert in Niagara Falls. It’s part of their Lady A 7FOR7 campaign, which started last fall granting wishes to fans.

Lady Antebellum, Keith Urban and Little Big Town are set to perform during the ACM Lifting Lives One Night, Two Cities, All Music benefit gala in Dallas and Forth Worth April 17th. The thing is they’ll be performing at different venues simultaneously. The event, hosted by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, will feature performances by Lady A and Hunter Hayes at the Omni Dallas Hotel, while Keith and LBT will perform from the Fort Worth Zoo. Proceeds from the event will go to Garth Brooks’ Teammates for Kids and the Child Life Zones in Children’s Health of Dallas and Cook Children’s of Fort Worth. It precedes this year’s ACM Awards, which will broadcast live from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas April 19th at 8pm ET on CBS.

Little Big Town will perform their hit “Girl Crush” on the Ellen DeGeneres Show Tuesday (February 24th).

Billy Currington is set to tour with Tim McGraw on his Shotgun Rider Tour 2015, kicking off June 5th in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Billy Currington and Kacey Musgraves are among the artists who have been added to the lineup for the 24th Annual Country Jam in Grand Junction, Colorado. They’re joined by Eli Young Band, Thompson Square, Parmalee, Frankie Ballard, as well as the previously announced headliners Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Tim McGraw and The Band Perry. The four-day festival takes place June 18th through June 21st.

Dierks Bentley and his wife Cassidy led the Krewe of Orpheus parade in New Orleans on Monday (February 16th). He happened to run into and hang out with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump.

Dierks posted a photo with her, along with the caption: “y’all…today at #mardigras. thanks NO country fans. made a new friend on our #orpheus float @LisaVanderpump”

Ms. Vanderpump also joined Dierks on stage during his performance at the annual Lundi Gras Celebration in NOLA. She tweeted: “Had so much fun playing with you tonight on stage @DierksBentley,” along with a photo. She also admits, she might fancy the country singer. “Bow down my loyal subject @DierksBentleyhttp://img.ly/BgvZ  have to say it might be wrong,but I’ve a bit of a crush. #dontwannaberight”