During the Grammy Nominations Live special on Friday night (December 6th), several Universal Music Group artists walked away with a nod or two. 

Kacey Musgraves picked up four Grammy nominations, including overall Best New Artist, Best Country Song for both “Merry Go ‘Round” and “Mama’s Broken Heart” and Best Country Album for Same Trailer Different Park. Darius Rucker picks up Best Country Solo Performance for “Wagon Wheel,” while Little Big Town’s “Your Side of the Bed” was nominated in the Best Duo/Group Country Performance, alongside “Highway Don’t Care” (Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban) and “Don’t Rush” (Kelly Clarkson with Vince Gill).

During the special, Keith Urban performed the Bill Withers’ classic, “Ain’t No Sunshine,” with R&B singer Miguel.

Kacey Musgraves (title of album) OC: …I love it. :40
“All along I wanted the title to be something that stands out. I never wanted it to be one dimensional or completely obvious — you know, Kacey Musgraves… Or even Merry Go Round, you know? I kind of love it when album titles make you think, and sometimes they don’t even have anything to do with the actual, it’s just an abstract idea. This came from a lyric in ‘Merry Go Round’ and it’s one of my favorite lyrics in the record. The lyric is ‘Same hurt in every heart/same trailer, different park,’ and it kind of just means we’re all kind of in this together. We’re all hurt the same way. We all feel the same way, although we’re all different. That’s why I love it.”

First dances, first kisses, an impromptu Tim McGraw Tribute, and an acoustic version of “And The Radio Played”… all here on an action-packed Webisode Wednesday with Lady Antebellum! Check it out below.

Lady A are heading in the right direction with their latest single, “Compass” — up the country charts!

KNOXVILLE, TENN. (December 5, 2013) – Kimberly’s Simply Southern, a one-of-a-kind cooking show featuring Little Big Town founding member Kimberly Schlapman, has been renewed for a third season with 13 new episodes on Great American Country. New episodes will premiere in early Spring 2014.

In each episode of the hit series, Kimberly hops off the tour bus while on the road with her Grammy Award-winning country band, Little Big Town, to discover America’s best local foods, ingredients, culinary customs and treasures. Once back in her Nashville kitchen, she is joined by family and celebrity guests to create authentic southern meals combining her traditional family recipes with the ingredients she learned more about during her travels, which in past seasons included citrus, chocolate, dairy, mushrooms, oysters, goat cheese and bacon and in 2014 will include Sourwood honey glazed ham, Louisiana shrimp, homemade biscuits, hot and spicy chicken and others.

“This series is a childhood dream of mine and I’m so excited to have the opportunity to get to share all the fun things I learn out there in my travels,” said Schlapman. “I love sharing my passion for cooking and hunting down treasures across the country with Great American Country’s viewers.”

“Kimberly’s Simply Southern is a natural fit for Great American Country and embodies our renewed focus on exploring and celebrating everything America has to offer,” said Sarah Trahern, senior vice president and general manager of Great American Country. “It’s been among our highest-rated original series, and the audiences love the opportunity to visit fascinating places across our nation and learning about ingredients before Kimberly invites them into her kitchen to meet her friends and share a great meal.”

Critics and fans alike adore the Great American Country series and its charming host. Following the successful second season of Kimberly’s Simply Southern, host Kimberly Schlapman was nominated for a TASTE AWARD in the category of “Best Home Chef in a Series.” The TASTE AWARD, also known as the TASTY Awards, recognizes excellence in programs, series and films across platforms including on television, online, on mobile, in theaters and on radio. Fan voting for the honor is ongoing now through Dec. 18. To learn more about Kimberly’s nomination and how to vote, visit http://GACtv.com/simplysouthern.

Tickets for legendary country artist and CMA Entertainer of the Year George Strait’s final tour stop at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas will officially go on sale tomorrow, Dec. 6, 2013. The 100,000-seat capacity stadium is home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and a fitting venue for the last date on Quicken Loans Presents George Strait’s The Cowboy Rides Away Tour 2014.

A star-studded lineup will join the “King of Country” on June 7, 2013; six-time Grammy Award-winning group Asleep At The Wheel will be the opening act and country superstars Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and Lee Ann Womack will each perform three songs during the show.

Tickets will go on sale on Strait’s official website Friday, Dec. 6 at 10:00 a.m. CST. Country fans will also have the opportunity to purchase standing-room-only (SRO) tickets for the final show, starting at an affordable $35 per ticket.

Additionally, CID Entertainment is offering VIP experiences and travel packages for purchase. The “Ace in the Hole” package includes premium seating, an invitation to an exclusive pre-show party in “The King’s Tavern Lounge” with complimentary food and cash bar, a tour of “The King’s Exhibit” (a private exhibit of George Strait memorabilia from his own collection), a VIP parking pass, VIP laminate, limited merchandise gift and tour poster, private merchandise shopping, and an on-site event host. A limited number of “The Troubadour” VIP packages secures one front row seat in addition to the pre-show events and access listed above, plus a guitar signed by George Strait.

Travel packages for two people include a choice of “Troubadour VIP,” “Ace in the Hole VIP” or “Premium Reserved” tickets for the show; hotel accommodations at top-quality properties near AT&T Stadium with shuttle transportation to and from the show, and official George Strait merchandise. For more information about travel packages or VIP tickets, please visit www.cidentertainment.com/georgestrait.

George Strait will be auctioning off two pairs of front row seats plus meet-and-greet passes to each show on the tour, with proceeds benefiting The Jenifer Strait Foundation, a foundation that focuses its donations on various children’s charities including Boys and Girls Clubs of San Antonio and St. Jude’s Ranch. For more information or to participate in the auction, click here.

Special guests have been invited to perform at each stop on Quicken Loans Presents George Strait’s The Cowboy Rides Away Tour 2014. Dates and performers are as follows:

January 9, 2014  CenturyLink Center│Bossier City, La.

*With special guest Jason Aldean

January 10, 2014   Frank Erwin Center│Austin, Texas

*With special guest Jason Aldean

January 17, 2014   CenturyLink Center│Omaha, Neb.

*With special guest Eric Church

January 18, 2014   Spring Center│Kansas City, Mo.

*With special guest Eric Church

January 30, 2014   SAP Center│San Jose, Calif.

*With special guest Martina McBride

January 31, 2014   Valley View Casino Center│San Diego, Calif.

*With special guest Miranda Lambert

February 1, 2014   MGM Grand Garden Arena│Las Vegas, Nev.

*With special guest Miranda Lambert

February 7, 2014   US Airways Center│Phoenix, Ariz.

*With special guest Martina McBride

 February 8, 2014   STAPLES Center│Los Angeles, Calif.

*With special guest Martina McBride

February 14, 2014   The Palace│Auburn Hills, Mich.

*With special guest Little Big Town

February 15, 2014   Nationwide Arena│Columbus, Ohio

*With special guest Little Big Town

February 28, 2014   Wells Fargo Center│Philadelphia, Penn.

*With special guest Martina McBride

March 1, 2014   Prudential Center│Newark, N.J.

*With special guest Martina McBride

March 7, 2014   KFC Yum! Center│Louisville, Ky.

*With special guest Vince Gill

March 8, 2014   Allstate Arena│Chicago, Ill.

*With special guest Vince Gill

March 21, 2014   Bridgestone Arena│Nashville, Tenn.

*With special guest Sheryl Crow

March 22, 2014   Phillips Arena│Atlanta, Ga.

*With special guest Sheryl Crow 

April 4, 2014   INTRUST Bank Arena│Wichita, Kan.

*With special guests Lee Ann Womack and Merle Haggard

April 5, 2014   Pepsi Center│Denver, Colo.

*With special guests Lee Ann Womack and Merle Haggard

April 11, 2014   Moda Center│Portland, Ore.

*With special guest Chris Young

April 12, 2014   Tacoma Dome│Tacoma, Wash.

*With special guest Chris Young

April 18, 2014   Wells Fargo Arena│Des Moines, Iowa

*With special guest Ronnie Dunn

April 19, 2014   BOK Center│Tulsa, Okla.

*With special guest Ronnie Dunn

May 23, 2014   Tiger Stadium│Baton Rouge, La.

*Bayou Country Superfest

May 31, 2014   Gillette Stadium│Foxborough, Mass.

*With special guests Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

June 7, 2014   AT&T Stadium│Arlington, Texas

*With special guests Jason Aldean, Asleep At The Wheel, Kenny Chesney, Eric Church, Ronnie Dunn, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, Martina McBride and Lee Ann Womack

Although this is Strait’s final concert tour, he will continue to record new music for longtime label home MCA Records and will perform select dates across the country after the tour has wrapped. Strait’s current single, “I Got A Car,” is the third release from his chart-topping 40th album Love Is Everything and was penned by Tony Douglas and Keith Gattis.

For more information on forthcoming music and Quicken Loans Presents George Strait’s The Cowboy Rides Away Tour 2014, please visit www.georgestrait.com.

Billy Currington celebrated his recent No. 1 single, “Hey Girl,” with a party in Nashville on Tuesday night (December 3rd), and he brought a very special date…his 84-year-old grandmother, Evelyn. Billy says it was her first No. 1 party.

“We brought her up last night from Georgia,” says Billy. “She’s a big fan of Opryland Hotel, you know, with all of the lights? I took her there a few years ago one time. She just loves it and just been talking about it for years since then, and so we snuck one on her. I think she had other plans, but we said, ‘Wouldn’t you rather go see the Opryland Christmas lights?’ [laughs] So, that’s really all she thought she was going to do, and then we brought her in today. She’s having a great time.”

Billy has hit the airwaves with his new single, “We Are Tonight.”

Billy Currington (No. 1 grandmother) OC: …first No. 1 party. :33
“My grandmother’s here. We brought her up last night from Georgia. She’s a big fan of Opryland Hotel, you know, with all of the lights? I took her there a few years ago one time. She just loves it and just been talking about it for years since then, and so we snuck one on her. I think she had other plans, but we said, ‘Wouldn’t you rather go see the Opryland Christmas lights?’ [laughs] So, that’s really all she thought she was going to do, and then we brought her in today. She’s having a great time. She loves this town. It’s her first No. 1 party.”

Jon Pardi will be in the Christmas spirit, even though he’s had to make alternate plans for Christmas this year.

“This year for Christmas…I’m going to get knee surgery. I have to get my meniscus repaired, and I have to get some clean-up from a previous surgery on my ACL. So, I’m going to go with Dr. Elrod. He does the Titans, and it’s…one of the only chances before next year starts up,” says Jon. “I’ll be spending it at my house. I’m going to get my own Christmas tree and I’m gonna get some Christmas tree lights, and I’m going to play some Christmas music, and I’ll probably Facetime my family, and just make the best of it and get all my friends and roommates who’ll be here and we’re gonna have a Christmas party.”

This will be the first Christmas he won’t be home in California with his mom. “It’s gonna be sad that I won’t get to make it home [to California] for Christmas,” he says. “It’ll be the first time ever I have not been there for my mom, and she is super sad.”

Jon is currently riding high on the charts with his single, “Up All Night,” which is from his debut album, Write You a Song, due in stores January 14th.

Jon Pardi (Christmas plans) OC: …super sad. :46
“This year for Christmas, it’s really not that cool, not that cool at all, because I’m going to get knee surgery. I have to get my meniscus repaired, and I have to get some clean-up from a previous surgery on my ACL. So, I’m going to go with Dr. Elrod. He does the Titans, and it’s a good chance, one of the only chances before next year starts up. And so, I’ll be spending it at my house. I’m going to get my own Christmas tree and I’m gonna get some Christmas tree lights, and I’m going to play some Christmas music, and I’ll probably Facetime my family, and just make the best of it and get all my friends and roommates who’ll be here and we’re gonna have a Christmas party. It’s gonna be sad that I won’t get to make it home [to California] for Christmas. It’ll be the first time ever I have not been there for my mom, and she is super sad.”

Keith Urban is scheduled to perform during the sixth annual Grammy Nominations Concert Live!! – Countdown to Music’s Biggest Night on Friday (December 6th) at 8pm ET. He’ll be joined by such performers as Taylor Swift, Robin Thicke, Drake, Ryan Lewis and host LL Cool J. The 56th Annual Grammy Awards will be held live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 26th.

Kacey Musgraves’ Same Trailer Different Park (#28) and Keith Urban’s Fuse (#39) were chosen as two of Rolling Stones 50 Best Albums of 2013. Others on the list include Ashley Monroe, David Bowie, Artic Monkeys, Paul McCartney and John Fogerty.

The cast of A&E’s Duck Dynasty are included in Barbara Walters’ 2013 list of the Most Fascinating People of the Year, along with Miley Cyrus, actress Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games), Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, the Royal Baby, Prince George, and Kimye (the celebrity couple of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West). But who will be No. 1? You’ll have to tune in to Barbara’s 90-minute ABC special December 18th at 9:30pm ET.

Tickets for the final stop of George Strait’s Cowboy Rides Away Tour 2014 will go on sale this Friday (December 6th) at 10am CT. Visit the official site – georgestrait.com – for more information.

If you missed Scotty McCreery’s Christmas special last year or just want to see it again, you’ll be able to catch it this week. On Tuesday (December 3rd), Christmas With Scotty McCreery & Friends, with special guests Brett Eldredge, Gloriana and Jana Kramer, airs at 8pm ET on GAC. It will also re-air on Wednesday (December 4th) at 11am ET.

Luke Bryan will return to host the 49th Annual ACM Awards with pal Blake Shelton April 6th on CBS! The boys did such a great job this past year hosting together, that they have been asked back. Luke really enjoys hanging out with Blake, so the ACM gig just gives him a good excuse. “A lot of people in our world have told us that we’re essentially brothers from another mother whole-deal. Anytime we’ve been around each other, we wind up cracking each other up and drinking too long into the night,” says Luke. “So, we’ll get out there, and…I think [we] keep it fun and have a great time with it.” 

Catch the reigning Entertainer of the Year in two TV specials this week. First, he joins pal Willie Robertson to sing “Hairy Christmas” on the CMA Country Christmas on ABC tonight (Monday) at 9pm ET. You can also find him as part of CMT’s Artist of the Year show on Tuesday (December 3rd) at 8pm ET.

Luke is currently scaling the country charts with his latest single “Drink a Beer.” 

Luke Bryan (Blake & ACMs) OC: …time with it. :29
“Me and Blake, and a lot of people in our world, have told us that we’re essentially brothers from another mother, whole-deal. Anytime we’ve been around each other, we wind up cracking each other up and drinking too long into the night. So, we’ll get out there, and I think there’s a fine line of keeping it fresh and fun and keeping it funny. And I think [we] keep it fun and have a great time with it.” 

Once everyone gets #SOBER, lets all do a little#DAYDRINKING. Spring 2014.

Hmmmmm….

The Christmas spirit is alive and well in the country music community, and it is represented by several artists in the new ABC special, CMA Country Christmas.
Jennifer Nettles hosts the show, which features performances by Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, Willie Robertson, Jake Owen, Trace Adkins, Rascal Flatts and more.

CMA Country Christmas airs Monday (December 2nd) at 9pm ET/8pm CT.

Lady A (Christmas Tradition-Dave) OC: …this year. :30
“I think a tradition I would love to carry on is kind of a funny one. My dad on Christmas Eve, he would actually read The Christmas Story. Very predictable, I know, but after The Christmas Story, he would always give his famous Christmas test. And he would have this long test and he would ask us about the Three Wisemen… the entire Christmas story. So, I’m gonna have to get the copy of it from him because he never gives us the full answers, but I’d love to get that test from him and be able to pass that along. I’ll quiz my wife this year.”

Willie (favorite Christmas tradition) OC: …pretty fun. :21
“My favorite Christmas tradition is actually we do a big like karaoke the night before believe it or not and sing all kinds of songs and all the kids perform and it’s fun watching them.  They’ll prepare for it all year so it’s pretty cool.  Each family does a performance so it’s pretty fun.”