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.

TUNE IN:  LADY ANTEBELLUM PERFORM ON JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! AND THE

SEASON FINALE OF DANCING WITH THE STARS… Trio Wins American Music Award for

“Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group”

Nashville, TN – Nov. 21, 2011 – Fresh off their American Music Awards win for “Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group” last night, Lady Antebellum are set to perform on Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s outdoor concert stage tonight (November 21st) at 11:00p CT/12:00 aET on ABC. Fans can also catch the trio making the television debut of “Dancin’ Away with My Heart” off their platinum-certified OWN THE NIGHT on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars season finale Tuesday night (November 22nd) at 8:00p CT/9:00 pET.
 
Lady A’s OWN THE NIGHT 2011 TOUR makes stops in Huntsville, AL (11/25), Florence, SC (11/26) and Savannah, GA (11/27) this weekend. For a full list of tour dates and appearances, visit www.ladyantebellum.com.

Congratulations to Lady Antebellum, who picked up the American Music Award for Country Band/Duo/Group of the Year at Sunday night’s (November 20th) show. “First of all, thank you to the fans,” Lady A’s Hillary Scott said. “It starts and ends with you, and we just love you.” 

Catch Alan Jackson on GAC-TV’s Master Series Monday night (November 21^st) at 10pm and 2am ET; and Wednesday (November 23rd) at 11am ET. The show spoke with Alan Jackson at the recent Music City Walk of Fame ceremony.

Eric Church is offering his fans an exclusive limited-edition hardcover photo book, Eric Church: A Song to Sing. The book chronicles Eric’s career so far with more than 350 exclusive photos, and only a limited number are available for order at his website, ericchurch.com. Pages include commentary and quotes directly from Eric, and fans will see everything from intimate moments taken behind the scenes, as well as shots of him on stage. Select autographed copies will be shipped at random, which can be pre-ordered, while it will officially be released  December 9th .

Little Big Town will release “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” on iTunes on Tuesday (November 22nd).

Darius Rucker made a surprise appearance during Taylor Swift’s Speak Now Tour stop in Columbia, South Carolina on Friday (November 18th). “He’s one of the friendliest, coolest, most talented guys, and he comes from South Carolina,” she said prior to bringing out the “I Got Nothin’ singer. “I hope it’s alright with you if we have a guest tonight.” The pair performed Darius’ 2009 hit, “Alright,” as the crowd “went wild.” Check it out below.

Keith Urban wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of the fans for an amazing tour, as well as all of the cards, letters, gifts and well-wishes they’ve sent to him in regards to his upcoming vocal cord surgery.

Luke Bryan takes his fans behind-the-scenes of what his CMA 2011 was like — including rehearsals for the big show, radio remotes and a special fan performance! The video shows just how much Luke didn’t “want this night to end!”

Check it out!

“Hi! This is Alan Jackson. I hope y’all have a very happy Thanksgiving out there.”

 “Hey y’all! What’s up? This is Darius Rucker, wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!”

 “Hey! It’s Dierks Bentley! Happy Thanksgiving!”

“Hey folks! It’s Eric Church, wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Hey! This is Eric Paslay, wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Hey everybody! We are Lady Antebellum, wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.”

The Thanksgiving holiday tradition traces its origins to a 1621 celebration at Plymouth, in the state that’s now known as Massachusetts. The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest. While initially, the Plymouth colony did not have enough food to feed half of the 102 colonists, the Wampanoag Native Americans helped the Pilgrims by providing seeds and teaching them to fish. The practice of holding an annual harvest festival like this did not become a regular affair in New England until the late 1660s. People now celebrate the holiday by giving thanks for their blessings over the past year, as well as feasting on turkey and other festive goodies.

Thanksgiving Day is November 24th, and most people will be enjoying time with their friends and families, including some of your favorite country stars, such as Alan Jackson, Darius Rucker, Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Eric Church, Eric Paslay and more. They give us their thoughts, memories and favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

AUDIO: Alan Jackson talks about his favorite Thanksgiving dish.

AJ (Thanksgiving) OC: …enjoy it. :19
“My favorite Thanksgiving dish would be the homemade dressin’ that we, cornbread-based kind of dressin’ that we always have with turkey. That recipe is a kind of a combination of my mama, and Denise has taken it and perfected it over the years, so that me and my children really enjoy it.”

AUDIO: Darius Rucker says he’s thankful for his family.

Darius Rucker (Thanksgiving) OC: …still alive. :17

“Oh, the main thing I’m thankful for is my family, there’s no doubt about that.  Thanksgiving is about family for us.  If we’re in Jersey, getting together with family.  If we’re in Charleston, getting together with family and just cooking and eating. Sitting around and talking and remembering and being thankful for where we are, you know. We’re all still alive.”

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley has a lot to be thankful for, including his two daughters – Evie (rhymes with Chevy) and Jordan, who was born on Christmas Day. Here he gives us the extent of what he’s thankful for this year:

Dierks Bentley (Thankful for) OC: …appreciative of. :45

 “Coming off the Miles & Music event this year in Nashville and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital and knowing how many families are going through tough times with health of their children. That’s the number-one blessing when you have kids is that they’re healthy. Even when they have a mild cold, it’s like, ‘Aww, man. I feel so bad for them.’ I can’t imagine what those folks at Vanderbilt and St. Jude and all of those children’s hospitals across the country, what they’re going through on Thanksgiving. I’m sure they’re just happy to be together, and that’d be the same thing for me—just to be with my family and thankful for the blessings that I have. And the second thing we will pray for is the troops and their families, the ones that are away from their families at Thanksgiving, the ones that are out there fighting on Thanksgiving Day so we can be back here and have that quality time, have that quiet time is definitely something we’re so appreciative of.”

AUDIO: Dierks Bentley talks about his Thanksgiving must-have! It’s an oldie, but a goodie!

Dierks Bentley (Thanksgiving must-have) OC: …for Thanksgiving. :4

“You gotta have a big turkey. Thanksgiving is not possible without a turkey. My dad’s always been the one to cook and carve it, but in years here recently, I’ve been taking over those duties. Big responsibility. We cook it traditionally, but when we’re in, a co8uple of Thanksgivings ago, we were here in Nashville, we did the whole fry the turkey up, and it was great. It just tasted so good; all those juices get locked in there, and I love that too. You really can’t, to me, cook a turkey wrong. I’m gonna eat it any way, and I have over the years. Trust me, I’ve played a lot of county and state fairs, where I’ve seen gigantic turkey legs, you know, I’ve had the flat meat. I’ve done turkey every way you could do it. I’m pretty good any way you want to cook it up, but you’ve got to have a turkey for Thanksgiving.”

AUDIO: Eric Church says he’s thankful for his family – including new son, Boone – as well as for his fans, who made this year his most successful yet.

Eric Church (Thanksgiving) OC: …want to do it.  :38 

“A couple of things. I’m thankful for my family, my son, my wife and great health. And I’m thankful for from a career standpoint, I’m very thankful for the success we’ve had lately. I’m thankful for Chief, I’m thankful for what the fans have done. I’m thankful that we’re starting to have some hit songs on the radio, I mean there’s a lot of stuff to be thankful for in that regard. And I’m thankful that I was given the opportunity to do it my own because I’m just not a guy, you know if we were having this success and I wasn’t able to do it my own, it wouldn’t be the same for me. I’m not one of those people that could keep doing that.  Some people can, I can’t. I’d bail. So, I’m thankful that I’m going to get to keep doing this and do it the way that I want to do it.” 

AUDIO: Eric Paslay loves him some turkey for Thanksgiving.

Eric Paslay (Turkey) OC: …really does. :09

“My favorite Thanksgiving food, I think, is the tryptophan turkey, ‘cause it really puts me to sleep. No [yawn], it really does.”

AUDIO: Eric Paslay talks about his favorite Thanksgiving memories.

Eric Paslay (Thanksgiving) OC: …too much. :05

“My best Thanksgiving memory, I think, is just hanging out with family, watching football and eating too much!”

AUDIO: Keith Urban gives thanks for many things, including his wife and two daughters.

Keith (Thanksgiving) OC: …for me. :21

“Thankful that, well, my marriage is just, it’s life-giving, not just life-changing, it’s been life-giving for me. And from there, we created life, and that’s just beautiful, absolutely beautiful. And the effect that all of that has had in my work, has given life to it too, given it a sense of purpose and really deepened the experience for me.”

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley talks about his family’s Thanksgiving traditions.

Lady A (Charles-Thanksgiving traditions) OC: …with my brothers. :17

“Thanksgiving is a really big holiday for my family. We always have about 60 of our closet family and friends up in the North Georgia mountains for kind of a yearly, big Thanksgiving extravaganza. We have about everything under the sun to eat, and I usually have an eating contest with my brothers.”

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum Dave Haywood says the whole band is thankful for their families.

Lady Antebellum (Dave-Thankful) OC: …with ‘em. :13

“I think all of us are definitely most thankful for our families. They have been a huge support of our career ever since we started, and Thanksgiving is a great time to be with them. We travel so much, and we always try to make sure we take off the Thanksgiving holiday so we can be home with them.”

AUDIO: Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott describes her favorite Thanksgiving dish.

Lady A (Hillary-Thanksgiving food) OC: …ever tasted. :12

“So, my favorite Thanksgiving food would have to be my grandmother’s sweet potato casserole. There’s just something she puts in it  — probably all the love – that makes it better than anything I’ve ever tasted.”

Luke Bryan is set to wrap his CMT On Tour dates this Saturday (November 19^th) in Monroe, Louisiana. The trek, which also features opening acts Lee Brice, Josh Thompson and Matt Mason, kicked off a couple of months ago, and Luke tells CMT.com that the tour has been one of the most humbling and gratifying moments in his career. As far as his first headlining tours go, he learned a lot from being on the road with others, and like a sponge, soaked up all of the knowledge he could from folks such as Tim McGraw. “You always learn from the big pros. They go out there and deliver it night in and night out, you know,” Luke tells us. “Guys like [McGraw], they’re where they are because they’re pros. And you just want to conduct yourself in that fashion too – go in, be ready to put on a show night in and night out and don’t take any second on stage for granted.”

• Luke is scaling the country charts with his latest single, “I Don’t Want This Night to End,” which is from his gold-certified album, tailgates & tanlines.

AUDIO: Luke Bryan explains a few things he’s learned from touring with others for his own headlining tour.

Luke (learning from others) 111711 OC: …doing that. :51

“You kinda have to just take all that knowledge and wrap it up into performing. And you always learn from the big pros. They go out there and deliver it night in and night out, you know. They may come off stage and, like with [Tim] McGraw. Heck, he almost fainted, you know, he broke his foot. We were in Raleigh, and it was about a hundred degrees on stage and just got dehydrated. When I saw him backstage, he was green as a gourd, and so he goes back out and finishes the show. Guys like that, they’re where they are because they’re pros, and you just want to conduct yourself in that fashion too – go in, be ready to put on a show night in and night out and don’t take any second on stage for granted. Take your audience on rides, you know, and let ‘em enjoy it and be a part of it, and you kinda learn that by watching the guys who’ve been so successful doing that.”