Alan Jackson is releasing new music this week. The Bluegrass Album is something a little different for Alan – it’s 14 songs, recorded acoustically with a band that’s comprised of some of the bluegrass world’s top-notch musicians. And though it may be a “new” sound given that this is the first bluegrass album Alan’s ever recorded, he says fans shouldn’t find The Bluegrass Album to be any sort of drastic departure from the kind of music they know and love from him – “If you listen to my music…I’ve always had dobros and banjo and mandolin in a lot of my songs.” Alan says he’s always been a fan of the bluegrass sound – ever since he was a kid seeing bluegrass musicians featured on TV programs like The Andy Griffith Show – “I appreciate the realness of it.” The Bluegrass Album is available this week.

Alan Jackson says he’s been a fan of bluegrass music for a long time. (:21)
“I appreciate the realness of it. And if you listen to my music, I’ve always – a lot of my songs, if you took the drums off and the steel guitar and electric guitar, it’d be bluegrass. I’ve always had dobros and banjo and mandolin in a lot of my songs along the way.”

Darius Rucker is no stranger to the radio – he’s had songs reach the top of the charts plenty of times, thanks to DJs who play his music and fans like you who request his songs. And these days – while he’s singing about “Radio” is his new hit single of the same name – he believes it’s his love of radio that’s earned him a place “on the air.” “I was always a radio kid,” Darius recalls, as he remembers listening to variety of artists and styles while growing up. “It was never ‘hip-hop’ or ‘country’ or ‘rock’ – it was just music,” he explains. “I always looked at it that way. And that’s why I’m sitting here right now, I think.”

Darius’ new hit “Radio” is from his True Believers album.

Darius Rucker can’t remember a time when he didn’t enjoy listening to music on the radio. (:26)
“I was always a radio kid. You know, it was everything from Boston to Kenny Rogers to, you know, I guess when I was 17 it was a little bit of everything – whatever I liked on the radio. That’s the reason I’ve had success in rock and pop, and now I’m having success in country – because it was always just music to me. It was never ‘hip-hop’ or ‘country’ or ‘rock’ – it was just music. And so, I always looked at it that way. And that’s why I’m sitting here right now, I think.’

ERIC PASLAY FEATURED ON ABC’S NIGHTLINE SEPTEMBER 25

Top 25 Single “Friday Night” Included in Weekly ESPN College Football Friday Primetime Broadcasts

Nashville, TN (September 24, 2013) – EMI Records Nashville’s Eric Paslay (pass-lay) will be featured on ABC’s Nightline on Wednesday, September 25 (12:37pm ET).  Nightline correspondent Juju Chang shadowed Eric in a day in the life type segment that focuses on what it takes for an artist to become the next breakout country star.  Paslay will release his debut album in early 2014.

Paslay’s Top 25 single “Friday Night” is also being included in weekly ESPN College Football Friday Primetime Broadcasts.  The hit single was written by Eric with Rose Falcon and Rob Crosby. 

In addition to his three No. one singles (“Even If It Breaks Your Heart” performed by the Eli Young Band, “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” performed by Jake Owen” and Angel Eyes” performed by Love & Theft), Paslay has been nominated for multiple awards for his songwriting including GRAMMY Best Country Song, ACM Song of the Year and CMA Song of the Year.  He was awarded the ASCAP 2012 County Music Song of the Year for his hit “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” and the CMA Triple Play Award for writing three No. one songs in one year.

Eric will be on the road with the Eli Young Band on their DRUNK LAST NIGHT Fall/Winter Tour.

To say that Kacey Musgraves is having a great year may be an understatement – it seems like every week brings something new and different for her! Take the coming few weeks for example – this weekend, she’ll perform for fans in Nashville as part of the Zac Brown Band’s Southern Ground Music and Food Festival…next month, she’s been asked by Katy Perry to be part of a major Los Angeles concert that will serve as a fundraiser for young women who’re facing breast cancer…and a couple weeks after that, she’ll walk into the CMA Awards as one of the night’s leading nominees! And this is on top of touring the country all year opening shows for folks like Kenny Chesney and Little Big Town! “It’s really hard for me to pick one thing that has been just ‘the’ highlight,” Kacey admits. “It’s really all unbelievable, and I’m thankful for every bit of it.”

Kacey Musgraves admits she’s having an amazing year filled with unforgettable moments. (:22)
“It’s really hard for me to pick one thing that has been just ‘the’ highlight. I feel like sometimes that I get stuck trying to be thankful for the thing that happened to me, you know, a month or two ago, let alone this week! It’s really all unbelievable, and I’m thankful for every bit of it. I mean, I’ve gotten to – just at the very simplest – travel the world and see so many different kinds of people and places.”

CHRIS STAPLETON OFFERS VIP ACCESS TO CONCERTS IN “GET CLEARED WITH 
YOUR BEARD” CAMPAIGN

Nashville, TN – Sept. 23, 2013 – GRAMMY nominated singer/songwriter and professional hair grower Chris Stapleton is calling on his fans to submit photos of their facial hair via social media for the chance to win a place on his guest list at one of his shows, beginning with Joe’s Bar in Chicago on Sept. 27.  The ongoing campaign, “Get Cleared With Your Beard,” launched today and encourages fans to get creative with their submissions.  

“It’s funny, I get a lot of questions right off the bat from fans about my beard, which always makes for a great conversation starter…we just get straight down to the personal stuff,” laughed Stapleton.  “I decided to have some fun with it and celebrate the beard…women too!  If your husband or boyfriend or brother, or even your grandma has a beard and you are proud of it, then send in your photos!”  

Fans can submit photos of their beard with the hashtag #GetClearedWithYourBeard to Stapleton’s Facebook ( facebook.com/chrisstapletonofficial), Twitter ( @ChrisStapleton) or Instagram ( @CAStapleton).

Visit   www.ChrisStapleton.com, facebook.com/chrisstapletonofficial, twitter.com/ChrisStapleton or instagram.com/CAStapleton for more information.

Scotty McCreery was only able to spend about four months on his debut album, Clear As Day, which has been certified platinum. He was chosen as the winner of Season 10 of American Idol at the end of May in 2011, and had his first album on store shelves in October 2011. For his new album, See You Tonight, which hits stores next month, he was able to spend a considerable amount of time writing and recording songs for it.

“The time we had for this album was incredible, especially compared to the first record, whereas we had the better part of the year if not more than a year to make this record,” says Scotty. “So, that gave me time to write – gave me the time to sit there and think about which songs I wanted to have on it, what I wanted to say throughout the songs. I got to be much more of an artist on this record.”

Scotty is currently climbing the country charts with his latest single, the title track of his new album, See You Tonight, due in stores October 15th.
 

Scotty McCreery (time for album) OC: …more real. :22
“The time we had for this album was incredible, especially compared to the first record, whereas we had the better part of the year if not more than a year to make this record. So that gave me time to write – gave me the time to sit there and think about which songs I wanted to have on it, what I wanted to say throughout the songs. I got to be much more of an artist on this record. It felt a lot more me, more real.”

Alan Jackson is set to release The Bluegrass Album on Tuesday (September 24th), a project he has wanted to make for years. This past spring, he jumped into the studio with several of the best players and singers in bluegrass, and just days later he emerged with a complete album. Alan wrote eight of the 14 songs on the collection, which was produced by Keith Stegall and Alan’s nephew, Adam Wright.

“I just am a fan of the music, and I didn’t want to do something that disappointed the bluegrass world. I didn’t want them to think I was just another country act wanting to make a bluegrass album,” says Alan. “I’ve always liked the music and wanted to do something in that vein and something I could be proud of.”

Some of the originals Alan wrote for the project include “Blacktop,” “Blue Ridge Mountain Song” and “Mary,” while some of the covers are John Anderson’s “Wild and Blue” and Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky.”

AJ (Bluegrass album) 2 OC: …this long. :45
“Oh, I probably started thinking about The Bluegrass Album in the mid-’90s sometime. You know, finally when Alison – I got Alison Krauss interested in working with me on an album, and that’s what I really thought we were going to do, and then when we got together and we started kicking stuff around, and ended up kinda going in a little different direction with it and it wasn’t bluegrass at all…which is fine. It was a very cool album that I’m proud of. But anyway, it kinda took me off the bluegrass path there for a while, but after that I just kinda put it on the back burner. And I think things happen when they’re supposed to. And this – when I finally got to it this winter, it just seemed like the right time in my career, in my life, in my head – everything. So, I’m glad we put it off this long.”

AJ (Bluegrass album) 3 OC: …music I heard. 1:09
“There wasn’t much live music around where I was from – country or bluegrass or anything. The earliest music – now looking back – that I realize was bluegrass was on…when I was a child watching The Andy Griffith Show and ‘The Darlings’ they called them on the show but it was The Dillards, which was a little more of a folky kind of bluegrass group. But they played some cool stuff on that show, and made an impression on me, I’m sure. And then at the same time The Beverly Hillbillies – Flatt & Scruggs did the theme song, and they actually were on the show a couple times, and I remember that clearly, you know, how that music sounded and affected me. And my daddy watched Hee Haw every Saturday, and they had a lot of banjo and bluegrass kind of stuff on there that I watched. And I’ve always loved the banjo – the sound of the banjo – for some reason. And when I was a teenager in the ’70s, there was a local group in town. I guess they played some bluegrass festivals in the Southeast. They actually made an album back then. It was…I had the album – I think somebody probably gave it to me. It was a big vinyl album, and I remember that thing – I loved it. I played it back then – it was a cool album. That was probably the earliest real local music I heard.”

Luke Bryan earned three CMA nominations this year, including the coveted Entertainer of the Year, as well as Male Vocalist and Musical Event of the Year for “The Only Way I Know” with pals Jason Aldean and Eric Church.

“Thank you so much for my 3 CMA nominations,” says Luke. “It’s unbelievable, obviously, to be up for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist and Collaboration with Eric and Jason, but pretty awesome news. Love y’all!”

The 47th Annual CMA Awards will be broadcast live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena November 6th at 8pm ET on ABC.

Romantically-challenged filmmaker Tommy Wooldridge can’t get a girlfriend. But he’s got an idea. He’s going to use lyrics from today’s top artists as pick up lines, and document his musical pursuit of love for VEVO! Watch #VEVOLyricLines for his hilariously awkward attempts at wooing women…this time with Luke Bryan lyrics!

Might we see him when Luke co-hosts ABC’s The View?

Lady Antebellum‘s recent CMT Crossroads special with the legendary Stevie Nicks was one of the biggest highlights of the trio’s career. Check it out for yourselves below.