• NEWS AND NOTES: Keith, Carrie, Luke, Pardi, Hot Country Knights, Billy, Jordan, Caylee and more

    Keith Urban is scheduled to perform (and be interviewed) on Thursday night’s (March 5th) episode of the Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The show comes on at 11:35pm ET/PT.

    Carrie Underwood is in the midst of her book tour for Finding Your Path and will chat about the book when she makes a stop by NBC’s Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Friday (March 6th).

    The Hot Country Knights will release a new song, “Moose Knuckle Shuffle” Thursday (K)night (March 5th). The song is from the band’s upcoming album, The K is Silent.

    Little Big Town just released a VEVO exclusive stripped down live performance of their song, “Sugar Coat,” which is featured on their latest album, Nightfall.

    Luke Bryan, Billy Currington, Jordan Davis, Jon Pardi, Caylee Hammack and Jon Langston will perform at this year’s Tortuga Music Festival. The three-day event, taking place April 17th-19th in Fort Lauderdale Florida, will also feature performances by Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Cole Swindell, Kelsea Ballerini, Barenaked Ladies, Vanilla Ice and many others. Tickets are available at TortugaMusicFestival.com.

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S NEW FITNESS/LIFESTYLE BOOK FIND YOUR PATH: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life ON SALE TODAY.

    Carrie Underwood’s first book, FIND YOUR PATH: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life, is on sale today (Dey Street Books).  Underwood kicked of a multi-city promo tour on Monday in Brooklyn, NY, with upcoming events in Stamford, CT; Nashville, TN and Los Angeles, CA, all of which sold out in under a minute.  She will take over the NBC airwaves on March 3 with appearances on the 8:00, 9:00 and 10:00 AM hours of “The Today Show” and will appear on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” on March 6, followed by “Rachael Ray” on March 9, among other national broadcasts. Underwood also graces the covers of Women’s Health and Parade Magazine, with additional print and online coverage in InStyle, People, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, and more.

    On the eve of the publication of the book, Underwood also launched her new fitness app, fit52, on March 2, which is now available for download on iOS. Created in partnership with Creative Labs and leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the fit52 app is part of a holistic wellness platform designed to encourage and support you on your personal wellness journey and make it easier for you to find your path to a stronger, healthier you.  Additionally, March marks her 5th Anniversary as founder and lead designer of her fitness and lifestyle brand, CALIA by Carrie Underwood, which launched in 2015 and is exclusively available at DICK’S Sporting Goods nationwide and online at calia.com.

    Since winning American Idol in 2005, millions have come to admire Carrie Underwood for her tremendous talent, down-to-earth style, and dedication to health and fitness. As a multi-Platinum award-winning singer, songwriter, and lifestyle entrepreneur, it’s easy to see why fans not only eagerly anticipate each new album, but also closely follow what she does to stay fit – tracking her workouts and healthy eating tips on social media. And with her debut book, FIND YOUR PATH, Carrie shares with readers a sustainable, common-sense approach to staying active, eating well, and looking as beautiful as you feel.

    Throughout FIND YOUR PATH, Carrie opens up about her personal journey towards optimal health, from her passion for sports as a kid, to the pressure to look perfect and fit the mold as she launched her career, to eventually discovering the importance of balance and the meaning of true health. For Carrie, being fit isn’t about crash diets or a workout routine that you’re going to dread. It’s about healthy choices and simple meals that you can put together from the ingredients in your local grocery store, and making the time, every day, to move, to love your body, and to be the best version of yourself. “Health and fitness are something I am truly, deeply passionate about,” says Underwood, and urges readers of FIND YOUR PATH to “do their best most of the time.” Her mantra is that fitness is a lifelong journey—not about perfection—and this book will set her fans on a path to health, and taking care of their bodies and souls, for life.

    Like all of us, Carrie is constantly on the move. Whether its touring for her latest album, scrambling after her 5 and 1-year-old sons, or her role as lead designer of CALIA By Carrie Underwood, she knows the struggle of trying to balance the demands of a household, a business, and a career against carving out time for herself. In FIND YOUR PATH, Carrie shares simple ideas for refocusing your energy and jump starting your fitness journey without feeling like you’re adding to the never-ending to-do list. All readers need is a deck of 52 playing cards and they’ll have unlocked the key to her fitness success! Each suit indicates an exercise and the number corresponds to the amount of reps. Using Carrie’s Fit52 workout, the routines are kept fresh and exciting making fitness a treat, not a chore. Plus, Carrie devotes an entire chapter to revealing the coveted workout that maintains her (second) most famous attribute—her legs!

    She also shares her path from her early days in Checotah, Oklahoma and to American Idol and beyond, with chapters inspired by many of her hit songs including “Love Wins” (Getting Strong, Finding Balance and Prioritizing Body Love), “Play On” (introducing her Fit52 Workout), “The Champion” (Extracurricular Fitness for Wherever You Are) and “Before You Cheat,” in which she takes on Vice Management and Derailers. While FIND YOUR PATH is infused with wisdom and advice from Carrie’s own experiences, she also highlights helpful tips and tricks from her longtime personal trainer, Eve Overland, and her friend, nutritionist Cara Clark, providing readers with a personal and holistic view of her routine. Some insights include:

    •  Balance and sustainability: you don’t have to be perfect every day, just maintain a healthy lifestyle 52 weeks a year
      •    Stay accountable: track meals, workouts, and progress and you’ll be set up for success
      •    Simple swaps: make healthy switches for your favorite indulgences
      •    Falling in love with fitness and healthy, nourishing foods will make you feel better overall

    Filled with beautiful, original photography by Cameron Premo, FIND YOUR PATH reinforces Carrie’s mantra that there’s no one way to be fit. There is no one diet to follow. There is no one place you must exercise. Healthy living is about options and personal choices, and like a deck of cards (which Carrie uses in the Fit52 workout), you can take your pick as long as you get the results you want and feel good!

    Carrie is currently making her way up the country charts with her latest song, “Drinking Alone.”

    Audio / Carrie Underwood talks about her own path to fitness, which she details in her new book..

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    Carrie Underwood (fitness path) OC: …feel better. 1:01
    “It took a while to find my right path to fitness and health, but it’s something I’ve always been interested in, and the older I got, you start cooking for yourself when your teenagers and 20s and all that stuff. You kind of start looking at the fine print and you start learning about nutrition, if that’s what you want to do, and that’s what I wanted to do and started feeling better and started feeling better about myself. Now that I’m a mom and a wife and all that, it’s very important to be a good example for my children and teach them healthy eating habits and healthy habits for their bodies, because I want them to live a healthy, wonderful, happy lives as long as they possibly can, and I on the flipside want to be around for them. So, I feel like that’s a reason that I do what I do. We definitely had some trial and error along the way. We talk about that in the book and maybe we can keep people from making the same errors that I made and cut right to the chase to a lifestyle that is sustainable and will make people feel better.”

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD LAUNCHES fit52 FITNESS APP.

    On the eve of the publication of her first book, FIND YOUR PATH: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life, Carrie Underwood announces the launch of her new fitness app, fit52, which is now available for download on iOS. Created in partnership with Creative Labs and leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA), the fit52 app is part of a holistic wellness platform designed to encourage and support you on your personal wellness journey and make it easier for you to find your path to a stronger, healthier you.

    From the launch of her CALIA By Carrie Underwood line of athleisure wear five years ago, to writing FIND YOUR PATH and now creating fit52, Underwood embraces a fresh and balanced approach to fitness and health which resonates with those who are juggling a busy lifestyle, a career and/or family and are looking for inspirational routines that are simple to do anytime, anywhere. By collaborating with her longtime personal trainer, Eve Overland, users of fit52 can expect a wide variety of workout routines that can be done in as little as 30 minutes.

    Whether you’re just starting your fitness journey or looking for a fresh new workout to replace your same old routine, fit52 gives you the tools you need to succeed on your own terms and feel good doing it. fit52 can be downloaded for free on iOS. Annual subscriptions are just $1 a week or $52 a year!

    “Fitness is a true passion for me,” says Underwood.  “The fit52 app incorporates what I’ve been doing myself for years, and we’ve made it easy and totally accessible for anyone that wants help to work in working out. We worked really hard to create a high-quality, user-friendly app that is designed for busy people and their busy lives. fit52 meets you wherever you are on your health journey, and I’m so proud of it.”

    Much like her new book, the fit52 app focuses on a sustainable, common-sense approach to staying active, and looking as beautiful as you feel, 24/7, 52 weeks of the year. With fit52, every workout is different and based on the hand of virtual playing cards you are dealt. Each card demonstrates an exercise and number of reps, randomly revealed to provide a full-body workout. For the award-winning singer – who is known for her passion for fitness as well as her powerhouse voice — she wants users to utilize these tools to help them reach their full wellness potential.

    “Many people are motivated to achieve their fitness goals by working out with friends. Yet most fitness apps are targeted at solo workouts, said Pauline Moller, CEO at Creative Labs. “When Carrie came to us with this concept, we saw a great opportunity to create a platform that is fun, community-focused and relieves the burden of over-complicated programs that align with people’s schedules and motivations. We are incredibly excited to work with Carrie to develop this program further!”

    About fit52:
    fit52 is a holistic, community-powered wellness platform that aims to support you on your personal fitness journey and make it simple for you to find your path to a healthier, stronger you. Inspired by Carrie Underwood’s passion for a fit lifestyle, fit52 follows her knowledgeable and fun fitness routines designed with her longtime personal trainer, Eve Overland to help you honor your body and attain your personal wellness goals – 52 weeks a year! fit52 is developed in partnership with Creative Labs and leading entertainment and sports agency, Creative Artists Agency (CAA).  Now available for download on iOS.

    Audio / Carrie Underwood explains what the fit52life is all about.

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    Carrie Underwood (fit52life) OC: …about balance. :54
    “The fit52Life is a mindset. It is a workout. We do have the fit52 workout, but it’s really all about looking at your overall health habits; looking at the big picture instead of being super strict every single day all day, which is absolutely impossible, and you’re kind of setting yourself up for failure if you do that. It’s more about being good and being mindful and eating healthy and moving your body whenever you can, all the chances you can, so you can enjoy life when moments come up that are things like birthdays and holidays and just things you want to celebrate and you want to enjoy your life. So, it’s really all about looking at your overall week and then of course there are 52 weeks in a year. So, it’s all about looking at the bigger scope of things and just living your best life, and it’s about balance.”

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD GETS READY TO RELEASE NEW BOOK.

    Carrie Underwood is set to release her first book into the world this week. Find Your Path: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life will hit bookshelves on Tuesday (March 3rd). The collection includes tips, recipes, exercises and stories about her personal health and fitness journey.

    She says she felt now was the right time to write and release a book. “I feel like five years ago when we launched Calia, which is my active wear line with Dick’s Sporting Goods, it has just been a great five years and I’ve learned so much and I’ve loved every second of working on that. I feel like the book was the next step in my health and fitness life,” says Carrie. “A lot of people have been asking me over the years to write down what I do, and I just thought, hey, I’ll give it a shot and see if I have anything to say to the world and turns out we did. I had some incredibly strong women join me on this – my trainer Eve Overland and my friend who’s also a nutritionist. Her name is Cara Clark. It’s been such a rewarding experience, and I cannot wait for people to read it. Hopefully we can help people on their journeys – get stronger, get healthier, live longer, feel better. All of those things are great things, and we’re just excited to be part of people’s lives.”

    There is also a Target exclusive bonus chapter. The Target exclusive edition of FIND YOUR PATH features a special bonus chapter called “From My Garden,” with advice on growing vegetables and fresh herbs in an at-home vegetable garden. Carrie invites readers into her own backyard vegetable garden, and she shares several bonus plant-based recipes that are exclusive for Target readers.

    Carrie, who is currently making her way up the country charts with her latest song “Drinking Alone,” will grace the cover of the April issue of Women’s Health magazine, which hits newstands March 17th.

    Audio / Carrie Underwood explains why is the right time to release her first book.

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    Carrie Underwood (perfect time to write a book) OC: …of people’s lives. 1:04
    “I feel like right now was the right time to write and release a book. Of course, the book is called Find Your Path. And I feel like five years ago when we launched Calia, which is my active wear line with Dick’s Sporting Goods, it has just been a great five years and I’ve learned so much and I’ve loved every second of working on that. I feel like the book was the next step in my health and fitness life. A lot of people have been asking me over the years to write down what I do, and I just thought, hey, I’ll give it a shot and see if I have anything to say to the world and turns out we did. I had some incredibly strong women join me on this – my trainer Eve Overland and my friend who’s also a nutritionist. Her name is Cara Clark. It’s been such a rewarding experience, and I cannot wait for people to read it. Hopefully we can help people on their journeys – get stronger, get healthier, live longer, feel better. All of those things are great things, and we’re just excited to be part of people’s lives.”

  • NOMINATIONS FOR THIS YEAR’S ACM AWARDS HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.

    The Academy of Country Music announced the nominations for this year’s awards show today, and Universal Music Group Nashville is celebrating its honorees.

    Eric Church, who performing for three-and-a-half to four hours each night on his recent Double Down Tour) leads our nominees with three, including his second nod for Entertainer of the Year. He was also nominated as artist and songwriter in the Song of the Year category for “Some of It” – marking his eighth and ninth nominations in the category.

     

    Reigning Female Artist of the Year Kacey Musgraves earned three nominations including her seventh nod for Female Artist of the Year. Additionally, she received her first Single of the Year nomination as both artist and producer for “Rainbow.”

    Carrie Underwood is nominated for a pair of awards, including Entertainer of the Year, as well as Female Artist of the Year.

     

    Newcomer Caylee Hammack also picks up two nominations, including New Female Artist of the Year, as well as Music Event of the Year for Fooled Around And Fell In Love” with Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde and Tenille Townes.

    Little Big Town also picks up a pair of nods for Group of the Year and Video of the Year for “Sugar Coat.”

     

    Luke Bryan is nominated for Entertainer of the Year, an award he’s previously won twice at the ACMs.

     

    Chris Stapleton, Dierks Bentley and Keith Urban are nominated for Male Artist of the Year; Jon Pardi  is up for Album of the Year for Heartache Medication; Jordan Davis for New Male Artist of the Year; and Brothers Osborne and Maddie & Tae are up for Duo of the Year.

     

     

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    The 55th Academy of Country Awards show, hosted by Keith Urban, will broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas April 5th at 8pm ET/delayed PT on CBS.

     

    ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

    Luke Bryan

    Eric Church

    Luke Combs

    Thomas Rhett

    Carrie Underwood

    FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Kelsea Ballerini

    Miranda Lambert

    Maren Morris

    Kacey Musgraves

    Carrie Underwood

    MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Dierks Bentley

    Luke Combs

    Thomas Rhett

    Chris Stapleton

    Keith Urban

    DUO OF THE YEAR

    Brooks & Dunn

    Brothers Osborne

    Dan + Shay

    Florida Georgia Line

    Maddie & Tae

    GROUP OF THE YEAR

    Lady Antebellum

    Little Big Town

    Midland

    Old Dominion

    The Highwomen

    NEW FEMALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Ingrid Andress

    Gabby Barrett

    Lindsay Ell

    Caylee Hammack

    Tenille Townes

    NEW MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

    Jordan Davis

    Russell Dickerson

    Riley Green

    Cody Johnson

    Morgan Wallen
    ALBUM OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

    Center Point Road – Thomas Rhett

    Producers: Julian Bunetta, Jesse Frasure, Dann Huff, Thomas Rhett, The Stereotypes, Cleve Wilson

    GIRL – Maren Morris

    Producers: busbee, Greg Kurstin, Maren Morris

    Heartache Medication – Jon Pardi

    Producers: Bart Butler, Ryan Gore, Jon Pardi

     

    What You See Is What You Get – Luke Combs

    Producer: Scott Moffatt

    Wildcard – Miranda Lambert

    Producer: Jay Joyce

     

    SINGLE OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

    God’s Country – Blake Shelton

    Producer: Scott Hendricks

    One Man Band – Old Dominion

    Producer: Shane McAnally

    Rainbow – Kacey Musgraves

    Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian

    Rumor – Lee Brice

    Producers: Lee Brice, Dan Frizsell, Kyle Jacobs, Jon Stone

    What If I Never Get Over You – Lady Antebellum

    Producer: Dann Huff

     

    SONG OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)]

    10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

    Songwriters: Justin Bieber, Jason “Poo Bear” Boyd, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shay Mooney, Jordan Reynolds, Dan Smyers

    Publishers: Beats and Banjos (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Shay Mooney Music (BMI), Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. (BMI) / Big Ass Pile Of Dimes Music (BMI), Big Machine Music (BMI) / Buckeye 26 (ASCAP), Jreynmusic (ASCAP), WB Music Corp. (ASCAP) / Bieber Time Publishing (ASCAP), Universal Music (ASCAP) / Poo B Z Inc. (ASCAP), BMG Gold Songs (ASCAP).

    Girl Goin’ Nowhere – Ashley McBryde

    Songwriters: Jeremy Bussey, Ashley McBryde

    Publishers: Songs of Song Factory (BMI) / Universal Tunes (SESAC).

    God’s Country – Blake Shelton

    Songwriters: Devin Dawson, Michael Hardy, Jordan Schmidt

    Publishers: Relative Music Group (BMI), Administered by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing (BMI) / WB Music Corp. / Georgia Song Vibez / We-volve Music (ASCAP) / Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. / Neon Cross Music (BMI).

    One Man Band – Old Dominion

    Songwriters: Josh Osborne, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Brad Tursi

    Publishers: WB Music Corp/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing. Rezsongs/Reehits World/Smacktown Music, a division of Smack Blue, LLC/Unfair Entertainment  (ASCAP) adm. by Me Gusta Music. We’re Really Doin’ It Publishing (ASCAP) adm by Words & Music. Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing/Smackville Music/Smack Songs LLC (ASCAP) adm. by Kobalt Songs Music Publishing.

    Some Of It – Eric Church

    Songwriters: Eric Church, Clint Daniels, Jeff Hyde, Bobby Pinson

    Publishers: Sony/ATV Tree Publishing/Longer and Louder Music, admin. by Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC; Mammaw’s Fried Okra Music/Little Louder Songs, admin. by Songs of Kobalt Music Publishing; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights; New Writers Of Sea Gayle Music/Not A Track Guy Music, admin. by ClearBox Rights (BMI).

    VIDEO OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)]

    10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

    Director: Patrick Tracy

    Producer: Christen Pinkston

    God’s Country – Blake Shelton

    Director: Sophie Muller

    Producers: Jamie Amos, Patrick Kennedy

    One Man Band – Old Dominion

    Director: Mason Allen

    Producer: Mason Allen

    Remember You Young – Thomas Rhett

    Director: TK McKamy

    Producer: Dan Atchison

    Sugar Coat – Little Big Town

    Directors: Alexa Kinigopoulos, Stephen Kinigopoulos

    Producers: Wes Edwards, Carlo Glorioso, Angie Lorenz

    SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR *(Off Camera Award)

    Ashley Gorley

    Michael Hardy

    Hillary Lindsey

    Shane McAnally

    Josh Osborne

    MUSIC EVENT OF THE YEAR [Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Record Company–Label(s)]

    10,000 Hours – Dan + Shay Featuring Justin Bieber

    Producers: Dan Smyers

    Record Label: Warner Music Nashville

    Dive Bar – Garth Brooks Featuring Blake Shelton

    Producers: Garth Brooks

    Record Label: Pearl Records, Inc.

    Fooled Around And Fell In Love – Miranda Lambert Featuring Maren Morris, Ashley McBryde, Tenille Townes, Caylee Hammack & Elle King

    Producer: Jay Joyce

     

    Old Town Road – Lil Nas X Featuring Billy Ray Cyrus

    Producers: Michael Trent Reznor, Atticus Matthew Ross, YoungKio

     

    What Happens In A Small Town – Brantley Gilbert Featuring Lindsay Ell

    Producer: Dann Huff

     

    Audio / ERIC CHURCH TALKS ABOUT THE ENERGY EXCHANGED BETWEEN HIM AND HIS FANS IN THE AUDIENCE AT HIS SHOWS

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    Eric Church (performing energy) OC: …type of crowd. :40
    “Well, I think for me every night I try to empty the tank. There’s always that energy floating around. It’s a palpable thing, and it’s up to me to start that exchange and get the crowd to give it back to me and then watch it build on itself and just to have that experience. We have one night here in whatever city we’re in, you know, we’ve got this night. I’m not gonna see you for a while you’re not gonna see me for a while, you know? And I love being able to capitalize on that moment and trying to live in that moment and get as much energy exchange between myself and the crowd as we can. I love that. That’s my favorite part of what we do. I love being around people, I’m very passionate about my music, and I love people who are passionate about the music too and I love playing a show for that type of crowd.”

    Audio / ERIC CHURCH TALKS ABOUT HIS SONG "SOME OF IT."

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    Eric Church (Some of It coming of age) OC: …figure it out. :56
    “That’s a song, a coming-of-age song, it’s an adult song. It’s adult music. If you listen to the thematics in that and what it’s about, it’s about being older and having some wisdom about you. I think that’s something that I appreciate in my fan base now that early on probably wasn’t there. We were young and drunk and fighting and stupid. But I think now to see them grow – to see the fan base grow – it’s just one of those songs that came along at the right time. And again, it was such a blessing that happened. It wasn’t going to be on the album. It was just one of those freak things that I put it on the album, the last song on the album. The album was done, and all of a sudden it becomes the pillar, one of the pillars on the album. I think again, you go back to it’s one of the great things about music, is you just never know what’s going to happen until it’s all said and done. You can try to plan all you want to, but you’ll probably not going to figure it out.”

    Audio / LAST YEAR, CARRIE UNDERWOOD TALKED ABOUT HER ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR NOMINATION FOR LAST YEAR’S CMA AWARDS…AND THE SAME SENTIMENT HOLDS TRUE FOR THIS YEAR’S ACM AWARDS.

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    Carrie Underwood (Entertainer nod 2019) OC: …sorry boys! (laughs) :28
    “I personally feel like entertainer. It’s everything, right? So, I feel like people kind of narrow it down to tours, but I feel like there’s so many more components to it. And, you know, I’m blessed and lucky to be nominated, obviously, and fantastic company. It would be amazing, but of course, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want it. (laughs) Sorry boys.” (laughs)

    Audio / LUKE BRYAN TALKS ABOUT BEING NAMED ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR FROM BOTH THE ACM AWARDS AND CMA AWARDS.

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    Luke Bryan (Entertainer wins) OC: …got it right. :49
    “The title is what it is, you know? I mean, my focus in life when I’m on stage is entertaining these fans. If it’s my smile and my demeanor, if it’s my song that does it, if it’s me picking up a child out of the audience and letting them sing, it’s not being so premeditated that you can see it from a mile away. I mean, my main thing is be a fan up there that just gets to sing. That’s kind of how I’ve always approached it, and being called the Entertainer of the Year makes me want to do that to the best of my ability every night for the rest of my life as long as I’m on stage. I want people to leave my shows and go, ‘You know what? Whoever’s voting him Entertainer of the Year, they got it right.’”

    Audio / Jordan Davis reacts to his ACM Nomination for New Male Artist of the Year this year.

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    Jordan Davis (ACM nomination) OC: …in Vegas. :18
    “Hey! This is Jordan Davis, and I just want to say thank you to the ACMs (and) to all my supporters in country music for making me a nominee for the New (Male) Artist of the Year at the 55th ACM Awards. I grew up watching this and to be on it now is a dream come true. So, thank y’all so much. Looking forward to an awesome weekend in Vegas.”

    Audio / Caylee Hammack is overwhelmed by her two ACM nominations for Music Event and New Female Artist of the Year.

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    Caylee Hammack (ACM nominations) OC: …Thank you. (laughs) :47
    “I am blown away and just completely in awe in this situation to wake up and realize that I have two nominations for the ACMs. It’s, this is the biggest blessing in my life, I feel like right now, and I’m just so excited to be included in such a great group of women in the first place with Miranda Lambert pulling us all together to do that cover. It is amazing to see that it was nominated for Music Event of the Year and also as a young female artist in this industry, it is such a validating moment for me to be nominated as a New Female Artist of the Year nominee. Just thank you. Anybody, whoever it was, who had to kill somebody to get me there. Thank you!”(laughs)

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD’S CRY PRETTY ALBUM CERTIFIED PLATINUM BY RIAA.


    From left to right: Cindy Mabe (President, UMGN), Ann Edelblute (Owner, The HQ), Royce Risser (EVP of Promotions, UMGN), Carrie Underwood, Mike Dungan (Chairman & CEO, UMGN), David Garcia (Underwood’s Co-Producer), Brian Wright (EVP of A&R, UMGN), Jackie Jones (Vice President, Artist & Industry Relations, RIAA)

    Photo Credit: Country Radio Seminar 2020/Kayla Schoen

    Carrie Underwood celebrated the RIAA Platinum certification of her latest album, Cry Pretty, as well as, four certified singles from the album this past Friday in Nashville. Following her CRS (Country Radio Seminar) Artist Interview at the Omni Hotel, Underwood was surprised onstage with a Platinum plaque from UMG Nashville CEO & Chairman, Mike Dungan, and President, Cindy Mabe, for her sixth studio album and the first she co-produced alongside David Garcia.

    Cry Pretty is an album of risk and boundary pushing,” shares Cindy Mabe. “Carrie put her whole heart, raw emotion and personal story into writing, producing and releasing the music from this album for the world to see behind the curtains. Cry Pretty is Carrie’s artistic evolution and provides a chance for fans to see her at her most vulnerable and raw, so celebrating Platinum status is such an incredible gift that proves big risk gives way to big reward.”

    When surprised with the Platinum plaque by Dungan and Mabe, Underwood said, “This means a lot, because I feel like this is the project that I’ve done, and the album that I’ve done, that is the most ‘me.’  I’m honored and I’m humbled, and God is good.”

    The critically-acclaimed album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, cementing her place in history as the only woman to land four country albums at the top of the all-genre Billboard 200 chart. The album was the best-selling all-genre female debut in 2018 and she continues to hold the record as RIAA’s #1 certified female artist for Digital Singles.  Four singles from Cry Pretty have also been certified by the RIAA including the Platinum-certified “The Champion” and the Gold-certified “Cry Pretty,” “Love Wins” and “Southbound.”

    On March 3, HarperCollins/Dey Street Books will publish Carrie’s first book, FIND YOUR PATH: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul, and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life, a fitness lifestyle book in which she shares her belief that fitness is a lifelong journey. Underwood’s goal is to provide a common-sense approach to staying active, eating well, and looking as beautiful as you feel, 52 weeks a year.

    Audio / Prior to releasing her latest album, Cry Pretty, CARRIE UNDERWOOD REVEALED THAT THERE IS A LOT OF REAL LIFE IN HER NEW ALBUM, CRY PRETTY.

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    Carrie Underwood (a lot of her in new album) OC: …hear that. :51
    “I always try to let the album kind of dictate what it wants and let the songs kind of dictate what they want. It’s really hard to start a new project in saying, ‘Man, I really want to write songs about this or make it sound like this.’ So, we just kind of went in and I started writing with people and I was like, ‘What’s coming out,’ instead of trying to force anything into any box. I just wanted to be completely creative to see what would happen. I feel like some themes that kind of weave their way through the entire album are ones that are just very real and very much about life and very sincere and emotional and soulful. Of course, we have some fun songs on there too, but there’s a lot of me on this album. I think when people listen to it, they’ll definitely hear that.”

  • CARRIE UNDERWOOD ANNOUNCES BOOK TOUR.

    Carrie Underwood has announced she will be going on a book tour next month to support her upcoming book, Find Your Path: Honor Your Body, Fuel Your Soul and Get Strong with the Fit52 Life. She will make stops in Brooklyn (New York), Stamford (Connecticut), Nashville (Tennessee) and L.A. (California).

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B8rC7vOlBXI/

    Carrie’s fans closely follow what she does to stay fit, tracking her workouts and healthy eating tips on social media. As the founder and lead designer of the popular lifestyle and fitness brand CALIA by Carrie Underwood, she believes that fitness is a lifelong journey, and it’s not about perfection. Her Fit52 program, which she shares with readers in this book, is a sustainable, common-sense approach to staying active, eating well, and looking as beautiful as you feel—52 weeks a year.

    “I want to be healthy and fit 52 weeks of the year, but that doesn’t mean I have to be perfect every day,” she says. “This philosophy is a year-round common-sense approach to health and fitness that involves doing your best most of the time — and by that I don’t mean being naughty for three days and good for four. I mean doing your absolute best most of the time during every week, 52 weeks of the year.”

    Carrie is currently making her way up the country charts with her latest song, “Drinking Alone.”

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Shania, Vince, Sam, Kacey, Luke, LBT, Carrie, Keith, Parker

    Shania Twain will appear on ABC’s The View on Friday (February 7th).

    Shania Twain is extending her Let’s Go! Vegas residency at Zappos Theater with new shows August through December. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 14th at 10am PT. Get more information here.

    Vince Gill, Sam Hunt, Kacey Musgraves and many more artists will be featured in the new film, Bluebird, which chronicles the famed Bluebird Café in Nashville. The movie, which will also include Garth Brooks, Maren Morris, Faith Hill, Taylor Swift, Pam Tillis, Trisha Yearwood, Eric Paslay and Steve Earle, will air February 19th at 8pm ET on CMT.

    Luke Bryan, Little Big Town, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban are among the artists featured in the new Time Life blu-ray video, CMA Awards Live Greatest Moments: 2008-2015, on March 3rd. Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton will also be included.

    Parker McCollum will perform at the Born & Raised Music Festival June 5th – 7th in Pryor, Oklahoma. Tickets to the three-day event, which will also feature performances by Willie Nelson and Hank Williams, Jr., go on sale February 14th.

  • VALENTINE’S DAY LINERS 2020

    Audio / LINER Billy Currington (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Billy Currington. Hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

     

    Audio / LINER Brothers Osborne (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, this is T.J., and I’m John, and we’re Brothers Osborne. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Carrie Underwood (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! I’m Carrie Underwood, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day. Send me some chocolate.”

    Audio / LINER Caylee Hammack (Valentine's Day)

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    “Hey y’all! This is Caylee Hammack, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Darius Rucker (Valentine’s Day)

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    “What’s up y’all? This is Darius Rucker, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Dierks Bentley (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, it’s Dierks Bentley, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Eric Church (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Eric Church, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Gary Allan (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey, this is Gary Allan, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER George Strait (Valentine’s Day)

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    “This is George Strait, wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Jon Pardi (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! It’s Jon Pardi, and I hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Jordan Davis (Valentine's Day)

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    “Hey! It’s Jordan Davis, hoping you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Josh Turner (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! This is Josh Turner, and I want to wish you and your sweetheart a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Kacey Musgraves (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi, this is Kacey Musgraves, and I hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Keith Urban (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. This is Keith Urban. Make the day special for your ‘Once in a Lifetime’ love.”

    Audio / LINER Kip Moore (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! What’s happening, everybody? This is Kip Moore. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER LBT (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey! We’re Little Big Town. Happy Valentine’s Day!”

    Audio / LINER Luke Bryan (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey y’all, it’s Luke Bryan. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Parker McCollum (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hey everybody. I’m Parker McCollum, wishing all the lovers out there a Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Sam Hunt (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi! This is Sam Hunt, wishing you a very Happy Valentine’s Day.”

    Audio / LINER Shania Twain (Valentine’s Day)

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    “Hi, this is Shania Twain. Happy Valentine’s Day.”

  • NEWS AND NOTES: Hot Country Knights, Eric Church, Jon Pardi, Brothers Osborne, Caylee Hammack, Jon Langston, Kacey Musgraves, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Parker McCollum

    The Hot Country Knights will make their “worldwide television debut” on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday (February 3rd).

     

    Canada’s huge music festival, Boots & Hearts, has announced the line-up for their 2020 fest. Eric Church, Jon Pardi, Brothers Osborne, Caylee Hammack and Jon Langston are all set to perform during the four-day event, taking place August 6th – 9th in Oro-Medonte, Ontario.

    Kacey Musgraves will be among the performers for this year’s Primavera Sound music festival. The 2020 event, taking place June 3rd through June 7th in Barcelona, Spain, will also feature performances by Maggie Rogers, Lana Del Rey, Bad Bunny, Beck, Tyler, the Creator and many more.

    Eric Church, Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton and Kacey Musgraves are among the artists to be featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s new exhibit, “American Currents: State of the Music.” The exhibit, which opens March 6th and runs through February 7th, 2021, also features Jason Aldean, Maren Morris, Morgan Wallen, Lil Nas X, Luke Combs, Kelsea Ballerini, Billy Ray Cyrus, Tanya Tucker, Blanco Brown and John Prine, among others.

    Caylee Hammack and Parker McCollum have been announced as part of MusicRow’s Next Big Thing for 2020.