Luke Bryan talks about hosting CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock with ABC’s Good Morning America. The ABC TV special airs September 17th at 8pm ET.

If he didn’t have enough talent already, Keith Urban could also teach music to enthralled students looking for inspiration to follow their dreams. The entertainer took part in a special

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum educational program for selected Metro Nashville Public School high school students from four different schools – Pearl Cohn, John Overton, Nashville School of the Arts and Cane Ridge High Schools. In this special program, students heard Keith talk about the craft of songwriting, his influences and creative inspirations, big moments in his career and more. They also participated in a Q-&-A session with the singer-songwriter-musician, asking questions about what advice would he give, based on his own experiences, the obstacles he overcame, the best advice he received his favorite instrument and more.

Keith told the students that he had devoted all of his time to music as a child, adding his dad, Bob, played drums and his grandmother taught piano lessons. “The first concert my parents took me to was Johnny Cash. I think I was five,” Urban recalled, “My dad had brought us little cowboy shirts, little boots and everything, it was adorable and off we go to see Johnny Cash.”

Urban also told the students that his parents were always very supportive of his dream of pursuing music … even to the point of letting him quit school at a young age.

“I joined my first band when I was 12 and mom and dad used to drive me around to all the gigs,” he said. “When I was 15, I quit school. [I’m] not suggesting you do that, but that’s what I did.”

Even though he had always loved music, Urban did not seriously think about songwriting until his early 20′s. Urban explains that his approach to writing is all about rhythm.

“I think the important thing is to respond quickly to ideas before they go, because they don’t hang around sometimes very long,” Urban said.

Approximately 200 Middle Tennessee high school students attended the program. During the 75 minute lecture, students listened intently to Urban and then took part in a question-and-answer session. Urban then treated the students to a private performance as he played a banjo that he bought in 1995 in the early days of his career and showed them riffs on his guitar demonstrating how he first writes songs. 

According to Nashville’s Tennessean, the country singer joked with a student, calling her “Barbara Walters,” when the local high-schooler took advantage of a question-and-answer session at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on Thursday to ask him about swirling rumors that he would join the Fox reality singing competition, American Idol. “I would love to do it, and hopefully that happens,” Urban said after the audience full of teenagers stopped laughing. “I did get to do a similar role in Australia for ‘The Voice,’ and I really enjoyed it. The thing about those shows is that mentoring aspect; it’s all about passing it on. Keith credits an Australian talent quest for giving him his initial leg-up in the music industry. The singer says he won the contest and the opportunity to record a song, which ultimately led to his first publishing deal and the chance to work in Nashville.

Keith is currently riding high on the country singles charts with his latest single, “For You,” which he wrote and recorded for the Act of Valor soundtrack (check out the audio below — he was asked by a budding filmmaker about writing for a film).

AUDIO: Keith Urban turns the tables and questions a young lady from the Nashville School for the Arts about her plans on being a singer during his session at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum on Thursday.

Keith Urban (questions student) OC: …you’re welcome. 1:43

AUDIO: Keith Urban explains to the students how he came up with the song “For You,” which he wrote and recorded for the Act of Valor film soundtrack. He includes the guitar riff that kicks off the song, which is nearing the Top 5 on the country charts.

Keith Urban (For You conception) OC: …that perspective. 1:23

As Lady Antebellum seriously start recording their fourth album, they wanted to take a look back at where it all began, recording their first single, “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore!”

Eric Church tops the list of final nominees for “The 46^th Annual CMA Awards” with five nominations. The reigning CMA Female and Male Vocalist of the Year Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton each received four nominations. Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Kenny Chesney, Little Big Town and Taylor Swift each received three nominations for Country Music’s Biggest Night™.

“The 46^th Annual CMA Awards” will be hosted for the fifth time by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood and broadcast live from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Thursday, Nov. 1st (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

For the seventh year, the announcement of the final nominees in five of the 12 CMA Awards categories was made live on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” with Aldean and Luke Bryan (who filled in for Lady Antebellum whose plane was delayed) delivering the news from the heart of New York City’s Times Square. They then dashed to nearby B.B. King Blues Club and Grill to announce the finalists in the remaining seven categories during a press conference that was made available across the world via live stream at CMAworld.com.

Church received his first CMA Awards nomination last year for New Artist of the Year. A year later, he tops the list of nominees with five including Male Vocalist; Album for Chief, which was produced by Jay Joyce; Single of the Year for “Springsteen,” also produced by Joyce; Song of the Year for “Springsteen,” written by Church, Ryan Tyndell, and Jeff Hyde, a member of Church’s band; and Music Video of the Year for “Springsteen,” directed by Peter Zavadil. 

There was no place like Home for Dierks Bentley. He received three nominations including Album of the Year for Home, produced by Brett Beavers, Luke Wooten, and Jon Randall Stewart; Single of the Year for “Home,” produced by Beavers and Wooten; and Song of the Year for “Home,” written by Bentley, Beavers, and Dan Wilson, lead singer of Semisonic. 

Little Big Town made a splash with “Pontoon” in 2012. The popular group was nominated for Vocal Group of the Year in addition to capturing nominations for Music Video and Single of the Year for “Pontoon,” directed by Declan Whitebloom and produced by Jay Joyce respectively.

Church was not the only artist making his debut in the Male Vocalist category. Luke Bryan enters the elite list for the first time in 2012. Bryan also picked up a second nomination for Album of the Year for tailgates & tanlines, produced by Jeff Stevens and Mark Bright. Check out his reaction on People.com. “Man, that was a blast announcing the CMA nominations with my buddy Jason Aldean. I am so honored to be nominated in two great categories!” Bryan posted on his Facebook page following the show.

Previously, Church and Bryan received only best new artist nominations. Both made a splash – earning spots on the male vocalist and album of the year lists, joining Aldean, Shelton and Keith Urban. 

And they also shook up the album of the year list – Bryan for “Tailgates & Tanlines” and Church for “Chief.” Other nominees in that category included Lambert’s “Four the Record,” Bentley’s “Home” and Lady Antebellum’s “Own the Night.”

“Those are just really, really important categories and stuff that really anytime I get nominated and I look at the company that I’m in it’s pretty amazing,” Bryan said.

Keith Urban, completes the Male Vocalist of the Year category. Urban won the trophy three times (2004, 2005, and 2006).

Lady Antebellum, who is the reigning Vocal Group of the Year for the past three consecutive years, also earned a nod in the Vocal Group of the Year. Lady A is also nominated for Album of the Year for Own The Night, which the group produced with Paul Worley making them eligible to receive a second trophy for producing the nominated record.

The Song of the Year trophy is presented to and celebrates the songwriters. Nominees in addition to those previously mentioned include “Even if It Breaks Your Heart” by Will Hoge and Eric Paslay (recorded by Eli Young Band). The song was the first No. 1 for Hoge, who is a solo artist in his own right. Paslay also has a blossoming solo career and has penned songs for Lady Antebellum, Jake Owen, and Love and Theft. This is their first CMA Awards nomination.

The Musical Event of the Year category always provides an eclectic mix of talent and unique collaborations and 2012 was no exception. In addition to the nominations for Chesney and Swift, Alan Jackson and Zac Brown were nominated for “Dixie Highway”; Willie Nelson, Snoop Lion (formerly Snoop Dogg), Kris Kristofferson, and Jamey Johnson received a nomination for “Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die”; and Lionel Richie and Darius Rucker were nominated for “Stuck On You.”

Jackson’s nomination ties him with George Strait for the most career CMA Awards nominations with 81 each.  

Winners of “The 46^th Annual CMA Awards” will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting members of the Country Music Association. CMA Awards balloting is officiated by the international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP. The third and final ballot will be emailed to CMA members Thursday, Oct. 4. Voting for the CMA Awards final ballot ends Monday, Oct. 22 (5:00 PM/CT).

Tickets for “The 46^th Annual CMA Awards” go on sale to the public Saturday, Sept. 29 (10:00 AM/CT).

Single of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))

“Dirt Road Anthem”
Jason Aldean
Produced by Michael Knox
Broken Bow Records

“God Gave Me You”
Blake Shelton
Produced by Scott Hendricks
Warner Bros. Records

“Home”
Dierks Bentley
Produced by Brett Beavers and Luke Wooten
Capitol Records Nashville

“Pontoon”
Little Big Town
Produced by Jay Joyce
Capitol Records Nashville

“Springsteen”
Eric Church
Produced by Jay Joyce
EMI Records Nashville

Album of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Producer(s))

Chief
Eric Church
Produced by Jay Joyce
EMI Records Nashville

Four The Record
Miranda Lambert
Produced by Frank Liddell, Chuck Ainlay, and Glenn Worf
RCA Nashville

Home
Dierks Bentley
Produced by Brett Beavers, Luke Wooten, and Jon Randall Stewart
Capitol Records Nashville

Own The Night
Lady Antebellum
Produced by Paul Worley and Lady Antebellum
Capitol Records Nashville

tailgates & tanlines
Luke Bryan
Produced by Jeff Stevens and Mark Bright
Capitol Records Nashville

Song of the Year
(Award goes to Songwriter(s))

“Even If It Breaks Your Heart”
Will Hoge and Eric Paslay

“God Gave Me You”
Dave Barnes

“Home”
Dan Wilson, Brett Beavers, and Dierks Bentley

“Over You”
Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton

“Springsteen”
Eric Church, Ryan Tyndell, and Jeff Hyde

Male Vocalist of the Year

Jason Aldean
Luke Bryan
Eric Church
Blake Shelton
Keith Urban

Vocal Group of the Year

Eli Young Band
Lady Antebellum
Little Big Town
The Band Perry
Zac Brown Band

Musical Event of the Year
(Award goes to each Artist)

“Dixie Highway”
Alan Jackson featuring Zac Brown
ACR/EMI Records Nashville

“Feel Like A Rock Star”
Kenny Chesney (duet with Tim McGraw)
Blue Chair Records/Columbia Nashville

“Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die”
Willie Nelson with Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson, and Jamey Johnson
Legacy Recordings

“Safe & Sound”
Taylor Swift (featuring The Civil Wars)
Big Machine Records/Universal Republic Records

“Stuck On You”
Lionel Richie (with Darius Rucker)
Mercury Records Nashville

Music Video of the Year
(Award goes to Artist and Director)

“Come Over”
Kenny Chesney
Directed by Shaun Silva

“Over You”
Miranda Lambert
Directed by Trey Fanjoy

“Pontoon”
Little Big Town
Directed by Declan Whitebloom

“Red Solo Cup”
Toby Keith
Directed by Michael Salomon

“Springsteen”
Eric Church
Directed by Peter Zavadil 

AUDIO: Eric Church is shocked at receiving the most nominations for this year’s CMA Awards.

Eric Church (CMA nominations 2012) OC: …get this done. 1:13
“I really don’t know what to say. The funny part of the story is I’ve been on vacation for the last week and I lost my phone in the Gulf of Mexico when I was swimming. And I had no clue that even the CMA nominations were today and just landing on an airplane, and really just been unplugged and not paying attention to what’s going on in the world. I got whisked to my management office and they had a screen up that said we were the most nominated artist, so I’m still a little bit in shock. I’m truly speechless. I think it’s a testament to really fans that believed in the music and loved the music and told people about the music. Otherwise, we don’t really have really the track record to be the most nominated artist at this point in time in our career for the path that we’ve taken. I think it’s truly because of the fans and because they did something that’s, I think, really going to be judged as pretty special and pretty unique that we were able to get this done.”

AUDIO: The members of Little Big Town express their excitement over their 3 CMA nominations.

LBT on CMA nominations OC: (Phillip) …cloud nine right now. :22

“[SCREAMS] JIMI: “We were freaking out! It kinda sounded like that.” KIMBERLY: “Yeah, it did.” KAREN: “We’re so thrilled and so honored. The Group of the Year category is fierce, fierce. We’re so honored to be a part of it.” PHILLIP: “We literally were jumping up and slapping and high fives and hugging each other. I mean, we’re so thrilled. This is the best. Living on cloud nine right now.”

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley talks about the diversity of songs on his CMA-nominated album, Home.

Dierks Bentley (diversity of songs) OC: …I am, musically. :27

“I think what’s cool about this record, and one thing I tried to capture on it is a diversity of the music but it all falls within the confines of who I am as a country singer as far as loving the country sounds, the bluegrass sounds, loving some of the rock sounds and energy and mixing it all together on a record. I think it’s all there so I think there’s a diversity of subject matter and sounds but in a way that it all kind of gels together pretty well and it’s a good description of who I am, musically.”

AUDIO: Lady A’s Charles Kelley says the band wrote songs about their experiences and real life for their CMA-nominated album, Own the Night.

Lady A (write what we know) OC: …relate to, you know? :09

“We just write about what we know, you know. We don’t know much about changing the world or politics, so we stick to love songs. And I think it’s stuff everybody can relate to, you know?”

AUDIO: Luke Bryan says his CMA-nominated album, tailgates & tanlines, is more than just a collection of party songs.

Luke Bryan (more than a party) OC: …live shows. :26

“I think it has serious stuff too. It’s a deeper deal too than just a party. I mean, I think what’s important to be able to do those fun songs but then to hit fans with a big thought song that really gets ‘em. People want to come and have a good time and I think that what you need to do with your albums. You can’t overload your album with it but you certainly need it for the live show and want it to happen in the live shows.”

We are just one week away from the release of Little Big Town’s highly-anticipated fifth studio album, Tornado. The title certainly describes what is going on in the band’s career, as well as the process of recording the album. “It definitely, to me, describes how the album happened,” laughs LBT’s Jimi Westbrook. “The recording process alone was this big storm that happened, and it was fast and furious and then it was just gone and over. I feel like that really is a good description of that.”T

Tornado, which is set for release September 11th, includes their new No. 1 single, “Pontoon.”

The group will appear on ABC’s Good Morning America (September 10th) with a performance during the premiere week of The Ellen DeGeneres Show (September 13th). The band will also perform on the upcoming ABC Television Special CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL: COUNTRY’S NIGHT TO ROCK (September 17th) and will also be featured on CMT’s Unplugged Series which will premiere on CMT.com September 11th and on CMT September 18th. 

AUDIO: Little Big Town’s Jimi Westbrook talks about the title of the band’s new album, Tornado.

LBT (Tornado title) OC: …we love. :22

“I think Tornado describes the album. It definitely, to me, describes how the album happened.” [laughs] KIMBERLY: “Yes.” JIMI: “The recording process alone was this big storm that happened, and it was fast and furious and then it was just gone and over. I feel like that really is a good description of that, and it’s a song on the record that we love.”

Little Big Town are celebrating their very first No. 1 single this week, as “Pontoon” hits the top of both the Mediabase/Country Aircheck and Billboard country singles charts. The song, the first release from their new album Tornado, was just certified platinum by the R.I.A.A. last week for more than one-million downloads (their first platinum-selling single). The track – written by Natalie Hemby, Luke Laird and Barry Dean — is their fastest selling-single to date and has spent four weeks as a No. 1 country digital download, as well as topping the country chart in Canada just last week.

“Pontoon” is being called the “song of the summer,” and LBT’s Phillip Sweet would have to agree with that assessment. “It’s just fun,” he says. “It feels like summer, and it feels exactly what it sounds like. I grew up on pontoon boats in the summer on the lakes and just having a blast, so it’s good ole clean summertime fun.”

During their 13-year-plus career, Little Big Town has sold more than 1.5 million records, racked up numerous Grammy, CMA and ACM nominations and enjoyed a handful of Top 10 country hits (“Boondocks” and “Bring It On Home” from their platinum 2005 album The Road to Here, and “Little White Church” from their acclaimed 2010 release, The Reason Why).

Little Big Town’s preparing for the release of their highly-anticipated fifth studio album, Tornado, set for release September 11th, with coast-to-coast television appearances, including ABC’s Good Morning America (September 10th) and a performance during the premiere week of The Ellen DeGeneres Show (September 13th). The band will perform on the upcoming ABC Television Special CMA MUSIC FESTIVAL: COUNTRY’S NIGHT TO ROCK (September 17th) and will also be featured on CMT’s Unplugged Series which will premiere on CMT.com September 11th and on CMT September 18th.  

Luke Bryan is headed to the small screen this week. He’ll be in New York City for appearnaces on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday (September 5th) and ABC’s Good Morning America on Thursday (September 6th), where he’ll perform his latest single, “Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye.”

The Georgia native is thrilled to make his first performance on Fallon, who is a huge fan of music. “I think Jimmy Fallon embodies, you know, my generation and the youth generation of night-time, late-night TV,” says Luke. “And he’s certainly crazy as it gets…it’s a big honor to be a part of his show.

He makes his second appearance on GMA, having performed as part of the Summer Concert Series a couple of months ago. Forming a bond with host Robin Roberts during his first time on the show, Luke sends prayers and well-wishes as she undergoes a bone marrow transplant for MDS, a rare blood disorder which developed after she underwent treatment for breast cancer. (Roberts’ mother, Lucimarian Roberts, died late Thursday and she was with her mother in Mississippi, leaving a day earlier than she had planned.) “She’s such a beautiful spirit and soul,” says Luke. “I know since I’ve been on the show, she is taking a leave of absence for her health and very close to getting her bone marrow transplant, which on behalf of me and my family and everybody in my organization, we will be praying for her and praying for a speedy, strong recovery. I tell you what, she’s just such an amazing woman, and no doubt in my mind will pull through and come back stronger than ever.”

You can also catch Luke on TV in a couple of weeks. He will be co-hosting ABC’s CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night to Rock with The Band Perry’s Kimberly Perry on Monday, September 17th at 8pm ET.

AUDIO: Luke Bryan is excited about performing on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday.

Luke Bryan (Jimmy Fallon) OC: …of Fallon. : 23

“I think Jimmy Fallon embodies, you know, my generation and the youth generation of night-time, late-night TV. And he’s certainly crazy as it gets. And to be involved and to be on that show, he’s a music guy and a fan of music – it’s a big honor to be a part of his show. So, we’re very excited to be a part of Fallon.”

AUDIO: Luke Bryan sends his thoughts and prayers to Good Morning America anchor, Robin Roberts, who is on a leave of absence for bone marrow transplant surgery.

Luke Bryan (GMA-Robin) OC: …the show. :40
“She’s such a beautiful spirit and soul. I know since I’ve been on the show, she is taking a leave of absence for her health and very close to getting her bone marrow transplant, which on behalf of me and my family and everybody in my organization, we will be praying for her and praying for a speedy, strong recovery. I tell you what, she’s just such an amazing woman, and no doubt in my mind will pull through and come back stronger than ever. So, we’re certainly excited to see her back smiling so beautifully, and hopefully, I can see her very, very soon. And we’re very excited to be coming to the show.”