Lady Antebellum’s Own the Night and Eric Church’s Chief have both been nominated for Best Country Album for the 2012 Grammy Awards.

Following the Grammy nominations announcement last night, Lady A tweeted, “We are so excited about our Grammy nomination! Congrats to all the nominees! Incredible. Thank you!!”

Eric poured a lot of heart, soul and energy into his latest offering, Chief, and says the album was driven by his fans’ passion. “We have built our career on the backs of our fans. We have not cared what else was going on around us,” he says. “The other thing, we went and played shows, and we have given those fans the keys to this vehicle, and we said, ‘Drive it!’ And they have told people about it, and they’ve spread the word, and they’ve preached that gospel, and they’ve just become an army out there.”

The two compete against Jason Aldean’s My Kinda Party, Blake Shelton’s Red River Blue, George Strait’s Here for a Good Time and Taylor Swift’s Speak Now. The 54th Annual Grammy Awards will broadcast live February 12th at 8p ET on CBS.

AUDIO: Eric Church talks about making his latest album, Chief.

Eric Church (making of Chief) OC: …its heartbeat. :59

“We have built our career on the backs of our fans. We have not cared what else was going on around us. The other thing, we went and played shows, and we have given those fans the keys to this vehicle, and we said, ‘Drive it!’ And they have told people about it, and they’ve spread the word, and they’ve preached that gospel, and they’ve just become an army out there. This record when we made it, it needed, for me, to sound like a live show. It needed to sound like we had recorded it live, like you were watching something that we didn’t rehearse, that we didn’t think out. And there’s so many tracks on this record, where I am interacting with the musicians, because I am in the room with them, and either I will sing a melody line or the guitar will be playing a melody line, and we’ll pick up on each other, and it will turn into this little jam moment. And that is where the magic happens. We didn’t plan it, we didn’t talk about it, there’s as much unrehearsed magic on this record as we’ve ever had. There’s a lot of mistakes on it, and I think that’s part of a live show. We mess up every night live, and we talk about it after a show. We left it on this record. Those mistakes are in there, and I think that’s what gives it its heartbeat.”

AUDIO: Own The Night is the title of Lady Antebellum’s third album, and the band’s Hillary Scott explains what kind of statement she hopes the album makes.

Lady Antebellum (Title statement) OC: …celebrate it. :23

HS: “We hope that this album makes an honest statement and one of just truly enjoying your life, every moment in it, whether it’s a heartbreaking moment or a moment where you’re about to float off the ground you’re so head-over-heels for someone. It’s really — embrace every single moment and choose to celebrate it.”

Lady Antebellum reveal all the crazy fun antics they pull while waiting to go on stage for their Own the Night 2011 Tour. Check out the song Lady A’s Charles Kelley and his brother Josh come up with prior to a show, as well as the “music” the band creates on the bus!

In  the latest episode of DBTV (#44), Dierks Bentley, the Eli Young Band and Jerrod Niemann celebrate the close of the first leg of the Country & Cold Cans Tour. Thanks to everyone who made it out to the shows! For those who couldn’t, be sure to keep an eye out for more dates in 2012. Check out dierks.com for more information on next year’s tour dates.

As the weather outside turns a little frightful and Old Man Winter comes a’calling, Lady Antebellum‘s Hillary Scott happily breaks out her winter clothes and brews up the figurative hot chocolate to sit in front of a blazing fire. “I absolutely love when the air starts to get a little chilly and you get to bundle up in your fun fall clothes and wear scarves,” says Hillary. “I think there’s something so nice about summertime, but there’s something so cozy and wonderful about the winter and being able to turn on the fireplace and cuddle up by the fire.”

Lady A, who just hit the top of the Billboard country chart with “We Owned the Night,” are enjoying the winter weather on the road, as they continue their Own the Night 2011 Tour on Thursday (December 1st) in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Want to star in your own music video, featuring friends and family? Now, you can, and Dierks Bentley will help you put it together. Visit dierksbentleyhome.com to upload personal photos and customize your own music video to the tune of the singer’s latest smash, “Home.” Some of your videos will be featured on Dierks’ own Facebook page.

Dierks Bentley and Darius Rucker were among the artists taking part in the special event, Country Music: In Performance at the White House. Hosted by President and Mrs. Obama, last week’s performance celebrated country music. Check out a couple of the performances, as well as some behind-the-scenes video clips–one of which showcases Dierks as the interviewer.

Lady Antebellum’s “We Owned the Night” has climbed to the top of the Billboard country chart, marking the trio’s sixth career No. one hit. The track has already scored big internationally, having spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Canada country chart.
 
“This is our tour opener, and every night when we start into it, you can definitely feel the support that country radio has given this song.  Everyone is ready for it, and the energy really helps get the night kicked off right and sets the tone,” says Lady A’s Charles Kelley.  “It’s crazy to think we’ve had six No. one hits…we want to send out a big thank you to all of our friends at country radio, our record label and our fans!  We know these don’t come easy…it’s a big group effort!”

“We Owned the Night” is the second No. 1 single off the group’s Platinum certified new album , Own the Night, which became country music’s biggest first week debut this year.

The trio will be honored as one of CMT’s five Artists of the Year in December.

Fans can catch Lady A on the Fall leg of their headlining tour, which was recently extended into next year as the OWN THE NIGHT 2012 WORLD TOUR with Darius Rucker and special guest Thompson Square. 

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott explains why “We Owned the Night” is one of her favorite songs on the band’s latest album, Own the Night.

Lady A (WOTN) OC: …joy in it. :32

“I love that song. It’s not necessarily with a guy, you know, in a romantic sense, but just nights in college, you know, before I met Charles and Dave and our career took off; like hanging out with my friends and staying out and staying up until four in the morning and laughing and having a great time. It’s not so much about a romantic night to me, so much as just those nights that I remember growing up that were just like, you feel like you could just float off the ground, it was so much fun, and there was so much joy in it.”

Little Big Town have released “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and the band says it was pretty difficult to choose just one holiday release. “We’re thinking about making a Christmas record, so this was like another start of a Christmas record, and it is so much harder [to choose],” says LBT’s Karen Fairchild. “You just think, ‘Oh, I’ll just pull together all my favorites.’ But when you start looking at all the great classics and how you want to cover ‘em…you don’t want to mess ‘em up.” Karen’s bandmate (and hubby) Jimi Westbrook agrees. “You hear all the versions that, the great versions that artists have done, you know, and you have to do something kind of different, you know, and  make it your own.”

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is now available on iTunes.

LBT (picking Christmas single) OC: (Karen) …can’t mute us. [Jimi laughs] :50

KAREN: “It was hard!” KIMBERLY: “It really was. We went through a ton of Christmas songs.” KAREN: “‘Cause we’re thinking about making a Christmas record, so this was like another start of a Christmas record, and it is so much harder. You just think, ‘Oh, I’ll just pull together all my favorites.’ But when you start looking at all the great classics and how you want to cover ‘em and you don’t want to mess ‘em up and you have fond memories.” JIMI: “You hear all the versions that, the great versions that artists have done, you know, and you have to do something kind of different, you know, and  make it your own.” KAREN: “Yeah. But I’m proud of the way this one turned because it is, I think, uniquely ours, and Wayne Kirkpatrick plays the most beautiful acoustic guitar part I think I’ve ever heard. You could just mute us and just listen to him, and it would be gorgeous.” KIMBERLY: “Yeah, it’s like straight from Heaven.” KAREN: “Don’t do that, though. Luckily, you can’t mute us. [Jimi laughs]”

Eric Church will take to the road on his first headlining arena tour, aptly named Blood, Sweat & Beers. The trek, which will feature Brantley Gilbert (“Country Must Be Country Wide”) as a special guest, kicks off in Fort Smith, Arkansas January 19th. Also being featured on various dates are Jon Pardi, Sonia Leigh, Blackberry Smoke, Cadillac Black and Drake White.

“We have been building our entire career for this tour,” says Eric. “It is truly the culmination of a lot of blood, sweat and beer that has brought us to this point in our career. I have always trusted our fans to deliver with their dedication and passion; they have always exceeded my expectations. I have never been more excited to begin a tour than this one. The band and I are committed to emptying the tank every night and delivering the best show we can.”

In addition to the dates already announced (see below), the North Carolina native will reveal 30 more dates in the coming weeks.

Ticket prices will range from $34.75 for reserved seats to $199 for the “Put a Drink in YOUR Hand” VIP Package, which includes premiere seating, a pre-show party, a two-song acoustic performance from Eric and autographed memorabilia. The VIP experience will be made available through all ticketing outlets.

When Eric hits the stage, a metamorphosis seems to take place. “When I put on the hat and sunglasses, it’s a different personality; it’s a different show. I’m like a spring that comes uncoiled and for 90 minutes, or however long it is, it’s a war out there,” the singer-songwriter explains. “It’s a battle between the crowd and myself, and we’re gonna sweat and bleed and scream and everything else…and probably gonna be covered in beer when we leave. It’s that kind of show and I think that’s why they come and relate to us. I’m doing the same thing. I’m there for a release and so are they. That energy exchange, it’s over the music, it’s over passion, but it’s also just getting away from our lives for a while.”

Eric Church’s Blood, Sweat & Beers tour dates:

Jan. 19 Fort Smith, Ark., Fort Smith Convention Center
Jan. 20 Cape Girardeau, Mo., Show Me Center
Jan. 21 Southaven, Miss., Desoto Civic Center
Jan. 26 Madison, Wis., Alliant Energy Center
Jan. 27 Saginaw, Mich., Dow Event Center
Jan. 28 Terre Haute, Ind., ISU Hulman Center
Feb. 2 Savannah, Ga., Savannah Civic Center
Feb. 3 Knoxville, Tenn., Thompson Boling Arena
Feb. 4 Norfolk, Va., Ted Constant Center
Feb. 16 Greenville, S.C., Bi-Lo Center
Feb. 17 Salisbury, Md., Wicomico Civic Center
Feb. 18 Greensboro, N.C., Greensboro Coliseum
Feb. 23 Battle Creek, Mich., Kellogg Arena
Feb. 24 Cleveland, Ohio, Wolstein Center @ CSU
Feb. 25 Ft. Wayne, Ind., Allen County War Memorial Col.
Mar. 1 Portland, Maine, Cumberland County Civic Center
Mar. 2 Lowell, Mass., Tsongas Center at UMASS Lowell
Mar. 3 Indiana, Pa., Kovalchick Center
Mar. 8 Oklahoma City, Okla., Chesapeake Energy Center
Mar. 10 Orange Beach, Ala., Amphitheater at the Wharf 

AUDIO: Eric Church explains the metamorphosis that takes place when he jumps on stage to perform.

Eric Church (performing live persona) OC: …for a while. :41

“Well, I think a lot of it is who I am on stage isn’t who I am the rest of the day. And I think, people that come to that show, they’re not that way all day either. When they come they come to that show it’s our time to get away from what we normally do. When I put on the hat and sunglasses, it’s a different personality; it’s a different show. I’m like a spring that comes uncoiled and for 90 minutes, or however long it is, it’s a war out there. It’s a battle between the crowd and myself, and we’re gonna sweat and bleed and scream and everything else…and probably gonna be covered in beer when we leave. It’s that kind of show and I think that’s why they come and relate to us. I’m doing the same thing. I’m there for a release and so are they. That energy exchange, it’s over the music, it’s over passion, but it’s also just getting away from our lives for a while.”

Christmas comes early this year for Little Big Town fans, as the Platinum-selling country group—consisting of members Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook— has released their version of the Christmas classic, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”   The band’s harmonious take on the holiday favorite can be heard on EW.com today by clicking here. The single is available for purchase digitally now.

“This is one of my favorite things we’ve ever done as a band,” says Karen Fairchild. “It’s a great challenge to interpret a classic and make it your own. I’m really proud of the way this turned out and am hoping we make a bunch of folks’ Christmas playlists for years to come.”

Catch Little Big Town perform their rendition of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” and Elvis’ “Santa Clause Is Back In Town,” on the upcoming “CMA Country Christmas,” which is scheduled to air Thursday, Dec. 1 (9:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

For more information, be sure to visit www.littlebigtown.com.