After picking up his first CMA Award for Album of the Year, Eric Church said he’d never expected to win an award in his career.  After winning the album category for Chief, Church told reporters backstage he never expected to win a CMA Award in his career. “Our path’s been a little bit different. I distinctly remember playing for about eight people in Amarillo, Texas, about four years ago, and to go from there to here is quite surreal. A lot of it I owe to the fans,” says Eric. “The only way we could get our music out there was to keep playing shows. In doing it that way, we laid this foundation. I think when radio started to come on board and the industry started to come on board, it made it that much sweeter.”

If you weren’t able to catch Eric’s performance of “Springsteen” or his acceptance speech, you have a second chance. CMT will re-broadcast the CMA Awards November 21st at 9pm ET.

AUDIO: Backstage after last week’s CMA Awards, Eric Church says he’d never imagined he would win a CMA Award.

Eric Church (CMA – never imagined) OC: …what we do. :47
“Never…especially with our journey. Our path’s been a little bit different. I distinctly remember playing for about eight people in Amarillo, Texas, about four years ago, and to go from there to here is quite surreal. A lot of it I owe to the fans and we’ve always — more than other people maybe — have built our career there with playing shows on the road. Playing 10, 12, 14 shows in a row, and not really getting paid. The only way we could get our music out there was to keep playing shows. In doing it that way, we laid this foundation. I think when radio started to come on board and the industry started to come on board, it made it that much sweeter. It’s not something that I think about for me. I’ve never put a lot weight on awards, but I’ve always wanted it for the people who believed in me from the very beginning that have been so passionate about what we do.”

Little Big Townjust released the video for their latest single, the title track of their album Tornado. The clip is something a little different for them – a tale of revenge that’s a bit dark and haunting, just like the song itself. “It’s kinda creepy,” says LBT’s Karen Fairchild. Bandmate Phillip Sweet agrees. “A darker tone, and we ARE the tornado coming through the town,” he says.

Their buddy, actor Jonathan Schaech (That Thing You Do!, The Sweetest Thing), stars as the “bad guy” in the music video. “He’s such a nice guy, and he plays such a mean guy in this video,” says Karen. “He’s mean and hot at the same time, kinda like Phillip and Jimi. [Jimi laughs] No. They’re sweet and hot.”

The new CMA Vocal Group of the Year is set to launch their Tornado tour January 31st in Murray, Kentucky.

AUDIO: Little Big Town talk about the video for their latest single, “Tornado.”

LBT (Tornado video) OC: (Karen) …sweet and hot. [laughs] :36
KAREN: “So, we put out the video for ‘Tornado,’ finally. We’ve been dying to put it out, and it’s kinda creepy.” KIMBERLY: “Scary.” PHILLIP: “A darker tone, and we ARE the tornado coming through the town.” KAREN: “We will get you.” PHILLIP: “Yes, and we are coming to bring justice to the broken-hearted girl.” [laughs] JIMI: “We’re excited about it, though. Our buddy, Jonathan Schaceh was actually in it with us. He did a great job.” KAREN: “He’s such a nice guy, and he plays such a mean guy in this video.” KIMBERLY: “But still very cute.” [Jimi laughs] KAREN: “I know. He’s mean and hot at the same time, kinda like Phillip and Jimi. [Jimi laughs] No. They’re sweet and hot. [laughs]”

The last weekend of the SOLD-OUT “My Kinda Party Tour” recently wrapped up. Luke Bryan and the guys interview Jason Aldean and his band.

Luke Bryan co-hosts the CMA Red Carpet for the Ellen DeGeneres Show for the second year in a row. His guests include Kellie Pickler, Hunter Hayes, Blake Shelton and Darius Rucker.

Little Big Town experienced a lot of firsts this past year, including their first No. 1 song for “Pontoon.” Thursday night (November 1^st), they picked up two CMA Awards for the first time. They took home Single of the Year for “Pontoon,” as well as their very first Vocal Group of the Year award, for which they’ve been nominated a few times.

AUDIO: We caught Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild right as she was walking into the backstage media area and asked her how she was feeling after the band’s two wins.

LBT (CMA) OC: …so happy. :07
“I feel crazy. I…I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience, like I’m watching a movie. We’re so grateful; so happy.”

Eric Church took home the CMA Album of the Year award for his multi-platinum, Chief.

During the show, he performed his two-week No. 1 song, “Springsteen.”

He’s currently scaling the country charts with his latest single (from Chief), “Creepin’.”

Eric Church (CMA Album) OC: …for them. :26

Capitol Records Nashville recording artist and newest Grand Ole Opry member, Darius Rucker will release his third country studio album, True Believers, on January 22, 2013. Darius wrote ten of the twelve tracks on True Believers including the title track and debut single which is currently Top 20 and climbing.  

“For this album, we really paid attention to what our friends and fans were telling us on the road,” shares Rucker. “The result is an album that I’m so proud of because my fans really have been the true believers since I released my first single to country radio. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it on January 22nd.”

Rucker’s first two country albums, Learn To Live and Charleston, SC 1966 both topped the Billboard Country album chart and produced five No. 1 singles including “Come Back Song,” “This,” “Alright,” “It Won’t Be Like This For Long” and “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It.”
T
True Believers Track Listing:

1. True Believers (Darius Rucker, Josh Kear)

2. Miss You (Darius Rucker, Frank Rogers)

3. Wagon Wheel (Bob Dylan, Jay Secor)

4. Love Without You (Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally)

5. Radio (Darius Rucker, Luke Laird, Ashley Gorley)

6. Lost In You (Darius Rucker, Mark Nesler, Phillip White)

7. I Will Love You Still (Darius Rucker, Josh Kear)

8. Take Me Home (Darius Rucker, Frank Rogers, Monty Criswell)

9. Shine (Darius Rucker, Frank Rogers)

10. Heartbreak Road (Darius Rucker, Dallas Davidson, Rhett Akins)

11. Leavin’ The Light On (Darius Rucker, David Lee Murphy, Phil O’Donnell)

12. Lie To Me (Darius Rucker, Rodney Clawson, Bob DiPiero.

The album was produced by Frank Rogers (Learn To Live and Charleston, SC 1969).

Rucker is currently nominated for Musical Event of the Year at this year’s 46^th Annual CMA Awards for his performance of “Stuck on You” with Lionel Richie. In 2009 he was named New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards. Most recently, Rucker achieved a personal goal and childhood dream when he was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry becoming the newest member on October 16, 2012.

On Tuesday (October 30th), Darius invited special guests to preview his new album, True Believers, during a performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville. He was joined by several of the writers on the project.

“I have learned that the heart and soul of country music is the songwriters,” Darius said before thanking the contributors on the album.

AUDIO: Darius Rucker said he and his producer Frank Rogers definitely wanted to have his third album, True Believers, sound a little different than his previous two records.

Darius Rucker (new album) OC: …definitely different. :30
“With the last record, Frank [Rogers] and I actually even talked about just picking up where we left off really. We thought we did something cool with the first record, and we just figured we’d pick up from there. And then with this record, we just wanted to do something a little different. I don’t think we knew what different meant; we just wanted to sound different. It was fun getting the songs together and everything. It was another great experience with great guys. Here in Nashville it’s always fun, and guys coming to Charleston and hanging out, and it was a great time writing it. But I think when you put on the three records, we wanted you to say this one was definitely different.”

In the latest webisode — just in time for Halloween — we learn that Kelleigh Bannen has quite the sweet tooth; a love that has her husband taking extreme measures…by hiding it!

Kelleigh’s debut single, “Sorry on the Rocks,” is currently heading up the country charts!

Eric Paslay picked up an award Monday night (October 29th) at the 50th annual ASCAP Country Awards at Nashville’s Opryland Hotel. He co-wrote one of the Song of the Year winners, “Barefoot Blue Jean Night,” with Dylan Altman and Terri Sawchuk. It tied with Blake Shelton‘s No. 1 hit, “Honey Bee,” which was penned by Rhett Akins and Ben Hayslip.

Among those in attendance were Paslay, Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum‘s Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, Kip Moore, David Nail, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen and many more.